March 12, 2018.Malipiero and more.Hugo Wolf, a tremendously talented Austrian composer who died tragically young in a syphilis-induced delirium, was born on March 13th of 1860.Last your we dedicated an entry to him, so here are two of his songs.First, Schlafendes Jesuskind (Sleeping Baby Jesus) from the cycle Mörike-Lieder is sung by the French baritone Gérard Souzay with Dalton Baldwin at the piano.Then, Nachtzaube (Night magic), from Eichendorff Lieder.It’s performed by Elisabeth Schwarzkopf and Gerald Moore.
Georg Philipp Telemann, born on March 14th of 1681 was, in many ways, Wolf’s direct opposite.He lived a long life (86 years), wrote an immense number of pieces (1700 cantatas, numerous oratorios, more than 50 operas and a large number of instrumental suites, concertos and sonatas).He was in good health for most of his life, had many children, and clearly didn’t suffer from depression, as Wolf did all his life.The challenge with Telemann is to find the great works (and he wrote some wonderful music) among his immense, and sometimes mediocre, output. La Changeante, Telemann’s Overture for Strings in G minor (TWV 55:g2) seems to fit the bill well.Here it’s performed by Collegium Instrumentale Brugense, Patrick Peire conducting.
We’ve never written about the 20th century Italian composer, Gian Francesco Malipiero.Malipiero was born on March 18th of 1882 in Venice.His grandfather was an opera composer, his father – a pianist and conductor.Malipiero’s childhood was troubled.His parents divorced, and he spent several years with his father, traveling to Trieste, Berlin and Vienna, where he attended the conservatory.At the age of 17 he left his father and returned to Venice, to his mother’s home.He immersed himself in the newly discovered music of Frescobaldi and Monteverdi; he later considered it an important part of his musical education.In 1913 he went to Paris, where, in addition to all the requisite Frenchmen, he met Alfredo Casella, who became his friend for life.It was Casella who recommended Malipiero attend the premiere of The Rite of Spring; Stravinsky’s music made a big impression on Malipiero.He moved to Rome in 1917, when in the course of WWI, Austrian forces threatened Venice.There he continued his collaboration with Casella, first at the Società Italiana di Musica Moderna, then, in 1923, when they founded the Corporazione delle Nuove Musiche.Reorganization of Italian music was one of Mussilini’s favorite projects, and for a while Malipiero won his favor: he had at least three personal audiences with the dictator.This all ended in 1934, when Malipiero’s opera La favola del figlio cambiato was condemned by the official press.Malipiero tried to get back on Mussolini’s good side and dedicated his next opera, Giulio Cesare, to him, but that didn’t help: Malipiero’s request for an audience was rejected.In 1922 Malipiero bought a house in Asolo, a pretty hilltop town not far from Venice, and lived there for the rest of his life.In 1940 he became a professor at the Venice Liceo Musicale (Conservatory).One of his students there was Luigi Nono.It was through Malipiero that Nono met Bruno Maderna. In addition to teaching, Malipiero edited the complete works of Claudio Monteverdi.He died on August 1st of 1973.
Here’s Malipiero’s Quartet no.1 Rispetti e strambotti, from 1920.It’s performed by the Orpheus String Quartet.
Malipiero and more, 2018
March 12, 2018. Malipiero and more. Hugo Wolf, a tremendously talented Austrian composer who died tragically young in a syphilis-induced delirium, was born on March 13th of 1860. Last your we dedicated an entry to him, so here are two of his songs. First, Schlafendes Jesuskind (Sleeping Baby Jesus) from the cycle Mörike-Lieder is sung by the French baritone Gérard Souzay with Dalton Baldwin at the piano. Then, Nachtzaube (Night magic), from Eichendorff Lieder. It’s performed by Elisabeth Schwarzkopf and Gerald Moore.
Georg Philipp Telemann, born on March 14th of 1681 was, in many ways, Wolf’s direct opposite. He lived a long life (86 years), wrote an immense number of pieces (1700 cantatas, numerous oratorios, more than 50 operas and a large number of instrumental suites, concertos and sonatas). He was in good health for most of his life, had many children, and clearly didn’t suffer from depression, as Wolf did all his life. The challenge with Telemann is to find the great works (and he wrote some wonderful music) among his immense, and sometimes mediocre, output. La Changeante, Telemann’s Overture for Strings in G minor (TWV 55:g2) seems to fit the bill well. Here it’s performed by Collegium Instrumentale Brugense, Patrick Peire conducting.
We’ve never written about the 20th century Italian composer, Gian Francesco Malipiero. Malipiero was born on March 18th of 1882 in Venice. His grandfather was an opera composer, his father – a pianist and conductor. Malipiero’s childhood was troubled. His parents divorced,
and he spent several years with his father, traveling to Trieste, Berlin and Vienna, where he attended the conservatory. At the age of 17 he left his father and returned to Venice, to his mother’s home. He immersed himself in the newly discovered music of Frescobaldi and Monteverdi; he later considered it an important part of his musical education. In 1913 he went to Paris, where, in addition to all the requisite Frenchmen, he met Alfredo Casella, who became his friend for life. It was Casella who recommended Malipiero attend the premiere of The Rite of Spring; Stravinsky’s music made a big impression on Malipiero. He moved to Rome in 1917, when in the course of WWI, Austrian forces threatened Venice. There he continued his collaboration with Casella, first at the Società Italiana di Musica Moderna, then, in 1923, when they founded the Corporazione delle Nuove Musiche. Reorganization of Italian music was one of Mussilini’s favorite projects, and for a while Malipiero won his favor: he had at least three personal audiences with the dictator. This all ended in 1934, when Malipiero’s opera La favola del figlio cambiato was condemned by the official press. Malipiero tried to get back on Mussolini’s good side and dedicated his next opera, Giulio Cesare, to him, but that didn’t help: Malipiero’s request for an audience was rejected. In 1922 Malipiero bought a house in Asolo, a pretty hilltop town not far from Venice, and lived there for the rest of his life. In 1940 he became a professor at the Venice Liceo Musicale (Conservatory). One of his students there was Luigi Nono. It was through Malipiero that Nono met Bruno Maderna. In addition to teaching, Malipiero edited the complete works of Claudio Monteverdi. He died on August 1st of 1973.
Here’s Malipiero’s Quartet no.1 Rispetti e strambotti, from 1920. It’s performed by the Orpheus String Quartet.