CLII. BACH, J.S.: Fugue in B Minor on a theme by Tomaso Albinoni, BWV 951

CLII. BACH, J.S. (1685-1750)

Fugue in B Minor on a theme by Tomaso Albinoni, BWV 951
Robert Hill, harpsichord
(7:41)

If Bach were alive today, he would probably be the at the forefront of jazz improvisation.

Give him a "subject" and he would spin off a three- or four-part fugue without much thought (and it would still be as beautiful as today's example!) ...

In the story of The Musical Offering (Post CXXXVI), we see how Bach improvised a three-voice fugue like this one on the spot for Frederick the Great -- but had to go home to work on the six-voice version.

By clicking on the word "fugue" above, one can learn everything you need to know about this common Baroque form (although Mozart and Beethoven, and  even contemporary composers continue to use it) ...

For today, it will suffice to simply point out the very basic idea of a fugue.

**

In this "borrowed" subject (from the great Tomaso Albinoni), Bach spins beautiful counter-melodies ("countersubject") around the theme.

After the theme is stated, it returns three more times in this example -- labelled with bold numbers.

The first entry is stated without any accompaniment.

The second entry starts a Perfect Fourth higher. The accompaniment is the countersubject.

The third entry, in the bottom voice, is accompanied by two other voices -- we now have three independent voices. This entry returns to the same pattern as Entry #1.

The fourth entry uses the same notes as Entry #2 ...

CLI. TELEMANN, Georg Philipp: Concerto in A Major, TWV 53:12: IV. Allegro

CLI. TELEMANN, Georg Philipp (1681-1767)

Concerto in A Major, TWV 53:12: IV. Allegro (1733)
Musica Amphion
Pieter-Jan Belder, cond.
(9:24)

Roughly contemporary with Bach, Telemann was probably the most prolific composer in music history -- it is thought he composed some 3000 works, half of which are lost, and most of which never saw the light day until the last century.

**

This concerto is part of a larger work, entitled Tafelmusik, or Musique de table.

It would require a very long dinner to get through the whole thing -- 4:18:52 to be exact (here) ...

There are three "productions," each comprised of an overture for full orchestra, a quartet for three instruments and continuo, an instrumental concerto for several solo instruments and strings (this recording, for example, for flute, violin and strings), a trio sonata, and a solo sonata with continuo. The final piece would be a concluding sinfonia.

Wealthy music lovers paid a premium for the parts, including Handel and Quantz.

Telemann wrote:

"This work will hopefully bring me glory one day; but you will never have regrets about its value."

The first part of the piece:

CL. LIGETI, György: Aventures and Nouvelles Aventures

CL. LIGETI, György (1923-2006)

Aventures (1962)
Nouvelles Aventures (1962-65) (10:08)
Jane Manning, soprano
Jessica Walker, mezzo-soprano
Dean Robinson, bass
PSAPPHA ENSEMBLE
Conrad Marshall, flute
Rebecca Goldberg, French Horn
Richard Casey, piano
Ian Buckle, harpsichord, piano
Tim Williams, percussion
Jennifer Langridge, cello
Jeffrey Box, bass
Nicholas Kok, cond.
(21:31)

Laugh all you want, but remember -- György and the performers get the last guffaw. They got paid.

CXLIX. BARTÓK, Béla: Romanian Folk Dances

CXLIX. BARTÓK, Béla (1881-1945)

Romanian Dances (1915)
1. Bot tánc / Jocul cu bâtă (Stick Dance)
2. Brâul (Sash Dance)
3. Topogó / Pe loc (In One Spot)
4. Bucsumí tánc / Buciumeana (Dance from Bucsum)
5. Román polka / Poarga Românească (Romanian Polka)
6. Aprózó / Măruntel (Fast Dance)
Hélène Grimaud, piano
(5:37)

Bartók wrote an amazing amount of music for the piano -- ranging from works for beginners (see XVI) to beautiful arrangements of Hungarian and Romanian folksongs -- some which he would later orchestrate, allowing the music to bloom in a more colorful descriptive palette.

This is #5 -- Romanian Polka, a powerful, jittery dance:

CXLVIII. LANG, David: love fail: he was and she was

CXLVIII. LANG, David (1957-       )

love fail: he was and she was (2012)
Anonymous 4
(8:38)

[see Non-Classical: xcviii]

I discovered Lang through the Paolo Sorrentino-directed Italian film --  The Great Beauty (2013) ...

His music has a medieval sound while somehow being completely contemporary. Anonymous 4 was pivotal in showcasing ancient music from 1986 until they retired in 2015.

CXLVII. BERIO, Luciano: Sequenza XIV for Violoncello

CXLVII. BERIO, Luciano (1925-2003)

Sequenza XIV for Violoncello (2002)
Éric-Maria Couturier, cello
(11:16)

The last of the 14 Sequenzas.

• I for flute (1958)
• II for harp (1963)
• III for woman's voice (1966)
• IV for piano (1966)
• V for trombone (1966)
• VI for viola (1967)
• VII for oboe (1969) (rev. by Jacqueline Leclair and renamed VIIa in 2000)
• VIIb for soprano saxophone (adaptation by Claude Delangle in 1993)
• VIII for violin (1976)
• IXa for clarinet (1980)
• IXb for alto saxophone (adaptation by the composer in 1981)
• IXc for bass clarinet (adaptation by Rocco Parisi in 1998)
• X for trumpet in C and piano resonance (1984)
• XI for guitar (1987-88)
• XII for bassoon (1995)
• XIII for accordion "Chanson" (1995)
• XIVa for violoncello (2002)
• XIVb for double bass (adaptation by Stefano Scobanibbio in 2004)

Performance instructions:

The instrument must be tuned in the following way:

It should be noted that it is clearly indicated in the score which G#'s must be played as an open string. All other G#'s may be fingered according to their context. No attempt has been made to transpose any part of the score. The written pitches are those which are to be heard, and therefore the player must find a suitable fingering wherever the third (G) string is employed.

Where the music is notated on two staves the player is to produce a percussive sound which follows the contours and rhythms of the lower staves, played by four fingers of the right hand on the body of the instrument. The best area -- somewhere on the belly -- will be determined by experimenting where it is possible to produce four differentiated sounds (derived from ceremonial Kandyan drumming from Sri Lanka) which range from high to low. During these sections the upper stave notates the simultaneous left hand finger percussion.

CXLVI. MOZART, Wolfgang Amadeus: Overture to "The Marriage of Figaro," K. 492

CXLVI. MOZART, Wolfgang Amadeus (1756-1791)

Overture to "The Marriage of Figaro," K. 492 (1786)
Vienna Symphony
Fabio Luisi, cond.
(4:30)

Frequently cited as one of the greatest operas of all time, Figaro has a wonderfully perverse history.

If you've seen Amadeus, you know most of the story. The wonderful scene where Mozart tries to explain the plot to the Emperor (Joseph II) is probably true.

"Since the piece (based on a 1784 stage comedy by Pierre Beaumarchais) contains much that is objectionable, I therefore expect that the Censor shall either reject it altogether, or at any rate have such alterations made in it that he shall be responsible for the performance of this play and the impression it may make."

What is probably not true is the "too many notes" scene, which Forman likely cobbled from this historical fact:

With the public demanded encore after encore, a night at the opera could turn into a very early morning affair, indeed. Therefore, Joseph instructed Count Rosenberg:

"to prevent the excessive duration of operas, without however prejudicing the fame often sought by opera singers from the repetition of vocal pieces, I deem the enclosed notice to the public (that no piece for more than a single voice is to be repeated) to be the most reasonable expedient. You will therefore cause some posters to this effect to be printed."

The opera is glorious, and the overture rightly famed for its sprightly and vivacious nature:

CXLV. VIVALDI, Antonio: Concerto in F Major for Flute and Strings, Op. 10, No. 5

CXLV. VIVALDI, Antonio (1678-1741)

Concerto for Flute and Strings, Op. 10, No. 5 (1728)
1. Allegro ma non tanto (3:42)
2. Largo e cantabile (3:17)
3. Allegro (1:52)
Patrick Gallois, flute
Orpheus Chamber Orchestra

First Movement

Nothing too complex here -- just tonic, dominant, with an occasional subdominant!

Yet, what joy such simplicity elicits! Just look at the writing for strings -- the Seconds playing a third above the Firsts, and the violas moving in contrary motion, forming a I-V-I with those three eighth-notes.

Second Movement

In the relative minor (F), this largo cantabile does indeed sing. Vivaldi's harmonic language here is richer and more varied ...

Third Movement

Again, Vivaldi showcases his crystalline use of simple triads accompanied by a continuo-style cello part to spin out such delightful melodies. It is all nicely developed and recapitulated.

Gallois and Orpheus are superb.

CXLIV. BEETHOVEN, Ludwig van: Grosse Fuge, Op. 133

CXLIV. BEETHOVEN, Ludwig van (1770-1827)

Grosse Fuge, Op. 133 (1825)
Alban Berg Quartett
(15:51)

Originally, this was the finale of the String Quartet in B-Flat Major, Op. 130. Beethoven's publishers begged him to publish it separately and write a new finale for the quartet.

Karl Holz, Beethoven's secretary writes:

"[Atraria (Beethoven's publisher) charged me with the terrible and difficult task of convincing Beethoven to compose a new finale, which would be more accessible to the listeners as well as the instrumentalists, to substitute for the fugue which was so difficult to understand. I maintained to Beethoven that this fugue, which departed from the ordinary and surpassed even the last quartets in originality, should be published as a separate work and that it merited a designation as a separate opus. I communicated to him that Artaria was disposed to pay him a supplementary honorarium for the new finale. Beethoven told me he would reflect on it, but already on the next day I received a letter giving his agreement."] ... from the Wikipedia article on this piece, which contains a most detailed attempt at analysis, leaving me free for the moment to simply make some observations:

The new finale for 130 was the last piece of music he ever composed before shaking his fists at the thunder and lightning and becoming immortal.

**

Some reactions -- from long ago and more recently:

Louis Spohr: "an indecipherable, uncorrected horror."
Daniel Gregory Mason: "repellant."
Igor Stravinsky: "an absolutely contemporary piece of music that will be contemporary forever."
Glenn Gould: "For me, the 'Grosse Fuge' is not only the greatest work Beethoven ever wrote but just about the most astonishing piece in musical literature."

**

Like the final bars of Opus 131 (Post II), this grandest, greatest and most terrifying of all fugues ends with a bittersweet note of hope, with a touch of resignation to the finality of it all:

CXLIII. DVOŘÁK, Antonín: Serenade for Strings in E Major, Op. 22

CXLII. DVOŘÁK, Antonín (1841-1904)

Serenade for Strings in E Major, Op. 22 (1875)
1. Moderato
2. Tempo di Valse
3. Scherzo: Vivace
4. Larghetto
5. Finale: Allegro vivace
Netherlands Chamber Orchestra
(33:56)

All music retains a deep connection with a person's experiences upon first hearing a particular piece.

Is it a coincidence for me that this work was written during a very happy, peaceful time in Dvořák's own life and also my own?

The year was 1973, and I was helping out with my family's business -- a music store in Washington, PA.

Whenever we had a piano or organ to deliver, my best friend (the late, great John "Harpo" Whittington) and I loaded up my Ford Econoline "Ludwig van" and travelled the deeply green rural roads of Southerwestern Pennsylvania.

I had my Teac reel-to-reel tape deck, a Marantz amplifier and pre-amp, and a pair of incredible KLH 6 speakers all hooked up to an AC/DC generator so we could listen to music in high fidelity as we made our deliveries.

Somehow, this piece became the soundtrack for many of our country-roads travels. I can still recall the sound of the music combined with the verdant rural beauty.

**

The 2020 miniseries Unorthodox features a scene where the young woman -- who has escaped the confinement from the rigidity of her community, and is "free" in Germany -- meets a group of music students from the local Conservatory.

The first secular music she ever hears is this piece. The beauty of the music matches the unbelievable radiance on her face! What a joy to watch it enter her consciousness, as for ther first time she hears "real" music!

**

Another deep connection is that two of my daughters played this piece in Tucson Junior Strings, a fantastically advanced string orchestra group for such a small cow-town like Tucson.

First Movement

The melody gently rocks between the Seconds and the Celli until the fifth bar when the Firsts enter an octave higher -- soaring!

The pizz. in the Basses underpins the higher movement ...

A secondary theme in G Major (1:39):

and after much development, the movement ends in a hushed E Major ...

Second Movement (4:43):

A lilting waltz in C-Sharp Minor:

After moving to A Major, Dvořák introduces a Trio in the enharmonic major of D-Flat (6:53):

Third Movement (11:45):

A second Scherzo in 2/4. High celli and Firsts in a one-bar canon:

Fourth Movement (18:00):

A stunningly beautiful Larghetto, which begins in the Relative F-Sharp Minor:

Fifth Movement (25:19):

Another canon of one bar between the high and low strings starts off this thrilling finale:

Recollections from previous movements, much intense development, and the work ends triumphantly with accented E Major chords ...

CXLII. LIGETI, György: The Grand Macabre

CXLII. LIGETI, György (1923-2006)

The Grand Macabre (1974-77; rev. 1996)
Opera in Two Acts
(Scenic performance)
Elizabeth Watts, Amanda
Marta Fontanals Simmons, Amando
Mark Schowalter, Piet the Pot
Werner Van Mechelen, Nekrotzar
Heidi Melton, Mescalina
Claire de Sévigné, Venus
Anthony Roth Costanzo, Prince Go-Go
John Relyea, Black-Party Minister
Andrew Dickinson, White-Party Minister
Audrey Luna, Chief of the Gepopo
Rob Besserer, Atmosphericist
Dávid Csizmár, Ruffiack
Christoph Liebold, Schobiak
Fabian Kuhnen, Schabernack
NDR Elbphilharmonie Orchestra
NDR Choir
Alan Gilbert, cond.
(2:01:33)

If you've seen Kubrick's 2001: A Space Odyssey, you're already familiar with Ligeti's music (see Post LXXVI) ...

This -- his only opera -- is a hysterical story about the coming Apocalypse, which takes place in a country called Breughelland. It begins with an overture for car horns and gets crazier from there.

If you don't have two hours, you'll certainly have fun reading the synopsis.

CXLI. HAYDN, Franz Joseph: The Siller Crown

CXLI. HAYDN, Franz Joseph (1732-1809)

The Siller Crown
Lorna Anderson, soprano
Haydn Eisenstadt Trio
(3:52)

In those days, with no internet, television or radio, middle-class families entertained themselves by singing and playing music together.

It was not uncommon to have a household with a good singer, violinist, cellist and pianist.

Folk music -- at the top of the charts in the 18th century -- was particularly well-suited to such a family -- but they might have been ill-equipped to provide their own arrangements for such music.

Thus, publishers were eager to have "real" composers provide good parts for a family trio + singer -- and many such publishers made their fortunes by providing such material.

Haydn -- who had a deep love of folk music -- was one of the first greats to find lucrative paydays with publishers such as George Thomson and William Whyte, who published huge volumes of his folksong arrangements.

When Vienna was occupied during the Napoleonic Wars, and Beethoven was quite ill, he found himself lacking for funds. Haydn recommended him to his English publishers, and Beethoven was to avail himself of the same opportunities that had been afforded earlier to Haydn.

**

A Scottish folk song:

And ye shall walk in silk attire,
And siller ha'e to spare,
Gin ye'll consent to be his bride,
Nor think o' Donald mair.
Oh, wha wad buy a silken goun,
Wi' a puir broken heart?
Or what's to me a siller croun
Gin frae my love I part?

The mind whase every wish is pure,
Far dearer is to me;
And ere I'm forced to break my faith,
I'll lay me down and dee;
For I ha'e pledged my virgin troth,
Brave Donald's fate to share,
And he has gi'en to me his heart,
Wi' a' its virtues rare.

His gentle manner wan my heart,
He gratefu' took the gift;
Could I but think to see it back,
It wad be waur than theft.
For longest life can ne'er repay
The love he bears to me;
And ere I'm forced to break my troth,
I'll lay me doun and dee.

CXL. BRUMEL, Antoine: Kyrie from Missa et ecce terrae motus

CXL. BRUMEL, Antoine (1460-1512)

Kyrie from Missa et ecce terrae motus
Quire Cleveland
Ross W. Duffin, cond.
(5:35)

Brumel -- though not as famous as Josquin (see Post XXV) -- was nonetheless one of the most influential composers of the late 15th century.

In this Kyrie -- the beginning of a long, complex mass -- one can hear the marvelous interplay of 12 separate vocal parts. The imitation is so clever it becomes dizzying.

CXXXIX. BEETHOVEN, Ludwig van: Piano Sonata #12 in A-Flat Major, Op. 26

CXXXIX. BEETHOVEN, Ludwig van (1770-1827)

Piano Sonata #12 in A-Flat Major, Op. 26 (1800-01)
1. Andante con variazioni
2. Scherzo, allegro molto
3. Maestoso andante, marcia funebre sulla morte d'un eroe
4. Allegro
Daniel Barenboim, piano
(21:51)

It is fascinating to study Beethoven's work around this time period -- he was still yet several years away from the groundbreaking Eroica (XXIX), but you can decipher the beginnings of those traits in these turn-of-the-century works, which mark the line between the "Classical" and "Romantic" periods.

Even the way he was structuring his music prefigures a "new" style. Here, he flips the traditional slow-fast second and third movements, to a dazzling Scherzo for the second, and a funeral march ("on the death of a Hero") -- which definitely seems to anticipate the Eroica.

First Movement

The Theme:

Var. I. (1:47):

Beethoven arpeggiates the theme:

Var. II. (3:08):

This variation features off-beats in the right hand, making for a sound of continuous 32-notes, often resulting in an dizzying feeling of loosening the entire pulse!

Var III. (4:00):

After such frenetic movement, Beethoven cools things down in the key of A-Flat Minor (seven flats!)

Var. IV. (5:53):

Back to a very simple syncopated version of the theme:

Var. V. (7:01):

The final variation begins with a triplet figure, which quickly turn into 32nd-notes, with a third interior voice in a slower rhythm:

Second Movement (9:12)

A lively Scherzo with a very simple Trio:

Third Movement (11:54):

Back to the seven-flats A-Flat Minor! See how Beethoven modulates to the remote key of D Major!

Fourth Movement (18:28):

He wraps things up with this bravura Allegro:

and ends with gently arpeggiated A-Flat Major chords:

CXXXVIII. NANCARROW, Conlon: Study for Player Piano #23

CXXXVIII. NANCARROW, Conlon (1912-1997)

Study for Player Piano #23 (1961-65)
(5:42)

(See also: Study #37, Post XXXIV)

Study #37 featured a torrent of 12 different melodic lines.

This earlier study features only two -- and later three -- voices, moving independently from one another.

The higher voice accelerates and decelerates, while the bass voice remains steady. The third voice features 4- or 5-note figures, interjecting a kind of short, quirky motif.

The piece is relatively short, and ends with a kind of recapitulation of the initial segement.

CXXXVII. BEETHOVEN, Ludwig van: String Quartet in B-Flat Major, Op. 18, No. 6

CXXXVII. BEETHOVEN, Ludwig van (1770-1827)

String Quartet in B-Flat Major, Op. 18, No. 6 (1798-1800)
1. Allegro con brio
2. Adagio ma non troppo
3. Scherzo: Allegro
4. "La Malinconia": Adagio -- Allegretto quasi Allegro
Gioviale Quartet
(27:29)

Of the many great performances on YouTube, I chose this one because of the musical excellence -- but also because it was recorded in HD. Be sure to click on the wheel-shaped icon and change the setting to 1080p.

**

Beethoven was still a young man and was already greatly admired in Viennese society -- especially for his abilities as a pianist.

He had just completed the Pathétique piano sonata (Op. 13), which was very popular.

He was also beginning to grow quite deaf.

**

A friendship with the violinist Karl Amenda -- who is said to have tutored the children of Prince Franz Joseph von Lobkowitz (1772-1816) -- led to the Lobkowitz commission for six string quartets.

Of course, Beethoven had been studying the genre for years -- and these early quartets show the distinct influence of some of Haydn and Mozart's masterpieces. He carefully rewrote and revised them until he was completely satisfied.

He was mature but still imitating, yet he stamped his own personal style into each of these early works.

The Sixth is a perfect example of this. Movements 1-3 are typical examples of the "Classical" quartet -- but in the last movement, Beethoven goes beyond his predecessors in creating something quite new and unique.

First Movement

Notice the imitation between violin and cello, which becomes a shortened motif following its initial statement.

Second Movement (7:08)

A florid, beautiful sweeping movement full of tiny details:

Third Movement (14:35)

Beethoven is beginning to write the sort of syncopated, sforzando scherzi that will become a major part of his musical vocabulary in a few years. (see Eroica, Post XXIX) ...

Fourth Movement (18:11)

And here Beethoven truly finds his own voice -- the intensity of this Adagio is punctuated with delicate grace notes and harsh diminished chords on long half-notes, moving from soft to loud. The final note of the previous movement is a held unison F (dominant) which attaccas to:

which immediately transitions into this 3/8 Allegretto:

The "Malanconia" theme returns twice more -- each time abbreviated a bit more, until the 3/8 returns for good, Prestissimo  -- in the triumphant final bars: