Viennese music

Mozart Serenade No. 10 Gran Partita

This work offers a fascinating contrast in the wind family. Written for oboes, clarinets, basset horns and bassoons amongst others, this work contrasts all the different sounds featured in the wind section of the orchestra in a delightful sound. I only listened to the first movement on this occasion due to time constraints and will listen to whole work again sometime in the future.

Krommer – Partita in E Flat Op. 45 No. 1

Franz Krommer (1759-1831) was a Moravian born composer who spent most his musical life in a variety of posts in Vienna and was the last to hold the post of Vienna Court Kapellmeister (from 1818).

This work is very different to the Mozart Gran Partita, but very pleasant music all the same. It is a simpler format using traditional formal ways in each movement, except the second, where a romance gives Krommer more versatility in his music. This work is for purely a wind octet, where Mozart had a larger ensemble to work with including a string bass to play the bass line.

Mozart – Harmoniemusik zu Le Nozze Di Figaro

Le Nozze Di Figaro is one of my favorite operas and I adore the music Mozart wrote for this opera.

This arrangement is very well constructed and a pleasant way for the overture (only had time to listen to the overture part) to be heard. You can hear the basics of the wonderful orchestral overture played by just wind instruments. Oboe, clarinet, flutes and bassoon all play a leading role in this fine arrangement. I will listen to more of this when I have the time.

 

 

Mannheim School – Following scores

I followed the score to some extent but not entirely accurately and lost my way in passages. I do try to follow scores where I can of music I listen to for this course but have not yet attempted to do it in a live performance, but it is sometting I may consider in the future. I think the practice of following a score certainly enhances the enjoyment of music and looking at scores to see how music fits together always fascinates me, even if I cannot quite follow that by just listening.

There were certainly some of the characteristics of the Mannheim school discussed featured in this work. Contrasting passages as well as homophonic passages are in evidence and the woodwind solos are obvious in a flute concerto. Dynamic variations are also feature in places, just listen to the first few bars and this is in evidence in the string section opening, and is also in evidence later on in the work.

Ancient & Modern Interpretation of Classical Music

The first piece I have listened to is Haydn’s Symphony no. 37. I found recordings of this by The Academy of Ancient Music and The Cologne Chamber Orchestra. There were many differences between the two interpretations of this work, perhaps the most striking being the tempo. The version by the “modern” orchestra was much quicker with the first and third movements especially affected.

There is a striking difference in the opening chord of the first movement with a much more dynamic sound from the Cologne Chamber Orchestra version. The general tone of the two works is very different, with the Academy of Ancient Music producing a clearer, brighter sound. The increased forces of the Cologne Chamber Orchestra give the work a richer sound, but you loose the clarity of the sound produced by the Academy of Ancient music.

There are clear difference in timbre between the two versions, with the Chamber Orchestra producing a modern sound, whilst the Academy are restricted by the limitations of the earlier instruments. Timpani, which you would not have thought would have changed all that much, was far more prominent in the Cologne Chamber Orchestra version, but perhaps this is pure interpretation rather than any difference in the instruments. The increased number of stringed instruments in the “modern” version added to the timbre of these parts, and modern wind instruments are far more versatile that their predecessors.

These differences clearly create a different atmosphere to the work, largely through the clearer, fresher sound created on the older instruments. The Cologne Chamber Orchestra version, creates a modern richer, darker tone giving it more of a “romantic” era atmosphere to the work.

The second work I chose was probably not the most clear for this exercise. I chose Mozart’s Requiem. Again though a distinct difference is apparent. I only listened to the introduction and the Kyrie, but the difference in timbre and tone is noticeable in the instruments used. The most apparent difference occurs in the trombone passage that appears just after the start to the Kyrie. It is clear in this passage that the version by The Ancient Academy of Music is played on much older instruments (or replica’s), whilst the “modern” version is played on modern instruments.

AMADEUS

I have watched the film, Amadeus, in the past and enjoyed it, so I downloaded it on I tunes  and watched it again.

The plot surrounds the time Mozart was in Vienna and the memories of rival composer Antonio Salieri (1750-1825) as told to a priest in the form of a confession. Although there are allegations that Salieri poisoned Mozart there is no real evidence of this, so the main plot of the film can be considered fictitious. Many of the events in the film are factually correct and the music of course is the work of Mozart (and some Salieri).

The music in the film is directed by Sir Neville Marriner and played by The Academy of St Martin’s in the Field, and is wonderful throughout. The operatic music especially stands out in the film for me, as the operatic rivalry of the two composers is the main bone of contention for Salieri. The first opera mentioned is Salem, where the orchestration stands out, and then the ground breaking Marriage of Figaro, where Mozart largely does away with recitative, to concentrate on the music.

A lot is made in the plot of the film of what is meant by the imagery in Don Giovanni, was the deathly statue that comes to life at the end to seek vengeance on Don Giovanni, based on Mozart’s father, Leopold? But what stands out musically in the finale to this opera is the dissonance used by Mozart to portray the frightening events. The producers of the film went to a lot of effort to get authenticity into the operatic scenes and other parts of the music used.

The final part of the film is all about Mozart’s final work, The Requiem. The music for this work in truly inspiring, especially the brilliance of the harmonies Mozart created. It inspired me to listen to the whole of this work, which I did (in part) the other day. I would really like to see this work performed live and will look out for a performance that I can attend.

The final piece of work as the credits were rolled, was a piano concerto. The wonderful melody of this work, I do not know which concerto it is, but have a feeling it may be no. 21 as it seemed familiar and I have seen this work performed a couple of times, is what stood out for me and was a wonderful ending to this fine film with some great music. I will watch it again some time.

(Amadeus poster, 2013)

ILLUSTRATIONS

n.k. (2013). Amadeus. [online image][movie poster]. Orion Pictures. Warner Bros. Available from: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Amadeusmov.jpg [Accessed on August 25th 2013].

Muzio Clementi – A Brief Study of a Classical Composer

Muzio Clementi (1752-1832) was an Italian born composer, teacher, publisher, and instrument maker who made his mark and spent most of his career in England. Mutius Philippus Vincentius Franciscus Xaverius Clementi was born in Rome on January 23rd 1752, one of seven Children. Clementi studied organ from an early age and by the time he was thirteen had established himself as chief organist at San Lorenzo in Damaso. Here he was discovered by an English traveller, Peter Beckford (1710-1811), who ‘bought’ him from his father and took him to England, where for seven years he completed his musical education at Beckford’s family estate, Stapleton Lwerne, north of Blandford Forum in Dorset. Clementi had composed his first pieces during his time in Rome and Dorset.

Muzio Clementi (1752-1832)

In 1774, Clementi moved to London, where he slowly became established in London concert life as a harpsichordist. It was from 1779 when his opus 2 piano sonatas appeared that Clementi fully established himself as a musician of note and in 1780 he embarked on his first European tour. On December 24th 1781 in Vienna, he took part in a famous piano dual with Mozart at the instigation of Joseph II of Austria, where they played the sonatas of Paisiello before improvising on their own compositions. Mozart admired Clementi’s skill but was otherwise scathing about the composer. Clementi, however had praise for Mozart. One of the works that Clementi performed on this occasion was his Toccata, opus 11 in B flat Major. This work is is a fast tempo, diatonic work, that you can imagine Clementi improvising passages of to impress Joseph II and his guests, who included The Grand Duke of Russia, who would become Tsar Paul II. There is evidence that Mozart was influenced by Clementi, as the overture of Die Zauberflöte, has some similarities to Clementi’s Sonata Opus 24, no. 2.

Clementi returned to London in 1783 and became the main keyboardist at the Hanover Square Concert Series. He briefly eloped to Europe with an eighteen year old girl from Lyon, but by 1785 he had returned to London, where he would stay until 1802, establishing himself as a composer, teacher and pianist as well as establishing himself in business with music publishing and instrument making. During this time he became an established star at the Hanover Square concerts, the rival concerts promoted by Salomon, benefit concerts and playing concertos in the intervals at oratorios at Covent Garden. During this time, as well as keyboard music, Clementi would try his hand at symphonies, but although well received in London, his symphonies could not match those of Haydn, who made two visits to London in the 1790’s or later those of Beethoven. He would make later efforts at symphonies between 1812-24, but only fragments survive of these. Of his earlier efforts at symphonies only the two opus 18 works survive.

Besides composing, Clementi became an established keyboard teacher during this period and charged a guinea a lesson, and is even reported to have turned down work from the royal family. He taught established pianists of the time, such as J.B.Crammer as well as the sons, daughters and spouses of the gentry. He also moved into the music publishing and instrument making business, initially with the firm of Longman & Broderip in the early 1790’s, and then following the bankruptcy of that company with John Longman and other partners from 1798 at the former companies premises at Cheapside. The company flourished in the 1800’s and a second premises was acquired in Tottenham Court Road in 1806, although this was badly damaged by fire in 1807. The company became an established piano manufacturer and patented several innovations such as the ‘harmonic swell’ where a rich sound is produced by an undamped string with sympathetic high pitched vibrations giving the note a clear sound. On the publishing front the company published works by Kalkbrenner and Steibelt as well as those of Clementi, but the main coup was an agreement with Beethoven and his Viennese publisher, Breitkopf & Härtel to publish English editions of many of his works.

From 1802-1810, Clementi embarked on another extensive tour of Europe, but with more of an eye on promoting the commercial aspects of his work, such as the pianos. It was whilst on this tour that he got the agreement on Beethoven’s music. He also took the opportunity to get some of his own compositions published on the continent. On the first part of the tour he took with him his pupil, the pianist, John Field, who established a reputation as a pianist as well as selling the Clementi pianos, especially in St Petersburg. There were later allegations of mistreatment of Field by the composer but these were made by writers half a century later and no conclusive evidence of such mistreatment exists (Platinga, 2013). He married in Berlin in 1804, but sadly his young wife died a year later in childbirth. This European enterprise was also hampered by the Napoleonic wars.

On his return to England in 1810, he took back control of his business, in which he had the majority 40% stake and also continued to compose and was well respected in London Musical circles. He was named one of the six directors of the Philharmonic Society when it was formed in 1813 and would visit the continent on a further four occasions, mainly to promote his own compositions. In 1811 he married an Englishwoman, Emma Gisbourne and they would have two sons and two daughters together. With his failure to produce satisfactory symphonic works, from 1824, Clementi concentrated on his piano works and compiled during the 1920’s the 100 pieces in three volumes that constituted his Gradus ad Parnassum. This work was a collection of different piano styles in various forms such as sonata movements and fugues and constitute a vast array of the piano music Clementi wrote over a 55-year period. It is piano music that first put him in the public eye with the opus 2 sonatas and it is piano music that he will be remembered for.

The sonatas are important works by the composer and had an influence on the early sonatas of Beethoven. During his life he continued to develop in this form and his opus 40 (1802) and opus 50 sonatas show a sophisticated and advancing style that would have a bearing on music from later in the nineteenth century. Perhaps though his finest work is the C major Piano Concerto from 1793, which is not out of place against those of Mozart and the early examples by Beethoven in this genre. Sadly it is one a the few concertos by Clementi that survive and shows potential in this form. The lively opening movement is in sonata form and has some very expressive passages. The slow second movement is also well constructed an the finale shows that Clementi could orchestrate works, despite his failings as a symphonist.

Clementi continues to influence pianists today and many of his collections form part of the teaching curriculum, especially his Introduction to the Art of playing the Piano Forte and his Gradus ad Parnassum. As a composer of keyborad music he had an influence on later composers and well as contemporaries such as Mozart and Beethoven. Clementi retired in 1830 and moved with his family first to Lichfield and then to Evesham where he died on March 10th 1832 following a short illness at the age of 80. He was buried in Westminster Abbey on March 29th 1832 where a large congregation turned out to pay their respects.

RESOURCES

Plantinga, L. & Tyson, A. (2013). Clement, Muzio. [online]. Grove Music Online, Oxford Music Online. Oxford University Press. Available from: http://www.oxfordmusiconline.com/subscriber/article/grove/music/40033 [Accessed on July 28th 2013]

BIBLIOGRAPHY

Plantinga, L. & Tyson, A. (2013). Clement, Muzio. [online]. Grove Music Online, Oxford Music Online. Oxford University Press. Available from: http://www.oxfordmusiconline.com/subscriber/article/grove/music/40033 [Accessed on July 28th 2013]

Cranmer, M., Jones, P. W. (2013). Clementi. [online]. Grove Music On Line. Oxford Music Online. Oxford University press. Available from: http://www.oxfordmusiconline.com/subscriber/article/grove/music/05937 [Accessed August 18th 2013].

ILLUSTRATION

Anon. (2013). Muzio Clementi. [online Image]. Muzio Clementi Society. Portrait from the York Gate Collections at the Royal Academy of Music. Available from: http://www.clementisociety.com/ [Accessed on August 19th 2013].

Haydn – Symphony No 104

This later symphony by Haydn, one of his London Symphony’s is a far more advanced work than No 31 previously listened to in project one of this section. A far larger orchestra is used for this work, and the music is far more expansive with the greater tonal quality. Whilst No 31 would have been written for the small court orchestra at Esterházy, this was written for the larger forces of the London Subscription concerts at the end of the eighteenth century.

The first movement is in sonata form, and following a slow opening section (largo), the theme develops with a sharp change of tempo to vivace, brass is used to colourful effect as the work develops and there is also a flute solo before the recapitulation.

The second movement, at the slower adagio tempo opens softly and contains some fine melodic playing and is a very elegant slow movement, and contains a fine oboe solo passage. The third movement is build around a minuet, a popular dance of the time and the traditional third movement form in symphonies until Beethoven introduced the scherzo, this theme is developed and repeated before the trio section. The movement is completed with a repeat of the earlier minuet theme heard at the beginning of the movement.

The finale is at the much quicker presto tempo and this tempo is set from the opening bars of the movement. As the movement develops all the sections of the orchestra play important roles in developing the movement, which ends with a quiet section, when compared to the more dramatic close to symphonies that would become the norm from Beethoven’s time. I listened to the final minute of Beethoven’s first symphony as a contrast to this ‘quiet’ finish and Beethoven had already moved this style on as the climax to symphonic works by that time.

 

Haydn’s Symphony No. 31 in D Major – A Simple Description

This work was written around 1765 when Haydn was in the employee of Prince Nicolaus Esterházy I (1714-90) and would have been first heard in the Prince’s court and not in the the type of public concert that we expect today.

The work is written for only a handful of instruments, but most importantly the four horns used. This work has become known as the “Hornsignal” because of the role played by this instrument, especially at the close of the first, second and final movement.

During the opening movement, following the introduction of the first theme, the work is developed in the middle part of the movement before the horns bring a slight pause. Haydn used to employ this quite a lot in his symphonic and chamber works as a sort of musical joke. The type of form then used in the first movement of most symphonies involves a repetition of the main theme following the works development in the middle. The horn sequence described above is then repeated at the end of the opening movement.

The second movement is played at a slower speed and strings play an important role in this, with the violin players plucking the strings in parts, whilst other violin players play in the more traditional method. The wind instruments are again used to good effect in this movement as the oboes and flutes play solo sections as well as the main instrumental effect of the four horns used.

The third movement mimics a popular dance of the period, a minuet, again the wind instruments in conjunction with the strings play the melody of this movement, which is at a quicker pace than the slower second movement. The rhythm plays an important role in getting the effect of this movement across, as it would in any dance tune.

The final movement, commonly know as the ‘finale’ again features strong solo sections and trios involving the flute, oboes and horns, which bring the work to a conclusion, again Haydn here uses the “hornsignal” melody to end the work.

Bibliographgy

Jones, D.W. (Ed.)(2002). Oxford Composer Companions, Haydn. Oxford. Oxford University Press.

 

Classical Forms: Symphony, Concerto & String Quartet

Beethoven – Symphony No. 1 in C Major (1st Movement) – Sonata Form

This movement has two clearly defined themes which are later developed, recapitulated and ending on a coda. The second these is one of the better known melodies and instantly recognizable.

It is interesting to see how Beethoven uses the parts of the orchestra to develop this work, the oboe and flute having important roles along with the strings. Changes of tempo and rhythms are other devices used by Beethoven in this work. the development of the composition throughout the movement is also interesting and the coda at the end finishes it off well. I listened to this movement twice before writing these notes.

Haydn – String Quartet No. 1 in B flat Major, Op. 1 , No. 1 (4th movement) – Dance Movement

Here Haydn uses a steady rhythm, with repeats of the theme throughout each section building 1-2-3, before the decaying final beat of each bar.

Mozart – Piano Concerto No. 21

I have seen this concerto performed live on several occasion in the last few years and it is a favourite piece I like to listen to. The opening movement has the contrast of the soloist and the orchestra working together, with the theme introduced by the orchestra before the soloist come in to repeat and develop the opening theme. The second movement contains those wonderful and familiar melodies, which gives the soloist further chances to show his artistry, building on the cadenza of the first movement. The finale is a good example of rondo form with the themes repeated and developed with other themes not repeated giving the work a bright finish.

Beethoven – String Quartet No. 1, Op. 18 in F major

The repeated melodic motif at the start introduces the opening theme before the long development section advances the work along. The first violin has the biggest role in the first movement but the other parts also play a part. The slow movement has a fine quality about it that Beethoven bought to most his slow movements. The third movement scherzo identifies the work as Beethoven and not that of his predecessors. Haydn and Mozart used the traditional minuet and trio for the third movement, although Haydn had advanced it to the level where it was nearly a scherzo. Beethoven, however adopted the scherzo for this movement in his symphonies and quartets. Scherzo means ‘jest’ or ‘joke’, and is a devise that can add humour to the piece, but not always. I think it does have that effect on this work. The finale gives the work a polished finish, as Beethoven uses the bright tempo (allegro) in a different way to how it was used in the scherzo. Here harmony has a greater role to play, but the key to this work is the harmony and interaction between the parts throughout the quartet.

Wagner and the Nazis

There is much to be found in the general writings of Richard Wagner (1813-83) which would have had appeal to the Nazi’s, and indeed references were made to Wagner in some of Hitler’s speeches, although these were more illustrations of Wagner’s German patriotism than specifically anti-Semitic or racist views.

Adolph Hitler (front row on isle), Dr C. Muck conducts Wagner with the Leipzig Orchestra (anon., photograph, n.k.)

Hitler was himself a big fan of the music of Wagner and carried a copy of the score from Tristian and Isolde in his knapsack and several autograph scores, including Parsifal are believed to have perished in the bunker with the dictator. As well as the appeal of Wagner as an anti-Semitic Socialist, another strong influence on Hitler were the writings of the composers son-in-law, Houston Stewart Chamberlain, who was a race theorist and a leading voice in the conservative racist movement that developed in Germany from the 1870’s and culminated in the rise of Hitler and the Nazi party in the 1930’s.

The influence of Wagner over the rise of the Nazi party can be demonstrated by the announcement in 1933, soon after Hitler came to power by the Richard Wagner Society for Germanic Art and Culture of the Bayreuth celebrations with the following statement:

just as Richard Wagner created Der Ring des Nibelungen out of faith in the German spirit, it is the mission of the German people … to reflect upon themselves and to complete the organisation of the German people, through which, in addition, all the ideal aspirations of the German-Nordic Richard Wagner Society will maintain a real political impact on the state, the nation, and the world around us in the national Germanic spirit of Richard Wagner.

Anon. (2013). This society had the full backing of the new government and the army in the promotion of Wagner’s music in the interests of the German people to counter the threats of Bolshevism and Judaism. The music of Wagner was sometimes played at Hitler’s rallies.

As well as a composer Wagner was a man of letters during his lifetime and wrote several essays on various subject matter. It is some of these essays that most establish his anti-Semitic views that would have influenced the Nazis later on. Wagner throughout his life had strong socialist and nationalist views and a lot of his early live was governed by official opposition to his political views, and his Republican beliefs. Part of his early career was spent in Paris at the Théâtre de la Renaisanace, which would go bankrupt before the composer could fully establish himself. It was during this time that he received the support of the Jewish composer and entrepreneur,  Giacomo Mayerbeer (1791-1864), who he was financially indebted to, which would add to his hostility to Jewish people and who he would deride at times later in life. He believed Mayerbeer knew of the demise of the Théâtre de la Renaisanace, although there is no evidence to support this, which also may have contributed to his feelings about the composer.

After returning to Dresden, Wagner became more involved with politics and Republicanism in particular. Whilst in Dresden Wagner made a speech to the leading Republican group, Vaterlandsverin, where he criticised aristocracy and wealth and spoke of democratically elected government being the natural progression of mankind (Millington, 2013). Whilst in Dresden, Wagner’s understudy as Kapellmeister, August Röckel, was editor of the Republican journal Volksblätter and Wagner wrote several pro-republican articles for this publication, and through Röckel met the Russian anarchist, Mikhail Bakunin, who knew Engel and Marx (Millington, 2013). In May 1849, the authorities had a crackdown on opponents to the regime and Wagner was forced to flee Dresden, and with the help of Franz Liszt fled to Switzerland via Wiemar.

Whilst in exile in Switzerland, Wagner wrote a series of essays that would form the blueprint for his later operas, including, Oper und Drama, which outlined his vision of ‘Total Theatre’ productions which would form the basis of The Ring. During this time, the composer would also write the most anti-Semitic of his essays, Das Judebthum in die Musik. In this essay, originally published in 1850, Waqner criticised Jewish art and culture, stating that the Jewish artist was only capable of copying the artistry of other Europeans, and also criticised there desire to make money from business and their use of Hebrew as a primary language. The artist who came in for the most derision in this essay was Felix Mendelssohn (1809-1847), who although having the respect of Wagner, says this:

Mendelssohn, on the contrary, reduces these achievements to vague, fantastic shadow-forms, midst whose indefinite shimmer our freakish fancy is indeed aroused, but our inner, purely-human yearning for distinct artistic sight is hardly touched with even the merest hope of fulfilment

(Wagner, 1850)

Further political writings would follow by Wagner, that would have appealed to the Nazis, especially a series of essays written when the composer was well established at Bayreuth, the Regeneration Writings (1878-81), which would once again express anti-Semitic views. Here Wagner talks about miscegenation being necessary for the development of mankind, but speaking of Jews being able to seek redemption through the blood of Christ (Millington, 2013). By this time racist and anti-Semitic views were much more commonplace and hard line in Germany and Wagner’s views were a popular theme of the times, although more liberal than some, who favoured forms of ethnic cleansing. Wagner’s wife, Cosima (1837-1930) kept a diary during these years and a regular feature of her entries were repeated anti-Semitic views.

It was against this background that Wagner would write the opera that would have the most appeal to the Nazis, Parisfal. This opera premièred in Bayreuth in 1882 and due to an agreement with King Ludwig II to pay for the original Bayreuth festival, Wagner was forced to use the orchestra of the Munich Hoftheater, including its Jewish conductor, Hermann Levi. The philosophical writings of  Arthur Schopenhauer (1788-1860) had an influence on Wagner and his belief in Buddhist theory. The meaning of the final act has has been a subject of debate in the twentieth century, as Wagner uses subtle tone changes to express the pacification of the will, the main theme of Schopenhauerism, as well as elements of racial cleansing.  The subject of this opera would clearly have appeal to the Nazis of the 1930’s and 40’s and their ideology.

Although there is much evidence of racial thinking behind Wagner, it should be put into some context of the times he lived in. Anti-Semitic views had been strong in Germany since the middle ages and the times of Luther and by the end of Wagner’s life were a very common thread among German thinkers. The liberal revolutionary thinking had by this time become very conservative and racist. It is easy to see how the essays and music of Wagner would have appealed to Hitler and the Nazi’s in the 1930’s and were used in some quarters to promote patriotic events such as the Nuremberg rallies. As discussed above Hitler did not quote specific words of Wagner but dwelt on his German patriotism and sometimes played his music at these events. It is sad that some of Wagner’s original scores were probably lost with the dictator in the bunker where he committed suicide but scholars do still hold out hopes that they may one day turn up.

Wagner and the racist elements of his writings and music are still a subject for controversy today, and Wagner’s music is still rarely performed in Israel, as Samuel Lewis explains:

The question of staging a Wagner opera or performing his music in Israel arises time and time again. The public is able to purchase CDs, DVDs and can subscribe to the French Culture TV Channel “Mezzo” that regularly relays Wagner’s music. The Israeli Opera does not plan to stage any Wagner works at the present moment in time. One must understand that there are still people living today in Israel who managed to survive the Nazi Holocaust but who have vivid memories of having to listen to his music whilst their kith and kin were being murdered.

(Lewis, 2013)

A recent staging of Tannhauser in Dusseldorf also lead to controversy. In this production a gas chamber formed part of the set and members of the audience were shocked and some had to receive medical help. Further performances were suspended, although they are now going to be performed with the controversial scenes removed. So Wagner and his influence on the Nazi’s and German history continues to be a matter of some debate.

REFERENCES

Anon. (2013). Richard Wagner. [online]. World ORT. Available from: http://holocaustmusic.ort.org/politics-and-propaganda/third-reich/wagner-richard/ [Accessed on March 10 2013].

Lewis, S. (2013). “Musical Life in Israel”. Musical Opinion. Jan-Feb 2013, Number 1492, Volume 136, p. 24.

Millington, B. (2013). Wagner, Richard. [online]. Oxford University Press. Available from: http://www.oxfordmusiconline.com/subscriber/article/grove/music/29769  [Accessed on March 12 & April  20 2013 & May 8th].

Wagner, R. , Tr. By William Ashton Ellis (2013). Das Judenthum in Der Musik. [online]. Available from:  http://www.jrbooksonline.com/PDF_Books/JudaismInMusic.pdf [Accessed on May 9th 2013].

ILLUSTRATIONS

Anon., (n.k.). Adolph Hitler watches Wagner performed by the Leipzig Orchestra. [Black and White photograph][online image]. World ORT. Available from: http://holocaustmusic.ort.org/politics-and-propaganda/third-reich/wagner-richard/ [Accessed on March 10 2013].

BIBLIOGRAPHY

Anon. (2013). Nazi Approved Music. [online]. University of South Florida. Available from: http://fcit.usf.edu/holocaust/arts/musreich.htm [Accessed on March 10 2013].

Anon. (2013). Richard Wagner. [online]. World ORT. Available from: http://holocaustmusic.ort.org/politics-and-propaganda/third-reich/wagner-richard/ [Accessed on March 10 2013].

Anon. (2013). Wagner Controversy: Opera Cancels Holocaust Staging of “Tannhäser”. [online]. Spiegel Online International. Available from: http://www.spiegel.de/international/zeitgeist/wagner-opera-cancelled-due-to-holocaust-staging-of-tannhaeuser-a-898937.html [Accessed May 17 2013].

Lewis, S. (2013). “Musical Life in Israel”. Musical Opinion. Jan-Feb 2013, Number 1492, Volume 136

Millington, B. (1992). “Parsifal”, The New Grove Book of Operas. Edited by Stanley Sadie. London. MacMillan Press.

Millington, B. (2013). Wagner, Richard. [online]. Oxford University Press. Available from: http://www.oxfordmusiconline.com/subscriber/article/grove/music/29769  [Accessed on March 12 & April  20 2013 & May 8th].

Wagner, R. , Tr. By William Ashton Ellis (2013). Das Judenthum in Der Musik. [online]. Available from:  http://www.jrbooksonline.com/PDF_Books/JudaismInMusic.pdf [Accessed on May 9th 2013].

Assignment Three Feedback

I received my tutor feedback for assignment three the other day and am pleased that my tutor seems pleased with my essay, and the way I used musical examples to demonstrate the chosen composers use of folklorist music in their compositions.

Much of this was due to the feedback I had from assignment two, where I didn’t really elaborate on examples of music from the impressionist composers, and didn’t describe fully or offer definitive examples of impressionist techniques on the works I chose.

I could have compared the influence and knowledge that the composers I chose had on and of each others music and use of folk tunes. That is something to take into my next assignment.

I have been given examples of music I wrote about in my reflective account that I should listen to, and will certainly listen to Wozzeck by Berg and write about it in my blog. I will also reflect on the book I am currently reading, Contemporary Composers on Contemporary Music. I will also add to my blog on the three operas, Lulu, Cunning Little Vixen and Madam Butterfly describing what made them successful (especially the latter two) as also suggested in the feedback.

The deadline for my next assignment is July 6th and I must stick to this deadline, if not earlier, if I am going to finish the course within the two year time limit.