With August comes another set of Intriguing Tunes– here is Volume 3!
“Mountain Songs: No 1. Barbara Allen” – Robert Beaser
This simple duo for flute and guitar comes from Robert Beaser, a contemporary American composer who has used many folk influences in his music and is very reminiscent of composer Lukas Foss. (I first found out about him through Beaser’s piece “The Heavenly Feast.”)
If you’re not familiar with the folk song, here is one version of the text. It’s a sad little tune.
In Scarlet town where I was born,
There was a fair maid dwellin’
Made every youth cry Well-a-day,
Her name was Barb’ra Allen.—
All in the merry month of May,
When green buds they were swellin’
Young Willie Grove on his death-bed lay,
For love of Barb’ra Allen.—
He sent his servant to her door
To the town where he was dwellin’
Haste ye come, to my master’s call,
If your name be be Barb’ra Allen.
You can read the rest here.
“Sieben Passions-Texte” – Wolfgang Rihm
Lately, I have been listening to a lot of Wolfgang Rihm, particularly his music for stings.
This piece comes from a choral work for 6 voices, composed between 2000 and 2006 that sets . The music is otherworldly and effervescent, with a sense of trepidation that can betray its sometimes transparent texture.
“Sing it as if it were old music,” Rihm explained, “then it will be clear that this isn’t what it is at all.”
“De Staat” – Louis Andriessen
The final Intriguing Tune isn’t a new discovery at all, but a staple of contemporary classical repertoire, premiered in 1976. This is the first movement of the 35′ work.
Here is what Adriessen said about the composition.
I wrote De Staat (The Republic) as a contribution to the debate about the relation of music to politics. Many composers view the act of composing as, somehow, above social conditioning. I contest that. How you arrange your musical material, the techniques you use and the instruments you score for, are largely determined by your own social circumstances and listening experience, and the availability of financial support. I do agree, though, that abstract musical material – pitch, duration and rhythm – are beyond social conditioning: it is found in nature. However, the moment the musical material is ordered it becomes culture and hence a social entity.
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I have used passages from Plato to illustrate these points. His text is politically controversial, if not downright negative: everyone can see the absurdity of Plato’s statement that the mixolydian mode should be banned as it would have a damaging influence on the development of character.
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My second reason for writing De Staat is a direct contradiction of the first: I deplore the fact that Plato was wrong. If only it were true that musical innovation could change the laws of the State!
The Daily Telegraph described the work this way: “Andriessen’s big boned, hectically minimalist political essay De Staat demonstrated that it is possible to adapt Stravinskian rhythmic material to wholly individual ends.”
Look for Intriguing Tunes, Vol. 4 in September.
