jmc's classics
This week is the anniversary of the premiere of three of Le Roy Anderson's works: "Plink, Plank Plunk" and "Fiddle-Faddle' in 1947 and Blue Tango in ``1951. I have never heard of those pieces. He is remembered of two pieces: The typewriter song of 1950 and his famous Christmas song Sleigh Ride from 1948. He also wrote a Trumpeter's Lullaby in 1949 which is my favorite works.
Anderson (1908-1975) was an American composer of mostly light Classical pieces. I have not heard many of them lately. He was born in Massachusetts to Swedish parents. he went to Harvard and studied with Walter Piston and Edward Hill. He was a member of Phi Beta Kappa and graduated magna cum laude. He wrote two pieces about Harvard. He was trained as an organist. Fiddle Faddle was based on the children's song "Three Blind Mice" Plink, Plank, Plunk was written for sting orchestra. I am not familiar with this piece. It lasts about three minutes. It has been recorded by Hugo Winterhalter and les Baxter among others. Anderson also wrote an "Irish Suite" and a "Scottish Suite". He also wrote some works for for brass band among other works. The typewriter is now obsolete. It has been taken over by the PC. I don't even know if any are made anymore. Anybody older than 40 knows what a typewriter sounds like. I don't have a typewriter now. I took typing classes both in junior highs school and high school. Middle schools used to be called junior His Trumpeters Lullaby and Sleigh Ride are my favorite compositions of Anderson's. British composer Frederick Delius (1862-1934) a piece called "Sleigh Ride" from his "Three small Tonepoems" whish is also called "Winter Night" The "Troika" From Sergei Prokofiev's Lieutenant Kije Suite is considered a musical sleigh ride. It refers to a team of three horses pulling a sleigh. "Troika" means three. It is still summer. There will be "Christmas in July" shortly. Hopefully by the holiday season things will be getting back to normal.
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June 24 was the anniversary of the premier of Ralph Vaughan-Williams' Fifth Symphony in 1943 in London. It is probably his most popular symphony. he is remembered for Green sleeves of whihc "What Child is This" comes from. It was dedicated to Jean Sibelius. It borrows on themes from Vaughan-Williams opera The Pilgrim's Progress.
It premiered in 1943 at the Royal Albert Hall in London. The American premier was on November 30 1944 with the New York Philharmonic and Arthur Rodzinski conducting. It was an immediate success. It was premiered in the afternoon in order for people to go home do to fear of bombing raids. It is more cheerful in nature than the fourth Symphony. in this symphony it shoes him returning to a more romantic style that His third Symphony Called "Pastoral" like Beethoven's Sixth Symphony. It has no story behind it like some other symphonies. A Pilgrim's Progress was an opera that Vaughan-Williams wrote. It is based on the book by John Bunyan(`1628-1688). It is an allegory. I don't understand the plot of the story. It is divided in to the standard four movements: Moderato, Scherzo: Presto Misteoiso, Romanza:Lento and Passacaglia: Moderato It runs about 40 minutes. There are many recordings of the work. the one that I have is of Ander Previn conducting the Royal hon the Telarc label. It is coupled with his Fantasia on a theme by Thomas Tallis. I also Have the Second Symphony coupled with A lark Ascending Also with Previn and The Royal Philharminc on Telarc. I recommend both recordings Things are starting to open up again. Unfortunately, I have not been able to take much advantage of all of the live streaming that has come up recently.
On Exploring the Music, they have been talking about Dvorak. He spent time in Iowa in the 1890's and was influenced by American music. My favorite works of his are the String Serenade (Opus#22), Violin Concerto (Opus# 53) and the Sixth Symphony (Opus# 60). When it comes to Sibelius my favorite works of his are his Second and Third Symphonies (Opuses 43 and 52) Sibelius was the foremost Finish composer and he is associated with Finland Like Dvorak is associated with the Czech Republic. Today I heard on the radio the Concerto for Jazz Band and Orchestra by Rolf Liebermann. I liked it. I can't find out much information on Lieberman (1910-1999). He was Swiss. In the past Switzerland has not been known as a jazz hot bed. The two most famous Swiss composers are Ernest Block (1880-1959) and Arthur Honegger (1892-1955) The later I have written about.
Liebermann has several works listed including operas. He was director of the Hamburg Staatsoper (Opera Company) from 1959 to 1973. and again from 1985 to 1988. during that time He commissioned 24 new operas. The recording I heard was from 1955 with the Chicago Symphony Orchestra and Fritz Reiner. This recording is not available. I have seen two listed on Arkiv Music. Jazz and classical music can be fused together. I would like to hear the first Movement from Dvorak's String Serenade, the second movement from Schubert's Fifth symphony, the second movement from Richard Strauss' Violin concerto and the second movement from Alexander Scriabin's Piano Concerto played on a jazz band or big band. I do like jazz and big band. New Orleans is the birth place of Jazz. I visited New Orleans once but I was not impressed with the place. Jazz is the American original art form music. It is not as popular now. There are also various forms of jazz. big band and swing music are forms of jazz. I am not an expert on these two genres of music but I do enjoy listening to them. The Muny Opera has been canceled. The Covid 19 scare is starting to die down. It would be a good Idea for the Muny to have a fall season. I don't care if baseball goes in to November or even December. The hockey season lasts from October to June. That is too long. Is a cold weather sport. I hope that the Muny starts again next year.
The Viola is an stringed instrument. It is always played with a bow. Not as many works are written for it as the violin or cello. On "Exploring the Music with Bill McLaughlin" this week the viola was the main subject. While I was in fifth grade I took viola lessons but did not do good. I have never been musically talented. That is unfortunate. The viola is present in string Quartets, Piano quartets and quintets.
There are some major differences between a viola and a violin. The viola is larger and has a tenor or alto sound. The violin players read their music from a treble clef while viola and trombone players read from the less familiar alto clef. A clef is a form of musical notation . The top string on the violin is an "E" while the top string on a viola is an "A". The strings on a viola are thicker than that of the violin. The violin and viola originated in the 15th century. There were several predecessors to the modern viola: The viola da braccio and the viola da gamba. The violas not had as many concerti and works written for it. Bella Bartok (1881-19450 wrote a viola concerto that was unfinished at the time of his death but was completed by Tibor Serley. Paul Hindemith (1895-1962) wrote several works for solo viola and orchestra William Walton (1902-1983) also wrote one. The most famous piece was Mozart's Sinfonia Concertante for Violin, Viola and Orchestra (K.364) I have a CD of that work with Anne Sophie Mutter, Bruno Giuranna with Nevillle Marriner conducting the Academy of St. Martin in the Fields. It is on the EMI label. Max Bruch wrote a concerto for Viola, Clarinet and Orchestra (Opus #88) and Eight pieces for Viola and Clarinet or Piano (Opus#83). Late in his career a trio for Viola, Cello and Piano (Opus# 114) and two sonatas for Viola or Clarinet and Piano (Opus #120). Debussy wrote a Sonata for Flute Viola and Harp (It does not have an opus number). There have also been rock and pop music for the viola. When I think of the Viola I think of that year and I don't have any good musical talents. I like the sound of the viola. I remember that experience. Viola can also be a female name such as actress Viola Davis. |
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