Music with Narratives

[edashtav]

Perséphone[/I], actually one of his most attractive pieces in other ways too I would say. As well as the spoken voice there's a tenor solo and a chorus (and some exquisite orchestration, especially the way the piano is used, sparsely but in a way which is central to defining the overall identity of the work).

Thanks for mentioning the Stravinsky - it's a work that I'd loved to hear live. I can't remember a concert-hall performance in this century. Ideal BBC Proms material - one for the new controller?

[Black Swan]

I trust that this is not some sly political point-scoring concerning the truly awful version narrated by Baroness Thatcher - it;s a cracker of the wrong sort

I haven't heard the Thatcher Lincoln Portrait but I am quite fond of this work if it is done well. There have been many good recordings along with the bad.

Of course for a laugh, I like The Carnival of the Animals narrated by Dame Edna Everage.

[Ferretfancy]

I think Ralph Richardson was on the LSO/Previn. It was Gielgud on the early Boult and that was under the composer's general supervision, so it would seem he might well have thought well of the verses being spoken. However, in Barbirolli's even earlier recording, they were not.

Thanks for the correction, I have both sets, and mixed them up -always check the shelves! I must listen again to the Previn, as I remember it the recording wasn't very spectacular. I don't think that his performance of the Pastoral has ever been bettered though, and his London Symphony is also very good. I've been very lucky, and a few years ago was able to gaze on Mount Erebus with the Antartica running through my mind.

[Suffolkcoastal]

Two Vaughan Williams that do have a part for narrator are A Song of Thanksgiving and An Oxford Elegy and in both cases they seem reasonably successful. One British work with narrator that really comes off IMV is Bliss's Morning Heroes a still very underrated work. Stravinsky's Persephone is one of my 'blind spot' pieces it is one of the very few Stravinsky works I just don't get on with and I find very dull. Another work with 'Speaker' is the Bernstein 'Kaddish Symphony' with its somewhat awkward words by Bernstein himself.

[Roehre]

..... Stravinsky's Persephone is one of my 'blind spot' pieces it is one of the very few Stravinsky works I just don't get on with and I find very dull. ....

That makes two of us.....

[Roehre]

Musical Narratives
Following on from the Blind Spots thread, which seems to have moved a long way off its original post, I wonder what members’ attitudes are to those narrations with music which surface from time to time.

Some examples:

“Peter and the Wolf”
“Carnival of the Animals”
“Young Person’s Guide to the Orchestra”
“Tubby the Tuba”
“Delilah the Sensitive Cow”
“The Seven Deadly Sins”
“Pierrot Lunaire”
“Façade”

The first three may be regarded as a useful introduction to musical appreciation for young people.

“Tubby the Tuba” (Danny Kaye) and “Delilah the Sensitive Cow” (Johnny Morris) may be regarded as lightweight entertainment for all.

Kurt Weill’s “Seven Deadly Sins”and Schoenberg’s “Pierrot Lunaire” may be regarded as entertainment for more mature listeners.

… and Walton’s “Façade” was written for the “smart set” and is now a bit dated.

For myself, I prefer to listen to the first three without the narration; the next two not at all and the final three works occasionally, provided that the narrator does not use them as an opportunity to show off (a certain well-known comedy film actress comes to mind).

Any “Blind Spots here?” Tell us what you think.

HS

great post HS

[Barbirollians]

I haven't heard the Thatcher Lincoln Portrait but I am quite fond of this work if it is done well. There have been many good recordings along with the bad.

Of course for a laugh, I like The Carnival of the Animals narrated by Dame Edna Everage.

My son loves Dame Edna's Peter and the Wolf narration.

[jayne lee wilson]

The problem with those pieces I do enjoy - Stravinsky's Persephone and - above all - Le Martyre de Saint Sebastien by Debussy - is that I love some of their gorgeous, sensuous music IN SPITE of the narration; I would rather have a printed text or synopsis before me than have to listen to that intrusive declamation telling me what to visualise, feel or think YET AGAIN... the music seems reduced rather than enriched by it.

Isn't the Aquarium from the Saint-Saens Carnival better if you DON'T know what it's supposed to be? Or the Swan, or the Elephant? Or perhaps more amusing to find out afterwards?

[Hornspieler]

The problem with those pieces I do enjoy - Stravinsky's Persephone and - above all - Le Martyre de Saint Sebastien by Debussy - is that I love some of their gorgeous, sensuous music IN SPITE of the narration; I would rather have a printed text or synopsis before me than have to listen to that intrusive declamation telling me what to visualise, feel or think YET AGAIN... the music seems reduced rather than enriched by it.

Isn't the Aquarium from the Saint-Saens Carnival better if you DON'T know what it's supposed to be? Or the Swan, or the Elephant? Or perhaps more amusing to find out afterwards?

Good post, Jayne. You've hit the nail right on the head. You may be interested to know that I had Cleo Laine come over to Belfast to take part in "Pierrot Lunaire" which was the main reason that I cited her as one of the World's greatest musicians on another thread. (But I did have printed copies of the text given to the audience, in case some had hearing difficulties.)

Welcome back to the forum, by the way. I hope this means an improvement in health.

HS

[MrGongGong]

Rzewski's Coming Together ?

Surely you mean Narration as opposed to Narratives ?

[Hornspieler]

Surely you mean Narration as opposed to Narratives ?

Take your pick, but I suppose that is a more accurate description.

HS

[Ferretfancy]

Nobody seems to have mentioned Poulenc's Elephant yet, I'm not surprised!

[Don Petter]

… and Walton’s “Façade” was written for the “smart set” and is now a bit dated.

Whoa! He who treads on my 'Facade' also treads on my heart!

Dated it may be, but I still find the imagery of Sitwell's poetry marvellous, bringing ever new associations with repeated readings or hearings. I wouldn't categorise Walton's work under 'Narration', though. It is just as much a musical setting of poetry as Dichterliebe and Heine, in its own way.

I agree it does need a completely straight performance by the speaker(s). Sitwell herself is hors de combat in her recordings.

[Don Petter]

A few more:

The Reluctant Dragon (Rutter)
Brother Heinrich's Christmas (Rutter)
The Wind in the Willows (Rutter)
The Gates of Greenham (Tony Biggin)
Cry of the Earth (Tony Biggin)

In that genre I'd add 'Meet My Folks' by Gordon Crosse, setting poems by Ted Hughes.

(Have you met my sister Jane? She's a great big crow! My Grandpa is an owler and Grandma knits jerseys for wasps! And my other Granny is an octopus ...)

There was a recording on LP, coupled with Crosse's 'Ahmet the Woodseller', but I don't think it's ever made it to CD.

[verismissimo]

Whoa! He who treads on my 'Facade' also treads on my heart!

Dated it may be, but I still find the imagery of Sitwell's poetry marvellous, bringing ever new associations with repeated readings or hearings. I wouldn't categorise Walton's work under 'Narration', though. It is just as much a musical setting of poetry as Dichterliebe and Heine, in its own way.

I agree it does need a completely straight performance by the speaker(s). Sitwell herself is hors de combat in her recordings.

For me the critical thing with Façade is that it must be delivered with the utmost seriousness. Dame Edith and P Pears manage this superbly. Some recent recordings (and performances) want to signal to us that it's funny. Totally, toe-curlingly disastrous.