Composers killed in the First World War.

Started by vandermolen, August 02, 2018, 03:21:28 AM

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Roasted Swan

thanks - I was just inserting an image while you posted!

vandermolen

#21
Quote from: Roasted Swan on August 03, 2018, 05:33:25 AM
I would generally recommend the very extensive series of discs from Hortus collectively titled "Les Musiciens et la grande guerre".  Beautifully presented, interestingly programmed and in the main performed with real sensitivity - often using period pianos to good effect.  Volume XVIII - Ombres et Lumières - includes some Rudi Stephan and the magnificent Vierne Piano Quintet mentioned earlier.

How interesting! Was totally unaware of this imaginative sounding series. Thank you.

I see that one of their releases features the concertos for left hand by Ravel and Korngold written for the pianist Paul Wittgenstein who lost his right hand in the First World War.
"Courage is going from failure to failure without losing enthusiasm" (Churchill).

'The test of a work of art is, in the end, our affection for it, not our ability to explain why it is good' (Stanley Kubrick).

André

The pain of the survivors: Louis Vierne experienced it massively.

Interesting bio details from a Gramophone review of the quintet:

https://www.gramophone.co.uk/review/vierne-piano-quintet


Booklet notes from the Hyperion disc.  A long but fascinating read:


https://www.hyperion-records.co.uk/dc.asp?dc=D_CDA67258

vandermolen

Quote from: André on August 03, 2018, 06:39:40 AM
The pain of the survivors: Louis Vierne experienced it massively.

Interesting bio details from a Gramophone review of the quintet:

https://www.gramophone.co.uk/review/vierne-piano-quintet


Booklet notes from the Hyperion disc.  A long but fascinating read:


https://www.hyperion-records.co.uk/dc.asp?dc=D_CDA67258

Thank you Andre. The Hyperion note is one of the most extraordinary and tragic I have ever read. I loved the opening quote from Vierne.
"Courage is going from failure to failure without losing enthusiasm" (Churchill).

'The test of a work of art is, in the end, our affection for it, not our ability to explain why it is good' (Stanley Kubrick).

vandermolen

#24
Quote from: Draško on August 03, 2018, 01:46:19 AM
Phenomenal talent. Huge loss.



https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rudi_Stephan

Music for Orchestra (1910)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3PyOBgnTSeY
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4WpYyBAo8_U

Music for Orchestra (1912)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RtQiz5Li89I

Music for seven stringed instruments (1911)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=okhadcK1T3k
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3XIwX5ZlmMg

This is a fine disc and a great discovery so thank you. The later Music for Orchestra in particular is a terrific work with its glowering opening and culminating in a section that reminds me a bit of the inspiriting conclusion of Sibelius's 2nd Symphony. I agree with you that he was a great loss to music, along with Butterworth, Farrar and too many others. I'm waiting for, Andre's recommendation, the Vierne Piano Quintet to turn up.
"Courage is going from failure to failure without losing enthusiasm" (Churchill).

'The test of a work of art is, in the end, our affection for it, not our ability to explain why it is good' (Stanley Kubrick).

Cato

Louis Vierne's piano work, 12 Preludes, shows his emotional response to World War I:

https://www.youtube.com/v/LfdUPNy0cUc

"Meet Miss Ruth Sherwood, from Columbus, Ohio, the Middle of the Universe!"

- Brian Aherne introducing Rosalind Russell in  My Sister Eileen (1942)

bwv 1080

Other than Webern, who else was killed in WW2?

Roasted Swan

#27
Quote from: vandermolen on August 03, 2018, 05:40:42 AM
I see that one of their releases features the concertos for left hand by Ravel and Korngold

Volume 10 of the Hortus/Les Musiciens et la Grande Guerre series indeed does include the Korngold/Wittgenstein commissioned left hand concerto - and its a very fine version indeed.  BUT the coupling is the Britten Left-hand Diversions.  Another impressive recording and performance - unusual in this series for being of orchestral works.  Perhaps a different volume includes the Ravel left hand concerto I don't know - but its not on this disc.

Roasted Swan

#28
Walter Leigh at Tobruk for one.  Add any number of Jewish composers...... Hans Krasa, Schulhoff, Gideon Klein, Pavel Haas, Viktor Ullmann for starters.......

vandermolen

Quote from: Roasted Swan on August 10, 2018, 01:46:58 PM
Walter Leigh at Tobruk for one.  Add any number of Jewish composers...... Hans Krasa, Schulhoff, Gideon Klein, Pavel Haas, Viktor Ullmann for starters.......

I've enjoyed everything I've heard by Pavel Haas.
"Courage is going from failure to failure without losing enthusiasm" (Churchill).

'The test of a work of art is, in the end, our affection for it, not our ability to explain why it is good' (Stanley Kubrick).

Draško

Quote from: vandermolen on August 09, 2018, 10:17:14 PM
This is a fine disc and a great discovery so thank you. The later Music for Orchestra in particular is a terrific work with its glowering opening and culminating in a section that reminds me a bit of the inspiriting conclusion of Sibelius's 2nd Symphony. I agree with you that he was a great loss to music, along with Butterworth, Farrar and too many others. I'm waiting for, Andre's recommendation, the Vierne Piano Quintet to turn up.

Glad you like it. I first heard of Stephan several years ago when Kirill Petrenko programmed two of his pieces for a concert with Berlin Philharmonic (the rest of the concert was Scriabin's Poeme de l'extase and Stravinsky's Symphony of Psalms). It was terrific concert, I was blown away. It was available to stream from their site for free for a while.

Vierne's Piano Quintet is superb piece, dark and emotional. I'm sure you'll like it.

vandermolen

Quote from: Draško on August 11, 2018, 04:28:16 AM
Glad you like it. I first heard of Stephan several years ago when Kirill Petrenko programmed two of his pieces for a concert with Berlin Philharmonic (the rest of the concert was Scriabin's Poeme de l'extase and Stravinsky's Symphony of Psalms). It was terrific concert, I was blown away. It was available to stream from their site for free for a while.

Vierne's Piano Quintet is superb piece, dark and emotional. I'm sure you'll like it.

Sounds like a great concert and thank you for the initial recommendation, which has been a very nice discovery for me.
"Courage is going from failure to failure without losing enthusiasm" (Churchill).

'The test of a work of art is, in the end, our affection for it, not our ability to explain why it is good' (Stanley Kubrick).

kyjo

Quote from: Roasted Swan on August 10, 2018, 01:46:58 PM
Walter Leigh at Tobruk for one.  Add any number of Jewish composers...... Hans Krasa, Schulhoff, Gideon Klein, Pavel Haas, Viktor Ullmann for starters.......


Heard Klein's String Trio live in concert recently and found it to be a really superb work. The slow movement is quite moving.
"Music is enough for a lifetime, but a lifetime is not enough for music" - Sergei Rachmaninoff

ritter

We haven't yet mentioned Albéric Magnard, have we?   :-[

vandermolen

Quote from: ritter on August 11, 2018, 02:13:56 PM
We haven't yet mentioned Albéric Magnard, have we?   :-[
See the opening post of this thread.
"Courage is going from failure to failure without losing enthusiasm" (Churchill).

'The test of a work of art is, in the end, our affection for it, not our ability to explain why it is good' (Stanley Kubrick).

ritter


vandermolen

#36
Quote from: ritter on August 12, 2018, 10:14:52 AM
So I see now. Apologies, my mistake.  :-[
No need to apologise!
:)
Always worth mentioning Magnard again. I'd love to have seen how his music would have developed and really like symphonies 3 and 4 and Chant Funebre.
"Courage is going from failure to failure without losing enthusiasm" (Churchill).

'The test of a work of art is, in the end, our affection for it, not our ability to explain why it is good' (Stanley Kubrick).

vandermolen

Quote from: André on August 02, 2018, 05:26:03 PM
Louis Vierne didn't die in WWI, but his son did, aged 17. Vierne had written an exemption to allow him to go to War. The guilt-ridden composer grieved endlessly. Catharsis came in the form of his Piano Quintet, which he dedicated to his son's memory. It's one of the most moving and powerful chamber music works I know.

What a fine reflective and deeply-felt work it is Andre! Thank you - another great discovery (on Hyperion) through this forum.
:)
"Courage is going from failure to failure without losing enthusiasm" (Churchill).

'The test of a work of art is, in the end, our affection for it, not our ability to explain why it is good' (Stanley Kubrick).

Irons

I am convinced that George Butterworth would have become a major composer if he had not perished at the Battle of the Somme aged 31. To go from this in 1912 https://youtu.be/bQEkXMCusuI?t=59s to the horror that was to follow! A modest man, I read  the command  of his unit was shocked to discover after his death that he was a composer. They had no idea. "A Shropshire Lad" and "The Banks of Green Willow" stand as a fitting tribute.
You must have a very good opinion of yourself to write a symphony - John Ireland.

I opened the door people rushed through and I was left holding the knob - Bo Diddley.

vandermolen

Quote from: Irons on September 20, 2018, 09:06:28 AM
I am convinced that George Butterworth would have become a major composer if he had not perished at the Battle of the Somme aged 31. To go from this in 1912 https://youtu.be/bQEkXMCusuI?t=59s to the horror that was to follow! A modest man, I read  the command  of his unit was shocked to discover after his death that he was a composer. They had no idea. "A Shropshire Lad" and "The Banks of Green Willow" stand as a fitting tribute.
Yes, I agree. I think that from the point of view of music he was the greatest loss of all.,
"Courage is going from failure to failure without losing enthusiasm" (Churchill).

'The test of a work of art is, in the end, our affection for it, not our ability to explain why it is good' (Stanley Kubrick).