Humour in Classical Music
Tue, Oct 25 2011, 10:35PM
Despite the term "classical" implies something old, solemn, rather strict or serious, what is called as Classical Music is fraught with humour in all possible forms (strictly musical, as in Mozart's "A Musical Joke", in terms of making fun, as in most of Rossini's output, in multiple forms, as in plenty of Haydn's music, etc.).
The most interesting aspect of this subject is what I discovered in many years of listening experience and study, namely the "concealed" humour in every unsuspected piece or work of classical music. Take in random almost any Scherzo from the early String Quartets of Beethoven and there you are. Observe the musical game and fun in most of the Codas in Beethoven's output and you will be entertainingly amazed. The finale of the Fifth constitutes one of the most brilliant examples of how a brilliant composer can overturn a very solemn c-minor work to a triumphant game of an astonishing use of all the possible means he has and knows how to command and to surprise (just notice the role of piccolo and you will see). Even the fact that he uses the coda as a kind of second development is something to make you smile.
Almost any composer I can think of has enough evidence of exercing his humour in his production of works, perhaps with the exception of the otherwise great Bruckner, who unfortunately failed in many fields (not only in lacking humour) of expressing the different aspects of Life.
It's also intriguing to explore and examine whether one may find anything humorous in atonal, serial, contemporary, etc. music, where I almost fail to detect.
So, folks, do you wish to share your experiences, revelations and discoveries in tracing some good humour in your listening repertory or are you interested in finding what others might find humorous in an outwardly serious, solemn or very abstract piece of classical music? You are most welcome!
Parla
Wed, Oct 26 2011, 10:21AM
#2
RE: Humour in Classical Music
I'll qoute a little bit
' Only after we have experienced all this through the smoking ovens of Auschwitz, the frantically bombed jungles Vietnam, through Hungary. Suez, the bay of Pigs, the farce trial of Sinyavsky and Daniel, the refueling of the Nazi machine, the murder in Dallas, the arrogance of South Africa, the Hiss Chambers travesty, the Trotzkyite purges, black power, red guards, the arab encirclement of Israel, the plague of McCarthyism, the tweedledum armament race - only after all this can we finally listen to Mahler's music and understand that it foretold all.'
No, not the rantings of a 14 year old current affairs student after a night on drugs and an education mainly made up by reading magazines, but the carefully considered prose of Mr Bernstein.
Wed, Oct 26 2011, 10:35AM
#3
RE: Humour in Classical Music
Tannhauser.
Best bit is when, after everyone tells him to go to Rome, the Pope refuses him absolution.
What a hoot.
Should have stayed in the Venusberg.
I would have but, then again, I can't sing.
Wed, Oct 26 2011, 2:55PM
#4
RE: Humour in Classical Music
Regardless of his earlier and far-fetched prose on Mahler, Dr. Br., Bernstein was a great man of an inexorable sense of humour, which is properly reflected in his own compositions too. His interpretations on every composer and single work could reveal every aspect of the concealed humour therein.
Even in his CBS recordings, he was able to reveal the sardonic humour of the Sixth's scherzo, the demonic fun in the Fourth's first and second movements, the melancholic hidden humour in the second and third movements of the First and so on. I happen to have met him in the Seventies on some occasions. I was utterly impressed of his live interpretation of Beethoven's Fifth, where every nuance of the existing humour and fun was revealed in the most observant way. He was able to make you discover the well hidden humour even in the most powerful chords of Tristan und Isolde!
Speaking of Wagner, Troyen1, I appreciate the fact you discover something tangible in Tannhauser. I wonder if anybody may find something of that kind of humour in Parsifal too.
Parla
Wed, Oct 26 2011, 3:54PM
#5
RE: Humour in Classical Music
Speaking of Wagner, Troyen1, I appreciate the fact you discover something tangible in Tannhauser. I wonder if anybody may find something of that kind of humour in Parsifal too.
Parla
Or Pfitzner's Palestrina with the jokes, as the saying doesn't go.
JKH
Fri, Nov 4 2011, 11:14PM
#6
RE: Humour in Classical Music
Peter Pears pretending to be a cuckoo on the Decca recording of Britten's Spring Symphony. Oh dear, what was Britten thinking of !
Sat, Nov 5 2011, 12:39PM
#7
RE: Humour in Classical Music
Good point, Dr. Brodsky, if that's the case. I haven't noticed it so far in the few times I have heard this recording.
However, the real point of this thread is to identify "musical" signs or traces of humour in Classicl Music, e.g. the trombones glissandi in "Pelleas und Melisande" of Schoenberg, the funny harmonic progressions in quite a few Satie piano music and some of his songs, the amazingly beautiful "dissonances" in the homonymous String Quartet of Mozart etc.
Of course, anything you find "humorous" can go and I will be more than happy to note or comment on it as well.
Thanks for your inputs,
Parla
Wed, Nov 9 2011, 9:29PM
#8
RE: Humour in Classical Music
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Such a great and timeless opera.
Incredible job picking Nikolai Baskov for the part of Lenskiy! And
as the youngest ever to play that role. Bravo!
Mon, Nov 14 2011, 12:20PM
#9
RE: Humour in Classical Music
The relationship between humour and muisc is particuarly interesting in Danish musical history. And...at the risk of sounding like a shameless self-publicist...you can view my Gramophone feature on the subject here: http://www.gramophone.co.uk/features/focus/send-in-the-danes
Mon, Nov 14 2011, 11:43PM
#10
RE: Humour in Classical Music
Yes, indeed, Andrew. I have read your article which is enlightening for some aspects of the otherwise "cold" Nordic Music.
However, The more I listen attentively to the music of Sibelius, for example, the more I can trace some sense of an elusive humour, worth of further investigation (see the unexpected contrasting orchestral colours in the Scherzo of the First Symphony). As for the Danes, I still prefer the "fun" in Gade, Bull and Grieg's music, which is more traceable.
Parla
Thu, Nov 17 2011, 9:26PM
#11
RE: Humour in Classical Music
I'm not sure if I'd call it humour but I sense a lot of fun and play in 24 Preludes and Fugues by Shostakovich.
But then Fugue No. 2 in A min. brings a smile.
Thu, Nov 17 2011, 9:41PM
#12
RE: Humour in Classical Music
Back in the eighties one of the 24 Preludes (not sure which one) was used as the theme tune to the BBC comedy "Ever Decreasing Circles" with Richard Briars (I almost typed in Gavin Bryars).
There is a lot of humour in earlier Shostakovich - take the 1st Piano Concerto, like music for a Keystone cops short.
Thu, Nov 17 2011, 11:09PM
#13
RE: Humour in Classical Music
Like any great composer, Shostakovich knew how to incorporate humour everywhere and, most importantly, in pure musical terms!
Apart from the works you have already noted, check the second Piano Concerto and the last movement in particular, where, practically he put some "difficult" and very rapid exercises for his son, the dedicatee, to play throughout, while the orchestra "comments" in the most blatant way with a bursting orchestration.
Then, we have the two Jazz Suites, the ballets, film music and plenty in the Symphonies themselves (listen to the scherzi of the 1st, 5th and 15th or the first movement of the 15th, etc.).
Parla
Fri, Nov 18 2011, 11:43AM
#14
RE: Humour in Classical Music
The Russians do have a strong streak of sardonic humour - Schnittke's Concerto Grosso No.1 is another example - it switches from utter despair one minute to tongue in cheek Vivaldi-on-acid the next. Also the marvellous free-jazz group the Ganelin Trio had a similar black sense of humour.
Fri, Nov 18 2011, 11:43AM
#15
RE: Humour in Classical Music
The Russians do have a strong streak of sardonic humour - Schnittke's Concerto Grosso No.1 is another example - it switches from utter despair one minute to tongue in cheek Vivaldi-on-acid the next. Also the marvellous free-jazz group the Ganelin Trio had a similar black sense of humour.
Bernstein's notes that go with his CBS Mahler cycle, they crack me up every time I read them.