Who is the composer of this piano piece?

[Bonn1827]

Danke Gerd, this is huge fun! I've only had time to listen to the first piece this morning and I'm running out of internet credit. The piece sounds like it is influenced by Brahms and little but it may be Faure or Respighi, though I'm leaning towards the former. Also the romanticism of Rachmaninov is to be found in this, though not his wonderful orchestration! So, I will venture Gabriel Faure for the first one.

Will listen to the others when I've got more credit. Tschus!

[Bonn1827]

Quickly I've listened to the opera selection and I think it could be Busoni "Turandot". It sounds like a very early Richard Strauss but you said it was 20th century work so I'm presuming this is the case. So, Busoni.

[Peter]

I'm not so confident on this one Gerd - no.1 sounds similar to Faure's Pavanne - his earlier 19th century self so I'm not sure. 2 Richard Strauss and 3 Sibelius.

[gprengel]

I'm not so confident on this one Gerd - no.1 sounds similar to Faure's Pavanne - his earlier 19th century self so I'm not sure. 2 Richard Strauss and 3 Sibelius.

Very good, in no 3, you are right, it is a movement from my favourite piece from Sibelius, the Karelia Suite. The other composers are not correct.
A little hint: the first work is from the middle of the 1950s and the second from the 1920s...

[Bonn1827]

Gerd, could it be Paul Hindemith from the 1920's? Kurt Weill? It wouldn't be operetta would it? It sounded very like operetta at times, but with some Straussian harmonic restlessness. Perhaps I'm looking at too obscure an answer to something much more obvious?

I haven't listened to the 3rd one at all, but I should have known if it was Karelia as I have the work on CD.

The piece from the 1950's is confusing, being neo-romantic in the middle of the atonal 20th century. So, if not Faure then perhaps English - Malcolm Arnold? Delius? Vaughn Willliams? Holst? That's all I can suggest.

[Hofrat]

Gerd;

I am sorry but I do not wander into the 20th century much when it comes to music, so I will pass on this quiz.

[Peter]

I shall go for Sibelius again in the first piece and Korngold in the second but I don't think I'm right, especially with the Sibelius as he wasn't writing anything in the 50's - however the use of woodwind sounds like Sibelius to me.

[gprengel]

Peter, you are really good! The opera piece is indeed Korngold "Die tote Stadt" (the dead city) with the Aria "Glück, das mir verblieb". This is an awful opera but with 2 pieces of overwhelming beauty.

The piece from the 1950 is from Shostakowish (!!), from "The Gadfly" suite.

How do you like the pieces?

So, I drive now to Austria, skiing for a 2 days ... :-)

Gerd

[Peter]

Peter, you are really good! The opera piece is indeed Korngold "Die tote Stadt" (the dead city) with the Aria "Glück, das mir verblieb". This is an awful opera but with 2 pieces of overwhelming beauty.

The piece from the 1950 is from Shostakowish (!!), from "The Gadfly" suite.

How do you like the pieces?

So, I drive now to Austria, skiing for a 2 days ... :-)

Gerd

Thank you for sharing all those pieces Gerd - a lovely selection of obscure beautiful pieces. Nothing could be more un-Shostakovich like than that piece, except perhaps his 'tea for two', so I don't feel too bad about not getting that one!

Have a great time skiing in Austria and then hopefully present us with some more teasers.

[Bonn1827]

But Korngold did write some wonderful film music! Well, Gerd, you certainly perplexed me! Have a great time in Austria - I wish it was me! Come back with more quizzes for us! Still in 20th century, which has produced the most marvellous music.