Classical Music

[madupont]

Thank you,   I like it better than anything.  I think that really hit me when
Jean-Claude Carrière was writing a film concept's "screen play" and consulted with Natalie Zemon Davis of the Romance Languages and French History dept. at Princeton to authenticate "background" and "production values" for Daniel Vigne's, The Return of Martin Guerre.

Although Michel Portal is credited with the music on this film (not to be confused with Sommersby) and has a long career, when I found out that Carriere is from Languedoc, I went "ahah!" that explains this music. I immediately became interested in what is called "Ancient music"( sort of a St. Martin in the Fields speciality)or, in the case of France,even "Early
Modern".

While I certainly had a long time exposure to Gregorian Chant, why I mention the Languedoc connection is that this entire southern region of
France, with it's shift into a different language pronunciation and derivations from other scources,despite the Roman conquest was also later invaded by waves of Berbers from North Africa, and other Muslim centers; and, it show in the music. Or rather, it can be heard, as a strong influence.

By the way, an interesting thing in the study of Linguistics, if you look at the word changes as they occur for even just one word, perhaps moving from East to West, you can parallel the border shift, of the musical change in emphasis, in a gradual flow. When I discovered this at about age 14,in high school, sometimes playing "hooky" when I missed the bus which sped past me (who was following the schedule while the driver was making time), I'd opt for staying on the next bus that came along rather than being tardy and having to serve detention after school.

I'd head right for the music stores, where in those days you  had wonderful spacious closed booths like small rooms of lovely wood topped with glass, where you could listen to records you might buy, and had plenty of room to do a little choreography while you were at it.

Then on to the Main Library to study; what I wanted to study. They caught up with me soon enough (which is why I got at least three months for more Liturgical music, aka Gregorian chant, and a side course in "voice" from Sister Gilbert,whom you might call," a defrocked Opera singer", extremely bitter, who lectured me while teaching me French Art Song).

[lulu]

Holy cow!  Early music discussion?

Jacobs and I love the stuff.  Some of my stuff (thanks to Jacobs) includes La Nef, Boston Camerata, Ensemble Unicorn; music of Hildegarde Bingen.  I also have a cd of chants which I bought at the Met Museum in connection with their Byzantium exhibit.  I'm always anxious to hear more and learn more.

[cincy--man]

My sort of early music is nothing at all like Gregorian Chant. I find that music to be incredibly boring and jejune.

[cincy--man]

Interesting article in sunday times about Schwartz and the turmoil at the Seattle S. O. Anyone else read it?

[madupont]

Happy New Year, cincy-man (and, ne'r auld acquaintance be forgot for auld lang syne!).

[mlewis78]

Cincy-man, I just started looking at the list you posted a link to on 11/28/07.  I have one of the Baltimore Consort's recordings -- Bright Star Day -- nice for the holiday season.

I have a pretty good collection of Hesperion XXI and other groups that Jordi Savall leads.  Rolf Lislevand is also very good.  I just now purchased and am listening to "Ostinato" (Hesperion XXI - Jordi Savall) in mp3 format from Amazon. 

Marti

[madupont]

mlewis78

Are you the same Marti from New Jersey who posted at the nytimes.com History forum? or, am I having a Monday morning coincidence?

[cincy--man]

madu...and a great new year to you!! Another one of sharing the most sublime of human creations...music. One of the few that are not fixed in time and open to new understanding, new interpretation, and new presentation.

Perhaps that is one reason that I am  so enamored of early music...it is grounded in the long distant past but so open to new ways or interpretation and presentation that bring fully to the fore the creative talents of our most contemporary interpreters.

mlewis--great groups indeed. So much more to explore!!

[mlewis78]

Madupont wrote:
mlewis78
Are you the same Marti from New Jersey who posted at the nytimes.com History forum? or, am I having a Monday morning coincidence?

Hi Maddy,
Yes, I'm that person.  I haven't been in Escape forms as often, but I posted before the Henry Adams discussion that I was going to read it and then I got caught up with 3 other books and have yet to read beyond p. 60 in Adams.  I'm in NYC about all of my adult life, but I'm from Long Branch, NJ.  In the NY Times now-dead forums, I was Marti443.

Back to early music: 

Has anyone here listened to a relatively new British choral group of 12, Stile Antico?  I'm nuts about their CD "Music for Compline."  I don't know if I would have heard of this if it were not for Archive.com's writing about it on their website and including it in their top 25 of 2007 recordings.

Happy New Year, everyone.

Marti

[cincy--man]

all choral? no instruments?

[mlewis78]

Cincy,

Yes "Music for Compline" is all choral, which I am not usually a big fan of (I'm a flutist), but during the Christmas season I became very taken with this recording as well as Chanticleer's of Palestrina's Missa pro defunctis (Requiem) and motets. 

I think that my interest in it grew out of my rediscovery of renaissance bands playing seasonal music and the great recording from the 1960's of the Antiphonal Music of Gabrieli (Philadelphia Brass with Chicago, Cleveland and Boston Brass ensembles).

I've been listening a lot the past two weeks Jordi Savall Hesperion XXI recordings.  I found some YouTube videos, including one of a trio with 3 Savalls -- Jordi, Arianna and her brother -- you know it's possible that someone posted the link on this forum.  I'm not very diligent about checking back before posting.

Marti

[madupont]

Sshh...Marti, if nobody's listening, big secret, I used to sing Compline, and we would learn the next day's(instead of doing our study-hall) because it is the liturgy sung for each days order of Hours, somewhat like the Book of Hours is an illustrated example, and changing throughout the year, back when I was in convent school.

Of course, we did Requiem masses ever since childhood and throughout the year but particularly so in November as a penitential time of year before Advent prepares for Christmas.

[cincy--man]

Marti..what you are describing, e.g. Palestrina,  sounds a bit restrained for my tastes. What I like most is a more energetic song such as Dead Can Dance doing an Italian saltarello:  http://youtube.com/watch?v=K3jr2aezZ00  (the figure skating video you can take or leave). This is a slightly "raved up version perhaps, but you find the same spirit in a good original group interpretation.

[barton]

http://video.yahoo.com/watch/2627975/7719382

[madupont]

Scientists are preparing to test the heart of Polish composer Frederic Chopin to examine the theory that he died of cystic fibrosis, and was not a victim of TB as commonly believed. After his death in 1849 Chopin was buried in France, but his heart was preserved in cognac and kept in a Warsaw church. (Observer)