Quiz: Mystery scores

[Maciek]

Wightman is OK

That's about what I would expect based on my experience with his Karlowicz book. Interesting but very sketchy.

But at least Chylinska quotes his opinions (approx.) 21 times.

[Maciek]

Oh, and BTW, there's an even newer book (than Chylinska's). If I understand the description correctly, it's devoted almost exclusively to King Roger. On my "to read" list.

[sul G]

Does DOS stand for "Dean of Studies" or something like that? (That's my guess but no dictionary confirms it...) Or do you mean DOS as opposed to Windows? I quite liked it, actually, none of that fancy graphical interface, no mouse cables, good fun.

Close! Director of Studies - at Cambridge and Oxford (elsewhere too I imagine), this is the head honcho in your subject at your college, who interviews you, organises who will supervise you etc. etc. At Kings', mine was John 'Mr Wagner' Deathridge, but he left for KCL after a couple of years so in my final year my stand-in DOS was W Dean Sutcliffe (the Haydn/Scarlatti expert) from St Catherines.

[Maciek]

Speaking of which, I got the first review yesterday. But I can't go into any details here, in the open - who knows who reads these forums?

[Maciek]

From Suggested pastimes for bored GMGers: hijack a thread and then watch it drown.

[sul G]

Glug, glug, glug......

[Maciek]

Wheeee! This is fun!

[J.Z. Herrenberg]

It does actually work more or less well when taken in separate doses, as if it was a series of three symphonic poems rather than one monstrous symphony. Though perhaps I shouldn't be using the word "monstrous" in connection to a piece that's merely 70 minutes long. After all, I'm in the place where confirmed Brianites dwell...

And never you forget it.

That's about what I would expect based on my experience with his Karlowicz book. Interesting but very sketchy.

Wightman's book was, indirectly, my introduction to Karlowicz. Someone made a programme on Dutch radio about Karlowicz (second half 'nineties), which was based on Wightman's book. When I heard the music (Salwarowski's performances), I was sold. Later I borrowed Wightman's book from the Royal Library in The Hague. It didn't make much of an impression I must admit, though I did learn from it that Szymanowsky didn't just 'happen'. Which was useful.

[Maciek]

I did learn from it that Szymanowsky didn't just 'happen'.

That's true from a sort of "historical" perspective. In the sense that you can line up the two composers and say "the sort of thing that Karlowicz did is taken further (and then abandoned completely) by Szymanowski". But in a "real" sense there is no connection. Karlowicz was only 6 years older than Szymanowski and by the time Karlowicz reached full (musical) maturity Szymanowski was already writing works which were just as "advanced" (and they were all certainly more daring, from the very start). And in terms of imagination, creativity, sensitivity and, ultimately, craftsmanship - they were worlds apart. Karlowicz was certainly a very good, very interesting composer and he is fascinating in many ways (not just as a musician). But Szymanowski was one of the "20th century greats" who really pushed the limits (his violin works!!!) and can be safely put alongside Bartok, Ravel or Stravinsky (etc.). Even if that's not the way he's customarily approached - but that's simply because he has never become really widely known (and/or understood) outside of Poland. Most people abroad "discover" Szymanowski (if they ever do) only after they've made acquaintance with the music of those three just mentioned (and others) - and they seem unable to view Szymanowski's music on its own but rather see it through the music of others. So instead of accepting the fact that Szymanowski never wanted to write "like Strauss" and therefore never did (even the Concert Overture has an undeniable Szymanowski watermark), they perceive his early symphonic writing as failed attempts at imitating Strauss (??). Or they fail to notice that while Szymanowski's music may indeed be similar to Bartok's, it is mainly in the sense that Szymanowski influenced the Hungarian composer (Bartok was an avid Szymanowski admirer). Or they are mysteriously blind to the fact that Szymanowski's violin writing was unlike anything else, completely unprecedented, that he singlehandedly (oh, alright, with a little help from Kochanski) created a new way of composing for the instrument. Instead, they "hear" a bit of Stravinsky here, a bit of Bartok there, some Debussy or Ravel in the piano music (but, oddly enough, rarely Chopin!?) etc., etc., etc. Which is often "true" but also wrong in, oh, so many ways!

Man, am I going through a Szymanowski phase or what?

[karlhenning]

. . . though I did learn from it that Szymanowsky didn't just 'happen'.

No, only the Suuuuper Geeeniuses 'just happen' 

[J.Z. Herrenberg]

Man, am I going through a Szymanowski phase or what?

I am glad you are - thank you for correcting me so eloquently!!

[OT- met someone Polish yesterday who recommended the author Pawel Huelle to me. You know him?]

[Maciek]

I am glad you are - thank you for correcting me so eloquently!!

Not really correcting... Just setting apart the two senses of the connection (I've called Karlowicz something along the lines of "the missing link" as well (somewhere on GMG)). 0:)

[OT- met someone Polish yesterday who recommended the author Pawel Huelle to me. You know him?]

OT? Wait? So this isn't the "Polish culture thread"??

Huelle is considered one of the best contemporary writers. Personally, I'm not fond of his books. But then my general opinion of Polish modern literature, especially post-1989, is not very high.

[Maciek]

I have an idea! Let's push this thread off the cliff completely. It seems the original topic has long been forgotten anyway.
























MM104

[Dax]

Man, am I going through a Szymanowski phase or what?

Or just giving credit where credit is due?

Driads and Pan, by the way.

[Maciek]

Or just giving credit where credit is due?

I confess I sometimes like to think that's the case... 0:)

Driads and Pan, by the way.

Am I not getting a bit predictable?

[karlhenning]

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[karlhenning]

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[karlhenning]

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[Guido]

Henning joins the fray!!!!

[karlhenning]

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