What are you listening to now?

[Enrique]

You seem to be on track again, Sorrano.

[Enrique]

R.Strauss: Don Juan, symphonic poem, op.20

I think nobody will feel like rebuking me if I say this is one of the effulgent jewels in the firmament of music. In addition, I have understood it is an orchestration treatise in itself.

[Sorrano]

R.Strauss: Don Juan, symphonic poem, op.20

I think nobody will feel like rebuking me if I say this is one of the effulgent jewels in the firmament of music. In addition, I have understood it is an orchestration treatise in itself.

Horn players will certainly have something to say about it.

[Sorrano]

You seem to be on track again, Sorrano.

Hopefully!

This evening:

Schubert: Symphony No. 4 in C Minor Tragic

[Enrique]

Horn players will certainly have something to say about it.

Your observations always so to the point! I'll pay more attention to them next time.

[Sorrano]

Your observations always so to the point! I'll pay more attention to them next time.

I can't verify this at the moment, but there is a story about that when Strauss introduced the work to the orchestra the horn players said that their part was impossible. Strauss retorted that he had heard them play similar things in their warmups before concerts.

This morning:

Mozart: Don Giovanni Suite, K 527
Borodin: Overture to Prince Igor

[Enrique]

That story is very good. Sorrano, so Mozart made a suite of Don Giovanni?

[Sorrano]

That story is very good. Sorrano, so Mozart made a suite of Don Giovanni?

That is how the radio listing had it; I am doubtful that it was by Mozart.

On the way to work picked up on Tchaikovsky's Festive Overture on Danish themes. It reminded me much of the last movement of his second symphony as well as the Marche Slave.

[Enrique]

Listening to Beethoven' 22nd sonata. I think his editors made a mistake or Beethoven himself made an error, perhaps busy with other important works, and a finger exercise ended up as the sonata's first movement.

[Sorrano]

To quote from the wikipedia on that sonata: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Piano_S..._22_(Beethoven)

"In tempo d'un menuetto: A Minuet in 3/4 time, with a modulating Trio. Anton Kuerti refers to this piece as a parody of uncreative composers. The melody commences, but grinds to a halt, and after doing this again, it decides to suddenly end the phrase in an attempted friendly way, which is anything but friendly, and nothing but awkward. This piece gradually redeems itself (but not much) when it garners variations for its main theme. This first movement is in ABABA form where A and B are strongly contrasted themes. Theme A is of minuet dance type that one might find in Haydn. In contrast, theme B is a succession of triplets played by both hands staccato or legato; the triplets are in octaves or 6ths and with a dialogue between the left and right hands and with many sforzandi to interrupt the meter. The two contrasted themes A and B are partly reconciled in the last few bars of the movement with a repeated diminished 7th chord which begins in triplets (B rhythm) and changes to duplets (A rhythm).
"Allegretto - Più allegro: In 2/4 time. "If the first movement was constipated, then the second movement suffers from the opposite ailment." (Anton Kuerti) This is shown in the piece, as the main melody has a non-stop continuous, sixteenth-note pattern that does not stop for even a second in this piece. The piece gradually gets more and more agitated in the coda, keeping a forward motion, unwilling to close."

[Enrique]

Thanks for that, Sorrano. One has a right to know what to think standing in front of some of Beethoven's sonatas (3rd period, if that's right).

[Sorrano]

Thanks for that, Sorrano. One has a right to know what to think standing in front of some of Beethoven's sonatas (3rd period, if that's right).

For some reason, that link I cited is a broken link but from there you can get to the article where is says, "Did you mean: Piano Sonata No. 22 (Beethoven)". Being composed in 1854 should put it right in the 2nd period, contemporary with the 3rd symphony. After that read I may have to look up the sonata as I do not recall it at the moment.

[Sorrano]

Quijote, maybe this sonata could be a theme song for your less responsive classes?

Anton Kuerti refers to this piece as a parody of uncreative composers.

[Enrique]

For some reason, that link I cited is a broken link but from there you can get to the article where is says, "Did you mean: Piano Sonata No. 22 (Beethoven)". Being composed in 1854 should put it right in the 2nd period, contemporary with the 3rd symphony. After that read I may have to look up the sonata as I do not recall it at the moment.

I followed the chain, thanks. '54 doesn't fit within his life. It must be a typo. What is your source?

[Sorrano]

I followed the chain, thanks. '54 doesn't fit within his life. It must be a typo. What is your source?

Sorry; that should have been 1804. I was looking at one of the lists in the wikipedia, I believe but mistyped the year. '54 would put that in a very late period, maybe the 8th?