What are you listening to now?

[Hofrat]

Dvorak
Symphonic poem "The Golden Spinning Wheel"

[Chris]

Listening to Bach's harpsichord concertos performed by Trevor Pinnock and the English Concert.

[Sorrano]

Dvorak
Symphonic poem "The Golden Spinning Wheel"

Didn't Saint-Saens compose something (tone poem) with a similar title (it escapes me). I wonder how the two works compare?

Haven't had much time for listening as of lately, but this weekend should give me ample opportunity!

[Hofrat]

I do not not know anything about the Saint-Saens work, but I just love the Dvorak work. One can actually hear the wheel spin in the opening measures.

[Sorrano]

I do not not know anything about the Saint-Saens work, but I just love the Dvorak work. One can actually hear the wheel spin in the opening measures.

The work is called "Le Rouet d'Omphale" and here is a link that describes it. I'll have to listen to the Dvorak work sometime.

http://www.answers.com/topic/le-roue...-a-major-op-31

[Hofrat]

Sorrano, thanks for the link. The Saint-Saens piece is based on Greek mythology while the Dvorak piece is based on a Czech fairy tale as are all of Dvorak's symphonic poems.

[Preston]

...the Dvorak piece is based on a Czech fairy tale as are all of Dvorak's symphonic poems.

Any particular reason for this Hofrat?

[Hofrat]

Preston;

Not that I can discern. The stories were popular ballads in Czechoslavakia at that time. I certainly would not read these stories to a child because they are very gruesome, but one does not need to know the stories in order to enjoy Dvorak's artistry.

[Preston]

Thanks for the information Hofrat, .

[Peter]

Listening to Schumann's rarely performed and unnumbered early symphony in G minor - very enjoyable.

[Sorrano]

Listening to Schumann's rarely performed and unnumbered early symphony in G minor - very enjoyable.

Was this a student work? I've been listening to the early Beethoven Quartets (Emerson String Quartet).

[Peter]

Was this a student work? I've been listening to the early Beethoven Quartets (Emerson String Quartet).

It is an early work known as the Zwickau symphony written I think in 1829 and is incomplete but very promising. I really think Schumann is underrated as a symphonic composer.

[Hofrat]

Sorrano;

Yes, the Zwickauer symphony is a work of Schumann's youth. The first movement was performed in the winter of 1832 while the composer was visiting relatives who lived in Zwickau, hence the name.

[Sorrano]

It is an early work known as the Zwickau symphony written I think in 1829 and is incomplete but very promising. I really think Schumann is underrated as a symphonic composer.

I certainly agree with you on that! Perhaps the orchestration has been the biggest issue with Schumann's symphonies and I think of Mahler's re-orchestrations with respect to that. His symphonies are treasures, indeed!

[Chris]

I am listening to some Bulgarian folk music I got from a Bulgarian co-worker. Interesting - I'll have to digest it for a while.