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Moyski

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A few days ago, I came across this recording online of 'The Rite of Spring', and it's very well done. As background for those unfamiliar with classical music, this music by Stravinsky, written in 1913, coupled by ballet choreography by Nijinsky, was so revolutionary that during its first performance, in Paris, fist fights broke out among the audience. It depicts a prehistoric ritual climaxing with a human sacrifice. There are some awesome productions of the ballet itself available on YouTube, including a BBC documentary film entitled 'Riot at the Rite'. (The final frenzied dance of the sacrificial victim is gripping to watch.) If you don't fancy listening to the whole 35 minutes of this performance, may I recommend three one-minute excerpts starting at 10:30, at 15:00, and at 24:00. This will introduce you to the power of this work.
 

 

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52 minutes ago, Cornish Steve said:

A few days ago, I came across this recording online of 'The Rite of Spring', and it's very well done. As background for those unfamiliar with classical music, this music by Stravinsky, written in 1913, coupled by ballet choreography by Nijinsky, was so revolutionary that during its first performance, in Paris, fist fights broke out among the audience. It depicts a prehistoric ritual climaxing with a human sacrifice. There are some awesome productions of the ballet itself available on YouTube, including a BBC documentary film entitled 'Riot at the Rite'. (The final frenzied dance of the sacrificial victim is gripping to watch.) If you don't fancy listening to the whole 35 minutes of this performance, may I recommend three one-minute excerpts starting at 10:30, at 15:00, and at 24:00. This will introduce you to the power of this work.
 

 

Can I ask Steve, because I have no idea how classical composers work, a question or two.

Does the composer when writing transcribe every note for every section/instrument in the orchestra?

Also, looking at one of the sections you highlight, at around 15:45, the french horn players are focused on, and all are playing but one. Does a score say that seven of eight (or whatever) should be playing at that point? Possibly he's the lead and has other responsibilities, I don't know.

Not my thing as you know, but I'm seriously interested in the mechanics of how it works.

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19 minutes ago, MikeO said:

Does the composer when writing transcribe every note for every section/instrument in the orchestra?

These days, of course, you transcribe parts with the click of a button. For example, you'd need to transpose a part up a tone for a Bb instrument (such as a clarinet) so the played note is correct. When I was 15, I wrote a piano concerto. I wrote everything as if all instruments played at the same pitch and then spent many dreary days transposing many of the parts. I'm guessing that established composers way back when would hire people to transpose parts, since it's a rather mundane process.

19 minutes ago, MikeO said:

Also, looking at one of the sections you highlight, at around 15:45, the french horn players are focused on, and all are playing but one. Does a score say that seven of eight (or whatever) should be playing at that point? Possibly he's the lead and has other responsibilities, I don't know.

There are several reasons why this might happen.

1) In some works, the composer (or even the conductor) might request that fewer play a section as a way of reducing volume.

2) Of course, there are going to be many horn parts - maybe solo horn, first horn, and second horn - and the second horns may not be playing at the moment.

3) A player has an issue with the instrument (with a horn, he might need to blow out spittle that's accumulated and affecting the sound) or may simply be tired and resting during a section when it doesn't really matter.

That guy seems to be a little out of sync (his is the only horn held vertically) so I'm guessing it's case 3. A little later, you can see him remove the mouthpiece, so something's up. Later again, he's playing just fine.

 

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44 minutes ago, MikeO said:

Can I ask Steve, because I have no idea how classical composers work, a question or two.

Does the composer when writing transcribe every note for every section/instrument in the orchestra?

Also, looking at one of the sections you highlight, at around 15:45, the french horn players are focused on, and all are playing but one. Does a score say that seven of eight (or whatever) should be playing at that point? Possibly he's the lead and has other responsibilities, I don't know.

Not my thing as you know, but I'm seriously interested in the mechanics of how it works.

By the way, the ballet is just as powerful. This excerpt, from that BBC re-enactment of the work's premiere, shows how dance can capture the emotions of a victim being sacrificed.
 

 

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This always brings back memories for me. I had just joined Royal Brunei Airlines in July 1996, at the beginning of my expat life. One of the first things I did was go to this Michael Jackson concert in Brunei - for free, courtesy of HM The Sultan of Brunei. We also saw Stevie Wonder (on New Years Eve), Seal and Michael Jackson for a second time. Happy days. I'm in the crowd somewhere.

 

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16 hours ago, MikeO said:

Stumbled across this, I was there:P

 

I wouldn’t have put you down as someone who would have turned up to a Sham 69 gig, pleased you did though Mike it’s nice to be transported back to happier times, when pogoing and playing football was the only form’s of exercise one needed👍

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1 hour ago, MikeO said:

@Palfy's request, band from my home town👍

 

Thanks for that Mike. After the ending of SAS last night I played the Strangles for a few hours today, after not playing anything of theirs for eons. I love it that music has the ability of wakening something inside of you that's been dormant for a while, and bringing back good memories. 

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40 minutes ago, Gwlad all over said:

Just heard Liverpool Llullaby by Cilla. Always makes me think of visits to the city in the 60s. 

Gratuitous parental violence not a great vibe though:unsure:

Lass had an amazing voice in her youth but the TV "celebrity" she became was horrible to watch imo.

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1 hour ago, RPG said:

I've gone a bit retro and had a Sunday afternoon of David Bowie, Elton John and the Bee Gees.

Early Bowie (eg Ziggy) I liked but he disappeared up his own arse fairly quickly; Elton I loved but he peaked at Yellow Brick Road (a superb double album which was impossible to back up) and has been stealing a living since. Bee Gees I didn't/don't mind but never got overly excited by them.

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2 hours ago, RPG said:

I've gone a bit retro and had a Sunday afternoon of David Bowie, Elton John and the Bee Gees.

Love Bowie from his early stuff right through to his latest, the one album that I feel he doesn't get enough credit for is Young Americans, he was the first white artist to play at the Soul Train, you can easily see why from that album why the black soul artists and fans took to him, even had a young Luther Van Dross as a backing vocalist. 

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