Five favourite works inspired by historical events

[vandermolen]

Not in any order:

Kevin Puts: Symphony 2 (9/11 USA)

Shostakovich: Symphony 11 'The Year 1905' ('Bloody Sunday' massacre in Tsarist Russia - even though Shostakovich may have had the Soviet invasion of Hungary, 1956 in mind)

Shostakovich: Symphony 13 'Babi Yar' (Massacre of the Jews in Nazi occupied Ukraine)

Vaughan Williams: Symphony 7 'Sinfonia Antartica' (Captain Scott's ill-fated expedition to the South Pole)

Arkadi Mazaev: The Krasnodonians - Symphonic Poem (commemorates the ill-fated heroic resistance to Nazi occupation by the 'Young Guard' in the coal-mining city of Krasnodonians, South-East Ukraine on Valentine's Day 1943 - most were, betrayed, executed and thrown down a mine-shaft).

Over to you!

[springrite]

Poulenc: Dialogue of the Carmelites
Shostakovich Symphony #11 (1905)
Janacek Sonata 1905
Adam: Nixon in China
Fazil Say: Troy Sonata (Well, I consider the trojan war a historical event!)

[vandermolen]

Poulenc: Dialogue of the Carmelites
Shostakovich Symphony #11 (1905)
Janacek Sonata 1905
Adam: Nixon in China
Fazil Say: Troy Sonata (Well, I consider the trojan war a historical event!)

Excellent! Thank you Paul.

I guess it raises an interesting question about what constitutes a 'historical event'.

Also, if anyone wants to contribute a historical person that is fine with me.
Copland's 'Lincoln Portrait' and Honegger's 'Joan of Arc' come to mind.

[PerfectWagnerite]

Copland's 'Lincoln Portrait' and Honegger's 'Joan of Arc' come to mind.

Wow someone actually dig that work? To me it is just hot air. The best version I have heard is the PDQ Bach version.

[relm1]

Shostakovich 7
malcolm arnold peterloo overture
Michael Daugherty To the New World (50th anniversary of Apollo 11 moon landing)
Oliver Messiaen Quartet for the end of time
Britten War Requiem

[vandermolen]

Wow someone actually dig that work? To me it is just hot air. The best version I have heard is the PDQ Bach version.

Always liked it. I know that, in a way, it's a piece of kitsch full of non-sequiturs but I still like it. Favourite version: Ormandy/Adlai Stevenson. I even heard it live at the proms last year with Charles Dance narrating in a fake Amerivan accent; terrible.

[mc ukrneal]

Husa: Music for Prague 1968
Prokofiev: Alexander Nevsky

[PerfectWagnerite]

Always liked it. I know that, in a way, it's a piece of kitsch full of non-sequiturs but I still like it. Favourite version: Ormandy/Adlai Stevenson.

I agree if I have to listen to one version it would be that one, much less histrionics than others.

[Biffo]

This one has me stumped, I am sure there are plenty of operas inspired by historical events (at least in part) but they are stubbornly refusing to come to mind or they are travesties of history. Otherwise, the works to come to mind, some already mentioned, aren't really favourites.

Vaughan Williams: Sinfonia antartica - already mentioned and derived from music for a film that was a whitewash

Two that are semi-historical, verging on legendary -

Shostakovich: The Execution of Stepan Razin
Jancek: Taras Bulba

Potboilers like the 1812 Overture and Wellington's Victory? The former I have a sneaking affection for, the latter is truly awful, an embarrassment.

Monteverdi's L'incoronazione di Poppea  is a favourite work but it is questionable whether it has enough real history in it to qualify; Monteverdi and his team were probably more inspired by the rather sordid story than actual historical events.

Recently listened to the new recording of Elgar's Caractacus - potboiler rather than history and unlikely to become a favourite with me.

[relm1]

John Adams Dr Atomic.
Glier Symphony No. 3.

[PerfectWagnerite]

Glier Symphony No. 3.

Historic events?

[Roasted Swan]

Prokofiev Alexander Nevsky
Copland Billy the Kid
Haydn The Creation ( )
Bax In Memoriam 1916
Anthony Ritchie - Symphony No.4 "Stations" (written in response to the Christchurch New Zealand earthquake)

[André]

Prokofiev Alexander Nevsky
Copland Billy the Kid
Haydn The Creation ( )
Bax In Memoriam 1916
Anthony Ritchie - Symphony No.4 "Stations" (written in response to the Christchurch New Zealand earthquake)

Quite logical, actually. Someone mentioned the Quartet for the End of Time...

[Jo498]

Handel: Dettingen Te Deum, Music for the Royal Fireworks
Kraus: Funeral Symphony for King Gustav of Sweden
Beethoven: Cantata on the Death of Emperor Joseph

[Ken B]

Bach, St John Passion
Bach, St Matthew Passion
   

[Sergeant Rock]

Strauss Salome
Vaughan Williams Sinfonia antartica
Haydn Missa in tempore belli
Berg Violin Concerto (inspired by the death of Manon Gropius, Alma Mahler's daughter)
Walton Spitfire Prelude and Fugue


Sarge

[Maestro267]

Oliver Messiaen Quartet for the end of time

The end of time has already happened?

[vandermolen]

Shostakovich 7
malcolm arnold peterloo overture
Michael Daugherty To the New World (50th anniversary of Apollo 11 moon landing)
Oliver Messiaen Quartet for the end of time
Britten War Requiem

Interesting selection Kerim. Don't know the Daugherty but sounds of interest. I like the Peterloo Overture, I must see the recent film about Peterloo and a thumbs up for DSCH and the War Requiem - a good choice.

[vandermolen]

What an extremely interesting and thought-provoking selection, if I say so myself. Thanks very much and do keep them coming. 'Alexander Nevsky' didn't occur to me but it is a great choice. I could have chosen 'Ivan the Terrible' by Prokofiev which I prefer to Alexander Nevsky.

As I mentioned in my second post this thread has raised some interesting questions on what constitutes a 'historical event' but I'm grateful for all contributions.

PS a thumbs up to Sarge's Walton 'Spitfire Prelude and Fugue' entry. I guess that this commemorates an aircraft and its designer but also clearly the 'Battle of Britain' as well. Didn't Martinu write a piece commemorating an aircraft? (Thunderbolt?)

[Sergeant Rock]

Didn't Martinu write a piece commemorating an aircraft? (Thunderbolt?)

Yeah, the Thunderbolt P-47 - scherzo for orchestra (1945)

Sarge