XXXVI. GESUALDO, Carlo: Madrigal: Moro lasso, al mio duolo

XXXVI. GESUALDO, Carlo (1566-1613)

Madrigal: Moro lasso, al mio duolo (1611)
Ensemble Aedes
Mathieu Romano, director
(3:37)

It is difficult to say which is the more popular reason for Gesualdo's fame -- the homicides he committed [see story in above link] -- or the ahead-of-their-time almost polytonal madrigals he composed, such as this very chromatic one, which superimposes several different key centers simultaneously.

Moro lasso, al mio duolo
E chi mi può dar vita,
Ahi, che m'ancide e non vuol darmi alta!
O dolorosa sorte,
Chi dar vita mi può, ahi, mi dà morte.

I die, alas, in my suffering,
And she who could give me life,
Alas, kills me and will not help me.
O sorrowful fate,
She who could give me life,
Alas, gives me death.

XXXV. EWALD, Victor: Brass Quintet #1, Op. 5

XXXV. EWALD, Victor (1860-1935)

Brass Quintet #1, Op. 5 (1902/1912)
1. Moderato
2. Adagio non troppo lento
3. Allegro moderato
CSO Brass Quintet
(13:00)

As a young trombonist, this was my first experience playing a brass quintet. Thus, this work -- in the dark key of B-Flat Minor -- has forever remained imprinted on my brain, and I find it gorgeous just to think about.

The Second Movement is in FIVE, with a lovely, flowing melody, anchored in the dark, flat key of G-Flat Major:

XXXIV. NANCARROW, Conlon: Study for Player Piano #37

XXXIV. NANCARROW, Conlon (1912-1997)

Study for Player Piano #37 (1969)
(8:41)

Nancarrow is one of the most fascinating figures in 20th century music.

After studying with Roger Sessions, Walter Piston and Nicolas Slonimsky, he went to Spain to fight in the Civil War.

Harassed by the U.S. for being a Communist, he moved to Mexico in 1940.

After reading Henry Cowell's seminal book, New Musical Resources, Nancarrow began to compose his complex musical ideas on a player piano. He eventually bought a special manual hole-punching machine, which enabled him to tailor his ideas with great precision -- writing music that no human pianist could possibly play.

He titled all these player piano works as "studies."

This one -- #37 -- features 12 separate melodic lines, each one moving at a different tempo.

There is nothing quite like Nancarrow's music; it is completely unique.

His step-grandson is Bret Stephens, a New York Times columnist.

XXXIII. USTVOLSKAYA, Galina: Grand Duet for Cello and Piano

XXXIII. USTVOLSKAYA, Galina (1919-2006)

Grand Duet for Cello and Piano (1959)
I.
II.
III.
IV.
V.
Rainer Crosett, cello
Dina Vainshtein, piano
(23:12)

Ustvolskaya studied with Shostakovich in 1939 -- his only female pupil.

Like Shostakovich -- who got into deep trouble with Stalin over his non-patriotic music -- Ustvolskaya's radical compositions were unheard until the 60's when the Soviet government grew more tolerant of the contemporary arts scene.

This turbulent music features a lot of interplay from the lowest and highest notes of the piano, with a brusque cello part -- until the final movement, which has just a trace of the moody Shostakovich, who said of her:

"I am convinced that the music of G.I. Ustvolskaya will achieve world fame, and be valued by all who hold truth to be the essential element of music."

Spread the word -- maybe she'll eventually achieve that world fame.

XXXII. SHOSTAKOVICH, Dmitri: String Quartet #11 in F Minor, Op. 122

XXXII. SHOSTAKOVICH, Dmitri (1906-1975)

String Quartet #11 in F Minor, Op. 122 (1966)
1. Introduction: Andantino
2. Scherzo: Allegretto
3. Recitative: Adagio
4. Etude: Allegro
5. Humoresque: Allegro
6. Elegy: Adagio
7. Finale: Moderato -- Meno mosso -- Moderato
Jerusalem Quartet
(16:35)

Shostakovich wrote 15 symphonies and 15 string quartets.

It just worked out that way.

But he didn't compose his First string quartet until the time of his Fifth symphony.

The quartets are as varied as the symphonies, as well -- his style changed over the years, particularly post-1953 after the death of Stalin.

This quartet in seven movements, played without pause, and based on a mournful, chromatic melody which undergoes radical variations throughout.

The First Violin, in the First Movement ("Introduction"):

It was dedicated to the memory of Vasily Shirinsky, who was one of the founding members of the Beethoven Quartet, the group that premiered most of Shostakovich's quartets.

XXXI. LASSUS, Orlande de: Missa Entre vous filles / Infelix ego / Missa Susanne un jour

XXXI. LASSUS, Orlande de (1530 or 1532-1594)

Masses for 5 Voices (mid-1500s)
1. Missa Entre vous filles
2. Infelix ego
3. Missa Susanne un jour
Oxford Camerata
Jeremy Summerly, cond.
(1:08:25)

After Josquin, came de Lassus and Palestrina. The part-writing is more complex, more polyphonic.

As I pointed out in my previous Josquin entry (XXV), many of the base melodies of these "sacred" works were from secular works, like the first mass in this collection, "Entre vous filles" which comes from an obscene popular song "Entre vous filles de quinze ans" ("You sweet 15-year-old girls") ...

Read the history of infelix ego here.

"Susanne un jour" is only slightly tamer than "Entre vous filles":

[the original song]:

One day, Susanne's love was solicited
By two old men coveting her beauty
She became sad and discomforted at heart,
Seeing the attempt on her chastity.

She said to them: "If disloyally
From my body you take pleasure,
It is over with me! If I resist,
You would make me die in disgrace:

But I would rather perish in innocence,
Than offend the Lord by sin."

XXX. HAYDN, Franz Joseph: String Quartet #4, Op. 1, No. 4

XXX. HAYDN, Franz Joseph (1732-1809)

String Quartet #4 in G Major, Op. 1, No. 4 (1751)
1. Presto
2. Menuetto
3. Adagio ma non tanto
4. Menuetto
5. Finale: Presto
Kodàly Quartet
(23:11)

Haydn wrote 68 string quartets. Like his symphonies, one can trace the development of the form through these works.

This early quartet -- like his earliest symphonies -- reveals the influence of composers like C.P.E. Bach.