Name that piece! The game

DaveF · July 09, 2011, 07:47:41 AM

Glad you like it - reason I let it run for 2½ minutes is because it's so lovely. It does sound as though VW, Holst and all have gone into the mix - probably accidentally, as it's not British. "Symphonic" is good though.

Cato · July 09, 2011, 08:06:54 AM

Quote from: DaveF on July 09, 2011, 07:47:41 AM
Glad you like it - reason I let it run for 2½ minutes is because it's so lovely. It does sound as though VW, Holst and all have gone into the mix - probably accidentally, as it's not British. "Symphonic" is good though.

Aahh, but is it Welsh? 0:)

Brian · July 09, 2011, 08:19:24 AM

Quote from: Cato on July 09, 2011, 08:06:54 AM
Aahh, but is it Welsh? 0:)

Geographically "British" includes England, Scotland, and Wales; politically it adds Northern Ireland. Now if he had said it was not English you would be on to something.

I am surprised it's not British - surprised enough to think it is from the Commonwealth! Canada? Australia?

Amfortas · July 09, 2011, 08:31:46 AM

There is a moment, around 1'30" that sounds very British (RVW) to me....

Brian may be onto something with Australian...maybe Peter Sculthorpe?

DaveF · July 09, 2011, 08:36:20 AM

No, not English-speaking at all, I'm afraid - not even Welsh.

Amfortas · July 09, 2011, 08:50:39 AM

Maybe Scandinavian....

Einar Englund?

DaveF · July 09, 2011, 09:09:52 AM

Oh, I'm impressed! Right region. Older contemporary of Englund.

listener · July 09, 2011, 09:15:37 AM

answer to my DOHNANYI poser confirmed: and I thought that was going to be too easy! The title probably makes performers and programmers look down on the work, but it's really a very clever piece with very inventive orchestration.
I was slightly off in the recording date: 1957 was the coptyright year, it was recorded in 1956 at Abbey Road Studio, Royal Philharmonic, Boult cond.

mszczuj · July 09, 2011, 09:25:02 AM

Quote from: DaveF on July 09, 2011, 09:09:52 AM
Oh, I'm impressed! Right region. Older contemporary of Englund.

My only idea was (for a moment) Geirr Tveitt, so I've decided to not parcticipate. He is for me absolutely obscure - I can never remember which is his given (or rather taken) and which is his family name.

DaveF · July 09, 2011, 10:00:36 AM

Quote from: listener on July 09, 2011, 09:15:37 AM
answer to my DOHNANYI poser confirmed

Yes, thanks for the reminder of what a good piece it is; when I said I "knew" it, in fact it only came back to me after a day of walking around whistling that hopelessly catchy variation. Luckily nobody asked me what it was I was whistling. One of the first pieces of "serious" (very funny in fact) music I ever got to know.

DF

Amfortas · July 09, 2011, 10:26:47 AM

How about Uuno Klami?

DaveF · July 09, 2011, 10:35:15 AM

Right region, different country. Another clue: this piece, which is choral, sets the same text as a work by a well-known fictional 20th-century composer.

Amfortas · July 09, 2011, 11:16:03 AM

Quote from: DaveF on July 09, 2011, 10:35:15 AM
Right region, different country. Another clue: this piece, which is choral, sets the same text as a work by a well-known fictional 20th-century composer.

A fictional composer? "Adrian Leverkühn" perhaps? This would not be "Spring Festival" by Humphrey Searle?

DaveF · July 09, 2011, 11:37:18 AM

Yes, spot on with the fictional composer, but we're in Scandinavia, don't forget...

Amfortas · July 09, 2011, 11:39:49 AM

Quote from: DaveF on July 09, 2011, 11:37:18 AM
Yes, spot on with the fictional composer, but we're in Scandinavia, don't forget...

Poul Ruders?

Amfortas · July 09, 2011, 11:46:36 AM

What about Hambraeus, "Apoclapsis cum Figuris"?

Amfortas · July 09, 2011, 11:49:44 AM

No, scratch that, it's for organ and chorus, not orchestra

DaveF · July 09, 2011, 11:51:17 AM

Closer with every step - the text is indeed from Revelation. Not Hambraeus, though - older contemporary of Englund. Older contemporary of most people, in fact - definitely one for the long-livers list.

Amfortas · July 09, 2011, 11:59:23 AM

Got it.....Hilding Rosenberg!

DaveF · July 09, 2011, 12:14:06 PM

That's him! and I'm sure you were going on to say:

otherwise the Revelation of St John, otherwise the Symphony no.4. It's got lots of good things in it, that opening chorus of part II that I quoted being one of the best. The long baritone recits are perhaps a bit daunting at first, although probably the most harmonically advanced bits of the piece. Excellent recording and performance, and worth a listen.

DF