Tone Poems

[Christo]

Well, it's obviously a dance-form, isn't it? Are Dvořák's Slavonic Dances 16 tone-poems?

Oops, - sorry, I wasn't serious!!   To add something of any substance at least, let me add that I suddenly realize some orchestral "ballads" might be considered symphonic poems as well and should be added to our shortlist.
Like Janáček's Ballada blanická (Ballad of Blaník), together with his Sumarovo Díte (The Fiddler's Child), or Respighi's Ballata delle Gnomidi (Ballad of the [female!] Gnomes] from the same years.  0:)

BTW: Ravel's Boléro was indeed used as a sort of tone-poem, in an unexpected way. Namely, as a part of Uuno Klami's orchestral Sea Pictures (1932). Klami must have heard Ravel's Boléro in Vienna in 1929, but probably he somehow forgot the source of the theme when he himself used it for his sixth sea picture, "Force 3". It depicts a sailing trip at sea during an August summer day and hence may be called a sort of tone-poem. The similarity is, as they say, uncanning. 

[karlhenning]

And Smetana's tone-poem The Moldau includes a peasant dance as an episode.

Are all peasant dances tone-poems, then? 

[Christo]

Are all peasant dances tone-poems, then? 

Actually, a good one - now that I start thinking about it. In a sense, many peasant dances in classical music do have some sort of a pictorial function. So we need more criteria for a tone-poem than that it is linked to some extra-musical or even narrative idea; all opera, ballet, theater, film music are. 

[Tapio Dmitriyevich]

BTW: Ravel's Boléro was indeed used as a sort of tone-poem, in an unexpected way.

And it definitely is a tone-bore-'em. A yawn-poem.

So we need more criteria for a tone-poem than that it is linked to some extra-musical or even narrative idea; all opera, ballet, theater, film music are. 

Well, but the tone poem composer does not (and did not intend to) write a visual equivalent (I mean Theater/Opera/Cinematic) for his tone poem.

[sound67]

English composer Arnold Bax wrote a substantial number of highly atmospheric and intensely beautiful tone poems:

Tintagel
The Garden of Fand
Northern Ballad No.1
November Woods
etc.

best captured on this disc:



Thomas

[Tapio Dmitriyevich]

How do you rate Vernon Handley here? I'm not a friend of old recordings.
http://www.theclassicalshop.net/details06MP3.asp?CNumber=CHAN%2010362W
http://www.theclassicalshop.net/details06MP3.asp?CNumber=CHAN%2010446W

[sound67]

Handley is always very fine, he was a pupil of Boult's.

But Sir Adrian has the edge here, his readings are both sensitive and taut. He had a way with English music that no one else was quite able to capture.

Plus, the Lyrita disc sounds excellent. 

Another great disc for lovers of über-Romantic tone poems:



Thomas

[M forever]

Very true!

Let's bring in Beethoven, too, shall we? Egmont, Coriolan... And Schumann's Manfred (if it hasn't been mentioned already).

Of course, none of the above actually are stand-alone overtures.

[J.Z. Herrenberg]

Of course, none of the above actually are stand-alone overtures.

Strictly speaking you are right - they are all part of the stage music for these plays by Goethe, Collin (not Shakespeare) and Byron. But they are musically so complete and satisfying...

[eyeresist]

Respighi

Of course! What are Pines of Rome and Fountains of Rome if not tone poem cycles?

[Brian]

Another great disc for lovers of über-Romantic tone poems:



Thomas

My interest is officially piqued.

[Christo]

Of course! What are Pines of Rome and Fountains of Rome if not tone poem cycles?

I think you're right: we didn't introduce Ottorino Respighi (1879-1936) so far, but he should be on the shortlist as well. Not just for the sake of his Roman Trilogy, but a couple of other works as well. The Roman Trilogy includes Fontane di Roma (1916), Pini di Roma (1924) and Feste Romane (1928), and they're by far his most well-known pieces, but I myself, nowadays, sometimes play the first (Fontane) still, but never the other two anymore.

Yet, Respighi wrote more tone poems: Ballata delle Gnomidi (Ballad of the [female] Gnomes, 1919), Vetrate di chiesa (Church Windows, 1925), Trittico botticelliano (Three Botticelli Paintings, 1927), Impressioni brasiliane (Brazilian Impressions, 1928).

Of these, my absolute favourite is the Trittico botticelliano, stylistically related to my other favourite Respighi piece, Lauda per la natività del Signore (1930), the most moving `Christmas music' of all time, imo. But all other ones are at least of some interest, the Ballata as a welcome alternative to Dukas' L'Apprenti Sorcier, the Brazilian impressions for presenting some of the most [edit:] convenient sounds ever produced in orchestral music.

Edit: and there's the four-part orchestral Suite from his ballet, Belkis, Queen of Sheba (1932), just ballet music, of course, but at the same time hardly different from his four-part tone poems and very much a natural successor to the Feste romane.

[karlhenning]

. . . the Brazilian impressions for presenting some of the most exotic sounds ever produced in orchestral music.

Beg pardon, but I think this is overselling them a shade.

[Brian]

the Brazilian impressions for presenting some of the most exotic sounds ever produced in orchestral music.

Perhaps we should mention that some of Villa Lobos' Choros might count as symphonic poems, and are slightly more Brazilian yet. 

[Christo]

Beg pardon, but I think this is overselling them a shade.

You're right, I edited the wronged words a bit. 

[jochanaan]

Could we go so far as to include Carlos Chavez' Sinfonia india?  True, it's called a "symphony," but it's descriptive and in one movement--and also a fun piece...

[PerfectWagnerite]

Hi,

with great pleasure I listen to Sergej Rachmaninoff - The Isle of the Dead and I was happy to have found it. [image]]

Hey did you know there are like half a dozen of Isle of the Dead paintings? Check this out.

[J.Z. Herrenberg]

Hey did you know there are like half a dozen of Isle of the Dead paintings? Check this out.

Thanks, PW. I never knew that.

[PerfectWagnerite]

Thanks, PW. I never knew that.

Looks like the guy caught the Deryck Cooke syndrome.

[J.Z. Herrenberg]

Looks like the guy caught the Deryck Cooke syndrome.

(Or Bruckner fever.)