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gasparodasalo · 10 months

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Federico Maria Sardelli (b. 1963) - Suite de Pièces pour le Clavecin (2013), I. La Lunatique. Performed by Giulia Nuti, harpsichord.

#federico maria sardelli #baroque #classical music #harpsichord #20th century classical music #neo baroque #keyboard #chamber music #pieces de clavecin #clavecin #cembalo #rarely performed composers #baroque music #neobaroque music #neo baroque music #suite

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mikrokosmos · 9 months

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Rautavaara - Cantus Articus (1972)

Here one could see another example of a 20th century composer "leaving" behind a modernest style of writing to "revert" to a Neo-Romantic / Neo-Tonal style. This is sometimes used as an argument to show that the extended techniques of modernism have been exhausted and that there was no creative future in the avant-garde, and all this is used to reaffirm a kind of conspiracy or propaganda that "modern classical music isn't enjoyable" "it's just noise" "see even this big name composer agrees!". Maybe there are some people who believe that, but in this case it isn't so fitting. Even when Rautavaara was in his twelve tone days, his music still prioritized lyricism. If anything starting with ultramodernism helped as a foundation for his more characteristic style, which is the typical progression of a composer's creative life: get a foundation in the tradition, and focus on what you like until you find 'your voice'. In this work, a "Concerto for Birds and Orchestra", Rautavaara combines his lyricism and extended neo-romantic tonality and cluster chords with recordings of birdsong written to blend together as if the birds were like earlier imitations of birdsong in other parts of the tradition (Vivaldi, Beethoven, Schumann, Messiaen, etc. etc.) His inspiration came from the commissioner. Rautavaara was asked by the University of Oulu to write something for a graduation ceremony. The university is farther north of Helsinki and the composer said its "Arctic" location inspired him to incorporate northern birdsong recordings, instead of writing a more traditional or expected graduation cantata. In his own words;

The bird sounds were taped in the Arctic Circle and the marshlands of Liminka [a municipality in the former province of Oulu, in Northern Finland]. The first movement, Suo (The Bog), opens with two solo flutes. They are gradually joined by other wind instruments and the sounds of bog birds in spring. Finally, the strings enter with a broad melody that might be interpreted as the voice and mood of a person walking in the wilds. In Melankolia (Melancholy), the featured bird is the shore lark; its twitter has been brought down by two octaves to make it a “ghost bird.” Joutsenet muuttavat (Swans Migrating) is an aleatory texture with four independent instrumental groups. The texture constantly increases in complexity, and the sounds of the migrating swans are multiplied too, until finally the sound is lost in the distance.

Regardless of ideological biases, there is agreement that the unique use of recording technology incorporated in engaging orchestral writing makes this concerto a modern classic.

#Rautavaara #cantus articus #music #classical #orchestra #orchestra music #classical music #symphony orchestra #recording #birdsong #20th century classical music #20th century music #postmodern music #postmodernism #concerto #Einojuhani Rautavaara #Rautavaara Cantus Articus #mikrokosmos #Youtube

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globins · 4 months

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La Valse — Maurice Ravel (arranged by the composer for piano solo)

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La Valse is French impressionist composer Maurice Ravel’s 1920 tribute to the Viennese waltz, a dance style of classical music which was falling out of fashion at the time. Originally conceived as a ballet, La Valse blends Romantic idioms with Ravel’s characteristically unusual harmonic style. The piece is often analyzed as representing the evolution and destruction of the waltz style after the recent World War I, although Ravel disputed this interpretation.

Anyway time for my ramble, so La Valse is most frequently performed in its full orchestra version (important note that Ravel is often regarded as one of the greatest orchestrators in history). The version for solo piano is rarely performed because it’s really hard and honestly loses a lot of its sonic character being reduced from a full orchestra down to a single piano. (There’s a 2-piano arrangement that’s more common).

I find the solo piano arrangement of La Valse fascinating because it’s honestly. not amazing. (at least in comparison to a lot of Ravel’s work). I still love it and I wouldn’t say it’s bad by any means, but as much as I love Ravel, the reduction is awkward. it loses a lot of the orchestral version’s character, like a black-and-white photograph of a vividly colorful painting. you’re forced to focus on different details because so much is lost (or maybe I should say changed, even though the notes stay the same) from the original.

If you follow along with the sheet music you’ll see several times where there’s a smaller staff above the main one—these are ossias, instrumental parts from the original put in the music as an optional alternative to the main written part. A lot of these are glissandi (slides, basically), originally scored for string instruments, that get weirdly roughened by the translation to piano. A single pianist doesn’t have enough hands to capture everything that was going on in the original.

But basically, what I’m saying is this—I don’t know why Ravel wrote this arrangement at all. Not in a “it’s bad and has no value” way, but in a “this is not the La Valse I saw the symphony perform” way. It’s almost a different piece at this point, and I kind of wonder if that’s why he wrote it: look how this radically reduced version of my art completely transforms the soul of the original- it’s the same work, but it’s not the same music! even like this it’s so Ravel it can stand on its own as something else! !! !!!!!!!

#joe rambles about music #music #classical music #ravel #la valse #waltz #piano #sheet music #impressionism #classical piano #orchestra #music history #music analysis #Youtube #SoundCloud #seong-jin cho #20th century classical music #maurice ravel

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rafiknyclassical · 11 months

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Alberto Ginastera (1916-1983): Popol Vuh, La creación del mundo maya op.44 (1975/1983) -- WDR Sinfonieorchester Köln diretta da Stefan Asbury -- I. La noche de los tiempos II. El nacimiento de la tierra III. El despertar de la naturaleza IV. El grito de la creación V. La gran lluvia VI. La ceremonia mágica del maíz VII. El sol, la luna, las estrellas --- cover image by Mark Rothko

#20th century classical music #alberto ginastera #Ginastera #Youtube

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fleetshotter-minstrel · 9 months

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British classucal music from the 1940s.

#benjamin britten #peter grimes suite #british classical music #20th century classical music #youtube

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the-evil-clergyman · 1 year

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Symphony of the Water Nymphs by Hans Zatzka (Late 19th - Early 20th Century)

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classicarte · 2 years

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Étude, Op. 10 : n.° 11 en mi bémol majeur – Frédéric Chopin

La tonique (Keynote) William Arthur Chase, 1915

#art #painting #classical music #20th century #British art #English art #William Arthur Chase #Frédéric Chopin #Romanticism #1900s #1900s art #classical art

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cressida-jayoungr · 6 months

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One Dress a Day Challenge

Black and White October

Easter Parade / Ann Miller as Nadine Hale

Nadine apparently has tons of dogs and coordinates them with her outfits as extra accessories. Here's what she wears with a pair of borzois.

This costume only appears for a few seconds--the gif above represents about half its total screentime--but it's memorable nonetheless. It's one of the most historically accurate costumes in the film, for a start (this parade sequence takes place in 1912 or 1913). I like the addition of the feather spray on the hat, as compared to the design sketch. The effect of the crossed scarf is interesting too.

#easter parade #black and white october #ann miller #one dress a day challenge #one dress a week challenge #movie costumes #period film #1948 movies #1948 films #1910s fashion #1910s style #costumes by irene #old hollywood #classic hollywood #musical costumes #classic films #20th century costumes #elevated by a suitable hat

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emeraldoo · 10 months

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ok. so i was thinking. and like. got a good idea. So! -🧪

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lionofchaeronea · 5 months

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Jean Sibelius, Antti Favén, 1925

Happy birthday, Jean Sibelius (Dec. 8, 1865-Sept. 20, 1957).

#art #art history #classical music #Sibelius #Jean Sibelius #Antti Favén #portrait #portrait painting #seated portrait #Finland #Finnish art #20th century art #oil on canvas #Finnish National Gallery

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gasparodasalo · 1 year

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Benjamin Britten (1913-76) - Miniature Suite for String Quartet, IV. Gavotte. Performed by Emperor Quartet.

#benjamin britten #classical music #string quartet #strings #quartet #violin #viola #cello #20th century classical music #modern classical music #violist #violinist #cellist #chamber music #suite #gavotte

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flowersforfrancis · 11 months

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feerz · 5 months

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Dmitrii Shostakovich liking jesus christ superstar is so insane to me for some reason. Like I always forget that he lived till 1975 and would have been aware of contemporary pop music. Also because its jcs

#love how my two big interests collided #id love to know what his favourite song was #or what he thought of the characters #some of the parts of jcs doundtrack do really remind me of 20th century classical music #like the overture/trial before pilate crucifixion pilate and christ #jcs #jesus christ superstar #dmitri shostakovich #classical composers

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rafiknyclassical · 1 year

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