Key signatures

[Rod]

Originally posted by Rod:
I think even my Concise Oxford Dictionary of Music is confused regarding this matter, I'll have a check tonight.

As I thought even the Oxford dictionary is in error - it states in its entry for Bach's 'Well Tempered Clavier' that the pieces were written to demonstrate 'equal temperament'.

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"If I were but of noble birth..." - Rod Corkin

[Rod]

Originally posted by Amalie:

IN QUESTA TOMBA OSCURA , Wo0 133.

The text was sent to Beethoven and sixty-two other composers to be set to music.
According to the review on 19th October 1808 in the Leipziger Allegemeine Musikalische Zeitung, Beethoven's arietta was considered gloomy and melancholic, while the best songs had been composed, by Salieri and Sterkel. Beethoven's arietta, with piano accompaniment, In questa tomba oscura, Wo0 133, was published in 1808, by Mollo in Vienna. The title page shows the picture of a tomb with a weeping nymph.

This whole venture, not dissimilar to that of the Diabelli variations, was the subject of considerable controversy and embarrasment to Beethoven. I think he regretted getting involved in it. I'll say more on the matter later.

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"If I were but of noble birth..." - Rod Corkin

[This message has been edited by Rod (edited September 08, 2003).]

[Joy]

[QUOTE]Originally posted by Amalie:
[B]
Recurrent thoughts about death are one of the common symptoms of severe depression, and depressed composers are often attracted to the setting of morbid texts or poetry.
(B)

Mahler springs to mind about composer's 'thoughts of death'. He had a recurring concept of his own death and dying young and was quite obsessed with it I think which did turn out to be actally quite acurate.






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'Truth and beauty joined'