Alphabet associations - I

[mercia]

the premiere of Elektra was conducted by Ernst von Shuh whom google reckons went under the name of Willi. He also wrote a biography of Strauss and premiered quite a few operas.

I don't know why wikipedia insists on calling him Ernst von Shuh, everywhere else he is Willi.

not sure about these "first six" who "have to switch" - I wondered if it was anything to do with the Elektra Records label. wikipedia says that in the score of Strauss's opera a sub-division of the violas (six in number ???? ) unusually have to double as a fourth violin section.

UPDATE - well another website I've found says it is definitely six violas doing the switching to violin

funnily enough that website also says the conductor was Ernst von Shuh

sorry, that's my best offer on the switching six. Am I the only person left playing this game ???

[Resurrection Man]

the premiere of Elektra was conducted by Ernst von Shuh whom google reckons went under the name of Willi. He also wrote a biography of Strauss and premiered quite a few operas.

I don't know why wikipedia insists on calling him Ernst von Shuh, everywhere else he is Willi.

That is because wiki is confusing Ernst (the conductor) with my man Willi Wirk (who has hardly a Google entry to his name) and Willi was the opera director at the first performance of Elektra in Dresden ...the one where Annie Krull sang.

There is something about the orchestral forces for Elektra that will yield the last one.

But more than happy to provide this final element if folks have had enough and to pass to mercs a well-earned F

[mercia]

you're up early RM - my last post has expanded to hopefully include the switching six

[mercia]

That is because wiki is confusing Ernst (the conductor) with my man Willi Wirk (who has hardly a Google entry to his name) and Willi was the opera director at the first performance of Elektra in Dresden

this is very confusing - if you google Willi Schuh there's at least one person who thinks that was the conductor's name
but there's also a music critic/author called Willi Schuh who seems to have written extensively about Strauss

EDIT - perhaps it's just me that is confused. I've now googled Willi Wirk and there are plenty of references to him as the director with Ernst von Schuh as conductor making wikipedia quite correct.

[mercia]

to summarise

Richard Strauss - Elektra
premiered 25/1/1909 at Dresden State Opera, directed by Willi Wirk, title role sung by Annie Krull

and the score requires six of the violas to double up as a fourth violin section

[mercia]

is this game sinking below the waves again ?


anyway, an F to link

Leptosia nina, Matthew 5:3-12 and a girls' choir conducted by Paul Bonneau

[hedgehog]

is this game sinking below the waves again ?


anyway, an F to link

Leptosia nina, Matthew 5:3-12 and a girls' choir conducted by Paul Bonneau

Keep bobbing about there in your lifeboat mercia, I'm impossibly busy up until Easter, Paul Bonneau's choir was Les Djinns? Can't see the connection to F, but it does give me the chance to quote from Bill Bryson's book Mother Tongue on the holorime:

The French, in accordance with their high regard of the cerebral, have long cultivated a love of wordplay. In the Middle Ages, they even had a post of Anagrammatist to the King.
One of the more clever French word games is the holorime, in which two lines of a poem are pronounced the same but use different words.
As you can see in the following example, sense often takes a backseat to euphony in these
contrivances:
Par le bois du Djinn, ou s’entasse de l’effroi,
Parle! Bois du gin, ou cent tasses de lait froid!

It translates roughly as ‘ When going through the Djinn’s woods, surrounded by so much fear, keep talking. Drink gin or a hundred cups of cold milk.’



Edit: spelling blackout

[mercia]

Paul Bonneau's choir was Les Ginns

or even Les Djinns the name of a musical composition ?

I like your holorime

[hedgehog]

OMG I wrote Ginns! Shows how stressed I am at the moment. Ok Les Djinns is by César Franck, so that is probably the F.

But I have to go now and I'll be busy until early evening.......

[JFLL]

this is very confusing - if you google Willi Schuh there's at least one person who thinks that was the conductor's name
but there's also a music critic/author called Willi Schuh who seems to have written extensively about Strauss

EDIT - perhaps it's just me that is confused. I've now googled Willi Wirk and there are plenty of references to him as the director with Ernst von Schuh as conductor making wikipedia quite correct.

Just going back to the Elektra conundrum (can't keep up with you early risers ) this book says the premiere was 'under the direction of' (which I mistakenly took to mean 'conducted by') Willi Schuh:

http://books.google.co.uk/books?id=83JE6sEFP9cC&pg=PA83&lpg=PA83&dq=%22willi+schuh%22+elektra&source=bl&ots=U794oORJQY&sig=BEYFqH64tY_V2yGGCxrfd9CWvGY&hl=en&sa=X&ei=yShMUcrmC4i0PKjmgZAM&ved=0CCQQ6AEwAA#v=onepage&q=%22willi%20schuh%22%20elektra&f=false

I'd actually got as far as this last night, but then I found a website saying the conductor was Ernst von Schuch (note different spelling):

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ernst_von_schuch

So I concluded that the book had mixed him up with the much younger Willi Schuh, the musicologist you mention who was also later involved with Strauss! Devilishly confusing clue, RM.

[mercia]

Ernst von Schuch (note different spelling)

oh yes, JFLL, I clearly hadn't noticed that difference in spelling I'm afraid I got in a complete muddle

[Resurrection Man]

.....Devilishly confusing clue, RM.

Thank you for that I do try!

It does help that my local library allows me online access to Groves and the suite of Oxford Music reference books. Yours might do as well. There, my secret is out.

[mercia]

Les Djinns is by César Franck, so that is probably the F.

Franck is indeed the F - so that's one down, two to go

[amateur51]

Leptosia wasserface is also known as Psyché, another piece by Squeezer Franck

[mercia]

Leptosia wasserface is also known as Psyché, another piece by Squeezer Franck

beautifully put - bless you