Back to Book

The Lighter Classics in Music by David Ewen

episode in which is described the descent of the fairies who provide a

453 words  |  Chapter 35

protective ring around the children, alone and asleep in the deep forest. The _Gingerbread Waltz_ (_Knusperwalzer_) from Act 3 is the joyous music expressing the children’s delight after they have succeeded in pushing the witch inside the oven and burning her to a crisp. Among Humperdinck’s many works for symphony orchestra one is occasionally performed by semi-classical or pop orchestras. It is the _Moorish Rhapsody_ (1898) written for the Leeds Festival in England. The first movement, “Tarifa—Elegy at Sunrise” reflects the sorrow of a shepherd over the decay of the Moorish people. “Tangiers—A Night in a Moorish Café” is a coffee-house scene highlighted by the sensual chant of a café singer. The suite concludes with “Tetuan—A Rider in the Desert,” depicting a desert ride with a view of Paradise in the distance. To carry into his music an Oriental atmosphere, Humperdinck modeled some of his principal themes after actual Moorish melodies, such as the second theme of the first movement for English horn, and the main melody for woodwind in the second movement. Jacques Ibert Jacques Ibert was born in Paris on August 15, 1890. He attended the Paris Conservatory between 1911 and 1919, with a hiatus of several years during World War I when he served in the French Navy. In 1919 he won the Prix de Rome. While residing in the Italian capital he wrote a symphonic work with which he scored his first major success, the suite _Escales_, introduced in Paris in 1924. From 1937 to 1955 he was director of the Academy of Rome. During this period he also served for a while as director of the combined management of the Paris Opéra and Opéra-Comique. Ibert has written many works in virtually every form, which have placed him in the front rank of contemporary French composers. Many of these compositions are in a neo-classical idiom. Occasionally, however, he has made a delightful excursion into satire. It is with one of the latter works, the _Divertissement_ for orchestra (1930) that he has entered the semi-classical repertory, though to be sure this composition is also frequently given at symphony concerts. The _Divertissement_ begins with a short Introduction in which the prevailing mood of levity is first introduced. Then comes the “_Cortège_.” A few introductory bars suggest two march themes, the first in strings, and the second in trumpet. After that appears a loud quotation from Mendelssohn’s “Wedding March” from his _A Midsummer Night’s Dream Suite_. The “Nocturne” is a dreamy little melody which precedes a delightful “Waltz” and a breezy “Parade.” The finale is in the style of an Offenbach can-can, with the piano interpolating some impudent dissonant harmonies. Michael Ippolitov-Ivanov Michael Ippolitov-Ivanov was born in Gatchina, Russia, on November 19,
Previous Chapter Chapter List Next Chapter

Chapters

1. Chapter 1 2. introduction, random phrases bring up the image of various attitudes and 3. 1884. He acquired his musical training in Prague and with Felix Mottl in 4. Introduction there appear fragments of the first dance; these same 5. 1894. He began his music study in Kansas City: piano with his mother; 6. 1803. As a young man he was sent to Paris to study medicine, but music 7. 1918. Early music study took place with private piano teachers, and 8. 1833. He was trained in the sciences, having attended the Academy of 9. introduction or coda, originated as a piece for piano duet: the 10. 1886. While attending the Royal Academy of Music in London, where he 11. 1899. He made his stage debut in 1911 in a fairy play, and for the next 12. 1884. In the compositions written in Rome under the provisions of the 13. 1836. After attending the Paris Conservatory from 1848 on, he became an 14. 1873. The plot revolves around a peasant boy whom a Marquis is trying to 15. episode depicts a pair of lovers in a secluded corner; the principal 16. 1931. He died in Worcester, England, on February 23, 1934. 17. 1902. The opening brisk, restless music is recalled after a full 18. 1916. He was graduated with honors from the National Conservatory in his 19. 1865. As a boy he studied music privately while attending a technical 20. 1612. During the struggle between Russia and Poland, Romanov becomes the 21. introduction, a vigorous Mazurka melody unfolds. This leads to a second 22. 1870. A prodigy pianist, he attended the Berlin High School for Music, 23. 1878. He came from a distinguished musical family. His uncles were Sam 24. 1875. The _Bacchanale_ takes place at the beginning of Act 3 in which a 25. 1872. After studying music with private teachers in New York, he 26. introduction, the cellos and violas in unison offer the strains of 27. 1734. After receiving some music instruction in his native town, he came 28. 1755. The general belief is that it was used by a certain Richard 29. introduction in which a stately idea is offered by the woodwind. In the 30. 1882. After receiving some piano instruction from his mother he was sent 31. introduction. The second, “The Cowherd’s Tune,” begins with a slow, 32. 1930. It is not quite clear who actually wrote this song. It was 33. 1832. Hérold died of consumption in Paris on January 19, 1833 before 34. 1854. He attended the Cologne Conservatory where his teachers included 35. episode in which is described the descent of the fairies who provide a 36. 1859. He was graduated from the St. Petersburg Conservatory in 1882 37. 1885. Precocious in music he completed a piano sonata when he was only 38. introduction and the coda came the succession of lilting, lovable, 39. 1895. The son of a choirmaster, he himself was a boy chorister, at the 40. 1809. His grandfather was the famous philosopher, Moses Mendelssohn; his 41. 1756. The son of Leopold, Kapellmeister at the court of the Salzburg 42. 1858. While studying medicine, he attended the Berlin High School for 43. 1920. Ochs died in Berlin on February 6, 1929. 44. 1834. For nine years he attended the Milan Conservatory where he wrote 45. 1916. He continued to develop his own personality, formulating his 46. 1900. It was a blood and thunder drama set in Rome at the turn of the 47. 1873. He attended the St. Petersburg Conservatory for three years, and 48. 1909. He also distinguished himself as a conductor, first at the Bolshoi 49. introduction are amplified and developed. A brilliant coda leads to the 50. 1829. He studied the piano with Alexandre Villoing after which, in 1839 51. episode now appears in woodwind and violins after which the folk song 52. 1897. In 1897 Sousa was a tourist in Italy when he heard the news that 53. 1899. A century was coming to an end, and with it an entire epoch. This 54. 1898. Between 1876 and 1881 he was principal of, and professor of 55. 1889. After the operatic pretension of the _Yeomen of the Guard_ which 56. 1887. Because the Murgatroyd family has persecuted witches, an evil 57. introduction after which comes the brisk melody for woodwind followed by 58. introduction—with forceful chords in full orchestra—leads to a beautiful 59. introduction. The second aria is Philine’s polonaise, “_Je suis 60. 1843. “The Flying Dutchman” is a ship on which the Dutchman must sail 61. 1896. After completing his music study at the Prague Conservatory, and 62. 1872. After attending the Royal College of Music, he studied composition 63. episode. A third popular orchestral excerpt from this opera is the 64. 1809. Little is known of his career beyond the fact that his music 65. 1901. Zeller died in Baden near Vienna on August 17, 1898.

Reading Tips

Use arrow keys to navigate

Press 'N' for next chapter

Press 'P' for previous chapter