This was so fascinating to hear that I stopped my day to finish it. Superb. Just superb. I've read a few thousand program notes (and written a couple dozen) and a few hundred essays and moe than a few dozen books about pieces of music. And viewed many videos and attended many live talks. Mr Parloff's may be the best of all of them. Or among a few of the best. What masterly delivery of such well-chosen words! What wonderful use of visuals and audio examples. Is he a master flutist? Or a master writer? Or a master speaker? He certainly puts the parler into Parloff.
Listening to Beethoven at his best is like riding something wild down a steep mountain on a moon-bright night, something that loves you with all its heart and only wants you to feel the boundlessness it feels.
You mention that the wonderful Finale theme of op. 132 was originally considered for an instrumental finale of the 9th symphony. I found this so fascinating that I wrote a symphonic movement using these sketches from 1823 and orchestrating parts of the op. 132 finale: th-cam.com/video/CCiRkgZFVaI/w-d-xo.html
"I hear now the music of the A minor quartet, the agonized flurry of the strings...a wheel of light rolling up to the precipice and over into the bottomless pit...I Beethoven, I create it, I Beethoven, I destroy it..." Henry Miller, Tropic of Capricorn
The Cavatina’s “sobbing” first variation, with the soprano against triplet motion, seems to echo the (again) first variation in the slow movement of Schubert’s “Death and the Maiden” quartet, where the same Italianate, operatic style gets used in exactly the same position. Since the dates put Schubert’s work first, by a couple of years, it seems Beethoven must have been just as conscious of Schubert’s development as Schubert was of Beethoven’s! Perhaps Schindler wasn’t quite as untrustworthy as we think.
I liked the description and reference to the music as recitative. I do not like the use of the word joke in music; You did not call the musical offering a joke. Your description of Beethoven as wanting to write for two very different pieces at once was powerful; that is the future of music, and thus, science. I also think the grosse fugue is a desire to play all pitches at once and in every combination in time, but that would not sound good.
This was so fascinating to hear that I stopped my day to finish it.
Superb. Just superb. I've read a few thousand program notes (and written a couple dozen) and a few hundred essays and moe than a few dozen books about pieces of music. And viewed many videos and attended many live talks.
Mr Parloff's may be the best of all of them. Or among a few of the best.
What masterly delivery of such well-chosen words! What wonderful use of visuals and audio examples.
Is he a master flutist? Or a master writer? Or a master speaker? He certainly puts the parler into Parloff.
Listening to Beethoven at his best is like riding something wild down a steep mountain on a moon-bright night, something that loves you with all its heart and only wants you to feel the boundlessness it feels.
Absolutely outstanding series, I keep listening to all episodes more than once with un- diminishing delight
What a gift!
Many thanks to Prof Parloff
Thank you for explaining this so well. Beethovens late quartets are a world of their own. They are unsurpassed, the pinnacle of music. Pure genius.
Thank you for posting this. It is so helpful in understanding the quartets. The comments are so completely on the mark.
All of beethovens late quartets are the greatest 🎻 violin music ever composed period.
You helped me to understand almost entirely well this riddle of work.
You mention that the wonderful Finale theme of op. 132 was originally considered for an instrumental finale of the 9th symphony. I found this so fascinating that I wrote a symphonic movement using these sketches from 1823 and orchestrating parts of the op. 132 finale: th-cam.com/video/CCiRkgZFVaI/w-d-xo.html
Thank you. Totally awesome lecture !
The “Grail” section of the Dankgesang seems related to the doctor’s canon!
"I hear now the music of the A minor quartet, the agonized flurry of the strings...a wheel of light rolling up to the precipice and over into the bottomless pit...I Beethoven, I create it, I Beethoven, I destroy it..."
Henry Miller, Tropic of Capricorn
The Cavatina’s “sobbing” first variation, with the soprano against triplet motion, seems to echo the (again) first variation in the slow movement of Schubert’s “Death and the Maiden” quartet, where the same Italianate, operatic style gets used in exactly the same position. Since the dates put Schubert’s work first, by a couple of years, it seems Beethoven must have been just as conscious of Schubert’s development as Schubert was of Beethoven’s! Perhaps Schindler wasn’t quite as untrustworthy as we think.
Chapter: Quartet in B-flat major, Op. 130: 25:48
Just one word: Grazie!
These are fantastic - and a great companion to the Shostakovich series. Any chance of surveying Haydn or Mozart ?
Opus 133 is a panic attack and it's confines set to music.
I liked the description and reference to the music as recitative. I do not like the use of the word joke in music; You did not call the musical offering a joke.
Your description of Beethoven as wanting to write for two very different pieces at once was powerful; that is the future of music, and thus, science. I also think the grosse fugue is a desire to play all pitches at once and in every combination in time, but that would not sound good.
優れた作品の音空間を解いてくれている。提供を有難う、感謝します。喜びでなみだがでました。色調が D.S.Q.ではないのが残念？
11:08. The proper word is composed....not comprised.
The letter i in adagiò is not pronounced. Ah -DAH-Jo.