The Creatures of Prometheus

[Gurn Blanston]

We rarely, if ever, talk about this ballet suite beyond the obvious overture and also the theme that was incorporated into the Eroica Variations and other things. I have at present a few pieces, including a gorgeous Adagio that ranks with B's finest, but I have just ordered, and not yet received, the complete ballet music. Does anyone have any ideas in particular about what to listen for especially in this work?

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Regards,
Gurn
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That's my opinion, I may be wrong.
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[Joy]

This is a coincidence, Gurn, that you should post a topic about The Creatures of Prometheus as yesterday on NPR they featured this ballet music which was in concert recently at the Royal Festival Hall in London, the Orchestra of the Age of Enlightenment conducted by Roger Norrington.
Also I heard it earlier in the day via radio which is a real treat as they do not play this music too often!


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'Truth and beauty joined'

[Rod]

Originally posted by Gurn Blanston:
We rarely, if ever, talk about this ballet suite beyond the obvious overture and also the theme that was incorporated into the Eroica Variations and other things. I have at present a few pieces, including a gorgeous Adagio that ranks with B's finest, but I have just ordered, and not yet received, the complete ballet music. Does anyone have any ideas in particular about what to listen for especially in this work?

It contains some of B's most exhilarating music that is almost never heard. Better still performed by Bruggen with the Orch of the 18th Century on Phillips Classics - this is frightening in places! The benchmark performance, and one you'll hear soon!


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

[Gurn Blanston]

Joy,
Yes synchronicity can be amazing sometimes! I have truly never heard the whole thing, I have the overture and 4 pieces from it in a box of other overtures, and have never heard any of it other than that. Do you know the adagio that I am talking about? It is just super.


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Regards,
Gurn
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
That's my opinion, I may be wrong.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

[Gurn Blanston]

Originally posted by Rod:
It contains some of B's most exhilarating music that is almost never heard. Better still performed by Bruggen with the Orch of the 18th Century on Phillips Classics - this is frightening in places! The benchmark performance, and one you'll hear soon!

Rod,
I look forward to it. As you are aware, I am quite fond of your period performance posts. This version I have purchased is actually the Orpheus Chamber Orchestra, regrettably modern, but fine players nonetheless. If you feel particularly fine, you might consider that particular adagio I mentioned. I would love to hear it on period instruments!




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Regards,
Gurn
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
That's my opinion, I may be wrong.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

[ruudp]

Originally posted by Rod:
It contains some of B's most exhilarating music that is almost never heard. Better still performed by Bruggen with the Orch of the 18th Century on Phillips Classics - this is frightening in places! The benchmark performance, and one you'll hear soon!

Rod,
This might be a dumb question but what instruments other then the piano can be "period" the violin for example didn't change that much did it??
could you explain the authenticity of the works you're reffering too??

Regards and thanks

ruud

[Joy]

Originally posted by Gurn Blanston:
Joy,
Yes synchronicity can be amazing sometimes! I have truly never heard the whole thing, I have the overture and 4 pieces from it in a box of other overtures, and have never heard any of it other than that. Do you know the adagio that I am talking about? It is just super.

No, I can't say that I have heard the adagio. I don't think I have ever heard any of it other than the overture as well which I do like very much.



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'Truth and beauty joined'

[Joy]

Originally posted by Rod:
It contains some of B's most exhilarating music that is almost never heard. Better still performed by Bruggen with the Orch of the 18th Century on Phillips Classics - this is frightening in places! The benchmark performance, and one you'll hear soon!

Looking forward to this, Rod!



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'Truth and beauty joined'

[Gurn Blanston]

BTW, that marvelous Adagio in Creatures... is piece #5.


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Regards,
Gurn
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
That's my opinion, I may be wrong.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

[Rod]

Originally posted by ruudp:
Rod,
This might be a dumb question but what instruments other then the piano can be "period" the violin for example didn't change that much did it??
could you explain the authenticity of the works you're reffering too??

Regards and thanks

ruud

The question is understandable considering I only identify the pianos for these tracks and not the other instruments, but with the pianos I feel it is particularly important as they changed quite a bit during B's lifetime. Be assured ALL of the instruments you hear in these tracks are authentic, be they originals or copies of originals.


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

[Rod]

Originally posted by Gurn Blanston:
Rod,
I look forward to it. As you are aware, I am quite fond of your period performance posts. This version I have purchased is actually the Orpheus Chamber Orchestra, regrettably modern, but fine players nonetheless. If you feel particularly fine, you might consider that particular adagio I mentioned. I would love to hear it on period instruments!

I used to have this Orpheus recording myself, believe me what you hear on Bruggens CD is virtually a different piece of music compared to that!

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

[Gurn Blanston]

Originally posted by Rod:
I used to have this Orpheus recording myself, believe me what you hear on Bruggens CD is virtually a different piece of music compared to that!

Rod,
Oh well, this will give me some variety anyway! The version I have now is Academy SMitF, so that should be substantially different too.

Ruud, (is this a Lowlands form of "Rod" )
As for the instruments, using that adagio #5 as an example, in the first section the prominent instrument is a flute. This will be a flauto traverso instead of a mid-19th century "french" flute. The violin playing in that particular duo will have gut strings. So will the cello. Later on there is a horn part, this will be a valveless natural horn (don't know what key). There are oboes and bassoon, you have to see the oboes, they look more like a recorder with a mouthpiece! Truly there are too many differences to keep track of. The best way I know to actually get a feel for the differences is to see a performance (live if possible, but there are some good ones on video) and watch closely the instruments. I haven't seen a "serpent" yet though...




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Regards,
Gurn
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
That's my opinion, I may be wrong.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

[King Stephen]

Originally posted by Gurn Blanston:
We rarely, if ever, talk about this ballet suite beyond the obvious overture and also the theme that was incorporated into the Eroica Variations and other things. I have at present a few pieces, including a gorgeous Adagio that ranks with B's finest, but I have just ordered, and not yet received, the complete ballet music. Does anyone have any ideas in particular about what to listen for especially in this work?

Gurn, The whole work is sumptuous.
At the premiere of the work Haydn congratulated Beethoven on the success of the work, Beethoven is said to have exclaimed: "This is very kind of you, but it is not yet a 'Creation' by any strech of the imagination". Of the three cd's of the complete ballet I have the one that I most enjoy is a 1970 recording, brought to CD, of the Basler Sinfonie - Orchester conducted by Helmut Muller-Bruhl. Harnoncourt's performance is also worth while listening.

[Gurn Blanston]

Originally posted by King Stephen:
Gurn, The whole work is sumptuous.
At the premiere of the work Haydn congratulated Beethoven on the success of the work, Beethoven is said to have exclaimed: "This is very kind of you, but it is not yet a 'Creation' by any strech of the imagination". Of the three cd's of the complete ballet I have the one that I most enjoy is a 1970 recording, brought to CD, of the Basler Sinfonie - Orchester conducted by Helmut Muller-Bruhl. Harnoncourt's performance is also worth while listening.

King,
Well, I am really looking forward to receiving the CD, hopefully by Monday next. As I was teling Rod, I have that double CD by the Academy of SMitF of overtures that has 4 pieces of the incidental music, and this is all that I have even heard of it, and no one ever seems to talk about it, as though the music wasn't worth discussing. Yet what I have heard is great stuff. Perhaps I will end up with multiple recordings over time, but for now I am looking forward to just hearing it ONCE!




------------------
Regards,
Gurn
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
That's my opinion, I may be wrong.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

[Joy]

Originally posted by King Stephen:
Of the three cd's of the complete ballet I have the one that I most enjoy is a 1970 recording, brought to CD, of the Basler Sinfonie - Orchester conducted by Helmut Muller-Bruhl. Harnoncourt's performance is also worth while listening.

I would love his cd! Sounds like a good one!


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'Truth and beauty joined'