What's in a name?

[gradus]

Some pieces seem disadvantaged by their composers choice of title. For example Schumann chose to call two of his greatest piano works Humoreske and Novelettes - both are imv amongst the finest things he wrote but you'll have a long wait if you want to hear either in recital, in the case of the Novelettes, you probably never will. I wonder if more appealing titles would have made a difference?

[amateur51]

Some pieces seem disadvantaged by their composers choice of title. For example Schumann chose to call two of his greatest piano works Humoreske and Novelettes - both are imv amongst the finest things he wrote but you'll have a long wait if you want to hear either in recital, in the case of the Novelettes, you probably never will. I wonder if more appealing titles would have made a difference?

In his later years, Mieczysław Horszowski used to programme Schumann's Humoreske quite often and I always felt a little disappointed until I heard it when all was revealed

What about the same composer's Faschingswank Aus Wien?

[LeMartinPecheur]

gradus/ am51: a few weeks ago my local chamber music society programmed the complete Humoreske, at the selection of the pianist Aleksandar Madzar. Many of the audience really wished we hadn't! My impression was that the whole was substantially less than the sum of its parts: a suite of unconnected but formally very similar miniatures that would (with the exception of the last) have made nice encores or perhaps a short group with 2 or 3 together.

But 8 of them totalling some 50 mins - no thank you! And the finale: another similar miniature in essence, but to try and make it sound like a finale subjected to interminable repetitions at greater and greater volumes, all to very little purpose

We of the programming committee have now resolved to look very carefully into any future artist offer to play a Schumann piano work that doesn't get out much

I look forward to your telling me why we're all wrong

[Richard Tarleton]

I wish the eponymous heroine of one of my favourite operas, La Wally, was called something else....

A popular potato snack in Spain in the 1970s and 1980s - a sort of cheese puff - was called BUMS. Sadly NLA.

[kernelbogey]

What about the same composer's Faschingswank Aus Wien?

Well, what about it? It's actually Faschingsschwank aus Wien - at the risk of spoiling the joke with pedantry.

Composers must mostly have scarcely given the title of a work much thought - and hardly ever, I'd guess, What will people make of this in 200 years' time?

[gradus]

Dear LMP, I'm afraid my love of Humoreske doesn't hinge on explanations of why I like what you dislike - its entirely personal and well beyond my powers of advocacy to know how to persuade you to change your mind. Perhaps the fine recorded performance by Radu Lupu might do it, who knows?
One thought however, I do hope that Mr Madzar's selection of Humoreske hasn't forfeited his future recital opportunities with you.
G

[kernelbogey]

The prize for the classic gallumphing name for a rather jolly piece must go to Hindemith: Symphonic Metamorphosis of Themes by Carl Maria von Weber. I don't think I've heard it on R3 in a long time.

[vinteuil]

The prize for the classic gallumphing name for a rather jolly piece must go to Hindemith: Symphonic Metamorphosis of Themes by Carl Maria von Weber. I don't think I've heard it on R3 in a long time.

... also his imperishable - "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"

[Serial_Apologist]

Erik Satie's "Pieces Froides" would be an unfortunate title, were it not totally appropriate to the pieces in question.

[Panjandrum]

gradus/ am51: a few weeks ago my local chamber music society programmed the complete Humoreske, at the selection of the pianist Aleksandar Madzar. Many of the audience really wished we hadn't! My impression was that the whole was substantially less than the sum of its parts: a suite of unconnected but formally very similar miniatures that would (with the exception of the last) have made nice encores or perhaps a short group with 2 or 3 together.

But 8 of them totalling some 50 mins - no thank you!

If the performance took 50 minutes I'm not surprised at the reaction. 25-30 mins is the norm. Try Lupu and you will see why Humoreske is so universally admired.

[LeMartinPecheur]

If the performance took 50 minutes I'm not surprised at the reaction. 25-30 mins is the norm. Try Lupu and you will see why Humoreske is so universally admired.

Oh Burger/ Berger, I meant the Noveletten, not the Humoreske!! Don't know the H's very well but they certainly don't bring me up in a rash like the N's. My description - c50 mins, 8 pieces, the last one much longer and noisier - should now better sense - sorry.

[LeMartinPecheur]

Dear LMP, I'm afraid my love of Humoreske doesn't hinge on explanations of why I like what you dislike - its entirely personal and well beyond my powers of advocacy to know how to persuade you to change your mind. Perhaps the fine recorded performance by Radu Lupu might do it, who knows?
One thought however, I do hope that Mr Madzar's selection of Humoreske hasn't forfeited his future recital opportunities with you.
G

gradus: see my last post for much-needed correction re the work involved. As for Mr Madzar, all of us Beckmessers who communed over a stiff interval drink after the Novelettes agreed it was the work not the pianist, and he really gave us a 2nd half to remember (sc. to remember for positive reasons): a couple of Scarlatti sonatas and a really excellent Waldstein, with Chopin Impromptu No. 1 as an encore. We might well book him again under rather closer supervision of his programme!

[Boilk]

The prize for the classic gallumphing name for a rather jolly piece must go to Hindemith: Symphonic Metamorphosis of Themes by Carl Maria von Weber.

Closely followed by Rubbra's Improvisations on Virginal Pieces by Giles Farnaby. Luckily all the music is precisely notated, taking out most of the guesswork for conductor and improvisers.

Sometimes a piece is so insanely monikered, that the title is something of an accomplishment in itself, such as Nyman's big-boned 1983 orchestral work: A Handsom, Smooth, Sweet Smart Clever Stroke: Or Else Play Not At All. Unfortunately this incendiary piece (the best MN I've yet heard) lived up to its name and was withdrawn by the composer.