Comments on: Classical Music: Not Dead Yet

By: Anon

Anon — Mon, 03 Apr 2006 18:40:16 +0000

Everyone underestimates the early masters, especially those versed in classical music. All 9 of Beethoven’s symphonies are incredible. [You should try the chamber orchestra variation of Beethoven's 2nd by J.E. Gardiner] Same for Bach. Those 200+ canatas, his masses (B min, G min, F, etc. [see the Herreweghe "Masses and Cantatas 4 disc set]), organ works, etc. are chock full of absolute delights, but when was the last time the radio station played anything besides Toccata and Fugue in D min.?

By: april

april — Sat, 18 Feb 2006 01:09:08 +0000

Pitt’s music department has a series called Music On the Edge, which features visiting and sometimes local modern classical composers: http://www.pitt.edu/~musicdpt/performance/onTheEdge.html

Duquesne also features concerts by their student and faculty composers, although I don’t know if an online calendar of such things exists.

By: psu

psu — Fri, 17 Feb 2006 16:49:12 +0000

Carnegie Mellon University has a well regarded Fine Arts college and music program. Many of the PSO players teach there.

I’m sure there are others too.

By: Paul

Paul — Fri, 17 Feb 2006 02:16:19 +0000

Is there a college in Pittsburgh that does music studies? I’m sure there woud be some composers studying there that would appreciate an audience that likes to hear new music … I know that friends of mine who did composition struggled to get audiences for their stuff, and I’m all about supporting local composers (unless I hate their stuff that is

By: psu

psu — Thu, 16 Feb 2006 23:19:51 +0000

I have listened to some of the modern stuff. I find that it ranges from interesting to somewhat compelling to mostly pointless. I have to say that I find the more “neo-classical” 20th century music to be more enjoyable overall.

The 20th century Russians and Eastern Europeans are are great though. Shostakovich, Martinu, Janaceck, Prokofiev, etc.

Since I did take a music history class once, it should have occured to me that Brahms was on the Romantic side of the Classical/Romantic bridge. I just didn’t think about it that hard.

By: Paul

Paul — Thu, 16 Feb 2006 22:12:28 +0000

I know a little about music theory (degree in music, majoring in Musicology) so I can blab on a bit about differences between Beethoven and Brahms.

Firstly, the come from different eras. Beethoven was around 1780-1820, Brahms pretty much directly followed Beethoven. Though they are both German, they fall in the different categories of what most people call “Classical” music (Beethoven was in the “Classical Period”, Brahms was in the “Romantic period”) so the musical directions and what they were trying to achieve in their music were seperate.

To use the musical parlance, Classical music is largely about structure formation, through harmonic planning. The Romantic period builds on this, with more emphasis on fluidity of harmonic movement, achieved through chromatic variations and elongation of harmonic resolution. More intricate and sudden key changes were reached, through using 7ths, 9ths, 11ths as voice leading notes.

So I guess that explains why Brahms has the “heart ripping out effect” – stretching out resolution has that effect.

Have you listened to anything more modern at all? Schoenberg/Webern? Any of the Serial composers?

By: psu

psu — Thu, 16 Feb 2006 12:42:30 +0000

Oops. I got the date wrong. It was Feb 3.

I also found a list

http://www.pittsburghsymphony.org/CYOsubs/allconcerts.html

By: psu

psu — Thu, 16 Feb 2006 12:25:52 +0000

The Pittsburgh Symphony web site does not seem to list programs and information for concerts that have already happened.

The concert was on Feb 11.

By: Chris Ryland

Chris Ryland — Thu, 16 Feb 2006 12:02:26 +0000

I can’t find this concert series on the PSO website–can you provide any pointer?

Thanks.