Ottevanger's Omphaloskeptic Outpost

[The new erato]

I've always felt that an appreciation of pictures by the likes of Klee, Kandinsky and Miro is closely connected to an appreciation of music by eg. (Post-Rite) Stravinsky (though other examples could dobtless be found).

The rhytms, the humor, the featherlight instrumentation, the endlessly inventive use of basically simple ideas - I find strong similarities.

[Cato]

Speaking of Klee, et al. and Music:



The Burial of Gustav Mahler

by

Arnold Schoenberg

[Luke]

Fabulous picture, suprised that it isn't more iconic (as some of Schoenberg's self portraits are, for example). To be viewed alongside op 19/6, of course (that's just a public domain recording on pianosociety.com, you're allowed to click but don't expect Pollini!). Two impressions of Mahler's funeral from the same artist, one visual, one musical...

(btw Eduard Steuermann's complete Schoenberg was delivered to me a couple of days ago - Schoenberg's 'own' pianist, as it were. Haven't listened yet, though, I'm saving that one up)

[Guido]

Stunning - such a beautiful image, I am like Luke surprised that it isn't more famous. That tree is so expressive.

[greg]

I think everything about the painting looks great except for the people- even for an Expressionist painting, they just look sloppy.

[Cato]

I think everything about the painting looks great except for the people- even for an Expressionist painting, they just look sloppy.

I cannot believe Schoenberg did anything "sloppily."

You might consider that the people are blended into the landscape as a reminder of that famous line: "Thou are dust and into dust thou shalt return."

Of interest is the large figure on the left, seemingly female, yet apparently wearing a black suit with pants, impossible for a woman at that time.

[Guido]

Why do you think the figure is female?

[Luke]

Struck me as female, too, I must say.

Yes, one could look at that painting for quite a long time. The way the grave seems both to sink into the ground and to rise from it; the way it seems like the pupil of an eye. Most odd, and disturbing. As I said before, this could/should be an iconic image, it's the sort of thing one would expect to see reprinted in volumes of music history - the new burying the old, the Freudian undertones, expressionism in its purest form.

[karlhenning]

What's shaking here at ye Outpost? (And YHM, Luke.)

[Luke]

Well, as you can see, we've temporarily turned into an Art Appreciation Society! And I'm listening to a podcast of the Boston Chamber Music Society playing the Brahms Horn Trio, which has improved markedly since a very odd opening page....

YHM also, BTW

[karlhenning]

Well, as you can see, we've temporarily turned into an Art Appreciation Society! [. . .]

Yes, I've enjoyed lurking a bit while I was off in La Pomme Grande.  That is really a lovely painting!

[Luke]

Yes, I've enjoyed lurking a bit while I was off in La Pomme Grande.  That is really a lovely painting!

We shan't know for sure if it is or it ain't, until we've received word from the GMG Degenerate Art Committee, though

[karlhenning]

If only Schoenberg had done illustrations for The Lord of the Rings . . . .

[Luke]

If only! Now there's an idea.... In which Gollum becomes the central European Jewish Golem, for starters.

[karlhenning]

I see Webern as a portrait of Elrond, somehow.

Berg, perhaps as Bilbo Baggins.

[Luke]

Schoenberg's drawings for the scenery of Erwartung....




or this:



you decide!

[karlhenning]

Pretty clear choice for me . . . .

[Luke]

Even now I've got one of the LOTR actually showing (they're very protective of their wonderful creations, these LOTR guys...)?

Surely Bilbo, the precursor, is a kind of Hauer figure, anyway.... Gandalf is Schoenberg, oh-so-sensitive Frodo is Berg, which leaves Webern as Sam, somehow. Yeah, not sure, might need some work, this...

[greg]

I can't remember which one Sam is, but shouldn't Webern be the dwarf?

[karlhenning]

Webern as Gimli . . . maybe you're right at that!