Welcome to Classical Music Mayhem!! The multi-media Classical Music Forum.
You are currently viewing our boards as a guest, which gives you access to view the Index and the General Discussion forum. By joining our free community you will have full access to all the forums, you will be able to post topics, communicate privately with other members (PM), respond to polls, upload content, and access many other special features. Registration is fast, simple, and absolutely free, so please, join our community today!
You can log in as soon as you have submitted your registration, no need to wait for email confirmation.
Joined: Sun May 04, 2008 5:44 pm Posts: 2171 Location: Old Blighty
Rod Corkin wrote:
Actually they were devices for acoustically locating incoming aircraft, but they look like you could get a tune out of them, if someone could blow hard enough...
I'd hate to live next door to the guy who was learning to play it!
_________________ "To burn always with this hard, gem-like flame, to maintain this ecstasy, is success in life. " - Walter Pater
Reading these topics, I'm surprised at the original antipathy toward modern composers and new instruments--the instruments mentioned so far were at one time new, at the spirit used to compose for them is the same as the spirit used now...why do we forget that Beethoven got many negative reviews? Berlioz called him "modern." Anyway, Cage's prepared piano ranks among the great inventions to music's sonic practical possibilities, as does Steve Scott's bowed piano. By the way, both Beethoven's Op. 132 and 135 have hurdy-gurdy music in them.
Joined: Fri Sep 28, 2007 11:24 am Posts: 12782 Location: London, England
Lifelive wrote:
Reading these topics, I'm surprised at the original antipathy toward modern composers and new instruments--the instruments mentioned so far were at one time new, at the spirit used to compose for them is the same as the spirit used now...why do we forget that Beethoven got many negative reviews? Berlioz called him "modern." Anyway, Cage's prepared piano ranks among the great inventions to music's sonic practical possibilities, as does Steve Scott's bowed piano. By the way, both Beethoven's Op. 132 and 135 have hurdy-gurdy music in them.
Well after almost 15 years in the classical music forum business I have been more surprised at your average CM enthisuast's continual contempt for the old intruments when it comes to the performance of old music. I am surprised because it has been proved for so long that the detractors of the old intruments are totally and unambiguously wrong. But then your average CM enthusiast is rarely as clever as he/she thinks he/she is.
Those familair with Beethoven with be aware of the 'hurdy-gurdy' element appearing on occasion in numerous works. But I think this effect is not unique to Beethoven by any means.
_________________ "If I were but of noble birth..." - Rod Corkin
Joined: Fri Sep 28, 2007 11:24 am Posts: 12782 Location: London, England
Melmoth wrote:
Rod Corkin wrote:
Actually they were devices for acoustically locating incoming aircraft, but they look like you could get a tune out of them, if someone could blow hard enough...
I'd hate to live next door to the guy who was learning to play it!
I guess almost as bad as living next door to 'Billy the Bass'.
_________________ "If I were but of noble birth..." - Rod Corkin
Joined: Sun Jan 25, 2009 7:16 pm Posts: 721 Location: Saugatuck, Michigan
Rod Corkin wrote:
I wonder what was composed for this instrument..
Behold the Japanese War Tuba!
Actually they were devices for acoustically locating incoming aircraft, but they look like you could get a tune out of them, if someone could blow hard enough...
That is awesome. I give that two thumbs up with a shot of Sambuca!
_________________ "Notwithstanding the real loftiness and distinguished nature of its quality of tone, there are few instruments that have been more degraded (than the trumpet). Down to Beethoven and Weber, every composer - not excepting Mozart -
Joined: Fri Sep 28, 2007 11:24 am Posts: 12782 Location: London, England
TrumpetBoy wrote:
That is awesome. I give that two thumbs up with a shot of Sambuca!
I couldn't believe my eyes at first when I found this image by chance whilst searching for military band instruments. I've been interested in military hardware for a long time but I've never seen anything like those War Tubas!
_________________ "If I were but of noble birth..." - Rod Corkin
Joined: Fri Jun 12, 2009 11:18 am Posts: 123 Location: Perth
Slezak wrote:
In the world of "strange instruments", the hurdy-gurdy figured in some interesting works. The hammered dulcimer and alphorn are used in some compositions by Huber, and other Swiss composers, and the Russians and Azerbaijan composers did some nice stuff with accordians and bizarre folk instruments. Theramins have also been used in some classical compositions to an eerie degree. Somebody did a symphony for toy instruments some years ago, but I can't recall who. A bit weird, but not a bad piece. Kids probably got a blast out of it.
I've listened to two pieces of film music Shostakovich used the theramin for, including a version of the 'Internationale' that I do not think the All-Party congress would have approved of, but onto the main part of this post. I was listening to Shostakoviches Violin Concerto Nº.1 (Live at a West Australian Symphony Orchestra concert) and after hearing the soloist. I kept wondering if the piece had originally been written with for a theremin instead of a violin.
The parts for the 'toys' are hardly 'composed', they just seems to join in at certain intervals and make a noise.
I do not agree, notice for example the call-response exchanges between the strings and the cukoo in the first movement. Or the use of the limited pitches of the glockenspiel in the slow movement.
Paul Wranitzky, while catering to the somewhat exentric taste of the imperial family, composed four divertimenti with toy instruments, several sets of dances with toy instruments, one small symphony with pan flutes and glockenspiel, one large scale symphony (full classical orchestra including 4 trumpets and more than a dozen toy instruments!), and an arrangment of Mozart's 'Sparrow Mass' with added toy instruments.
I think it was Bernhard (or perhaps Andreas?) Romberg who wrote a toy symphony which was quite spread through europe too.
Joined: Fri Sep 28, 2007 11:24 am Posts: 12782 Location: London, England
Wranitzky wrote:
Rod Corkin wrote:
The parts for the 'toys' are hardly 'composed', they just seems to join in at certain intervals and make a noise.
I do not agree, notice for example the call-response exchanges between the strings and the cukoo in the first movement. Or the use of the limited pitches of the glockenspiel in the slow movement...
\Daniel
Well that's alright Dan, for you those exchanges may be 'composition', but for me they are 'joining in at certain intervals'.
_________________ "If I were but of noble birth..." - Rod Corkin
Users browsing this forum: No registered users and 0 guests
You cannot post new topics in this forum You cannot reply to topics in this forum You cannot edit your posts in this forum You cannot delete your posts in this forum You cannot post attachments in this forum
