expressionism,surealism and existentialism?

[wagnernn]

Please give me some informations about surrealism and existentialism in classical music.
Is the ballet "The seven deadly sins" by Brecht classical music?

[uffeviking]

If I were familiar with this Bert Brecht work, I just might be possible to reply, but, alas, I am not. This is the first time I even learned about he composing a ballet. Sorry. 

[jochanaan]

Although expressionism as an art movement found musical exponents in the Second Viennese School (Schoenberg, Berg and Webern), surrealism was primarily a visual-arts movement (de Chirico, Dali, and Magritte), while existentialism was mostly a literary movement (Camus and Sartre).  I cannot name a single surrealist or existentialist composer.

[wagnernn]

so ,the opera "From the House of the Dead" by Jeos Janacek...Do you call it a piece of expressionism or existentialism? Some people said that it was similar to some operas by Schoenberg,but I think it should be a piece of existentialism because it was base on a Dostoevsky work...

[wagnernn]

Schoenberg wrote some operas such as "Erwartung","Die glückliche Hand","Von heute auf morgen ","Moses und Aron ". and I think "Erwartung" is that one

[Mark G. Simon]

If I were familiar with this Bert Brecht work, I just might be possible to reply, but, alas, I am not. This is the first time I even learned about he composing a ballet. Sorry. 

Brecht wrote the text to Die sieben Todsünden, Kurt Weill wrote the music.

[val]

wagnernn

Please give me some informations about surrealism and existentialism in classical music.
Is the ballet "The seven deadly sins" by Brecht classical music?

I don't see any relation between "The seven deadly sins" and surrealism or existentialism. The ballet is an example of Brecht epic theater, like Mahagonny, with social and political intents.
And, why not classical music? Kurt Weill was a very good composer - listen to his 2nd Symphony - and the one that perhaps best understood the theatrical aesthetic of Brecht.

[Ten thumbs]

Although expressionism as an art movement found musical exponents in the Second Viennese School (Schoenberg, Berg and Webern), surrealism was primarily a visual-arts movement (de Chirico, Dali, and Magritte), while existentialism was mostly a literary movement (Camus and Sartre).  I cannot name a single surrealist or existentialist composer.

This is correct. One should beware of trying to spread art movements across other disciplines. As music is not an expression of reality, how can it be surreal? Years ago I chose to write an essay comparing musical styles with architecture for my General Studies A level. I recall conjecturing how Scriabin might have appeared in stone!

[jochanaan]

...I recall conjecturing how Scriabin might have appeared in stone!

His music, I assume, not the man himself.

[Cato]

Surrealism as a visual art movement was rather hostile toward music: one can cite for example Dali's perverted uses for grand pianos and his "Chinese masturbatory violin" for this hostility.

Wikipedia mentions the following:

"George Anthiel (Sic!  "Antheil" is correct)... wrote that "The Surrealist movement had, from the very beginning, been my friend. In one of its manifestos it had been declared that all music was unbearable--excepting, possibly, mine--a beautiful and appreciated condescension" (LeBaron 2002, p.30-31).

The also mention Martinu and Varese as Surrealist composers in the early days, but I might want to quibble about that.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Surrealism_(music)

[Ten thumbs]

His music, I assume, not the man himself.

For him, I would choose a volcanic rock: basalt will do. Let us now compare past musical periods with geological ages!

[wagnernn]

So please show me which classical pieces are the pure existential?
Do you think Kierkegaard was strongly influenced by Mozartian music? (because in one of Kierkegaard 's famous diaries mentioned about Mozart 's Don Giovanni!)

[jochanaan]

So please show me which classical pieces are the pure existential?...

As I said, I know of none.

[millionrainbows]

Please give me some informations about surrealism and existentialism in classical music.
Is the ballet "The seven deadly sins" by Brecht classical music?

Regardless of what Ten thumbs and Jochanann have said, I hear certain correspondences between visual art, philosophy, and music. Sometimes the connection is more obvious and literal than you might think.

The best example is Morton Feldman, who befriended many artists in the New York scene, including Philip Guston and Mark Rothko. His work "Rothko Chapel" is an obvious example.

I also get from Rothko, and Feldman, a certain "existential" feeling. Feldman was a friend of John Cage, and learned much from Cage as far as the "treatment" of sounds. I see Feldman as a "buddhist without the joy," and is an acceptance of things "as they are." I got this from a description of Schopenhauer, whose philosophy was described as being "Buddhism without the joy."

I'm sure there are others. The notion that music is totally abstract is overrated. Music evokes "states of being." I get a lot of specific, poetic impressions from Schoenberg's Five Pieces for Orchestra, Vergangenes, the second movement. The recurring celeste part, like an old childhood memory resurfacing (celeste: bells, like a kid's toy, recurring repeats). A part with the "twittering" woodwinds suggests dried leaves blowing in the wind...the whole thing is just so evocative, like a good soundtrack to a Twilight Zone which never existed...

Come on, guys, this is poetry! Use your imaginations!