DCCCXLI. HAYDN, Franz Joseph: The Soger Laddie

DCCCXLI. HAYDN, Franz Joseph (1732-1809)

The Soder Laddie
Lorna Anderson, soprano
Haydn Trio Eisenstadt
(1:21)

DCCCXL. BERLIOZ, Hector: Les nuits d'été

DCCCXL. BERLIOZ, Hector (1803-1869)

Les nuits d'été (1843-56)
1. Villanelle
2. Le spectre de la rose
3. Sur les lagunes: Lamento
4. Absence
5. Au cimetière: Clair du lune
6. L'île inconnue
Véronique Gens, soprano
Frankfurt Radio Symphony Orchestra
Lionel Bringuier, cond.
(31:08)

• His father was a physician. He home-schooled Hector when he was ten, teaching him geography, Latin, philosophy, rhetoric, and -- because his father had his career all planned out -- anatomy;
• There was little music in the household;
• 1821. With papa's insistence, Berlioz became a medical student at the University of Paris -- disgusted by having to dissect bodies, he kept going fearing his allowance would be cut off;
• And that allowance enabled him to go the opera -- which was considered much more worthy than plain old symphonic music;
• 1824. Graduates from medical school. Immediately decides to pursue a career in music;
• Dad suggests law, but Hector is committed to his dream. Dad cuts his allowance, and Berlioz suffered some poverty;
• Admitted to the Paris Conservatory two years later where he got his first serious education;
• 1832. Symphonie Fantastique is heard by an audience that included Liszt, Chopin, Paganini, Alexandre Dumas, Théophile Gautier, Heinrich Heine, Hugo and George Sand;
• Berlioz wrote SF for one Harriet Smithson -- an opera singer who didn't return his passionate love. She was also in the audience;
• They marry. He has an affair. They divorce;
• 1834. Paganini commissioned Berlioz to write a concerto -- Harold in Italy -- for his new Stradivarius viola; He bowed out, saying the solo part was too skimpy.
• 1839. Paganini attends a performance of Harold and realizes how wrong he was. He kisses Berlioz's hand, and writes him a check for 20,000 francs.

Berlioz finished this song cycle based on Gautier's poems in 1841 -- for voice and piano. Somehow, the publisher mutilated the piano part, and the work didn't attract much notice.

In 1843, he orchestrated Absence for Marie Recio (his lover from the abovementioned affair). The other movements were orchestrated in 1856.

1. Villanelle

Of course, Berlioz starts off his "Songs of Summer" with a song about spring! The middle four songs about death are bookended by sunnier poems.

Berlioz maintains the poem's rhythm in this strophic setting. A bassoon solo accompanies the end of each verse.

En paniers enlaçant nos doigts,
Revenons, rapportant des fraises
Des bois.

2. Le spectre de la rose

Heavy romanticism. The rose that died on her chest was a fate that kings might envy.

Et sur l'albâtre où je repose
Un poète avec un baiser
Écrivit: Ci-gît une rose,
Que tous les rois vont jalouser.

3. Sur les lagunes: Lamento

Now more than a rose has died. A Venetian boatman is pained at his lover's death.

Ah! sans amour s'en aller sur la mer!

4. Absence

F-Sharp Major. Splendid A-B-A-C-A setting.

Reviens, reviens, ma belle aimée!
Comme une fleur loin du soleil,
La fleur de ma vie est fermée
Loin de ton sourire vermeil!

5. Au cimetière: Clair du lune

The bereaved lover now just has distant memories and is seeing a ghostly vision of her.

Sur les ailes de la musique
On sent lentement revenir
Un souvenir;
Une ombre une forme angélique
Passe dans un rayon tremblant,
En voile blanc.

6. L'île inconnue

Eternal love. Gautier proposes it, then shoots it down:

Menez-moi, dit la belle,
À la rive fidèle
Où l'on aime toujours!
Cette rive, ma chère,
On ne la connaît guère
Au pays des amours.

DCCCXXXIX. HAYDN, Franz Joseph: L'infedeltà delusa

DCCCXXXIX. HAYDN, Franz Joseph (1732-1809)

L'Infedeltà delusa (1773)
Anaïs Merlin, Sandrina
Léo Vermot-Desroches, Nencio
Matthieu Walendzik, Nanni
Gabrielle Varbetian, Vespina
Benoît Rameau, Filippo
Students of the Paris Conservatory, Lyon Conservatory, and CRR de Paris
(1:02:45)

The usual wacky plot. Vespina dons no fewer than four disguises.

DCCCXXXVIII. TEITELBAUM, Richard: Concerto Grosso for Human Concertino and Robotic Ripieno

DCCCXXXVIII. TEITELBAUM, Richard (1939-2020)

Concerto Grosso for Human Concertino and Robotic Ripieno (1985)
1. Invenzione
2. Fantasia
3. Capriccio
RT, piano, synth
Anthony Braxton, reeds
George Lewis, trombone
(54:49)

DCCCXXXVII. HAYDN, Franz Joseph: Baryton Trio #114 in D Major

DCCCXXXVII. HAYDN, Franz Joseph (1732-1809)

Baryton Trio #114 in D Major (<1775)
1. Moderato
2. Minuetto
3. Fuga: Presto
Esterhazy Ensemble
(9:15)

Must have been a special occasion!

This is a particularly fine example of the 127 baryton trios -- one that Haydn seems to have worked on carefully.

To begin with the part-writing and counterpoint are exquisite -- and, unlike some of the earlier trios, this one features three interesting, independent parts.

The last movement, a clever fugue, also shows how Haydn composed this one carefully ...

First movement

Second movement

Third movement

DCCCXXXVI. HINDEMITH, Paul: Der Dämon, a Dance-Pantomime, Op. 28

DCCCXXXVI. HINDEMITH, Paul (1895-1963)

Scene 1
Der Dämon, a Dance-Pantomime, Op. 28 (1922)
1. Tanz des Dämons (Dance of the Demon)
2. Tanz der bunten Bänder (Dance of the Colorful leaves)
3. Tanz der Geängstigten Schwalben (Dance of the Frightened Swallows)
4. Tanz des Giftes (Dance of Poison)
5. Tanz der Schmerzen (Dance of Sorrows)
6. Tanz des Dämons (Passacaglia)
7. Tanz der Trauer und Sehnsucht (Dance of Mourning and Yearning)
Scene 2
8. Einleitung zum zweiten Bild (Introduction to Scene 2)
Vier Tänze des Werbens (Four Dances of Wooing):
9. Tanz des Kindes (Dance of the Child)
10. Tanz des weiten Gewandes (Dance of the Wide Robe)
11. Tanz der ganz erschlossenen Orchidee (Dance of the Orchid in Full Bloom)
12. Tanz der roten Raserei (Dance of Red Frenzy)
13. Tanz der Brutalität (Dance of Brutality)
14. Tanz des Geschlagenen Tieres (Dance of the Beaten Animal)
15. Finale: Tanz des Dämons
Radio-Symphonie-Orchester Berlin
Gerd Albrecht, cond.
(34:25)

The earliest of Hindemith's four ballets (Nobilissima Visione [1938]; The Four Temperaments [1940], and Hérodiade [1944]).

The music is impulsive, always moving forward. Hindemith is still a young man (27) -- but he is filled with confidence -- his impeccable technique and his fresh, original ideas make his music such a pleasure to listen to.

The piano score is excellent.

1. Tanz des Dämons (Dance of the Demon)

2. Tanz der bunten Bänder (Dance of the Colorful leaves)

3. Tanz der Geängstigten Schwalben (Dance of the Frightened Swallows)

4. Tanz des Giftes (Dance of Poison)

5. Tanz der Schmerzen (Dance of Sorrows)

6. Tanz des Dämons (Passacaglia)

7. Tanz der Trauer und Sehnsucht (Dance of Mourning and Yearning)

8. Einleitung zum zweiten Bild (Introduction to Scene 2)

9. Tanz des Kindes (Dance of the Child)

10. Tanz des weiten Gewandes (Dance of the Wide Robe)

11. Tanz der ganz erschlossenen Orchidee (Dance of the Orchid in Full Bloom)

12. Tanz der roten Raserei (Dance of Red Frenzy)

13. Tanz der Brutalität (Dance of Brutality)

14. Tanz des Geschlagenen Tieres (Dance of the Beaten Animal)

15. Finale: Tanz des Dämons

DCCCXXXV. MILHAUD, Darius: Symphony #12 ("Rurale"), Op. 390

DCCCXXXV. MILHAUD, Darius (1892-1974)

Symphony #12 ("Rurale"), Op. 390 (1961)
1. Pastoral (3:46)
2. Vif et gai (3:15)
3. Paisible (3:52)
4. Lumineux (5:11)
Radio-Sinfonieorchester Basel
Alun Francis, cond.