Humour in classical music

[Ugh!]

Intended, that is. Some of Satie's surrealist instructions to performers are pretty funny, what else is?

[springrite]

Intended, that is. Some of Satie's surrealist instructions to performers are pretty funny, what else is?

The Haydn sneeze is funny!

Well, Haydn is probably the most humorous composer without being a comedian about it (like PDQ).

[ChamberNut]

Cage's 4'33

Mozart - The ending of "A Musical Joke"

Ending of many Beethoven works.

Many moments in Shostakovich's string quartets.

Sibelius - Ending of Symphony No. 5

[Sergeant Rock]

Heresy!    "Sibelius - Ending of Symphony No. 5"

[Brian]

I think the last movements of Beethoven's Symphonies 1-4 and 7-9 have some very funny moments!
I also once was talking about the last movement of Shostakovich's Ninth and said, "I love it: it's so funny!" - and got a very strange stare in response. 

[ChamberNut]

Heresy!    "Sibelius - Ending of Symphony No. 5"

It's not?  The deliberate delayed ending? 

[Renfield]

I think the last movements of Beethoven's Symphonies 1-4 and 7-9 have some very funny moments!
I also once was talking about the last movement of Shostakovich's Ninth and said, "I love it: it's so funny!" - and got a very strange stare in response. 

The Shostakovich 9th is a comic jewel, throughout; even more so for managing to be that serious about it, at the same time.

(No less than what you'd expect from D. Sch.)

[springrite]

It's not?  The deliberate delayed ending? 

One could only think it funny if one hasn't been listening to the rest of the symphony.

[nut-job]

It's not?  The deliberate delayed ending? 

Picture this when you listen.

[karlhenning]

I also once was talking about the last movement of Shostakovich's Ninth and said, "I love it: it's so funny!" - and got a very strange stare in response. 

There is much good humor in the Ninth!  You're right.  Maybe people get caught up in the it's-not-what-Stalin-wanted back-story . . . but even there, that's the point . . . Shostakovich didn't write a huge glorification, he wrote Haydnesque wit.

[Gabriel]

Mozart - The ending of "A Musical Joke"

I'd rather say it's pure humour from the beginning to the end.

And Haydn, no doubt. Probably the most humourous composer in history.

[karlhenning]

Picture this when you listen.

Yoda when he was only 100 years old?

[Renfield]

Yoda when he was only 100 years old?

When over one thousand years old you are, look as good you will not! Hm.

[karlhenning]

When over one thousand years old you are, look as good you will not! Hm.

I swear I saw him holding a Montecristo in The Empire Strikes Back . . . .

[Sergeant Rock]

It's not?  The deliberate delayed ending? 

I hear it as original, startling, majestic, powerful...and cosmic!

Sarge

[Herman]

Obviously Mozart's opera's are full of jokes, some broad, some really subtle.

[Lethevich]

Arnold - Symphony No.4 finale
Haydn - Symphony No.46 finale

[nut-job]

Although I don't want to be pedantic, I think humour is not the right word here.  I think a lot of classical music manifests wit, rather than humour.

One example that always strikes me is in the Scherzo of Beethoven's 7th symphony.  There is a passage where a "piano" passage is capped off by a forte outburst, a standard bit of classical wit.  But later the pattern of not quite literal repeats leads you to think the passage is being repeated, but the "piano" passages is capped off by a "piano" rejoinder.  Hence you are surprised at not being surprised.

[karlhenning]

Well, Haydn is probably the most humorous composer without being a comedian about it (like PDQ).

Nicely put, without making a joke of himself.'

A question of emphasis, I think.  With Haydn, it is the music that matters; with PDQ, the joke.

[ChamberNut]

I hear it as original, startling, majestic, powerful...and cosmic!

Sarge

Okay......I'll just say that it's......different.  (ie. Ending of Sibelius' 5th)