ELDER MUSIC: Classical Again – Part 1 of 3

You never know who you're going to meet on the internet and I came to know Peter Tibbles (bio here) via email over the past couple of years. His extensive knowledge of most genres of music and his excellent taste became apparent only gradually (Peter's not one to toot his horn) but once I understood, I knew he needed his own column at Time Goes By - or, better, that TGB needed his column - which appears here each Sunday. You can find previous Elder Music columns here.

[EDITORIAL NOTE: Those who subscribe to TGB via email or rss need to click the title to go to the website to hear the music.]

I’ll start this off with someone who wasn’t a composer. It was just something he dabbled in now and then. Alexander Borodin.

Borodin was a trained as a doctor (although he fainted at the sight of blood and never practised that profession) and as a chemist. He became the professor of chemistry at the Academy of Physicians and started a School of Medicine for Women.

He was an all around good guy who performed serious research in chemistry and composed a bit in his spare time, of which he had very little, thus he produced only 21 works.

But he sure knew how to turn out a good tune. One of those was a variation on Chopsticks but you’ll be pleased to know I’m not featuring that one. He died young, just 53, quite suddenly at a party. If you gotta go, there could be worse ways.

Sharp-eared listeners may find this somewhat familiar. Second movement of String Quartet No.2.

Borodin - String Quartet No. 2

Luigi Boccherini pretty much paralleled Haydn. They were born around the same time and died within a few years of each other. Like Haydn, Luigi was fond of chamber music and wrote trios, quartets and quintets. He brought the cello to more prominence in these works. Well, he was a cellist, and apparently a fine one, so I guess he wrote them so he could have a bit of a jam with his friends.

He was employed for a time by King Charles III of Spain. One day the King expressed his disapproval at a passage in a new trio and ordered Boccherini to change it. Old Luigi was rather miffed at this and extended the passage instead, leading to his immediate dismissal. Rather reminiscent of “Too many notes, my dear Mozart” by Emperor Joseph II of Austria.

To demonstrate his facility on the cello here is the first movement on the Cello Sonata G13.

Boccherini-Cello Sonata G 13 (1)

Turning to opera, I amused myself by considering Alban Berg’s Lulu for inclusion but rejected that notion as it’s rather challenging. I have only managed to get through the complete work once. I dip into it now and them (pretty much the same way I listen to Captain Beefheart).

So, Georges Bizet is it (no, not that opera), and my favorite of his Les Pêcheurs de Perles. Bizet was only 37 when he died (of a heart attack) and didn’t live to see the enormous success of Carmen and The Pearl Fishers, both of which were failures when first presented.

This is the best duet in the history of music, even better than the Everly Brothers. Of course, I haven’t heard all the duets in the history of music, I just like making these sweeping statements. Au fond du temple saint. The singers are Nicolai Gedda and Ernest Blanc.

Bizet-Au fond du temple saint

Vivaldi, the “Red Priest.” It’s common knowledge that he was called that because of his red hair. I share that with Antonio. Okay, I don’t anymore as he’s dead and my hair is white these days. I’m also not a priest (great guffaws from those who know me).

For 36 years he was in charge of music at a conservatory for girls in Venice. There’s no evidence of any sort of hanky panky, thus not affording me a juicy bit of tittle tattle for you all. Just the music. First movement from the Bassoon Concerto RV 504.

Vivaldi - Bassoon Concerto

Margaret Sutherland was born in Adelaide but lived in Melbourne from the age of four. She lived to a decent age (87), and her work spans about fifty-five years. She championed a number of worthy causes, many music-related, particularly in Melbourne where she was prominent in ensuring a complex of art gallery, concert halls and theatres were built in the nineteen-sixties across the river from the city centre. We thank her for that.

Although she wrote an opera, a symphonic poem and such works, she is mostly remembered for her chamber music that constituted more than half of her output. Not just chamber music but works for solo piano: Chiaroscuro II.

Sutherland - Chiaroscuro II

Comments

[Tarzana]

Thanks for a delightful smorgasbord of times, styles and instruments, Peter. The familiar tune by Borodin led me to this wonderful interpretation by the immortal Peggy Lee: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=od9u3yRoj-0

[Nancy]

Peter,

I remember as a young bride in 1951 seeing the movie "Kismet" with Howard Keel and Ann Blyth. It featured a song called "Strangers in Paradise" which had a beautiful melody.

Soon after that my Mother was playing her record of "Prince Igor" by Alexander Borodin and I immediately charged the composer of that opera with stealing that melody from "Kismet".

Mother soon set me straight....

[Mage B]

An illustrated delight.

[Darlene]

Alexander Borodin's Polovetzian dance is one of my favorites and I can hear it fairly well.

I had no idea that Borodin was not a full time composer. Your research on the artists you feature is fascinating. Thank you.

[joared]

I had no idea the source of "Baubles, Bangles and Beads," other than it was in Broadway's "Kismet" production, but then so many tunes find their original beginnings in classical music.

Had never heard Peggy Lee's version of the above tune, so enjoyed that link from Tarzana.

I'm reminded of a concert I heard just this weekend and noted to friends I was sure I heard three notes of the "Coming Home" theme. Will have to check the name of the piece and see if there's a possible connection.