Classical Music Mayhem!! :: View topic - Music for unusual instruments

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...

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.

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! :shock:

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!

"By the way, here is the Youtube clip of "Veni, me sequere fida" from Vivaldi's Juditha triumphans:"

Quote:

"By the way, here is the Youtube clip of "Veni, me sequere fida" from Vivaldi's Juditha triumphans:"

Here's a real video of that aria, you can get a good look at the chalumeau.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JFhmB_0N9kY

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.

The parts for the 'toys' are hardly 'composed', they just seems to join in at certain intervals and make a noise.

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

Author:	Melmoth [ Thu Jun 04, 2009 5:46 pm ]
Post subject:
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!

Author:	Lifelive [ Thu Jun 04, 2009 6:10 pm ]
Post subject:
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.

Author:	Rod Corkin [ Thu Jun 04, 2009 8:34 pm ]
Post subject:
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.

Author:	Rod Corkin [ Thu Jun 04, 2009 8:39 pm ]
Post subject:
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'.

Author:	TrumpetBoy [ Thu Jun 04, 2009 8:50 pm ]
Post subject:
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!

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Author:	Rod Corkin [ Thu Jun 04, 2009 9:14 pm ]
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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!

Author:	Antonio Salieri [ Mon Jun 08, 2009 5:34 pm ]
Post subject:
Quote: "By the way, here is the Youtube clip of "Veni, me sequere fida" from Vivaldi's Juditha triumphans:" Here's a real video of that aria, you can get a good look at the chalumeau. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JFhmB_0N9kY

Author:	Rod Corkin [ Mon Jun 08, 2009 6:16 pm ]
Post subject:
Antonio Salieri wrote: Quote: "By the way, here is the Youtube clip of "Veni, me sequere fida" from Vivaldi's Juditha triumphans:" Here's a real video of that aria, you can get a good look at the chalumeau. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JFhmB_0N9kY I'm getting an 'error, try again later' message. I guess I'll try again later!

Author:	Graham1973 [ Mon Jun 15, 2009 12:28 pm ]
Post subject:	Re: ...
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.

Author:	Wranitzky [ Tue Jun 16, 2009 8:34 am ]
Post subject:
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. 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. \Daniel

Author:	Rod Corkin [ Tue Jun 16, 2009 9:57 am ]
Post subject:
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'.

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