Curious about choral parts of symphonies.

[Scion7]

HOLST-First Choral Symphony Op.41

[Cato]

Why yes, yes I am. I am a powerful force though.

After buying version #5 or so, I would be living in a bachelor pad!   

And YES to the choral parts of Liszt's Faust Symphony and the Dante Symphony too!

[eyeresist]

Gorecki's 3rd, inevitably.
Vaughan Williams' 3rd (7th has already been mentioned; 1 is also quite awesome).
Mahler's 8th and das Lied von der Erde (obviously). Oh, and the 3rd! bim! bam! (I know it annoys some people  )

Does Karl want to mentioned Schnittke's 4th?

I just heard Nielsen's "Espansiva" with a version of the Andante that substitutes clarinet and trombone for the soprano and tenor. Works surprisingly well...but I still prefer it with voices.

Ah, the Bostock recording. Mine arrives next week *cross fingers*.

Although opinion is mixed, I like the choral parts of Liszt's Faust Symphony.

I think that's the best part!

[Mirror Image]

Gorecki's 3rd, inevitably.
Vaughan Williams' 3rd (7th has already been mentioned; 1 is also quite awesome).
Mahler's 8th and das Lied von der Erde (obviously). Oh, and the 3rd! bim! bam! (I know it annoys some people  )

Gorecki's 3rd doesn't contain any choral parts. Just a lone soprano. The same with Vaughan Williams' 3rd and 7th. Mahler's 3rd doesn't contain any choral parts either only a vocal part which usually features a mezzo-soprano.

[Karl Henning]

Gorecki's 3rd doesn't contain any choral parts. Just a lone soprano. The same with Vaughan Williams' 3rd and 7th.

Incorrect, in the case of the 7th, which includes wordless women's chorus. So ... whose 7th have you been listening to, all this time, John? ; )

[Tapio Dmitriyevich]

The same with Vaughan Williams' 3rd and 7th.

Do you think it's the ice sprites singing in the seventh? Or a modified wind machine?

[Mirror Image]

Incorrect, in the case of the 7th, which includes wordless women's chorus. So ... whose 7th have you been listening to, all this time, John? ; )

It's been forever since I've heard RVW's 7th and I assumed that he just employed a soprano, but I'm surprised he used a whole female chorus.

[Karl Henning]

The chorus is written in three parts . . . did you think the soprano soloist was using multiphonics? ; )

[Mirror Image]

The chorus is written in three parts . . . did you think the soprano soloist was using multiphonics? ; )

Again, it's been awhile since I heard it, Karl.

[Karl Henning]

Again, it's been awhile since I heard it, Karl.

What, and if you haven't heard the Nielsen Clarinet Concerto for a while, you come to mistake the solo instrument for a flute? ; )

Pssst! Just ribbing you, John.

[Mirror Image]

What, and if you haven't heard the Nielsen Clarinet Concerto for a while, you come to mistake the solo instrument for a flute? ; )

Pssst! Just ribbing you, John.

Hmmm...I thought the Nielsen Clarinet Concerto used an oboe.

[Karl Henning]

In the accompaniment, I am sure.

[Mirror Image]

In the accompaniment, I am sure.

No, as the solo instrument.

[bhodges]

Mahler's 3rd doesn't contain any choral parts either only a vocal part which usually features a mezzo-soprano.

Not true: the Third uses both a women's chorus and children's choir.

--Bruce

[Mirror Image]

Not true: the Third uses both a women's chorus and children's choir.

--Bruce

I haven't heard Mahler's 3rd in years. I couldn't remember if it used one or not but I don't remember one being used which why I said it didn't use one. Also, it's interesting that many of the Mahler 3 recordings I've looked at don't site any kind of chorus whatsoever. I wonder why this could be?

[eyeresist]

Gorecki's 3rd doesn't contain any choral parts. Just a lone soprano. The same with Vaughan Williams' 3rd and 7th. Mahler's 3rd doesn't contain any choral parts either only a vocal part which usually features a mezzo-soprano.

So you've been thoroughly smacked down for this already


I assumed the OP's aversion of choral parts extended to vocal soloists as well:

Is it because the composer can't rely on the music alone and has to include "narration"?

[Karl Henning]

So you've been thoroughly smacked down for this already

Well, John would not have liked to persist in error.

[eyeresist]

Well, John would not have liked to persist in error.

Which would make him quite exceptional

[Mr. Stevens Senior]

Any more help on appreciating the theory or reasoning behind choral/vocal parts would be appreciated.   I'm interested in it because it doesn't appeal to me; but if there were some canon or reason (e.g., composers add choruses or vocal parts to achieve D, x, or Z), I could make a start at elevating my aesthetic sense.

[North Star]

I don't see how we could convince you to appreciate it. Composers use the human voice because it works well with the symphony orchestra. You don't have to listen to the words if you don't want to. The vocal parts aren't any different from other instrumental parts musically.