Wednesday, December 11, 2024

December 11 - Elliott Carter; Hector Berlioz; Carl Friedrich Zelter (The Musical Birthday Series, 6th Annual Cycle)

Previous posts for December 11th are here: Elliott Carter (2019), Hector Berlioz (2020), Rita Moreno (2021), Brenda Lee; Elliott Carter; Hector Berlioz (2022), and Elliott Carter (2023)

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Elliott Carter (11 December 1908 – 5 November 2012) was an American composer of exhilarating works of great complexity.

 


 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

In the Kitchen with Elliott


A structural polyrhythm, where a very slow polyrhythm is used as a formal device, is present in many of Carter's works. Night Fantasies, for example, uses a 216:175 tempo relation that coincides at only two points over its 20+ minutes. -- Wikipedia


(1)

When Elliott Carter made lunch,

He had dozens of numbers to crunch.

As he weighed each ingredient,

He was bound and obedient 

To its structural math, not his hunch.


(2)

Analysis quickly reveals

That when Elliott Carter made meals,

The size of a dish,

Whether salad or fish,

Followed strictly proportioned ideals.

 

 ♫♪♫♪♫♪♫♪♫♪♫♪♫♪♫♪♫♪♫♪♫♪♫♪♫♪♫♪♫♪♫♪♫♪♫♪♫♪

 

Hector Berlioz (11 December 1803 – 8 March 1869) was a French composer and conductor. 

 


 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Pro/Contra


Berlioz's compositional techniques have been strongly criticised and equally strongly defended. It is common ground for critics and defenders that his approach to harmony and musical structure conforms to no established rules.  -- Wikipedia


To some he’s a musical god,

And to some, irredeemably flawed;

So let’s not commence

An attack or defense

In a case so decidedly odd.



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Carl Friedrich Zelter (11 December 1758  – 15 May 1832)[1] was a German composer, conductor and teacher of music best remembered for his songs, and his famous pupils.

 


 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Losing the Crowd


The patrons were visibly shocked

When the programming chairperson talked

About engaging a belter

To sing songs by Zelter,

And they closed up their checkbooks and walked.

 

 

 

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