Dead-Composers Society

[Lux Apollo]

How about some more baroque? Johann Heinrich Schmelzer's Sonate in d minor:

 

[AC Benus]

I was typing up a poem this morning that I wrote in May of 1989. It was inspired by a track on the Sky album, which I had at the time on cassette tape

 

Here is the poem, and here is the track (gotta love youtube. Muah!)

 

A gentle melody flows through my head –

    before I could believe it, it was gone

Now in shade I wonder if it can be –

    wonder how such a thing could be.

 

               Come Sweet May

 

 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BmZN-3WNC-o

[Parker Owens]

A perfectly lovely crystalline offering.

[Lux Apollo]

I'm feeling a bit navy-blue and grey today, so maybe something yearning, swelling and breaking like a restless but not quite stormy sea in early evening... 

 

Rachmaninoff's Prelude in c, Op. 23 no. 7:

 

[Parker Owens]

Oh, yes.

[AC Benus]

Some little northern birdie dropped a mention of Purcell in my ear today, so I thought of one of the most timeless (think 'Modern') stage scenes in all of opera - the Witches Brouhaha from Dido and Aeneas. 

This movie version has excellent singing and performances, but please skip ahead to the scene I want you to experience first. It's between mins. 16:50 and 24:30. 

I hope you enjoy.

 

 

Edited November 20, 2022 by AC Benus

[Lux Apollo]

Some little northern birdie dropped a mention of Purcell in my ear today, so I thought of one of the most timeless (think 'Modern') stage scenes in all of opera - the Witches Brouhaha from Dido and Aeneas. 

 

This movie version has excellent singing and performances, but please skip ahead to the scene I want you to experience first. It's between mins. 16:50 and 24:30. 

 

I hope you enjoy.

 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=psfkHrYfEME

 

Great performance! The staging of that scene was great - I loved the atmosphere. Have you heard Hervé Niquet directing Le Concert Spirituel in Dido? Their interpretation of this scene is a little less conventional, but really fun (start at 15:10): 

 

[AC Benus]

Great performance! The staging of that scene was great - I loved the atmosphere. Have you heard Hervé Niquet directing Le Concert Spirituel in Dido? Their interpretation of this scene is a little less conventional, but really fun (start at 15:10): 

 

 

 

Thanks, I'll check it out  

[Parker Owens]

I ran across this quite accidentally today. Now I have it saved...

 

[Lux Apollo]

I ran across this quite accidentally today. Now I have it saved...

 

 

Love it! Thanks for sharing.

[Lux Apollo]

Feeling a bit reflective today, so let's have a listen to Scarlatti's Sonata in b-, K.87:

 

 

 

 

The pianist here, Mikhail Pletnev, is a favourite of mine. Although the degree of rubato he uses might not be completely period appropriate, it suits the piece. He also uses some interesting harpsichord-isms by not completely syncing some notes together to give the brisée feel that puts emphasis on some elements of the melody - an approach also used in jazz, hundreds of years later.

[AC Benus]

 

 

 

The pianist here, Mikhail Pletnev, is a favourite of mine. Although the degree of rubato he uses might not be completely period appropriate, it suits the piece. He also uses some interesting harpsichord-isms by not completely syncing some notes together to give the brisée feel that puts emphasis on some elements of the melody - an approach also used in jazz, hundreds of years later.

 

I love Plentnev, and I get the jazz feel too. He's always reminded me of Keith Jarrett.

Edited February 8, 2017 by AC Benus

[AC Benus]

A gem of a scene to lighten the mood. Tarare has a libretto by Baumarchais, and wouldn't you know it, there's a moment where the lady disguises her maid in her clothes. The irony comes when the man the maid is destined to rendezvous with is none other than the lady's fiancé trying to rescue her. The ensuing scene tightropes brilliantly between the maid taking a sudden fancy to the disguised man, and the hero of the story despairing that he won't be able to rescue his beloved.       

 

The scene is between 2:13:05 and 2:20:00.

 

I hope it makes you smile.

 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5I0jdLbAdp4

[Parker Owens]

It made me smile, indeed. Thank you!

[Parker Owens]

Feeling a bit reflective today, so let's have a listen to Scarlatti's Sonata in b-, K.87:

 

 

 

 

The pianist here, Mikhail Pletnev, is a favourite of mine. Although the degree of rubato he uses might not be completely period appropriate, it suits the piece. He also uses some interesting harpsichord-isms by not completely syncing some notes together to give the brisée feel that puts emphasis on some elements of the melody - an approach also used in jazz, hundreds of years later.

 

Such intense interpretation, and such wonderful music made. Thank you for posting this.

[Lux Apollo]

C.P.E. Bach is one of the most under-rated composers, and I'm not sure why his music isn't played more widely. Regardless, here's a little snippet of one of his keyboard works to enjoy. It's the first movement of the Sonata in f#-, the fourth sonata from a set catalogued as Wq. 52. Bach was quite the interesting composer, writing music that is both challenging and approachable sometimes, and other times he can write things that are a bit of a mystery to figure out how to play well. This sonata is rather straightforward, even if the first movement vacillates back and forth between these flurries of activity and softer, cantabile sections. What, specifically, was Bach trying to convey to the audience?

 

[AC Benus]

C.P.E. Bach is one of the most under-rated composers, and I'm not sure why his music isn't played more widely. Regardless, here's a little snippet of one of his keyboard works to enjoy. It's the first movement of the Sonata in f#-, the fourth sonata from a set catalogued as Wq. 52. Bach was quite the interesting composer, writing music that is both challenging and approachable sometimes, and other times he can write things that are a bit of a mystery to figure out how to play well. This sonata is rather straightforward, even if the first movement vacillates back and forth between these flurries of activity and softer, cantabile sections. What, specifically, was Bach trying to convey to the audience?

 

 

Yes, you beat me to it. i was going to post something from Plentnev's Carl Phillip Emanuel Bach's album

 

Recordings like these make one understand why when people in Mozart's time spoke of 'Bach,' they meant C.P.E.* His influence on composition is impossible to quantify, since it was so pervasive.     

 

 

-----------------------

 

* He actually had to spell out in a letter to his father that he'd recently run into some interesting music by 'Bach' - not C.P.E. but the man's father, who apparently had been a composer as well. lol

Edited February 10, 2017 by AC Benus

[Lux Apollo]

Yes, you beat me to it. i was going to post something from Plentnev's Carl Phillip Emanuel Bach's album

 

Recordings like these make one understand why when people in Mozart's time spoke of 'Bach,' they meant C.P.E.* His influence on composition is impossible to quantify, since it was so pervasive.     

 

 

-----------------------

 

* He actually had to spell out in a letter to his father that he'd recently run into some interesting music by 'Bach' - not C.P.E. but the man's father, who apparently had been a composer as well. lol

 

Do you have a favourite piece from that album? I actually wanted to post the whole sonata, but I couldn't find a publically available recording of it all while I had the patience to look. The second movement of that sonata is such a gem of quiet pondering. At least, that's what it always feels like to me when I've listend to it or played it.

[AC Benus]

Do you have a favourite piece from that album? I actually wanted to post the whole sonata, but I couldn't find a publically available recording of it all while I had the patience to look. The second movement of that sonata is such a gem of quiet pondering. At least, that's what it always feels like to me when I've listend to it or played it.

I actually put the album on right now while i was getting my eggplants ready for cooking. Plentev chose quite a wide variety of music to include. I was struck afresh at how CPE Bach challenged his listeners/performers with some dark, heavy 'baroque' themes cut liberally with galant segments. 

 

There's a sonata in c minor in the collection I thought I'd look for, even though I feel Plentev is too heavy handed in the middle movement, tipping it too far to the JS Bach side, but the rondo is wonderful.   

 

I don't know if I can find all thee movements or not, but I'll look.

[AC Benus]

I don’t know if these will work for you (and others) or not, but let's give 'er a go

 

C.P.E. Bach: Sonata in C minor, Wq.65/31. Preformed by Mikhail Plentnev

  

1. Allegro assai ma pomposo

 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DNGVY25od1Q

 

2. Andantino patetico

 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IvaVBFWONdU

 

3. Allegro scherzando

 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qwHmdR1r6Bw

[AC Benus]

…trying to find light and love this Sunday morning…

 

Three excerpts from Hasse's final composition – the mass in g minor. Let us all aspire to create such fresh works of expression when we are in our 80s, like he was when he wrote this.    

 

https://youtu.be/08aRHMKcxgo?list=PLxmTA5iA5rk6DSPPuS6lECwBWbE2q8cjb

 

https://youtu.be/rN1nt1yFiVQ?list=PLxmTA5iA5rk6DSPPuS6lECwBWbE2q8cjb

 

https://youtu.be/08aRHMKcxgo?list=PLxmTA5iA5rk6DSPPuS6lECwBWbE2q8cjb

[Parker Owens]

I cannot help being delighted with the discussion on CPE Bach. I quite agree that he lives far too much in JS's shadows. This discussion is generally making me (1) despair over and (2) rethink the music history course I get to (occasionally) teach. If there are any suggestions for a revamp, I'd be all ears.

Edited February 16, 2017 by Parker Owens

[Lux Apollo]

I guess it depends on what era(s) the course covers. The French Baroque tends to get ignored other than a passing reference to Lully, Couperin and maybe Rameau unless someone wants to add a woman composer into the mix and then we hear about Jacquet de la Guerre (who is definitely worthy of discussion in her own right).

Of course, I say that when it's my area of expertise lol. I do think, though, that general western music history courses tend to fail at touching on countries/composers outside of the monoliths, and maybe more importantly fail to give much connection to the cultural and historical context - who was at war, what was being invented, etc. It's a lot to cover though, so I don't know how it can all be fit in.

Edited February 18, 2017 by Lux Apollo

[Parker Owens]

I guess it depends on what era(s) the course covers. The French Baroque tends to get ignored other than a passing reference to Lully, Couperin and maybe Rameau unless someone wants to add a woman composer into the mix and then we hear about Jacquet de la Guerre (who is definitely worthy of discussion in her own right).

 

Of course, I say that when it's my area of expertise lol. I do think, though, that general western music history courses tend to fail at touching on countries/composers outside of the monoliths, and maybe more importantly fail to give much connection to the cultural and historical context - who was at war, what was being invented, etc. It's a lot to cover though, so I don't know how it can all be fit in.

 

Thanks for your input.  You are absolutely right about trying to fit everything in. You and I agree on the need for context, too - it is something the students have often lacked, and simultaneously wondered why I bother...it's supposed to be a music course, isn't it Mr. Owens?

[AC Benus]

I know I have heard recordings of this music before, but none of them really captured my fancy. Here the blend of Stephen Hough at the piano with Bryden Thomas leading the English Chamber Orchestra is powerful and tasteful! Something about Hough's amazing playing makes me want to turn caveman and talk about his 'force and manliness.' The section between mins. 7:19~8:40 should show you what I mean.

 

Please enjoy.

 

 

Hummel Piano Concerto No 2 in A Minor, 1816

Stephen Hough, piano

 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mSYS2YzpNR4

Edited February 22, 2017 by AC Benus