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Mon, 4 Sep 2000 23:37:14 -0400 |
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The structure of the piece makes sense to me. It is, as in many pieces
arranged in an arch:
Prologue--Epilogue
Pastoral--Sonnet (poems dealing with end of day)
Nocturne--Hymn (odes--poems dedicated to something--the bugle and Diana)
Elegy--Dirge (poems dealing with death)
Cleverly the corresponding movements also relate musically. The ostinato
that begins the Dirge is an exact inversion of the last falling half-step
of the Elegy, and both are based upon rather strict musical ideas--one
entirely built on falling half steps, one an ostinato occuring against a
fugue. The Nocturne and the Hymn both fit in a sort of Rondo or Strophic
form. The Pastoral and the Sonnet have the least apparent (at least to
me) relationship--although it must be said that both are more rhapsodic
in manner, although borne out of a very small musical idea economically
used--these two also contain some of the most obvious word painting in the
piece. The relationship between the Prologue and Epiloque is obvious:)
I for one do not find the hymn comic at all. Joyous, yes...comic, not in
the least. I think it's more a celebration/plea to Diana. *shrug*
Re: recordings. I imprinted on Robert Tear/Alan Civil/Marriner on EMI,
still a favorite performance of mine. I do like Ainsley/Pyatt on EMI too,
Neunecker's is a bit too stiff for me. Curiously enough, I never really
warmed to any of the Pears'/Britten recordings I've heard, although I just
acquired the Dennis Brain recording and haven't had a chance to sit with it
long enough. Another excellent performance that I would recommend (on the
merits of the entire disc) is Martyn Hill/Jeffrey Bryant/Ashkenazy with the
RPO--comes with excellent performances of Walton's Second Symphony and
Knussen's Third Symphony.
Cheers,
Marcus
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