The Rest is Noise #2

Audio guide to Chapter 4 - some good stuff on there, I recommend it: http://www.therestisnoise.com/2007/01/chapter-4-invis.html

Anyway, here's the bit you've been waiting for so long: The Jazz Age section of Chapter 4. It goes through some dissonant modernism before getting to the jazz we're waiting for though.

Edgard Varèse, whose Amérique was supposed to make waves, and instead unexpectedly gained popularity: http://youtu.be/4hupNWVMuPI

Here's Varèse, unexpectedly enough, acting in the film Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde. He's the one on the right, having just murdered his wife:



We'll skip George Antheil, though Ross gives him a good write-up. He doesn't interest me; feel free to look him up yourself :)

A quick look at Carl Ruggles... "If Varèse is like early Stravinsky with the folk motifs removed, Ruggles is like Ives without the tunes"

Sun Treader: http://youtu.be/6soFlEZAMYw

One who does interest me though, is William Grant Still, and I am disappointed that his song cycle Levee Land is not on You Tube. Ross describes it thus: "while the singer delivers vocal lines in classic blues style, the orchestra surrounds her with a seething, discordant harmonic field, including polytonic chords". Sounds fascinating, I'd love to hear it. Here, anyway, is his Afro-American Symphony (wasn't that linked by someone else earlier? Lisa, maybe?): http://youtu.be/6p5o99I2Quk

Virgil Thomson wrote music with American everyday tunes rather like Ives did, but "it lacked the chaotic, visionary element".

He wrote an opera in collaboration with Gertrude Stein, Four Saints in Three Acts. This video is not the opera itself, but some commentary on it and some footage of what looks like the original production: http://youtu.be/sXINp5iuUyw - it was an opera which was performed on Broadway instead of in an opera house - and, being written by Stein, didn't make much solid hands-on sense.

And our first film score on this thread: 'Acadian songs and dances' from Louisiana Story: http://youtu.be/THDLkcm54F4

Show Boat; its African American themes (though rather submerged under the main plot) a slap in the face to the white audience, who would probably have been expecting dancing girls and witty repartee: http://youtu.be/Fo8oJPr-NBg

---

And now, Gershwin! *applause*
I'm guessing he needs no introduction.

Some copyright nazi has removed the Disney Fantasia I once watched on You Tube, and there is, alas, no version of its animated Rhapsody in Blue available. If you get a chance, I recommend it; I think the animation with the music goes really well. Failing that, here is Gershwin playing Gershwin, which is really even more awesome: http://youtu.be/1U40xBSz6Dc

Legend has it that the clarinet glissando at the beginning of the Rhapsody was originally done by the clarinetist as a bit of foolery to annoy the conductor, and Gershwin, hearing it, said, "hang on, do that again"... and the rest is history.

The Man I Love with Ella Fitzgerald: http://youtu.be/LPppZQhyC9o

Three Preludes, all well worth listening to, but here is No. 2: http://youtu.be/BMom1VCQWDA (think cotton fields and sad singing).

I'd link all three preludes, but again youtube is letting me down; there are only amateurs playing the others, far as I can see (not that I have anything against amateurs, being one myself!). I did learn all three preludes at one point, but no.1 is really too difficult for little me, I never could quite get it. Playing Gershwin helped me understand the way he played with rhythm - it's incredibly complicated and such a work of genius.

Everything Gershwin wrote is totally incredible. I love every single thing.

Great stuff, as always: will follow up on the links when I'm not (cough) working.

I'm very impressed with Gershwin's work, how it seems effortless but in many cases isn't, but that isn't always evident to me as I don't play anything and don't have the musicianly ears I'd like to have, to notice the architecture. Anyone recommend a book on Gershwin specifically?

I've read several books with sections on Gershwin, but not yet the full treatment.

Excellent stuff
http://bolcomandmorris.com/index.php?contentID=1153
More
http://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLD6F8773F2D29E4E7

Antheil's Bad boy of music is worth reading for the anecdotes alone. He claimed he was the first composer since Bizet to receive death threats in the mail, and in Budapest once he gave a concert with a pistol on the piano--he'd told the audience to beware, since he was an American from "the wilds of Hoboken". Supposedly Joyce had warned him that the Hungarians were liable to break his arms if they disliked his music.

Plus--he wrote on criminology, and co-patented an invention with Hedy Lamarr.

He was probably easy to listen to, as long as it was talk and not music.

I don't think Ross mentions Louis Armstrong, but this letter from him seems to fit into this discussion and is quite charming besides:

http://www.lettersofnote.com/2012/06/music-is-life-itself.html

How very lovely. What a guy.

Ross should be sacked.

"Satchmo" was so great. Here is a little of his music.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6GuDExkBmnU

That punctuation is very, very interesting.

I'll be cavalier and defend Ross's honour. His take on music is just one, but it came across to me with integrity, with a coherent feel. I didn't get the impression he put in names or left out names for anything other than the story he wanted to tell. We can always critique that story. But the story's the thing: it's all music, as Satchmo wrote!

I like that, elenchus. Nice point. Since when was music not subjective. You are right... though still, I don't know if such big gaping holes justify a coherent storyline. Maybe it does. I'll sit on the fence for a bit.

One of the things that I am taking from this book is just how much music, how many different types of music, and how many composers there were! That in and of itself has been worth my time. One could (and people have) written entire books just about the American jazz composers. We should probably not be too hard on Ross who is, after all, writing a survey.

CM, I think your disappointment may be that you have your own story, your own take on the story of music, and it's significantly different. And your take on it is precisely why I've enjoyed this salon discussion: this hasn't been a simply page-by-page or name-by-name review of Ross's book. It's been guided by your own interests, and they've really added to my appreciation of Ross and music, generally.

Now for something a little different. Last night I was in East Montpelier listening to this fellow play; today he's doing a workshop on East Clare music (which is where my heart is too). He's one of the best of the best, as are Laura and Josh. This is a particularly excellent clip. Watch long enough to see how Ourceau wields his bow. Also, watch his feet!

Patrick Ourceau

I'm just dropping in to say I haven't forgotten about this thread, but this hiatus is much needed; please bear with me. Particular apologies to Lisa, who was reading along in the book and has now been abandoned (though not forever).

Nice to see you, CM. Do not worry about me. I am having a reading hiatus this summer, it seems. I am lucky to get through a few pages at night and then I can only tolerate the lightest of fiction. Perhaps cooler weather here and warmer weather there will bring us back :-).

I've had both a reading break and an LT break of late, which look to continue into August at least. So in the doldrums right along with you two, but expecting a breeze or current eventually.

Last night I held an evening at my place made up mostly of medical students from work and some staff - there were about 18 of us and we all played classical music to each other. Pieces ranged from one of Stravinsky's Three Pieces for Solo Clarinet (played wonderfully well), to excerpts from Lord of the Rings on solo violin; with Satie, Bach, Chopin, Prokofiev and much more in between. It was SO GOOD. I got everyone to say something about the piece before they played it, and it made the whole thing even more interesting. I did this last year too, and my middle-aged preliminary piano student said that evening changed her life - she had a musical epiphany and has never looked back since. Now this year the guy who played Lord of the Rings (largely self-taught) says he's had something of an epiphany himself, and is now going to get lessons and learn Bach and Mozart, he says. Oh the power of good music :) So many people just need to be introduced to it, and then the rest just falls into place.

Brava choco. Sounds fun.

Muse, can you come and be my music teacher?

Terrific stuff Choc.

When I lived in Oskaloosa, Iowa, after a couple miserable years, a third miserable year began when I met some of the town's elite, such as doctors, lawyers, piano teachers, clarinet players, etc. I met a guy who didn't like Brahms' clarinet works because he HAD to learn them. He was surprised a bum like me knew Martinu. This all led to discussion of the elevator music played in the gazebo in the center of the town center, an old fashioned square. I found out who was in charge of the music and arranged a weeklong program of classical music and spread the list around the good classical music loving folk of Oskaloosa, Iowa. And throughout that week I enjoyed many an hour sitting on one of the benches that surround the gazebo, and though no one else ever came, no one, I was happy, because the week ended with a Shostakovich marathon, and it seemed to me more than appropriate that he was the coup de gras for an exhibit of human vacuity and the solitude of the universe and universal.

I wish a had a regular music appreciation group like that, ChocolateMuse.

And then I think: what's stopping me? Why, just myself. (sigh)

And so online communities are born and survive.

Thanks! Hey what's the harm, I don't think any of you are stalkers... here are some photos of the night: https://www.dropbox.com/sh/wljeoz8o9vussa4/pFw1zTpnXc#/

My long-kept-secret Real Life appearance will now be revealed. It's sure to be a disappointment, but there it is :) My beautiful piano, however, is worth seeing even if you can't hear it.

I so much wish we could do that, all of us here. If you come to Australia - we'll do it.

>20 baswood: bas, how about by correspondence. I'll be like, "now play an A".

>22 RickHarsch: Rick, how sad and lonely. My U.S. geography is exceedingly poor, but Oskaloosa, Iowa doesn't sound like it'd be much different from, say, Dubbo, NSW. Which will be a meaningless comparison I know, but three years there would very probably be fairly miserable for the same sort of reasons.

The visuals live up to the prose, 'Muse. I'm sure the music was even better.

What a great space for such a gathering. What's that black-and-white print above the piano?

Wow Choco, that looks so cool, I can even hear the Music

Thanks Mac.

elenchus it's an oil painting, but I don't even know who the artist is, to my shame. I bought it from a door to door salesman! It's impressionist in style, a Parisian street on a rainy afternoon. I'd like it better without the Eiffel Tower - because people come in to my house, see the painting and say, 'oh, you're all into Paris, are you?'. I'm like, actually, I like the PAINTING. People are such icon-spotters!

As for the space, it does work well! The house is actually a small one, but open plan, which as you say makes for a good performance space.

These are great kids in these photos. All of them, such nice people. The guy who played guitar played a gorgeous version of this: http://youtu.be/BevojIEe03U not classical per se, but still Real Music, and most impressive.

I just read through the other Rest Is Noise thread - and, you never know, I just might forego some other things so I can get this thread going again... sigh... i miss it...

I'm moving to Dubbo to start a music commune.

I wish you luck.

Meaning you want no part of it.

Im so envious of your piano!

What about my fortissimo?

It's lovely to see people gather to play music at home! I used to go to a friend's in NYC who played the cello, her gf the violin, and I'd bang on the piano., very ladies of Llangollen we felt.

#31

Me toooo

Love these pictures! My sister has "chamber music parties" with her musician friends. They read through chamber music scores and have great food (her husband, who is a non-musician high school chemistry teacher, is quite the chef). I always love to visit them and get to hear the music. Also I love that beautiful piano. I used to rent one, then I moved in with C who has an upright that is slightly out of tune that nobody plays. I think a house without a piano cannot be a home.

> 32

EH, WHAT?! DID YOU SAY SOMETHING?

Very much like a music night at my house
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4oIFrdepba0&feature=related

I extended the mortgage on my house to get that piano. It wasn't a lightly made purchase, but I've never regretted it once. It's the love of my life :)

I agree, Anna, only I think a house also needs a cat (mine's on my profile page).

Por, you started me off, and now the risk is that I'll die laughing http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LhmnOpoGAPw&feature=related

Choco, what make is it?

Kawai RX2. ♥♥♥♥

I got it second hand at a good quality piano store's annual sale. It has the 'little old lady story' adapted for piano - the previous owners had it for decoration in their schmancy mansion, then sold it back to the same sellers 12 years later. The state of the piano backs up the story - when I first got it it played like new.

terrific :)

whoa you're here in the room! See addition ^^

Muse you can relax - I have found a music teacher.

Really? Tell us more!

I went to the Guggenheim museum at Bilbao (Spain) to see the David Hockney exhibition "A bigger Picture" with my friend who is an artist and who plays the trombone and I casually mentioned I might like to learn to play a musical instrument

"I'll teach you he said" "What do you want to play"

We then fell to talking about a likely instrument on which I might learn

Jamie said that saxophones were easy to play and he thought he might be able to lay his hands on an old baritone saxophone especially as he thought that "Bas on the baritone" had a nice ring to it.

I rather fancy learning to play the flute and have been checking out some options on ebay

Awesome!!!!!!!!!!! I believe the flute and the saxophone have very similar fingering, only, obviously, one's horizontal and the other vertical. Do tell me how you go.

I hope you are all aware that the incredible and fabulous saxophone was invented in Belgium by a Belgian named Adolphe Sax.

( Just not to have any misunderstanding about this )

Yes but where was the incredible and fabulous bas invented?

Another famous Belgian, I don't believe it.

Thank you Mac! They just couldn't all be fictional characters (Poirot, the Smurfs, Tintin). I was starting to believe that Belgium was a fictional place. After some digging I found that Henry Ford was half-Belgian, the concept of the Big Bang Theory came from a Belgian named Lemaître and the co-inventor of the world wide web was another Belgian named Cailliau. They are all Walloons. The Flemish had their moment of glory during the middle-ages and are perhaps still recovering. Having said that, Vermont is older than Belgium and not much bigger, yet they have no famous people whatsoever. So, all in all, good job Adolph Sax.

Belgium rocks!

Jacques Brel. That is all.

Vermont only has a 10th of B's population, so I don't know why I'm being mean about them. Probably because Ben & Jerry discontinued my favourite ice cream flavour. I should have been mean about the Greeks as they haven't had anyone famous since before Christ, except for Kazantzakis, who is of course famous for writing about JC. These days the entire country is famous for perfecting the art of off-balance sheet accounting.

And yes, there was Jacques Brel! + it turns out that one of my favourite film directors is also Belgian: Jaco Van Dormael. tomcat may be right... Belgium does rock (a little).

Greeks: Bouboulina, for one

Cavafy
Seferis
Barbarossa (II)
Eamelas
Klephtokrates

omg don't get me started on the greeks. where's sam?

Isabelle, please don't forget that Belgium is the homeland of the immortal genius:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oJ1oCszRktE

anyone who talks about his Chihuahua's penis in an interview has got to be an all round jolly decent chap.

http://www.guardian.co.uk/film/2012/aug/10/van-damme-expendables-2

ha ha ha ah aha ha aha ha ha a ahaha ah

I bought a tenor saxophone today, found one in the local secondhand listings, I will try and blow through it tomorrow.

This is quick action, baswood: I am impressed. Do you anticipate your first gig before the end of the year?

Bas, oddly you blow in the closed end.

Bas, how are the saxophone lessons going, three months on?

I picked the book back up today, making no promises and it'll probably always be spasmodic, but we'll see. I finished the Invisible Men chapter anyway...

First, recapping where we left off, here's a copied post from the previous thread:

Chapter 1 was the last of the Old Germans - Strauss and Mahler mainly.
Chapter 2 covered Europe from around 1900 to WW1, including the anti-Germanic in Paris (Debussy and Satie); and Shoenberg and the Second Viennese School.
Chapter 3 was mainly Stravinsky, with a nod to Bartok, Ravel and Janacek.

We've been discussing part of Chapter 4 already, namely Will Marion Cook, Charles Ives, Carl Ruggles, Edgard Varèse, and Gershwin.

Will Marion Cook was the bloke who sat on top of a mountain and dreamed of a 'black Beethoven', playing in Carnegie Hall. A probably apocryphal anecdote is that a critic acclaimed Cook as "the world's greatest Negro violinist" after which Cook went up to him, smashed his violin down in front of him and said, "I am not the world's greatest Negro violinist! I am the greatest violinist in the world!" But it was a losing battle. Most aspiring African American composers turned from classical to popular music - according to Ross, 'first out of frustration, then out of ambition, finally out of pride'.

Ives, Ruggles, Varèse - all macho white men who 'took their dissonance like a man'.

Gerswhin has been well covered in the posts above and needs no introduction anyway. Ross gives a brief musical analysis of Rhapsody in Blue, and the intro to Porgy and Bess, illustrating Gershwin's amazing use of Berg-like modernism combined with jazz. http://youtu.be/UVS3XEXOFGU (this clip contains the version of Summertime which moves me the most out of any I've heard)

Music is starting to get political in a way that goes beyond the music itself - maybe for the first time? Gershwin melds 'high' art with 'low', and 'white' music with 'black', and the critics don't know what to make of it, Porgy in particular utterly confuses them. (even in recent decades, Peter Sculthorpe has composed didgeridoo concertos and the like, which, though necessary and brilliantly done, still seem a little forced. This melding of musical culture ain't as easy as summertime livin').

The chapter ends with Duke Ellington, whose 'melding' was probably the most successful as far as melding goes, maybe because he was too genuinely cool to let trying hard get in the way :)

It don't mean a thing: http://youtu.be/qDQpZT3GhDg
Black and tan fantasy (jazz art movie apparently featuring the Duke himself): http://youtu.be/oy4CL2L0ono

'In an interview, Ellington pointed out a discord in one of his latest compositions. "That's the Negro's life," he said. "Hear that chord!" Ellington played it again. "That's us. Dissonance is our way of life in America. We are something apart, yet an integral part."'

In 1943, Ellington and his band played Black, Brown and Beige in Carnegie Hall, fulfilling Will Marion Cook's old dream. But Ellington could take it or leave it. In response to a critic, Ellington said, "I was struck by Mr Sargeant's concluding statement, that given a chance to study, the Negro would soon turn from boogie woogie to Beethoven. Maybe so, but what a shame!"

I'm still here, happily accepting your no promises and whatever comes of it.

Neither here nor there: thinking of Down Under, now it's the holiday season and the winds turn cold here in Chicago, can't help recall an old x-mal deutschland instrumental "Xmass in Australia". Will have to break out the vinyl when I get home.

#59 Muse - Well the best thing about the saxophone is the sheer joy I get from fooling around with it.

Lessons are informal affairs with a friend who is a jazz musician. We hang out with a few beers and he talks music, teaches me scales and a few tunes. He is encouraging me to memorise scales and tunes so that I will get in the habit of being able to improvise. I can play a few tunes now and I am able to pick out tunes from sheet music. It is tremendously satisfying to learn a new tune - it feels like a kind of magic.

Glad your back on track with The Rest is Noise. I am going to start reading again from the beginning and have all that wonderful stuff on thread #1 to mull over.

I need to actually get this book. I have so enjoyed the threads. So happy that bas is enjoying his sax! I feel similarly about the folk harp.

I have to find this book again. I had it on the boat over the summer, and who knows what I did with all of the stuff I brought home. Most of what you mentioned, CM, sounds familiar. Maybe I won't have to reread all of it.

Bach emerges from trash, this is amazing: http://vimeo.com/52711779

split the stick and there is . . .