[net.music.classical] Arnold Schoenberg

amigo@iwpba.UUCP (amigo) (05/22/84)

After I said:
>	I remember once listening to a programme of Schoenberg's
>	music on the CBC radio (they played PERRIOT LUNAIRE, which
>	comes close to being my all time least favourite piece,
>	especially the section DER KRANKER MOND, which always makes
>	me feel nauseous), and the person introducing the pieces
>	said that "Schoenberg has always had a high regard among
>	the musical cognoscenti, but has never achieved any sort of
>	popular following;" with an unspoken, but obvious, "and I've 
>	always wondered why."  Well, I could have told him exactly why. 
>	During one piece (I forget which one) of serial music, I suddenly
>	had a flash of "He must have made a mistake, I could almost detect
>	a tune there for a few moments."

Jeff Winslow said:
>	You don't give yourself enough credit. When you thought you
>	detected a "tune" for a few moments, you were beginning to
>	understand what was going on. You should go back and expand
>	your understanding from that point.

I'm afraid that I did not express myself well there.  I was
listening to what seemed like almost a random series of notes,
(like monkeys pounding a typewriter) which appeared to form a melody
for a few moments.  I was sure that it was purely coincidental.

>	So, John, DER KRANKER MOND always makes you nauseous? It must be a
>	singularly effective piece of music then, since the title
>	translates (I believe) to THE SICK MOON (world?). Must be
>	something in this guy Arnold's stuff after all.

The title does translate as THE SICK MOON, and it does work, but
who wants to hear a piece whose overall effect is to create a
feeling of nausea?  I don't.


>	Well, I will break off now, and go and listen to Pachibel's
>	D MINOR CANON ... to soothe myself.

All right, I should have written Pachelbel's D MAJOR CANON.  Picky,
picky, picky.

			John Hobson
			AT&T Bell Labs--Naperville, IL
			ihnp4!iwpba!amigo