Klarinet Archive - Posting 000120.txt from 2006/09

From: Sean Osborn <feanor33@-----.net>
Subj: [kl] "best" concerto
Date: Tue, 12 Sep 2006 12:23:45 -0400

Wayne,

Well, when I say I think something is better than something else, it's my
assessment only of what I think makes music better.

I think a piece succeeds when it communicates it's ideas, and has very
little "extra": no filler or fat on it. A good example of that is "Die
Walkure" - great sections of thrilling action or melody, but then you have
20 minutes of people standing around talking, like Act II, Scene II -
BORING. On the other hand, "Gotterdammerung", another operatic masterpiece
in my opinion, is gripping from beginning to end. Even when they're
standing around talking in Act I, there is always this tension of Hagen's
scheming. The music is also better - less derivative, and takes you more
directly to new heights of emotion.

It is in this way that I think Nielsen is the best concerto: because it
communicates so directly, effectively, and emotionally a huge range of
feelings. It takes you on a vast emotional roller-coaster, with no filler,
in a way that I can't even imagine being better. I have to say that I like
the tunes of his Flute Concerto better - they're more pleasing to the ear
than "Do-wop Doooo, Do-wop Dooo" from the Cl. Con., but our concerto is
much more emotional.

The Mozart certainly succeeds at what it's doing, again with very little
filler (I think there's a tiny bit in the first movement). And it is the
apotheosis of Classical style from it's large structure right down to it's
motivic genius.

Of course, some of what we prefer is related to our assesments of what we
think is either good or bad. And some of "fashion" or modern relevance
makes that have either more or less weight. I see the Nielsen as a little
more relevant to modern life, with its depictions of a wide range of
suddenly-changing emotions, than the Mozart which is mostly pleasant and
elegant, even when delving darker feelings.

But, it's a hard thing to assess. I'd be curious what the rest of you think.

BTW, if you're interested in some operatic masterpieces, a short list some
colleagues and I put together at the Met was:

Figaro
Gotterdammerung
La Boheme
Othello
Elektra
Wozzek

with some runners up

Tosca
Peter Grimes
Falstaff
Rosenkavalier
Parsifal
Cosi Fan Tutti

Cheers,

Sean

>Sean,
>I'm interested to see your list of important
>concertos. But I understand Dan's difficulty with
>putting the label of best or better on any of them. I
>am one of the less musically trained people on here,
>though I know what I like. :) I like the Mozart a
>lot. I like the Neilsen a lot. And now, thanks to
>your posting, I like Gnarly Buttons a lot. Can you
>define better your criteria? If it's something hard
>to define, I still appreciate seeing your list.
>
>Wayne Thompson

www.osbornmusic.com

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