Name that piece! The game

[J.Z. Herrenberg]

Is it Lloyd Webber père (William)?

[Lethevich]

Is it Lloyd Webber père (William)?

A really fascinating guess - I haven't heard a note from the chap, however. This composer is of an older generation, a late Romantic from the turn of the century. I picked the piece because I hope it has enough hints in the orchestration and also the manner of the main melody to perhaps narrow it down to one country or region - it is steeped in a certain tradition, although music of this type definitely seems to have influenced later composers - especially film music writers.

[Sergeant Rock]

To be fair, I never wrote the name Bernard Herrmann, so the 'prize' should not go to me. I was trying to come up with a UK composer.

Ah...I misunderstood our conversation then. So the prize belongs solely to Sara 

Sarge

[J.Z. Herrenberg]

A really fascinating guess - I haven't heard a note from the chap, however. This composer is of an older generation, a late Romantic from the turn of the century. I picked the piece because I hope it has enough hints in the orchestration and also the manner of the main melody to perhaps narrow it down to one country or region - it is steeped in a certain tradition, although music of this type definitely seems to have influenced later composers - especially film music writers.

The music has many familiar stylistic elements. I thought of a Russian composer, too (Rachmaninov-like use of a sort of Dies Irae theme earlier on). And at the end he sounds like Howard Shore's granddad!

[Lethevich]

a sort of Dies Irae theme earlier on

Your powers are impressive! The piece is Catholic in inspiration, rather than Russian or orthodox - it is a triptych, each movement loosley inspired by the opening lines of various famous motet subjects, but the work is a somewhat wooly Romantic conception grasping for something bigger. It has minor elements of Medievalism to it, although musically that doesn't show.

[J.Z. Herrenberg]

Catholic, eh? Then he could be French, Polish... Ropartz?

[Lethevich]

French fo' sho' - he was more of a self-consciously central figure than Ropartz, who tried his best to remain relevant to his small corner of the country. He was also not a particularly religious figure, but the public popularity (at the time) for the piece, clearly looking for more religious music in the vein of Franck, motivated him to write a few other similar works.

Now it's gotten this close, anybody trying for specific pieces (as there can only be 15 or so major composers to choose from) will get magical bonus points of some intangible nature.

[J.Z. Herrenberg]

D'Indy?


Florent Schmitt, Psaume?

[Lethevich]

Not so influenced by impressionism or Wagnerian models.

[J.Z. Herrenberg]

Look at my edit...

[Lethevich]

Closer stylistically to Schmitt than D'Indy, but less exotic. Schmitt's psalm (from what I recall of it) has perhaps as much in common with Zemlinsky's view of religion, this composer slightly looks back to the straightness of Franck. I think without a longer (or full movement) excerpt this won't be reasonably guessable, so I'll accept a bit of a list just to finish this off

[Lethevich]

Actually, no list needed. If somebody snipes it from you I'd have to give an equal victory anyway

My clip (no.6) from was the first track of this disc:

.[asin]B000NJM56U[/asin]

The piece is named L'an mil (The Year 1000), and is an attempted evocation of the hopes and fears of the time. It's a nicely recorded disc of rewarding repertoire.

Johan's turn!

[J.Z. Herrenberg]

A-ha! Well, I came close...


Okay, I'll prepare something...

[Sergeant Rock]

Actually, no list needed. If somebody snipes it from you I'd have to give an equal victory anyway

My clip (no.6) from was the first track of this disc:

.[asin]B000NJM56U[/asin]

The piece is named L'an mil (The Year 1000), and is an attempted evocation of the hopes and fears of the time. It's a nicely recorded disc of rewarding repertoire.

Johan's turn!

Argghhh....you gave it away to soon! I was just listening to that at JPC and was about to guess. Really, I was!

Sarge

[J.Z. Herrenberg]

Okay, Sarge wins!!!

[Sergeant Rock]

No, I was too late 

[J.Z. Herrenberg]

No, I was too late 

Nonsense, you would have guessed rightly. Though my fumbling about was helpful. 

[Lethevich]

Argghhh....you gave it away to soon!

I was thinking exactly the same - I should learn when to stop giving hints like you did

[Sergeant Rock]

Nonsense, you would have guessed rightly. Though my fumbling about was helpful. 

It was. Without all the clues I wouldn't have had a clue    I don't know the music. But looking through a list of late Romantic composers, I noticed Pierne and remembered Lethe had talked about him several times here in the past. Looking at his list of works I saw Les Cathedrales which fit with the religion clue. That led me to the CD with L'An Mil.

[J.Z. Herrenberg]

Here is my riddle...


http://www.4shared.com/audio/mNBnr-xB/Mystery_music.html