Live Music

[bignaf]

the long high B at the end of Nessun Dorma is an Interpolation. it is written as a short 16th note. no fermata for stretching it out. I like the stretching but i don't complain if it's short.

[The Great Carouser]

While researching Dai Bread's bio (in vain so far, I might add ) , or anyone, the program notes assert that Puccini's Turandot was the high point of his career as far as his orchestration abilities. The notes mention that no theme is ever repeated by the same group of instruments that introduce it. Is this something a 'good or great' composer aspires to or is it just artifice? I'm curious about what makes a 'great' composer viz a viz orchestration as opposed to a 'good' or 'mediocre' composer.

[shostakovich]

Hi G.C. I have some excerpts from Busoni's Turandot. I have not listened for a long while, but I'll try to remember to check it out. It is very "listenable". I'm not sure it was an opera. Weber also wrote a Turandot. I'm not sure that was an opera, either. I'll check it (subject to remembering). Some of Weber's music ended up as Turandot Scherzo (I think) in Hindemith's Symphonic Metamorphosis on Themes of Carl Maria von Weber.

[Give it another shot, Tim. ]

Shos

<small>[ 02-04-2004, 01:12 AM: Message edited by: shostakovich ]</small>

[Bones]

If I'm not mistaken, Weber's music to Turandot was not an opera but incidential music to Schiller's stage play, based on the earlier Gozzi work.

[Bones]

Hindemith took themes from some of the marches and overture (I think) for his piece.

<small>[ 02-04-2004, 09:00 AM: Message edited by: Bones ]</small>

[bignaf]

Busoni's Turandot was an opera.
Hindemith did have a theme from the overture.
also Puccini's teacher wrote an opera called Turanda I think. but it wasn't Ponchielli. don't remeber who...

[The Great Carouser]

Thanks Shos, b*g and Bones for the interesting info. It seems Turandot was a popular lady as stated in this article I found. It was right at my 'doorstep' so to speak, includes everything you all discuss as well as more for those of you who have a deeper interest. Puccini's teacher was Bazzini according to this source.

Here's the link Turandot article

<small>[ 02-05-2004, 12:10 PM: Message edited by: The Great Carouser ]</small>

[shostakovich]

Hi guys (both genders included). Great info. I finally read the notes on my recording of Busoni's Turandot Suite. He wrote Turandot music 4 times: a suite, piano transcription of part of the suite included in a piano suite, an expanded suite, an opera.

Funny story about Busoni and Sibelius. They first met in Berlin with B as S's teacher, although he was only a year older. They hit it off, and became fast friends. When they got together, wherever, they forgot about obligations. A Swedish (I think) concert hall director had to have them followed whenever Sibelius was to conduct later in the day. They just lost track of time.

The stern-looking Sibelius promoted the lofty image in photos and busts. Yet, personal reflections cast him as a flake early on, and merely irresponsible later on. He was extraordinarily serious about his own music, though.
Shos

[barfle]

Tonight my wife and I are going to see ABT performing La Bayadere at the Kennedy Center in DC.

There is no doubt in my mind that the Entrance of the Shades scene is my favorite in all of dance.

In the past, when I've seen ABT, I've seen a real problem with synchronicity. Three ballerinas are supposed to be doing the same thing, yet they are often half a beat apart on the timing. We'll see if there's any improvement tonight.

[The Great Carouser]

Originally posted by barfle:

...In the past, when I've seen ABT, I've seen a real problem with synchronicity. Three ballerinas are supposed to be doing the same thing, yet they are often half a beat apart on the timing. We'll see if there's any improvement tonight.

One certainly hopes so....if only for the sake of the poor ballerinas.

[OperaTenor]

We've started staging rehearsals for Don Carlo, which opens March 27th. Just got to really hear the principals for the first time last night. We have a truly great bunch of singers for this show!

[barfle]

I hope you don't have to work one month from tonight!

[OperaTenor]

Nope, last performance is 4/7. We even scheduled the wedding so poeple from the opera could come around rehearsal for La Traviata from noon til 2, then opening night for Katya Kabanova that evening.

[piqaboo]

originally posted by OT:
We even scheduled the wedding so poeple from the opera could come around rehearsal for La Traviata from noon til 2, then opening night for Katya Kabanova that evening.

Of course, that means none of our guests will actually be awake for the ceremony.....

does anyone have a really large coffee pot we could borrow?

[BenODen]

Ah! Ah! A plan! All you can eat Samoas, laced with caffeine. Sure fire solution!

[piqaboo]

Originally posted by Benito Of Denver:
Ah! Ah! A plan! All you can eat Samoas, laced with caffeine. Sure fire solution!

That would work and be mighty popular.

Are there that many Samoas in the world, or should the bride abstain so her guests can eat? :p


BTW, did everyone's cookies go up to $4 per box?

[barfle]

Originally posted by piqaboo:
BTW, did everyone's cookies go up to $4 per box?

Nope, still $3 here. Our gas is about $1.75, too.

[piqaboo]

waaaaaaaaaaaaa a boohooooooooo sob.


PthththtTTTTT!!!!

[OperaTenor]

Yes, but at least we have Two Buck Chuck here, instead of Three Buck Chuck!

[barfle]

And I'll bet you didn't get a frost last night, too.

I really need to get my coat to the cleaners (ewwwwww!), but I'm not going out without it.