Composition Quiz

[Quijote]

That's fine for Ives, but can you imagine Beethoven saying to Schindler 'in that draw over there are some sketches for the 10th symphony, have someone finish it for me!' or perhaps he said it to Anna Holtz?

Anna Holtz? The blond beauty in that film you so admire? I'd like her to come back to my place and check out my sketches anytime.

[gprengel]

I agree with Roehre, Schubert and Verdi.

Yes, of course this is true, but no ideas regarding the works?
The opera is one of my very favourite operas (if not THE favourite opera).
Are you not that familiar with operas? Indeed operas have been only seldomly coverd in the threads here ...

Gerd

[Roehre]

Yes, of course this is true, but no ideas regarding the works?
The opera is one of my very favourite operas (if not THE favourite opera).
Are you not that familiar with operas? Indeed operas have been only seldomly coverd in the threads here ...

Gerd

Operas in general are THE black hole in my knowledge as well as my collection I'm afraid Gerd.

As for the Schubert, this music is on one of the first LPs from the mid-1970s which I got with Alfred Brendel: the Ungarische Melodie D.817 from 1824.

As the Verdi-fragment starts with trombones, it might be from that one not-operatic famous work of his, the Requiem (which I don't know that well either). However, trombones are used in Don Carlos as well .....

[gprengel]

As for the Schubert, this music is on one of the first LPs from the mid-1970s which I got with Alfred Brendel: the Ungarische Melodie D.817 from 1824.

As the Verdi-fragment starts with trombones, it might be from that one not-operatic famous work of his, the Requiem (which I don't know that well either). However, trombones are used in Don Carlos as well .....

Yes, this fantastic Schubert rendition from Brendel is exactly the LP where I also got to love this work back in the 70s! For all who don't know it: Go to YouTube and search for Brendel + "Ungarische Melodie" + Schubert. It is just so beautiful and yet so unknown.

Don Carlos is also correkt - an awesome aria (Elisabeth in the 4th Act) in an awesome opera (Verdis best)!

[Peter]

Yes, of course this is true, but no ideas regarding the works?
The opera is one of my very favourite operas (if not THE favourite opera).
Are you not that familiar with operas? Indeed operas have been only seldomly coverd in the threads here ...

Gerd

Well didn't Verdi write around 30 or so? I'm only familiar with a few and actually to my shame for not knowing your excerpt, Don Carlos is in my collection!

[gprengel]

I invite you to our quiz with 2 new pieces:

1. extracts from one of the greatest violin concertos of the Romantic:
www.gerdprengel.de/piece12.mp3

2. a symphonic movement from the classics
www.gerdprengel.de/piece13.mp3

Gerd

[Bonn1827]

I'm not much good at these, Gerd, but I'll have a go. At least I'm learning something from them. Could this violin concerto be by Joseph Suk or Fritz Kreisler as I feel sure I would know if it was Dvorak or similar, but it could BE Dvorak. I'll listen to the second one next.

[Bonn1827]

This second work, I feel, could be by Haydn. An earlier work? Fingers crossed.

[Roehre]

I invite you to our quiz with 2 new pieces:

1. extracts from one of the greatest violin concertos of the Romantic:
www.gerdprengel.de/piece12.mp3

2. a symphonic movement from the classics
www.gerdprengel.de/piece13.mp3

Gerd

Hi Gerd,
the first piece is Saint Saens' 3rd violin concerto op.61, finale

the second is IMO Haydn, likely one of the "Sturm und Drang" symphonies, again likely a finale

[Peter]

Yes the first is Saint-Saens and the second is Haydn's symphony 44 in E minor (finale).

[gprengel]

Yes the first is Saint-Saens and the second is Haydn's symphony 44 in E minor (finale).

Very good, this was fast this time! Did you know it right away?
These pieces are not that well known, are they?

The violin concerto, like Bonn1827 mentioned, indeed sounds very much like Dvorak, not French at all. I love the second melodious theme!

I think the second piece is my favourite Finale of a Haydn symphony. But also the slow movement is very precious. Haydn once uttered the wish that this work was to by played at his funeral, so he also must have treasured it very much.

Gerd

[Bonn1827]

Perhaps somebody can help me. Yesterday I was going through the score of LvB's 4th Piano concerto and I noticed in the violin part that it comprised chords and wondered how this is to be played, since the violin is principally a melodic instrument. I hope this question isn't absolutely naive, but I haven't come across this before - perhaps I just haven't noticed it, that's all. For example, in bar 24 of the 1st movement the notes are d,b slurred to d & a (written as chords) on the top treble stave, and octave d's repeated in the lower treble stave (semi-quavers), suggesting a single instrument. This happens a lot throughout the Concerto. Please don't tell me I'm idiot!!

[Hofrat]

It is not a stupid question. Usually, the composer would stipulate "div" (divided) on the part, meaning that half of the violinists play the higher note and half play the lower note. And even if the composer does not stipulate "div," the players would most lkely split the passage half playing high and half playing low.

[Peter]

Very good, this was fast this time! Did you know it right away?
These pieces are not that well known, are they?

The violin concerto, like Bonn1827 mentioned, indeed sounds very much like Dvorak, not French at all. I love the second melodious theme!

I think the second piece is my favourite Finale of a Haydn symphony. But also the slow movement is very precious. Haydn once uttered the wish that this work was to by played at his funeral, so he also must have treasured it very much.

Gerd

I knew the Haydn and I did immediately think of Saint-Saens for the concerto but I was only sure of it because of Roehre's post! Do you know the Saint-Saens symphonies aside from the well known 3rd? There is some lovely music in the early ones.

[Hofrat]

I slept in so i missed the quiz. I would have indentified the Saint-Saens completely (it is one of my favorites). I could identify the Haydn, but would not have knowed the number.

Has anyone noticed that the opus number of the Saint-Saens concerto has the same opus as thaat of Beethoven's concerto? And what more, Saint-Saens' is in B-minor which has the same key signature as Beethoven's in D-major. Am I the only one who sees things like that?