10 Funniest Classical Music spoofs

[jean]

I don't think you can beat the Hoffnung ones

This letter confirms what I had thought, but had no evidence for - that (as so often) Liverpool got there first:

As a Liverpudlian teenager in the 1950s, when most concertgoers still wore suits, I was both amazed and amused, and my serious view of "classical" music forever overturned for the better by Fritz Spiegl's hilarious April Fool's Concerts with his Liverpool Music Group...In 1956, one of the performers was Gerard Hoffnung, who copied Spiegl's concept at Royal Festival Hall with his Hoffnung music festival concerts.

[Mary Chambers]

Does anyone remember (Mary?) Fritz Spiegl's April Fool concerts in Liverpool in the 1950s?

Yes, I do remember them, but I think my memories are now mixed up with memories of the Hoffnung concerts. I remember them being talked about a lot rather than what they actually consisted of. Fritz Spiegl was always an irreverent live wire - his book 'Music Through The Looking-glass' (Spiegel - get it?) is one of my favourites.

[jean]

I do remember some pieces quite well - especially this one, recalled by someone involved:

I recall one particular favourite of mine. Fritz would give a serious, even pompous introduction about the relatively unknown, younger brother of Jacques Ibert (1890-1962), Edouard, known as 'Ted'. After some pseudo-musicological waffle, he would introduce Edouard Ibert's Divertissement. The contra-bassoon would then embark upon a splendid rendition of Ted Ibert's Picnic beneath an accompaniment of strings, most of whom were elbow-clutching their sides or trying not to splash tears onto their varnish.

Anthony Hopkins, of R3's Talking about Music, was usually involved - a fine musicologist and a very funny man.

[jean]

Have we had these on this thread yet?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GHDXn2RW2E8

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U1gbAJ2soII

The second is George Malcolm's own composition, I think.

[Chris Newman]

We must not forget Poitr Zak's Mobile for Tape and Percussion broadcast on the BBC Third Programme on June 5th 1961. It was slotted into a broadcast concert of avant-garde music. The percussionists were 'Claude Tessier' and 'Anton Schmidt' although it was later discovered that they were really Hans Keller and Susan Bradshaw who made it up as they went along.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6maWI85kSxU

[moeranbiogman]

Danny Kaye unsurpassed in 'The Little Fiddle'

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DWBPGkXntB0&feature=related

[LeMartinPecheur]

Reizenstein has had some mentions already, mainly for Hoffnung Fetival works, but if you don't already know it, seek out his Variations on The Lambeth Walk in the styles of Chopin, Verdi, Beethoven, Mozart, Schubert, Wagner and Liszt - it is absolutely superb. It used to be available on a Continuum CD (CCD1007) played by Philip Martin.

Don't think anyone has picked out the 3rd Hoffnung Festival's Leonora No 4 Overture so far so I will. It's quite obviously far and away the best of the 5 known overtures for Leonora/Fidelio.

My LP gives the credit for it entirely to LvB himself, but I don't believe Grove feels sufficiently confident of this to list it. I've often wondered if one of the Richards (Wagner or Strauss), dissatisfied with the 4 LvB preliminary studies, lent an unobtrusive hand to complete a composer's sketch Can anyone clarify?

[Chris Newman]

I have just remembered Paul Hindemith's String Quartet arrangement of Wagner's Overture to The Flying Dutchman
"As played at sight by a second-rate Concert Orchestra at the Village Well at 7 o'clock in the morning".

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Kok-dZbOqUg

Played by String Quartet: Thomas Timm, Romano Tommasini, Wolfgang Talirz, Tatjana Vassiljewa

[mercia]

not exactly spoofs I guess, but I love them anyway

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m43h-LgN9zA

[mercia]

Peter Ustinov's 'Mock Mozart' and 'Phoney Folklore'

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OHfseN9nSVE&feature=related

[salymap]

Has anyone mentioned that Fritz Spiegl not only wrote many funny and serious articles but played first flute in the RLPO, then just the Liverpool PO and did one of the best Beecham take offs going, as did Hoffnung?

[Chris Newman]

Oh, Mercia,
Now you've started it. Marc-Andre Hamelin again:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dxXWIcMoYsg&feature=related

[makropulos]

Oh, Mercia,
Now you've started it. Marc-Andre Hamelin again:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dxXWI...eature=related

Thanks for a great find! Very amusing.

[Roslynmuse]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Xhkt3GJpg5E

Hope this hasn't been posted yet!

[davehsug]

These dear ladies seem to have been forgotten, possibly the best performance of the cat duet ever!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l9Qd8AzjrPg&feature=player_detailpage