Quiz: Mystery scores

[karlhenning]

A hit, I think, Sforz.

No we're there! Bonus point - who is this piece imitating?

No cocoanut for me, I'm afraid . . . .

[lukeottevanger]

399 certainly isn't Stravinsky, no!

[karlhenning]

A hit, I think, Sforz.

No, my bad, too.  Activity much too dense for that score.

[lukeottevanger]

The whole piece movement looks like that - I could have taken any page of the score, really.

[karlhenning]

Boulez, Livre pour cordes?

[lukeottevanger]

No. Fairly close, though, in a way.

[Guido]

395 Walton's Viola concerto?

[lukeottevanger]

Naturally  The pivotal moments of what is the finest Walton concerto, I'm sure you agree 

[karlhenning]

I just like the idea of posting 397.

[lukeottevanger]

That one is infamous....

[karlhenning]

398, Ionisation?

[lukeottevanger]

Yes!

Being a bit sneaky by posting the pitched part of a piece famous for being for unpitched percussion. But the 'birth of pitch' in the appearance of piano (and glock and bells) in the last bars is also quite a staple of liner-notes etc., so it wasn't that sneaky.

[Guido]

Naturally  The pivotal moments of what is the finest Walton concerto, I'm sure you agree 

Where is it in the piece? I only recognised it from the viola line. And of course I think it is the best Walton concerto. The best one, right after the cello concerto. Maybe the Sinfonia Concertante too.  My opinion of the viola concerto has elevated dramatically in the past few months and I acknowledge it as the masterpiece that it is, but I still don't find it any where near as memorable or individual as the cello concerto, which could not have been written by another soul. I do agree that the viola concerto is better than the violin concerto, though I still love the latter (and the violin sonata is a true gem too... I've heard that it has been orchestrated(?)).

[karlhenning]

. . . And of course I think it is the best Walton concerto. The best one, right after the cello concerto. . . .

That was unexpected 

[lukeottevanger]

Where is it in the piece?

Very near the end - where the last huge climax of the finale breaks naturally onto the oscillating-thirds motive from the first movement, and that in turn leads to a coda in which the soloist returns to the opening theme of the concerto, over an ostinato that is really the main theme of the finale. This wonderful thematic fluidity - everything leads to everything else, because everything is deeply related in a subcutaneous sense - is part of the reason that this concerto is so highly inspired and potent: everything seems urgent, compelling, unforced yet totally necessary and right. And though I too love the other two concerti (I think the violin one has the most spectacular colouring and burning sweet lyricism; it also shares something of the viola concerto's thematic integration) for me neither of them have this urgency that makes this one of the very finest of viola concertos.

[Guido]

Very near the end - where the last huge climax of the finale breaks naturally onto the oscillating-thirds motive from the first movement, and that in turn leads to a coda in which the soloist returns to the opening theme of the concerto, over an ostinato that is really the main theme of the finale. This wonderful thematic fluidity - everything leads to everything else, because everything is deeply related in a subcutaneous sense - is part of the reason that this concerto is so highly inspired and potent: everything seems urgent, compelling, unforced yet totally necessary and right. And though I too love the other two concerti (I think the violin one has the most spectacular colouring and burning sweet lyricism; it also shares something of the viola concerto's thematic integration) for me neither of them have this urgency that makes this one of the very finest of viola concertos.

It's also one of the only viola concertos! I agree though, it is a special work.

Karl - this stems from a disagreement me and Luke had years ago now about which was Walton's best concerto. I felt I had to put Luke's unconsidered, ungrounded and outrageous claims about the relative values of these works to shame, and educate him with respect to this music - it was obvious to me that his ears weren't working. But what can you expect - Luke is so busy proclaiming himself a genius all the time that he rarely has the time, let alone the interest to form anything close to an informed, considered and measured opinion about any music ever. His posts on this forum safely allow me to rest my case.

[J.Z. Herrenberg]

But what can you expect - Luke is so busy proclaiming himself a genius all the time that he rarely has the time, let alone the interest to form anything close to an informed, considered and measured opinion about any music ever.

At last - the unvarnished truth.

[karlhenning]

Reminds me of an e-mail I meant to send Luke earlier today . . . .

[karlhenning]

Now we're there! Bonus point - who is this piece imitating?

Not the Berceuse héroïque?

[karlhenning]

Or did you mean simply Little Tich?  As you can see here, I mistook your who.