One hit wonders

[pastoralguy]

Two reasons perhaps. Firstly, an assumption that "everyone knows" doesn't play well to inclusivity/non elitist agenda. Secondly, and perhaps more useful, is to have a reminder, at the time, of the difference between the well known one and other works that appear in the programme, to support whatever information is supplied by D McD?

As a teenager, I always remember hearing Patricia Hughes say ‘Well, I need hardly tell you that what you just heard was the Intermezzo from Cavalleria Rusticana by Mascagni’ which was fine except that I’d never heard it before!

[oliver sudden]

As a teenager, I always remember hearing Patricia Hughes say ‘Well, I need hardly tell you that what you just heard was the Intermezzo from Cavalleria Rusticana by Mascagni’ which was fine except that I’d never heard it before!

I am 53 and know a tune or two, and have indeed certainly heard the said Intermezzo once or twice but I have zero aural memory of it, or of any of Cav or Pag except ‘vesti la giubba’. So she would have needed to tell me too.

[mikealdren]

Get to know them there are some great numbers in there.

[Barbirollians]

I am 53 and know a tune or two, and have indeed certainly heard the said Intermezzo once or twice but I have zero aural memory of it, or of any of Cav or Pag except ‘vesti la giubba’. So she would have needed to tell me too.

What not even the Easter Hymn from Cav ?

[oliver sudden]

What not even the Easter Hymn from Cav ?

Nope!

[Barbirollians]

[smittims]

One can hardly escapethe Intermezzo. Herbert recorded it at least three times and it often turns up as a fill-up item on discs. I have several recordings without ever actually wanting to buy it!

[MickyD]

Just suddenly thought of Widor whose most famous piece frequently gets played at weddings. Is the rest of his music worth a listen?

[Master Jacques]

Cavalleria rusticana remains one of the five or six most influential operas ever written - its historical and aesthetic importance can hardly be exaggerated, despite its (few) musical flaws.

It opens the floodgates to Puccini and verismo, and lies behind the 20th century's operatic valorisation of women, the underclasses and people at society's margins. The score is superb. Mascagni's misfortune was, that although he was later able to write several operas full of intelligent interest, some of them frankly experimental, he never again hit the emotional nail so squarely on the head.

In my opinion, it is one of only a few genuinely epochal pieces of music that everyone who calls themselves musically literate ought to get to know. For every reason. It's only the timeworn British prejudice against opera which stops so many of us from understanding this.

In contrast, Pagliacci is a well-made, brilliantly calculated 'ersatz' piece. It's effective and entertaining, but nothing like so rich culturally.

[cloughie]

One can hardly escapethe Intermezzo. Herbert recorded it at least three times and it often turns up as a fill-up item on discs. I have several recordings without ever actually wanting to buy it!

His DGG recording from 1968 exemplifies the smooth BPO Karajan style.
SLPM 139031 OPERA INTERMEZZI

It includes Schmidt’s Notre Dame Intermezzo.

[mopsus]

Just suddenly thought of Widor whose most famous piece frequently gets played at weddings. Is the rest of his music worth a listen?

He's one of those composers much better known to organists than to the rest of us. As well as organ music there are choral pieces. A choir I used to sing with, Priory Voices, had his Mass for Double Choir in its repertoire and performed it on Cathedral visits; it was fun to sing - and I hope to listen to - but not very memorable.

[MickyD]

Which presumably explains why we only ever hear that one piece!

[MickyD]

Some baroque composers suffer, too... think of Daquin's 'Le Coucou', or more frequently the opening of Charpentier's Te Deum. At least the latter composer has had many good recordings made of his works, but his popularity remains with that opening fanfare.

[Roger Webb]

Which presumably explains why we only ever hear that one piece!

Shame about Widor as he wrote some very good pieces for piano and strings, incl. Piano Trio Op 19....Piano Quartet Op 66....and two Piano Quintets, Op 7 and Op 68.

[Roslynmuse]

Shame about Widor as he wrote some very good pieces for piano and strings, incl. Piano Trio Op 19....Piano Quartet Op 66....and two Piano Quintets, Op 7 and Op 68.

There's a very attractive Suite for flute and piano too - typically French and none the worse for that. Memorable.