Searching for God in Classical Music
Wed, Oct 19 2011, 6:31AM
#2
RE: Searching for God in Classical Music
I hope you are not expecting an apology for my deviating from your script Parla. I didn't think I had to be subject to your lesson plan here.
My reaction was to all five of the late quartets, listened to over three days, and I responded in my own way within the context of the thread as a whole, not just your input.
I trust that's okay with you?
Vic.
Wed, Oct 19 2011, 6:56AM
#3
RE: Searching for God in Classical Music
Unfortunately, mundane domestic matters intervened this weekend and I was unable to set aside the necessary quiet time to devote to these works as promised. That will be corrected this coming weekend, however. But I find it difficult to believe that I will be able to convey my thoughts as eloquently as Vic has done in his earlier, and quite moving, post.
JKH
Wed, Oct 19 2011, 10:31AM
#4
RE: Searching for God in Classical Music
Of course, it's O.K. with me, Vic, if you feel to respond this way. I can assure you there is no "lesson plan" whatsoever; I just wanted to see if other people may calibrate the same or similar "features" in these two String Quartets with those two unique movements, that, for me, play a pivotal role in Beethoven's output.
Atonal felt that way. I wonder JHK how he will respond, after his quest.
It's just an exchange of views and perceptions, after having established a good, I believe, result in this thread.
Parla
As briefly as possible, Vic:
We (Me and Atonal so far) talked about op. 132, not op. 127. I also asked all of you to listen carefully to op. 135 (his last complete String Quartet) and the last movement in particular (see my previous posts). By all means, op. 127 is a magnificent one, in his beloved tonality (E flat major): Extremely powerful, assertive and imposing first movement, an amazingly complex and long variations slow movement and two shorter but very inspiring movements (Scherzo and Finale).
Lindsay's 1987 version, as I have said in a previous post, is very fine, but they issued another one, again in the defunct ASV, with better sound and possibly a more mature interpretation. However, I believe the true classic interpretations are the Vegh, the Talich and the Italiano Qu. (at least of those with credible sound; otherwise, the Hungarian or the Budapest or the Borodin, etc are "must"). From the more modern ones, with the best possible sound, the complete version of the brilliant Prazak Quartet in Praga Digitals is a "must have" and a modern reference, even for audiophile reasons.
I never said anything about religion in Beethoven's music. I just said that, possibly, in these immensely spiritual works, one may trace Faith, Hope, Love, etc. that pretty much may coincide with the humanistic aspects of his music.
I still wish to know your impressions of op. 132 and 135 (along with the specific movements in question, as mentioned in my previous posts).
So, let's see, Vic,
Parla