Photos of Composers/other Musicians!

[Eine Alpensinfonie]

I haven't been able to find a photo of the specific Shofar used in the Elder recording Alpie mentions - which is surprising, considering the attention given to it in reviews of the CD - but there is one of the composer Alvin Currar playing the instrument:



(In the only performance of The Apostles I've ever taken part in, the Shofar was played by Crispian Steele-Perkins.)

Elgar didn't want an actual shofar to be used, but a long straight instrument, as used in Elder's performance. It was an incredible moment.

[MrGongGong]

I haven't been able to find a photo of the specific Shofar used in the Elder recording Alpie mentions - which is surprising, considering the attention given to it in reviews of the CD - but there is one of the composer Alvin Currar playing the instrument:

Sorry for the nerd alert

I think it's Alvin Curran (of Musica Elettronica Viva fame)

[Pabmusic]

Elgar didn't want an actual shofar to be used, but a long straight instrument, as used in Elder's performance. It was an incredible moment.

Quite so. He specifies a straight trumpet (post horn, as in galop) in the score, so there's no reason to use anything else. Ever.

[ferneyhoughgeliebte]

Sorry for the nerd alert
I think it's Alvin Curran (of Musica Elettronica Viva fame)

<doh> - of course it is! (I was thinking "Curran" as I typed, but my fingers had other ideas.) Duly corrected.

[ferneyhoughgeliebte]

Elgar didn't want an actual shofar to be used, but a long straight instrument, as used in Elder's performance. It was an incredible moment.

Quite so. He specifies a straight trumpet (post horn, as in galop) in the score, so there's no reason to use anything else. Ever.

I didn't know that.

[Richard Tarleton]

I haven't been able to find a photo of the specific Shofar used in the Elder recording Alpie mentions - which is surprising, considering the attention given to it in reviews of the CD - but there is one of the composer Alvin Curran playing the instrument:

My curiosity aroused as to what animal previously owned this horn - it seems it was a kudu. (see "choice of animal", down the page).

[Serial_Apologist]

Shofar so good.

Copycat!

[Richard Tarleton]

More specifically, the lesser kudu, which used to be found on the Arabian peninsula.

[Pabmusic]

There's exchanges early here:

http://www.for3.org/forums/showthread.php?5299-Elgar-s-The-Apostles-at-the-Bridgewater-Hall-Manchester-Hall%C3%A9-Sir-Mark-Elder/page7&highlight=apostles

In which we all discuss the shofar.

I quote Elgar's correspondence about it, which shows that he knew from the off that a real ram's horn was not practical, and that what he actually had in mind was a post horn.

It's quite interesting how the myth has grown that Elgar used a ram's horn at the first performance - I suspect it's the sort of colourful idea that appeals nowadays. It's just a little odd that some conductors think this when they have the score - where Elgar includes a note saying it should be played on a straight trumpet.

[ferneyhoughgeliebte]

I didn't know that.

There's exchanges early here

Blimey! I did know that!

[Pabmusic]

Blimey! I did know that!

I knew you did... :)

[Richard Barrett]

[MrGongGong]

We know where you have been

http://composersdoingnormalshit.com

?

[Richard Barrett]

We know where you have been

Actually I just did a search on "takemitsu xenakis noodles" and there it magically was... that is a fun site of course, although I don't quite see how for example feeding a monkey (Henry Cowell) is doing "normal sh•t".

[Nick Armstrong]

FAKE NEWS ALERT (mea culpa)

Maurice Ravel, minus his barque, sur l'océan...

No, that would be JC!

This is neither the Messiah nor in fact Ravel

It is actually actor Thierry Costa playing Ravel in the 2001 documentary Ravel’s Brain.