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Subject:
From:
Mats Norrman <[log in to unmask]>
Date:
Fri, 17 Mar 2000 16:41:47 +0100
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"George K. Halsell" <[log in to unmask]> wrote:

>I hope no one is put off by my subject line,

This mail was the first I opened from the nights bunch ;-)

>Here are some pieces I'm considering so far:

You may also feel a strong erotic power in the opera "Carmen". And Wagners
"Walkuerenritt".

Scriabins music contents eroticism as well.  I mean in symphonic poems and
piano music, i.e.  non-vocal music.  I don't know if you will "feel" this,
but I do, and I know there are others who do.

Try also Bachs "Air on the G String".

Then we have Susan McClary who wrote a dissertation claiming that the 4th
movement of Beethovens 9.  Sinfonie describes a "non-orgamsic rape".  I
can't find the books name in my brain right now, but others on the list can
tell you.  McClary is not the first one to have these ideas about Beethoven
9, for a very certain reason...

>I also have heard that certain madrigals often referred to sex and sex acts,
>though in "code" words, such as "to die" meaning to climax. Unfortunately, I
>have no one in the know to verify this, so I'm wondering if anyone on the
>list can guide me to a good resource or recommend madrigals that would be
>appropriate for the subject at hand.

I don't know if you can have any use of him, but there was a Swedish
songwriter Carl Michael Bellman [1740-1795] who portrayed the contemporary
life in Stockholm.  In his songs there are a lot of coded descriptions of
sexualia.  For example: "Ulla climbed down in the bed, Mowitz followed her
with his trombone".  Guess what "Trombone" means!!  But musical instruments
was often code words for just that in this time, in music, as well as in
peoples talking (and can still be as far as I am concerned).  You can also
find similar symboles in paitings from this time.

Hope this helps a little,

Mats Norrman
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