Posted on 07/25/2015 4:32:10 PM PDT by nwrep
On July 25, 1788, Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart completed his Symphony No. 40 in G minor, the second to last of his symphonies.
To Robert Schumann in the 19th century, the symphony was a work of "Grecian lightness and grace," while for a later writer, Alfred Einstein, there are passages that "plunge to the abyss of the soul."
Such ambiguity is perhaps apt for one of the greatest works of a composer whose music so frequently defies adequate description. The symphony is cast in the usual four movements; the opening Molto allegro immediately announces something unusual by starting not with characteristic loud "call to attention," but with quietly spoken agitation. The uneasy passion of the main theme leads to conclusions that seem to protest rather than find any consolation. The movement's dominant feeling is urgency: upbeat after upbeat after upbeat occurs. Amid great instability and a questioning aura, we experience a peek into Don Giovanni's abyss. In the finale, the horns intrude with wild swatches of color. There is even an eerie twelve-note insertion after the double bar in the Allegro assai section.
She’s got the Marcel Moyse method going. Flute angled and playing out of the side of her lips. My flute prof played the same way.
Takes up a little less space than with the flute horizontal, maybe that’s the reason. Looks more genteel in the orchestra. The ladies I knew who played it, always held it horizontally.
Your link is to a performance of this piece. Are we to assume you are the author of the text above?
One can only imagine what he would have been inspired to write had he lived a full life. For example, he should have lived long enough to hear Beethoven's mature works. Imagine the competition that would have existed between the two of them.
The French method is a little different. For players who have a fleshy upper lip or a ‘labial point’ (where the upper lip has a pronounced point) it can make playing the flute difficult as we normally use the center of our lips for embouchure. Had a former student with that prob (very airy tone) and taught her to offset the ‘air hole’. It works. :)
No. Just program notes from some random performance of some orchestra. Those quotes re: this symphony are famous.
These/those people fascinate me to no end..the youth,abilities dedication,love for something other than self, blows me away..
What we got..Kardashians or some other puke......
EOM
I wonder how a person learns the art of conducting? Is it a well defined sort of thing or do you just get up there and play “air orchestra” and if your personal style works then good?
Dad tried to get me to listen to the variations, but at the time I wasn't interested if it didn't feature an electric guitar. Now I wish I'd paid attention.
I know. I’d seen him and several other conductors do it before. But it’s been awhile, and I still think its a magnificent feat as there are from 40 to often a hundred parts to memorize.
I do believe Otto was the father of Colonel Klink from Hogan’s Heroes
It truly is amazing to be under the direction of a great conductor. Even better when they leave the ego at the door. :) I had one to tell me he was ‘god’ many years ago. LOL!
Mozart's next symphony, his last (no. 41 nicknamed "Jupiter") is considered a milestone in music making.
By the way, the man-spreading might be understandable and seen in almost all orchestras as the players have to sit a certain way and read the notes in front of them. It just happens to be a convenient position, nothing wrong with it (not that you were trying to imply anything).
Classical music (17th-18th-19th and early 20th century music)was largely written before the age of recording and the only available indicators we have on how it should sound is the composer's manuscript, in which notes assigned to each instrument,chosen by the composer for that piece of music,are written. It is up to the conductor to round out the piece by interpreting it, by emphasizing the appropriate parts per the direction of the composer, and creating an instrumental sound and mix that best represents (in the conductor's judgment) the intention of the composer.
Philips Complete Mozart Edition (180 CDs - 1990-1991) is available thru Amazon for $2,500 or eBay for $1,750 ... Amazon: “The performances are magical and DEFINE Mozart ... The sound quality of the CDs is superb as most of the pieces were digitally recorded, even the lesser known works of Mozart such as Bastien und Bastienne. The hefty booklets that accompany each volume should be savoured while you listen as they give interesting background about many of the pieces. The booklets are written in English, German, French and Italian. The opera booklets contain the complete libretto in its original language, plus English and any of the other two languages named above.”
Was re-released through iTunes some years back for a lot less.
Erich Leinsdorf, “The Composer’s Advocate: A Radical Orthodoxy For Musicians”
Live performance of Symphonies 39, 40, and 41 this afternoon by the Boston Symphony Orchestra if you can get to Lennox, MA by 2:30pm. The perfect trifecta.
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