OUR WORLD

Tuesday, February 23, 2010

ZARATHUSTRA`S MAJESTIC OPENING

THE LEGENDARY LEAFLET OF THE DEUTCHE GRAMMOPHON.
It contains a NASA PHOTO OF THE SUN EMERGING RIGHT BEHIND THE EARTH
It took me a lifetime to be able to watch the orchestra performing Zarathustra.One should really watch this majestic opening with full orchestra.
My first experience was the DEUTCHE GRAMMOPHON LASERDISC with Karajan and the Berlin Philharmonick.The sound is perfect but Karajan`s insistence to have the cameras close up with the performers and conductor,gives a very poor activity picture of what is going on as regards the orchestra as a group ,or as a unique sound organisation.Karajan has masde two films with this work.Both contain the same mistakes,REGARDING THE DIRECTION OF CAMERAS!!!!!!!!!!!!
I CAN UNDERSTAND HIM THOUGH AS I CAN UNDERSTAND HIS REFUSAL TO HAVE SUBTITLES TO THE OPERAS HE FILMED.

Saturday, February 20, 2010

THE 3 SYMBOLS OF ZARATHUSTRA THREE NOTES FROM STRAUSS

The majestic opening of the work has been characterised as a poetic evolution of the sun!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!After the bouble basses and organ introduce us to the dark dawn of the day with their C (Do ) which is the lowest sound an instrument can play,three notes bring us to the fanfare of the Sun`s evolution!
As with Tod und Verklarung, mystery here in this work as well!!!!!!!!Strauss did not agree with NIETZCHE`S solution ?

World riddle theme

There are two viewpoints about the World riddle theme (a particular sequence of notes in the melody). Some sources denote the fifth/octave intervals (C-G-C (8va)) as the World riddle motif.[2] However, other sources refer to the 2 conflicting keys in the final section as representing the World riddle (C-G-C B-F-B (8va)), with the unresolved harmonic progression being an unfinished or unsolved riddle: the melody does not conclude with a clearly defined tonic note as being either C or B, hence it is unfinished.[2] The ending of the composition has been described:[2]

But the riddle is not solved. The tone-poem ends enigmatically in two keys, the Nature-motif plucked softly, by the basses in its original key of C—and above the woodwinds, in the key of B major. The unsolvable end of the universe: for Strauss was not pacified by Nietzsche's solution.[2]

Neither C major nor B major is established as the tonic at the end of the composition.

WHEN Zarathustra was thirty years old, he left his home and the lake of his home, and went into the mountains. There he enjoyed his spirit and his solitude, and for ten years did not weary of it. But finally he had a change of heart - and rising one morning with the dawn, he went before the sun, and spoke thus to it: "Oh great star! What would your happiness be if you did not have us to shine for? "For ten years you have climbed here to my cave: you would have become weary of shining and of the journey, had it not been for me, my eagle, and my serpent. "But we waited for you every morning, took from you your overflow, and blessed you for it. "Behold! I am weary of my wisdom, like the bee that has gathered too much honey; I need hands outstretched to take it from me. I wish to spread it and bestow it, until the wise have once more become joyous in their folly, and the poor happy in their riches. "For that I must descend into the depths, as you do in the evening when you go below the sea and bring light also to the underworld, you superabundant star! "Like you, I must descend - as the men, to whom I shall go, call it. "So bless me then, you tranquil eye that can behold even the greatest happiness without envy! "Bless the cup that is about to overflow, that the water may flow golden out of it, and carry everywhere the reflection of your bliss! "Behold! This cup wants to become empty again, and Zarathustra wants to be a man again. Thus began Zarathustra's descent.

THE ORGIASTIC NIGHT WANDERER`S DANCE IN ZARATHUSTRA

THE NIGHT WANDERER
THUS SPAKE ZARATHUSTRA!!!!!!!!!!!!! OP.30
RICHARD STRAUSS
TONE POEM FOR LARGE ORCHESTRA
THE PARTS (TITLES IN THE SCORE)
OFF THE BACKWOODSMEN
OF THE GREAT LONGING
OF THE JOYS AND PASSIONS
THE DIRGE
OF SCIENCE
THE CONVALESCENT
THE DANCE SONG
THE NIGHT WANDERER`S SONG

Tuesday, February 16, 2010

ALSO SPRACH ZARATHUSTRA RICHARD STRAUSS AFTER FR.NIETZCHE

O man, take care! What does the deep midnight declare? "I was asleep— From a deep dream I woke and swear:— The world is deep, Deeper than day had been aware. Deep is its woe— Joy—deeper yet than agony: Woe implores: Go! But all joy wants eternity— Wants deep, wants deep eternity."

Saturday, February 13, 2010

RESEMLBANCE WITH DON QUIXOTE ON THE TOD UND VERKLARUNG

THE FAMOUS 1972-1973 VYNIL SET WITH KARAJAN AND THE BERLIN PHILHARMONIC PLAYING THE SYMPHONIC POEMS OF RICHARD STRAUSS.
THE SOUND THAT COMES OUT FROM THIS RECORDING IS MUCH BETTER THAN THE CD EDITION!!!!

Wednesday, February 10, 2010

RICHARD STRAUSS TRACES OF METAPHYSICS IN DEATH AND TRANSFIGURATION

Was STRAUSS`ES music influenced by metaphysical worries?????It is a known fact that Dr.Srauss had studied philosophy in the university and also the time of the composition he called DEATH AND TRANSFIGURATION was right after his university studies.He was either trying to prove to the world what was he able to do in this field,or he was studying the problem of the soul`s existence after death.Whatever moved him to that it is an unparalleled piece of music,with strong contrasts as regards the distribution of forces to the orchestra,with rich massive sounds,creating a rewarding and mysterious atmosphere!

DEATH AND TRANSFIGURATION RICHARD STRAUSS .....NEW EXPLANATIONS,VIEWS AND IDEAS

This painting of Salvator Dali shows an optical interpretation of the poem`s beggining! According to the masters indications , the FIRST piece , LARGO, is named the ailing man is dying! It is a fascinating piece of smooth orchestral music beautiful to it`s entirety,the smoothness of the violins is enriched with a magic flute playing ,which has no similarity to whatever i have listened before in my life!!!!!!!
We know that the work was completed at 1889.He was 29 years old then and at this age, you do not think of death!!!! May be the tranquility music is a NEW BEGINNING the implementation of ideas for the long road,the liberation of the mind from uncertainty.Whatever was on his mind then will remain the privilege of the genius to interprete and reveal!
THIS IS THE FAMOUS LASERDISC .PUBLISHED BY SONY AS PART OF THE KARAJAN`S LEGACY COLLECTION.THE FILM WAS SHOT BACK IN 1984 AND IT APPEARED AS A LASEDISC 1990.IT INCLUDES THE ALL SOUL`S DAY CONCERT PERFORMED IN THE BERLIN PHILHARMONIC HALL IN 1984!
Τhe work has been presented by Richard Strauss himself on 1990 at Eisenach Festival.This was the premiere!Strauss also conducted it on his first visit in London
We do not know the reaction to the poem,but it is a really mysterious music and it seems that together with the FOUR LAST SONGS it has been a favourite for the composser

Saturday, February 6, 2010

TOD UND VERKLARUNG HERBERT VON KARAJAN THE BELIN PHILHARMONIC ORCHESTRA

BERLINER PHILHARMONIKER
RICHARD STRAUSS
TOD UND VERKLARUNG
TONE POEM FOR LARGE ORCHESTRA OP.24
REVIEW
It is rather hard to believe that this tall and serious man with the moustache,was the Zarathustra,Don juan,Don Quixote and finally the flying superman on the very top af Alpes!!!!!!!!!
Many rumours and suggestions exist for his preliminary compositions and his style being rather close to SCHUMAN than Wagner!
He had been a brilliant conductor as well as a composer
quite opposite to Mahler,he used to care about precision and discipline more than gestures and feeding the musicians with notes,as Mahler did!!!!!!!!
The tone poems of Dr.Strauss was a project for Karajan ,which he completed on 1972.Then we saw a full set of vinyl discs with the german title TONDTICHTUNGEN!!!!!!!!!.The recordings were breathtaking,with clarity and power!!!!!!!!!!!!!!The reading of the great maestro was accurate,precise and faithfull to the way the composer indicated on the notes!
Strauss once attended a performance of ELEKTRA WITH KARAJAN ON THE PODIUM!!!!ON THE FIRST NOTES HE STOOD UP AND SHOUTED......BRAVO!!!!!!!!!!

RICHARD STRAUSS 1864-1949 TOD UND VERKLARUNG DEATH AND TRANSFIGURATION TONE POEM OP. 24

RICHARD STRAUSS
Richard Strauss was o leading German composer of the late romantic and early modern era!
A truly strange man he had it all opposite from the beginning.
For instance he studied philosophy in the university ,but not music!!!!!!!It seems that he had passed some mocking remarks about the score of Tristan und Isolde of Wagner,something which later he corrected saying he regretted deeply about these comments!
To my opinion he was deeply influenced by Wagner`s music and one can hear his operas to feel it instantly!!!!!!!!!
A very strange person indeed, he seemed to suffer, after having been married to a bossy wife.An ex -soprano ill eccentric but it seems they had a happy life together! All the roles and all the characters of his operas ,were based on the soprano voice!
In this post we shall not referee to the famous operas of the composer but to the TONDICHTUNGEN OR SYMPHONY POEMS.OR TONE POEMS AS RICHARD STRAUSS PREFERED.