Composer collaborations

[PDG]

I wonder why the great composers never seem to have teamed up as collaborators? I'm not talking about variation or transcription works, but actually composing new music together. Okay, Beethoven never had a contemporary of anything like equal status, but I can't think why, for example, Haydn and Mozart never tried it, esp. when one considers that they were great friends together in Vienna, and Mozart did find String Quartet writing difficult.

And what about Liszt and Chopin? Stylistically, more problematical a proposition I know, but interesting to contemplate, nevertheless.

And what about the Strauses? (Yes I know, Rod: What about them?). Tchaikovsky and Brahms? Mendelssohn and Schubert? The Bach family?

[SR]

Art is not something you do in unison. Can you imagine writing a melody with someone else ? "I think we need a legato jump up an octave here" "No it should go stacato down a third then a fith" "OK I'll give in to the stacatto but I hold my ground on the octave leap" "Absolutely not, you untalented ass"

Get the picture ?

Maybe the Last Supper never gets painted due to argument over which side Judas sits on, or the Mono Lisa is scrapped in a hair color argument.

Mozart did somewhat of a joing venture in his first chilhood opera. Each of 3 composers wrote an act. Joint ventures between librettisits and composers are tough enough.

Steve

[Michael]

Beethoven did a sort of a collaboration with the 1815 singspiel entitled "Die Ehrenpforten" (The Triumphal Arches) with words by Treitschke. B was invited to contribute the closing chorus, "It is Accomplished".

Michael

[NickB]

Originally posted by PDG:
...I can't think why, for example, Haydn and Mozart never tried it, esp. when one considers that they were great friends together in Vienna, and Mozart did find String Quartet writing difficult.

Of course there was that Mozart/Salieri collaboration late in M's life, you know. I saw it in a movie, so it must be true!

(He ducks!)

[Stephen J. Wade]

Every piece of music ever written is a 'collaboration' of sorts. :O) The desire of composers to create music anew, sparked by those around them....... I await to hear the symphonies arise from this forum, for I have been told there are many composers who frequent here. :O)

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Stephen

[PDG]

Originally posted by SR:
Can you imagine writing a melody with someone else ?

Yes - I've done it myself.

[PDG]

Originally posted by SR:


Maybe the Last Supper never gets painted due to argument over which side Judas sits on, or the Mono Lisa is scrapped in a hair color argument.

Hey, I do the jokes around here!!

[Chris]

OK, then, how about ego? Nobody wants to share the glory

[Claudie MICAULT]

[QUOTE]Originally posted by PDG:
[B]And what about Liszt and Chopin?

Do you know the story about CHOPIN writing to F. LISZT "When Mr LISZT makes me the honour to play my compositions, I should like he respect the notes written by me"
And the answer by LISZT "So, Mr CHOPIN, I suggest you play them yourself".

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Claudie

[Michael]

This is scraping the collaboration barrel a bit, but there is a piece in the Beethoven catalogue described as "Grenadier March for mechanical clock in F major" (Hess 107 composed 1798). The strange thing about this is that there are two different works welded together, the first being a march by Haydn and the second by Beethoven. The latter is also included separately among B's marches for wind band. Odd.

Michael