Letter M
MaestroDJS
in alphabetical order by composer. I like to do this every 10 years to ensure
that nothing remains unplayed for too long. At 3000 LPs and 1000 CDs, and
growing, this project should last until December 2000.
Letter L was great fun, especially Franz Liszt. For years I had a very low
opinion of Liszt, based primarily on a few pieces, which symbolized everything
I disliked about empty virtuosity. However at some point I discovered music
which changed my opinion forever. Liszt was not a fraud or hypocrite, simply a
realistic man who had no hesitation to write something quick, cheap and showy
for some quick money, but who also left behind a testimony of immaculate music
for later generations. He composed both some supremely sublime music and some
pretty obnoxious twaddle. What an adventure his music makes!
To recap jwo...@ameritech.net on 4/9/00 6:15:24 AM EST: "Liszt is the most
maddening composer of whom I know. [snip] He writes a perfectly wonderful
piece one hour, and the veriest trash the next. [snip] Glad someone else is
perplexed about him."
Now on to Letter M.
Any comments or recommendations on the composers listed below? Your
impressions, should help me rediscover this music and reveal new facets I might
not have noticed before.
It is interesting to contrast the many eras and countries of composers who may
have absolutely nothing in common except the first letter of their surnames.
Nonetheless some interesting coincidences occurred. Perhaps more than any
other, Letter M illustrates some of the absolutely superb composers in our
great neighbour to the north, Canada: eg. Sir Ernest MacMillan, Leslie Mann,
Bruce Mather, André Mathieu, Roger Matton, Pierre Mercure, Oskar Morawetz,
François Morel. Over the years I have made some fantastic discoveries in
records shops, particularly in Montréal and Québec City. La belle province du
Québec seems particularly musical.
Music, travel and languages are some of my favorite hobbies. A language may be
considered approximately 1/3 grammar, 1/3 vocabulary and 1/3 culture. Grammar
and vocabulary can be had in textbooks and dictionaries. Culture is more
elusive, but music is an excellent window. I can never learn another language
absolutely, but perhaps I can learn 2 or 3 languages 3/4 completely. The
better we understand other cultures, the better we can bridge the gaps between
ourselves and our fellow voyagers on planet Earth. Music is indeed a window to
the world.
David Stybr, Chicago Illinois, USA
Big M, little m, which composers begins with M?
Letter M: Composers in my collection
Lorin Maazel (1930- ), United States
Hamish MacCunn (1868-1916), United Kingdom
Edward MacDowell (1861-1908), United States
Sir Alexander Mackenzie (1847-1935), United Kingdom
G. W. L. Marshall-Hall (1862-1915), United Kingdom/Australia
Sir Ernest MacMillan (1893-1973), Canada
Gustav Mahler (1860-1911), Bohemia / Austria
Leslie Mann (19??- ), Canada
Frank Martin (1890-1974), Switzerland
Jean Martinon (1910-1976), France
Bohuslav Martin (1890-1959), Bohemia / Czechoslovakia
Giuseppe Martucci (1856-1909), Italy
Pietro Mascagni (1863-1945), Italy
Daniel Gregory Mason (1873-1953), United States
Jules Massenet (1842-1912), France
Bruce Mather (1939- ), Canada
André Mathieu (1929-1968), Canada
Roger Matton (1929- ), Canada
Toshiro Mayuzumi (1929- ), Japan
W. Francis McBeth (1933- ), United States
Paul McCartney (1942- ), United Kingdom
Rod McKuen (1934- ), United States
Richard Meale (1932- ), Australia
Joyce Mekeel (1931- ), United States
Felix Mendelssohn (1809-1847), Germany
Peter Mennin (1923-1983), United States
Gian-Carlo Menotti (1911- ), Italy / United States
Pierre Mercure (1927-1966), Canada
Olivier Messiaen (1908-1993), France
Giacomo Meyerbeer (1791-1864), Germany / France
Francisco Mignone (1897-1986), Brazil
Darius Milhaud (1892-1974), France
Richard Mills (1949- ), Australia
Richard Mohaupt (1904-1957), Germany
José Pablo Moncayo (1912-1958), México
Douglas Moore (1893-1969), United States
Oskar Morawetz (1917- ), Czechoslovakia / Canada
François Morel (1926- ), Canada
Moritz Moszkowski (1854-1925), Poland
Modest Moussorgsky (1839-1881), Russia
Leopold Mozart (1719-1787), Austria
Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart (1756-1791), Austria
Thea Musgrave (1928- ), United Kingdom
evan johnson
:Big M, little m, which composers begins with M?
:
:Letter M: Composers in my collection
Some additions:
James MacMillan (Scotland, b. 1959)
Federico Mompou (Spain/Catalonia, 1893-1987)
Claudio Monteverdi (Italy)
Tristan Murail (France/USA, b. about 1945 or so)
Evan
Evan Johnson, music composition major, Yale University
*****The Naxos/Arte Nova Recommended Recordings List*****
Email evan.johnson@[remove]yale.edu to get a copy or
submit a recording to be added.
Wyremusik
(MaestroDJS) schreibt:
>Any comments or recommendations on the composers listed below? Your
>impressions, should help me rediscover this music and reveal new facets I
>might not have noticed before.
>
Oh yes. There are some Holes in your collection.
Guillaume de Machault, (~1300 - 1377)
Bruno Maderna ((1920 - 1973)
Leevi Madetoja (1887 - 1947)
Alberic Magnard (1865 - 1914)
Alma Mahler-Werfel (1879 - 1964)
Gian Francesco Malipiero (1882 - 1973)
Francesco Onofrio Manfredini (1684 - 1762)
Marin Marais (1656 - 1738)
Alessandro Marcello(1669 - 1747)
Benedetto Marcello (1686 - 1739)
Louis Marchand (1669 - 1732)
Igor Markevitch (1912 - 1983)
Heinrich Marschner (1795 - 1861)
Johann Mattheson (1681 - 1764)
Rudolf Mauersberger (1889 - 1971)
Nikolai Medtner (1880 - 1951)
Fanny Mendelssohn-Henselt (1805 - 1847)
Saverio Mercadante (1795 - 1870)
Nikolai Miaskowsky (1881 - 1950)
Francesco C. da Milano (1497 - 1543)
Karl Millöcker (1842 - 1899)
Ernest John Moeran ( 1894 - 1950)
Johann Melchior Molter (1696 - 1765)
Frederico Mompou (1893 - 1987)
Stanislaw Moniuszko (1819 - 1872)
Claudio Monteverdi (1567 - 1643)
Thomas Morley (1557 - 1602)
Ignaz Moscheles (1794 - 1870)
Alexander W. Mossolow (1900 - 1973)
Georg Mufat (1653 - 1704)
Josef Myslivecek (1737 - 1781)
Old music isn't yours. Lothar
MaestroDJS
Federico Mompou (Spain/Catalonia, 1893-1987) is a name I have seen a good deal
lately, but I have not yet heard any of his music. How would one describe it?
What are some of his major works? Any biographical details?
JHenry1975
>Big M, little m, which composers begins with M?
An obvious addition that should be made is Claudio Monteverdi, the first great
operatic composer and a true master with the human voice. At the very least,
"Orfeo" and his later books of Madrigals should be a part of every music
lover's collection.
Guillaume de Machaut I know less about, as I'm still fairly ignorant of early
music myself, but he is one of the bigger names--if not the biggest--of that
period.
From this century I can add Tristan Murail, whose music is noted for its
"spectral" harmonies, which have been enormously influential among many younger
European composers, and Bruno Maderna, a fellow traveller of Boulez et al. His
serial language might not be to your taste, but I can suggest the likes of
"Grande aulodia," "Quadrivium," and "Aura."
Joseph Henry
piper
>Thank you for the suggestions.
>
>Federico Mompou (Spain/Catalonia, 1893-1987) is a name I have seen a good deal
>lately, but I have not yet heard any of his music. How would one describe it?
[snip]
I've heard some of his piano pieces and songs. In particular, I recall
hearing a series of pieces for solo piano representing scenes of
childhood. They reminded me of Satie and Ravel, and slightly of
Poulenc. I liked them very much. As far as I was concerned, they had a
genuine and pleasing simplicity and uncomplex beauty, and they were
vivid and virtuosic.
Michael
To reply by email, please eliminate "NOSPAM" from my address. Personal messages only!
B Leris
MaestroDJS wrote:>
> Federico Mompou (Spain/Catalonia, 1893-1987) is a name I have seen a good
deal
> lately, but I have not yet heard any of his music. How would one describe
it?
Well I will try to daub some about Frederic Mompou i Dencausse, born
in Barcelona the 16 of April of 1893. Third son of a Notary and the daughter
of a manufacturer of bells which foundry was placed in the slope of the
Montjuic
mountain (the same of the Britten/Lennox Berkeley Suite), in Barcelona.
He studies with Pere Serra and in the Conservatory of BCN. In 1909 an
event propeled your entire dedication to the music and to your piano, he was
present in a G. Fauré and Marguerite Long concert to take place in March.
In 1911 he leaves BCN and goes to Paris, with an E. Granados reference
letter
to G. Faure, but your shyness prevent the contact. Studies with Isidore
Philipp
and Ferdinand Motte-Lacroix and become a great pianist. Several beginings to
learn composition wirh Pessard, and M. Samuel-Rousseau, unfinisheds.
Bohemian periode between Paris and BCN. In 1917 premiere in BCN of the
Diaghilev Russian Ballets with E. Satie "Parade" (set designs by P. Picasso)
FM wondered the E. Satie stetic ideas. Also meets to Manuel de Falla and
S. Prokofiev. In the Sale Érard, in Paris (1921), Motte-Lacroix plays your
"Scènes d'enfants" and "Cants màgics" successfully. "Le Temps" and your
critic, Vuillermoz, consecrates Mompou for the Parisiens and he meets
P. Valéry, A. Guide, L-P Fargue, Ravel, Falla, Joaquin Nin and others.
During 1927-30 only composes the 1rst serie of "Préludes" and "Cançó
i dansa nº 4". Return in BCN in 1931 and join the group "CIC", Compositores
Independientes de Catalunya, (with R. Gerhard, E. Toldrà, M. Blancafort,
B. Samper, R. Lamote de Griñon, J. Gibert and A. Grau) which purpose was
to spread the contemporary music to the public, with none common stetic
ideal,
only friendship ties. From 1932-42 only composes three works but in 1948 he
completed "Combat del Somni" for piano and voice. In London (1955)
premiere of the ballet "The House of birds", in the Sadler's Wells Theater
(a selection of piano pieces orchestred by John Lanchbery and with
choreography by K.MacMillan). The most important of your works was
composed at the end of your days: "Cançons i danses" for piano and voice
(14), the four books of "Musica Callada" for piano (1959-67), the Oratory
"Los Improperios"(1963) and the " Suite Compostelana" (1962) for guitar
(dedicate to Andrés Segovia).
He (like Scriabin ) created a "metalic chord" rememberig, perhaps, the
sounds
of the bell's foundry of your parents.
IMHO, is a composer of minimalist music that recall to Satie but more
innermost. Is difficult to clasify your music using the stetical trends of
XX
century, wide music, close music, simple music.
For further information you can consult the site of Catalan composers:
www.webcom.com/musics/comp_sXIX.html
click in Mompou.
I wish you health and time to complete your task.
Buenaventura - BCN
<< ble...@airtel.net>>
#########################
Jan Winter
wrote:
>On 23 Apr 2000 10:25:26 GMT, maest...@aol.com (MaestroDJS) wrote:
>
>>Thank you for the suggestions.
>>
>>Federico Mompou (Spain/Catalonia, 1893-1987) is a name I have seen a good deal
>>lately, but I have not yet heard any of his music. How would one describe it?
>[snip]
>
>I've heard some of his piano pieces and songs. In particular, I recall
>hearing a series of pieces for solo piano representing scenes of
>childhood. They reminded me of Satie and Ravel, and slightly of
>Poulenc. I liked them very much. As far as I was concerned, they had a
>genuine and pleasing simplicity and uncomplex beauty, and they were
>vivid and virtuosic.
Recommended listening: Mompou plays Mompou, four cd's on the Ensayo
label.
Also: quite a lot of Mompou can be played by any reasonable advanced
amateur piano player with ears on his head and some rhythm in his body
to great satisfaction.
--
Regards, Jan Winter, Amsterdam
(j.wi...@xs4all.nl)
Jon Bell
Aha, you beat me to it. Unlike most Finnish composers of the time,
Madetoja studied in France rather than in Germany. Imagine Sibelius with
a French accent. I especially like his Third Symphony. His opera "The
Ostrobothnians" has a strong folk influence and has been very popular in
Finland; a new recording of it appeared last year on the Finlandia label.
A couple more M's from Finland, a father-son pair. Oskar Merikanto
(1868-1924) is known mainly for songs and piano music in a conservative
Romantic style. His son Aarre Merikanto (1893-1958) was a "radical" for
his day (in Finland, at least), and is considered one of the founders of
Finnish modernism (here referring to Scriabin, early Schoenberg, etc., not
the Second Viennese School, so don't let it scare you!).
--
Jon Bell <jtb...@presby.edu> Presbyterian College
Dept. of Physics and Computer Science Clinton, South Carolina USA
[ Questions about newsgroups? Ask in news:news.newusers.questions ]
[ or visit http://www.geocities.com/ResearchTriangle/Lab/6882/ ]
Stan Szpakowicz
>Wyremusik <wyre...@aol.com> wrote:
>>Leevi Madetoja (1887 - 1947)
>A couple more M's from Finland, a father-son pair. Oskar Merikanto
>(1868-1924) is known mainly for songs and piano music in a conservative
>Romantic style. His son Aarre Merikanto (1893-1958) was a "radical" for
>his day (in Finland, at least), and is considered one of the founders of
>Finnish modernism (here referring to Scriabin, early Schoenberg, etc., not
>the Second Viennese School, so don't let it scare you!).
Add yet another Finn: Erkki Melartin (1875-1937). A recording of his six
symphonies, composed between 1902 and 1925, has been neatly repackaged
last year by Ondine. According to the liner notes, Melartin "managed to
remain largely unshackled by Sibelius's influence. He was, however, the
first Finnish composer whose symphonies bear the stamp of Mahler.
Melartin was also influenced by impressionism and expressionism".
Despite all this, the symphonies are highly listenable and competently
crafted. Recommended.
--
Dr. Stan Szpakowicz, Professor www.site.uottawa.ca/~szpak
School of Information Technology & Engineering sz...@site.uottawa.ca
University of Ottawa tel +613-562-5800/6687 fax +613-562-5187
Adrian Hunter
>
> In article <20000423033041...@nso-ba.aol.com>,
> Madetoja studied in France rather than in Germany. Imagine Sibelius with
> a French accent. I especially like his Third Symphony. His opera "The
> Ostrobothnians" has a strong folk influence and has been very popular in
> Finland; a new recording of it appeared last year on the Finlandia label.
I find that Madetoja is a bit like that other "M", Magnard, or
maybe Roussel (I know I am not alone in this opinion, but I came
to this conclusion before I knew about his French studies.) I
prefer the 2nd symphony. The Sibelian influences are clearly
there, but are not very prominent I find, and he certainly is not
as great.
>
> A couple more M's from Finland, a father-son pair. Oskar Merikanto
> (1868-1924) is known mainly for songs and piano music in a conservative
> Romantic style. His son Aarre Merikanto (1893-1958) was a "radical" for
> his day (in Finland, at least), and is considered one of the founders of
> Finnish modernism (here referring to Scriabin, early Schoenberg, etc., not
> the Second Viennese School, so don't let it scare you!).
>
Also not on the original list:
Erkki Melartin
Andre Messager
Adrian
Peter T. Daniels
> Add yet another Finn: Erkki Melartin (1875-1937). A recording of his six
> symphonies, composed between 1902 and 1925, has been neatly repackaged
> last year by Ondine. According to the liner notes, Melartin "managed to
> remain largely unshackled by Sibelius's influence. He was, however, the
> first Finnish composer whose symphonies bear the stamp of Mahler.
> Melartin was also influenced by impressionism and expressionism".
>
> Despite all this, the symphonies are highly listenable and competently
> crafted. Recommended.
"Despite"? Those epithets are all recommendations -- Mahlerian, impressionist,
expressionist, and not a Sibelius clone! (Imitation may be flattering, but it
doesn't make for great music.)
--
Peter T. Daniels gram...@worldnet.att.net
Stan Szpakowicz
Peter T. Daniels <gram...@worldnet.att.net> wrote:
>I wrote:
>> According to the liner notes, Melartin "managed to
>> remain largely unshackled by Sibelius's influence. He was, however, the
>> first Finnish composer whose symphonies bear the stamp of Mahler.
>> Melartin was also influenced by impressionism and expressionism".
>> Despite all this, the symphonies are highly listenable and competently
>> crafted. Recommended.
>"Despite"? Those epithets are all recommendations -- Mahlerian, impressionist,
>expressionist, and not a Sibelius clone! (Imitation may be flattering, but it
>doesn't make for great music.)
Spot on! (Just imagine a tiney smiley somewhere in my post.) Though, to
be honest, I cannot imagine a _successful_ blend of impressionism and
expressionism...
As I said: recommended.
Cheers,
Peter T. Daniels
> Spot on! (Just imagine a tiney smiley somewhere in my post.) Though, to
> be honest, I cannot imagine a _successful_ blend of impressionism and
> expressionism...
Pelléas? (If not Debussy's alone, then the ensemble of tone poems drawn
from the story -- there was a Philips box of LPs of three of them.)
MaestroDJS
collection, or was simply unaware of. This has been one of our best
discussions lately.
Special thanks to pi...@interport.net, j.wi...@xs4all.nl, ble...@airtel.net,
evan.j...@yale.edu, jtb...@presby.edu and jhenr...@aol.com. You took the
time and effort to write brief descriptions about Guillaume de Machaut
(1300-1377), Bruno Maderna (1920-1973), Leevi Madetoja (1887-1947), Erkki
Melartin (1875-1937), Aarre Merikanto (1893-1958), Oskar Merikanto (1868-1924),
Federico Mompou (1893-1987) and Claudio Monteverdi (1567-1643). I will
certainly investigate these. Claudio Monteverdi is of course a composer I have
known about for decades, but never really got around to investigate his music.
Perhaps that time is now.
I sincerely appreciate your recommendations and descriptions about the above
composers. These are a hundred zillion times more informative than past
indignant blasts I have received, such as: "Where in God's name is Heinrich
Schlemiel?!?" or "You are a pathetic, barely sentient human being deserving of
the mocking and derision of others if you fail to include Alphonso Zucchini!"
Due to an ongoing engineering project near Lafayette, Indiana I have bought a
lot of CDs at Von's Records near Purdue University in West Lafayette for the
past few months. Their prices are good and their classical selection is
excellent, particularly Naxos CDs. Their loud blasting death metal music sure
clears my sinuses too, so I remember to bring my hard hat, safety glasses and
ear protectors from my project site. Last month I saw the Naxos CDs of
Federico Mompou but didn't buy them. Now that I know more about Mompou and a
few other composers, next month I may take the plunge.
Ah, the joy of discovery. Thank you again,
Dave
Peter T. Daniels
> I sincerely appreciate your recommendations and descriptions about the above
> composers. These are a hundred zillion times more informative than past
> indignant blasts I have received, such as: "Where in God's name is Heinrich
> Schlemiel?!?" or "You are a pathetic, barely sentient human being deserving of
> the mocking and derision of others if you fail to include Alphonso Zucchini!"
I thought you haven't gotten to S or Z yet ...
Bruce Rodean
Czeslaw Marek (orchestral music on Koch is good stuff)
David Maslanka (ho-hum, don't know why I bought it)
Nicholas Maw (only have Odyssey)
Etienne-Nicolas Mehul
It took a lot of guts to list Paul McCartney! And fwiw, I like the
Melartin symphony set on Ondine!
--
Bruce Rodean
rod...@fc.hp.com
Stan Szpakowicz
>> Spot on! (Just imagine a tiney smiley somewhere in my post.) Though, to
>> be honest, I cannot imagine a _successful_ blend of impressionism and
>> expressionism...
I'd argue that Debussy was more a Symbolist than an Impressionist,
or maybe that in his music he managed to unite the two movements.
"Pelleas et Melisande" is, in my opinion, a Symbolist work. The
libretto, FWIW, comes from the pen of a very decided Symbolist!
John Gavin
Impressionism to Avant Garde.
Sudhir Kadkade
<20000425201229...@ng-fd1.aol.com>...
>I sincerely appreciate your recommendations and descriptions about the
above
>composers. These are a hundred zillion times more informative than past
>indignant blasts I have received, such as: "Where in God's name is Heinrich
>Schlemiel?!?" or "You are a pathetic, barely sentient human being deserving
of
>the mocking and derision of others if you fail to include Alphonso
Zucchini!"
And you were not even into the S or Z category then. :-{)
>
>Due to an ongoing engineering project near Lafayette, Indiana I have bought
a
>lot of CDs at Von's Records near Purdue University in West Lafayette for
the
>past few months. Their prices are good and their classical selection is
>excellent, particularly Naxos CDs. Their loud blasting death metal music
sure
>clears my sinuses too, so I remember to bring my hard hat, safety glasses
and
>ear protectors from my project site. Last month I saw the Naxos CDs of
>Federico Mompou but didn't buy them. Now that I know more about Mompou and
a
>few other composers, next month I may take the plunge.
I bought Stephen Hough's Mompou CD on Hyperion, and its been in the
active rotation on my CD player ever since. I'd recommend this highly.
I think it won some kind of award from Gramaphone, even. :-{)
schi...@lightlink.com
composer of piano works, songs, sonatas, violin sonatas, and concerti among
other music, and Nikolai Miaskovskii, composer of 13 string quartets,
27 symphonies, 3 sinfoniettas (in A, b minor and a minor), 2 concerti
(for violin and for cello), 9 piano sonatas and much other piano music,
2 cello sonatas (several-times recorded), a violin sonata (never recorded),
and much else (in all 86 or so published opera in many genres including
cantata as well) in varied but essentially romantic, lyrical and above
all extremely expressive works, some of which are finding their way
to recording. His birthday was April 20 (1881) to my knowledge and
I regret to say I did not adequately to my mind celebrate it.
-Eric Schissel
piper
wrote:
>I'd argue that Debussy was more a Symbolist than an Impressionist,
[snip]
But people don't usually speak about a Symbolist movement in music, or
distinguish between Impressionism and Symbolism in music. How would
you differentiate between the two in music, and could you please give
examples of each, as you see them?
By the way, setting a Symbolist text does not make the music
Symbolist, e.g. Schoenberg's Pierrot Lunaire is generally (and, I
think, correctly) considered Expressionist.
Stan Szpakowicz
piper <piper...@interport.net> wrote:
>On 26 Apr 2000 20:09:00 GMT, I wrote:
>>I'd argue that Debussy was more a Symbolist than an Impressionist,
>[snip]
>But people don't usually speak about a Symbolist movement in music, or
>distinguish between Impressionism and Symbolism in music.
People do not usually do it, but it is not impossible to consider such
terms for music. The usual division is a bit simplistic: Impressionism
refers first of all to painting, Symbolism first of all to poetry.
Debussy was both, in his own way. Or all four (:>).
I suppose you want an authority. I can only quote a musically dubious
source: Encyclopaedia Britannica. "He developed a highly original system
of harmony and musical structure that expressed in many respects the
ideals to which the Impressionist and Symbolist painters and writers of
his time aspired."
I said that Debussy was more a Symbolist than an Impressionist, not that
he was one to the exclusion of the other. It is a matter of degree.
It is a second-hand argument, but Wagner was a major influence on
Debussy. One could say that leitmotivs symbolize the ideas or characters
they depict. Symbolist poets used leitmotivs in their work, also on the
inspiration of Wagner.
Symbolist painting was (usually) strong colours and sharp contours.
Impressionist painting was (usually) pastel and soft. A parallel "take"
on music might not be as glib, and boundaries are much fuzzier. Let me
include a long quote from The Britannica (at www.britannica.com):
# In music, Claude Debussy has always been considered the principal
# Impressionist. Even though Debussy was influenced by the general
# aesthetic attitudes of Impressionist painters, he made no attempts to
# compose with musical techniques that were closely analogous to
# techniques of painting. Furthermore, the characteristics of Debussy's
# music are so variable from the first through the last of his
# compositions that even a general sense of Impressionism might best be
# restricted to most of his music composed between about 1892 to 1903
# and to certain specific later compositions strongly resembling those
# works in style. Some of these Impressionist works would be the opera
# Pelleas et Melisande (first performed in 1902), the orchestral piece
# "Nuages" ("Clouds," from Nocturnes, completed in 1899), and the piano
# piece "Voiles" ("Sails," from Douze Preludes, Book I, 1910). Other
# composers considered Impressionistic include Maurice Ravel, Frederick
# Delius, Ottorino Respighi, Karol Szymanowski, and Charles Griffes.
#
# Musical Impressionism is often thought to refer to subtle fragility,
# amorphous passivity, and vague mood music. A more accurate
# characterization of Impressionist music would include restraint and
# understatement, a static quality, and a provocatively colourful
# effect resulting from composers' fascination with pure sound as a
# beautiful and mysterious end in itself. Technically, these
# characteristics often result from a static use of harmony, ambiguous
# tonality, a lack of sharp formal contrasts and of onward rhythmic
# drive, and a blurring of the distinction between melody and
# accompaniment. Although Impressionism has been considered a movement
# away from the excesses of Romanticism, the sources of many of its
# characteristics may be found in the works of composers who are also
# considered to be the Romantic precursors of Expressionism--e.g.,
# Franz Liszt, Richard Wagner, and Aleksandr Scriabin.
Described in this manner, Impressionism applied to music is a rather
pejorative term. Now, "Pelleas et Melisande" is, in my view, not subtly
fragile, amorphously passive or vaguely moody (;^). It is a strong and
decisive portrait of people torn by deep passions. If I can choose a
label, I prefer Symbolist.
> How would
>you differentiate between the two in music, and could you please give
>examples of each, as you see them?
Abstract music is all symbol and all impression, so I cannot really give
you a clearcut distinction. I can only say that, in my opinion, the
music of Ravel and Szymanowski is more Impressionist than Debussy's,
though Szymanowski's oriental influences make his work ("King Roger"!)
no less Symbolist...
It is all play with labels, is it not?
>By the way, setting a Symbolist text does not make the music
>Symbolist, e.g. Schoenberg's Pierrot Lunaire is generally (and, I
>think, correctly) considered Expressionist.
Right, but I believe that Debussy chose Maeterlinck's play for a reason,
and -- being such a deep musician -- set this Symbolist play to suitable
music.
Best regards,