Quiz: Mystery scores

[karlhenning]

Good morning, lads!

is 47 Hindemith, Concert Music, op 50?

Yes.

It's not the Copland. But there are not a lot of clarinet concertos. I'm guessing it could be the Corigliano but am not sure of that.

An earlier generation than Corigliano.  Like Copland's, the concerto has a kind of urbane ease of tone, apart from that agreeably woolly last page.  If my teacher hadn't suggested it for me to play, I still might not know of the piece, myself.

[(poco) Sforzando]

Good morning, lads!

Yes.

An earlier generation than Corigliano.  Like Copland's, the concerto has a kind of urbane ease of tone, apart from that agreeably woolly last page.  If my teacher hadn't suggested it for me to play, I still might not know of the piece, myself.

OK, I'll have to think about that. It really didn't look like any Corigliano I've seen.

[karlhenning]

I've seen only the very beginning of the Corigliano concerto in score . . . you're perfectly right, a very different piece.

[(poco) Sforzando]

I've seen only the very beginning of the Corigliano concerto in score . . . you're perfectly right, a very different piece.

How about Gerald Finzi?

[karlhenning]

Hints, perhaps . . . .

kh21  The key to this piece's realization is scordatura.

kh25  The text would have been a giveaway.  It is a poem which was inspired by the canvas of a wanderer.

kh28  This piece is connected to an event which the composer found shattering.

kh34  In this piece, at least, the composer was at pains not to appear naughty.

kh36  The décor for this might conceivably have been inspired by Modern Times; the composer was certainly a fan of Chaplin's.

kh39  A piece which served a commemorative function.

kh40  A piece commissioned by a consortium of five orchestras.

kh43  To play this the clarinetist needs to be firing on all cylinders.

kh45  From a set of twenty-four, though the edition I have is half, and titled "The Sharp Keys."

kh46  This piece is scarcely known, but the piece the composer wrote immediately before was an international success.

kh49  Older band?

[karlhenning]

Another hint (or maybe hint is not the right word):  although we are hunting for eleven pieces, we are only hunting for nine composers.

How about Gerald Finzi?

No; you were on the right tack looking for an American.

[(poco) Sforzando]

Another hint (or maybe hint is not the right word):  although we are hunting for eleven pieces, we are only hunting for nine composers.
 
No; you were on the right tack looking for an American.

Again, I'm in the office, so if it's not LB's Prelude, Fugue, and Riffs I'm going to fold on this one.

[karlhenning]

Not Lenny, I'm afraid!

[(poco) Sforzando]

Not Lenny, I'm afraid!

Is 28 from a Shostakovich symphony?

[karlhenning]

No, but you are far from frosty.

[PaulR]

Hey Karl, is 25 Shostakovich's 14th symphony?  Seem to remember taking out the score, and looking something like, specifically the 8th movement.

Not sure if I am thinking of the right thing.

[karlhenning]

Hey Karl, is 25 Shostakovich's 14th symphony?  Seem to remember taking out the score, and looking something like, specifically the 8th movement.

Not sure if I am thinking of the right thing.

Bingo!  Approaching the end of the eighth movement, a setting of "The Zaporozhian Cossacks' Reply to the Sultan of Constantinople," Appolinaire's 'textualization' of Repin's painting.  Repin was one of the artists known as передвижники, "The wanderers."

Edit :: typos

[Luke]

So, I'll giess at 43 being Piston's Clarinet Concerto, then 

[karlhenning]

So, I'll guess at 43 being Piston's Clarinet Concerto, then 

Yes . . . what gave it away? ; )

[Luke]

Well, obviously the harmony is typical of Piston at this phase in his career...  0:)

[(poco) Sforzando]

Well, obviously the harmony is typical of Piston at this phase in his career...  0:)

Oh, well. I didn't really think it was Bernstein, didn't look at bit like him, but I didn't know Piston had done one of those thingies. My knowledge of WP basically starts/stops at his three textbooks.

[Luke]

Mine too, to be honest...   

[karlhenning]

Well, I shouldn't even be able to say even that much, save that my clarinet instructor had me play the concerto on my Junior recital.

[Guido]

I recommend the second symphony, the string sextet and the piano quintet - the rest is marginal or much the same as these pieces - the cycle is symphonies is rather repetitive even if its mostly well made and often lovely. He can write very beautiful slow movements but has a habit of slipping into note spinning in his finales.

I havent heard the clarinet concerto.

[karlhenning]

I havent heard the clarinet concerto.

It's a nice piece, and now that I've found a good pianist, I should work it back up and trot it out sometime.