Humour in Classical Music
Mon, Nov 28 2011, 10:00PM
#2
RE: Humour in Classical Music
This got me thinking of Alkan's cadenza for Beethoven's 3rd piano concerto, with the bit where it quotes the Fifth. Great fun. It's such a joyful, happy explosion. There's that "what the..." moment and then a huge smile. Wish I could hear it live some day.
Mon, Nov 28 2011, 11:36PM
#3
RE: Humour in Classical Music
We should not forget (or neglect) the incredible humour in abundance in Rossini's music. The outrageously culminating point is the amazingly funny Duetto de due Gatti (The Cat's Duet) for two sopranos and piano, where the famous miaou becomes pure music and builds a whole piece of charm and fun, while the music itself is inventive and creative.
There is the legendary performance of De los Angeles and Schwarzcopf with G. Moore on Piano, from a live performance in Albert Hall, on Emi.
Parla
Tue, Nov 29 2011, 11:28AM
#4
RE: Humour in Classical Music
Ives Piano trio has a movement marked T.S.I.A.J. (This scherzo is a joke). Does anyone get the joke!
Sun, Jan 15 2012, 1:43AM
#5
RE: Humour in Classical Music
Alfred Brendel wrote an essay on humour in music in which he referred particularly to Beethoven's Diabelli Variations and Haydn's Piano Sonata no 50. In the third movement of the latter, in C major, an unannounced B major chord suddenly appears, which even to an inattentive listener sounds as though the pianist has blundered. Only later, with repeats or recapitulations, does it become evident that the pianist is not at fault. Brendel poses the question: how is the pianist supposed to convey this type of humour to an unsuspecting audience? And I must say he's unable to come up with a convincing response. Humour in instrumental music it seems is difficult to pull off.
However I propose the finale of Haydn's String Quartet in G, Op 54/1, as an example of Monty Pythonesque comedy in classical music.
Sun, Jan 15 2012, 10:30PM
#6
RE: Humour in Classical Music
Haydn's music is fraught with all kind of humour (subtle, obvious, blatant, sophisticated etc. in almost every movement, even sometimes in the slow ones). Sometimes, it's difficult to pass, trace or simply serve it, but it's plenty. You have simply to be quite observant and have a certain knowledge of the structure of classical forms of composition.
Well spotted, Guillaume, the two examples of Brendel and yours. Just going, for example, to the neighbouring glorious Piano Sonata No. 49 in E flat, in the first (sonata form) movement (for instance), both in the development and recapitulation, Haydn plays with the tones, dynamics and a sort of well placed dissonances, culminating in a very subtle coda. In the String Quartet op. 54, no.3 (in E major), in the very exciting Finale (a frenzy Presto), the humour is derived from a very fast tempo being further heightened by surprise-pauses and unexpected stops.
Listen to as much Haydn as you can, it's a paradise of musical humour, in every sense and aspect of the word.
Sun, Jan 15 2012, 11:03PM
#7
RE: Humour in Classical Music
However I propose the finale of Haydn's String Quartet in G, Op 54/1, as an example of Monty Pythonesque comedy in classical music.
Well I diidn't quite see it as Pythonesque, but it's certainly a delightful and extremely witty piece. In fact, witty is the adjective that immediately comes to mind whenever I think of Haydn. I didn't recall it immediately, but good old Spotify came to the rescue with a lovely performance from the Lindsays.
Thank you Guillaume.
I can remember exactly the first time I heard Shostakovitch's Concerto for piano and trumpet..... the grin hasn't left my face.
Pause for thought.