Mozart

[Curt Chiarelli]

Originally Posted by Ursa major

I'm a sucker for sad music (oddly enough, I find that it cheers me up!) from the requiems of, for example, Berlioz, Brahms and Verdi, and any number of gloomy symphonic movements from central and eastern Europe; but there is very little that is as sad as the slow movement from Mozart's Piano Concerto #23; the work seems to carry the woes of the world on its slim shoulders.

I couldn't agree more. I have an affinity for the darker shadings of the German orchestral palette. Amongst my favourites is Brahm's Fourth Symphony, The Tragic Overture and his lieder cycle, Vier Ernste Gesange. And, of course, Wagner's Ring des Nibelungen tetrology is a lynchpin in my collection, along with Erich Wolgang Korngold's operatic meisterstuck, Das Wunder der Heliane. Indispensable stuff!

[Mary Hoffman]

Mozart and marzipan in one sentence says just one thing to me, Curt - Mozartkugeln! Yum.

But yes, Figaro above all and the Requiem, but what a great output in such a short life. I've always thought the silly - nay, stupid - letters were a way of blowing off steam for such a concentration of genius building up like a pressure cooker.

Mary

[Curt Chiarelli]

Mozartkugeln, Mary? LOL! Ye Elder Gods, the Austrians have wrung quite a bit of mileage out of poor Wolfie's associations with Vienna and Salzburg, now haven't they!

After looking it up, I can see that this treat is made with chocolate. That's a pity because chocolate makes me nauseous. I now have visions of Mozart aficionados the world over going into ecstasies as they pop these confections their mouth whilst listening to Die Zauberflote!

[Allegra]

Originally Posted by Curt Chiarelli

I now have visions of Mozart aficionados the world over going into ecstasies as they pop these confections their mouth whilst listening to Die Zauberflote!

Are you talking about me? I LOVE Mozart Kugeln (and Constanze Kugeln)! Delicious quality chocolate. And don't forget this:



If you don't like chocolate Curt, you may fall for those sticky sweet liqueur!

Yes, Mozart is a mystery, and a miracle that happens only once. A strand of his hair (real or not) can't bring him down to earth. Whatever flaws he had as a blood & flesh human being only make his legend more fascinating. Comparing to the great ones from Beethoven onwards, Mozart's music is a pure heaven, after Bach. I also like his more brooding later works. If the 23rd piano concerto's slow movement "seems to carry the woes of the world on its slim shoulders" (yet gracefully, no matter on which note Amadeus never lost his grace), the sorrow within isn't earthy, has no connections to human misery. Quite different to that of Schumann, Brahms, Wagner, Tchaikovsky (oh his suffocating 6th symphony!), or Rachmaninov…..

[Ursa major]

...not to mention the slow movement of Mahler's 6th Symphony (in particular in the version by Karajan with the BPO). And you're right: those cowbells help to remind us that Mahler is here dealing with something completely different from that which Mozart is not so much depicting, but allowing us to be touched by, in that short movement.

And I'll be keeping my eyes open for those chocolates....

[Allegra]

Mahler is entirely a different planet: massive, expressive, unpredictable, rich - so rich one moment you think you've turned all its layers and the next you find you don't know anything about it! Mahler's music is full of humanity, it is people's music really. I have an assorted collection and my favourite symphonies are No. 1, 2, 5, 8. When I listen to the recordings I wish I'm in the concert hall having a great orchestra preferably Berliners or Chicago S.O. in front of my eyes. I want to see the performance of all the instruments engaged in the complex process.... Now I'm eyeing on this one:

Amazon.com: Mahler - The Symphonies plus Das Lied von der Erde Boxset / Leonard Bernstein, Wiener Philharmoniker, London Symphony Orchestra, Israel Philharmonic Orchestra: Music: Christa Ludwig,Vienna Opera Philharmonica,Jose von Dam

Looks good, but the price - ouch!

[Curt Chiarelli]

Originally Posted by Allegra

And don't forget this:



If you don't like chocolate Curt, you may fall for those sticky sweet liqueur!

Oh, good. Once we're finished rhapsodizing over the chocolates and the opera we can segue into getting drunk while listening to the Sonata #11's Alla Turca Movement!

[Allegra]

Right! Then our Amadeus would certainly be more, uh, heavenly!

[Curt Chiarelli]

Originally Posted by Allegra

Right! Then our Amadeus would certainly be more, uh, heavenly!

I'll drink to that! Prosit!

[Mary Hoffman]

I'm so sorry you can't eat chocolate, Curt, but if you COULD, the Mozart ones would be the ones to go for! I didn't know about the sticky liqueur - obviosly a trip to Vienna is called for.

Mahler has a completely different sensibility from W.A. but that doesn't stop him from being great. I love the Lieder Eines Fahrenden Gesellen but only when sung by a man - Fischer-Diskau will do fine.

And I think I might have said on another classical music thread that the choir I sang in, in London, for sixteen years, performed symphonies 2, 3 and 8, which was a great joy. But I love 6 too. Isn't that the "Three blows of fate" one? He seems a much more tragic figure than Mozart (in spite of W.A.'s early death and destitution), losing his children and being married to Alma.

Mary

[Allegra]

I envy you, Mary! The choirs in Mahler symphonies are glorious. They give me goose pimples and send me to could nine - no need for liqueur!

Originally Posted by Curt Chiarelli

I'll drink to that! Prosit!

cin cin!

[aarathi]

Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart was a prolific and influential composer of the Classical era. His output of over 600 compositions includes works widely acknowledged as pinnacles of symphonic, concertante, chamber, piano, operatic, and choral music. Mozart is among the most enduringly popular of classical composers and many of his works are part of the standard concert repertoire.