jmc's classics
People think of Swedish music and they think of Abba. I am not that much in to their music. I have an idea for a parody of "Dancing Queen" here are a lot of good Swedish composers and other Scadinavian composers such as Franz Berwald (1796-1868) and Hugo Alfven (1872-1960). Denmark, Norway and Sweden are considered Scandinavia. Alos Iceland and Finland. The Fihish language is not a Scandinavian or Indo-European language. It is part of the Fino Uralic language family which includes Hungarian.
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There are many good obscure composers. One of my favorites is Norwegian Johan Svendsen (1940-1911). He was friends with Edward Greig (1843-1907) who is the one who is mainly thought of when it comes to Norwegian music. Grieg is sometimes called the "Chopin of the north" because he wrote a lo of piano music.
Svendsen was the son of a military band leader. At that time Norway was part of Sweden. He originally studied Violin. An injury to his left hand caused him to turn more to conducting. He studied at the Leipzig conservatory from 1863-7. a conservatory can be a music school or a sun room. He lived and worked in Paris where he met his first wife Sarah who wan an American. There is legend that she destroyed his Third Symphony in a fit of rage. They eventually divorced. His son from his second marriage is Danish actor Eyvind Svendsen. His career is not as known as Grieg's. I have listened to Exploring the Music which is a syndicated radio program which discussed Svendsen in recent issues where they were discussing Scandinavian composers. I do listen to Exploring the Music it has some good insights on Classical Music. His most famous work is his Romance for Violin and Orchestra (Opus #26) it lasts around seven minutes. I have a copy of it coupled with the Sibelius Violin concerto and woks by other Scandinavian composers. It features Dong-Suk Kang on the violin with the Czechoslavak Radio Orchestra and Adrian Leapar conducting on the Naxos Label. He wrote two surviving symphonies(Opuses 4 7 15 I am not in to reviewing movies or drama. The Andrew Lloyd-Webber version of Phantom of the Opera is a hit. I have heard the music but not seen it. I like the 1943 Hollywood movie based on the novel Phantom of the Opera by Gaston Leroux better. It is not as gory. It stars Nelson Eddy and Claud Rains. It has a different story line than the Broadway musical.
It features parts of my favorite opera "Martha" by Frederick von Flotow. It also has some music from I Pagliacci by Ruggero Leoncavallo. Both composers were "one hit wonders" although they did write other operas etc. This movie was made in the "Golden age of Hollywood". I liked the movies from that period better than most movies of today. Hollywood is too far removed from society. I have this movie on VHS cassette. I watch it every year in October. I am not in to horror films as much. I would recommend this movie. There are a lot of other versions of Phantom of the Opera. Many of the great composers of the Classical and Romantic eras drew on common folk music for inspiration. Dvorak, Smetna, Grieg, Sibelius, Svendsen,Vaughn-Williams and Bruch among others drew on common folk tunes for inspiration. Both from their respective countries and other countries. This is not upper crust music. Classical music has a reputation as being snotty. It is not.
Ralph Vaughn-Williams was reportedly Frank Sinatra's Favorite composer. I like some of Frank Sinatra's music especially his version of The Lord's Prayer.
Vaughn-Williams was an English composer born in 1872 and died in 1958. He was also a conductor. I have a recording of him conducting J.S. Bach's St. Matthew's Passion in English. He wrote music based on English folk songs and melodies. He may be best remembered for his Fantasy on Greens Sleeves. Of which the popular Christmas Carol "What Child is this?" and the them from the TV show "Lassie" are based. I barely remember that show. The other composition of his was "The Lark Ascending" for Violin and Orchestra. He also wrote nine symphonies, one each concerto for violin, oboe and harmonica. He also wrote various chamber music including two string quartets and a string quintet. Three of his symphonies: the Third, Seventh and Ninth also have choral sections. I have CDs of his Second and Fifth Symphonies are both with Andre Previn and the Royal Philharmonic on the Telarc label. The second is coupled with The Lark Ascending with Barry Griffiths on the violin, The Fifth is coupled with Fantasia of Thomas Tallis. I have a CD of the Sixth and Ninth Symphonies also with Andre Previn but this time conducting the London Symphony Orchestra on the RCA label. I recommend all three CDs. I have a CD of some of his Chamber Music with various artists on the EMI label. Thomas Tallis (1505-1585) was an English composer who was instrumental in the development of English choral music. I am not as familiar with his works or music from the Pre-Baroque era. He also wrote film music like many of his British contemporaries among them was "The 49th parallel" and "Scott of the Antarctic" which is based on Captain Robert Scott's ill fated voyage to the Antarctic. I am not in to British films. I am not much in to Frank Sinatra. He is an American Icon. He was married four times. Among his wives were Mia Farrow who was 30 years his junior and to Ava Gardener. The symphony and opera seasons are beginning. I do miss the Summer Concerts by the SLSO and the Music School on Delmar Blvd. I hope in the future they start those concerts again
It looks like another figure from the Classical World has had sexual harassment charges-Placido Domingo. I have some of his recording. Mainly the one of I Pagliacci on the Phillips label with the La Scala orchestra and French conductor Georges Pretre conducting. It is based on a film of that opera by Italian director Franco Zeffirelli. I remember Domingo on the PBS production of Verdi's opera Stifellio. This opera was neglected and not performed as much. It involved a Protestant minister in an extra merital affair. The Catholic Church did not like it. Contrary to popular belief there are a few married Catholic priests. They have taken some men who have been ordained in other denominations, some widowers and divorced men plus the Eastern rite Catholics.
Many people who know Domingo personally deny it. His reputation may be tarnished. He is also a conductor. he has been associate with the National Symphony Orchestra which is based in Washington DC. It is just the symphony orchestra of Washington DC. It hardly has a national role and is not as well known as other American Orchestras. He has also taken on some baritone roles in opera as he gets older and his voice changes. This is unique for many tenors in opera. |
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