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Bluffer's Guide to Classical Music 5

  Tobias

The Late Romantic period

The late Romantic period, roughly the second half of the nineteenth century, saw most of the rules of composition go out the window. This meant it was essentially a free for all where composers were let loose to follow their hearts. And they did. More sugary nonsense was written during this time than before or since.

Fortunately for classical music, not everyone felt the need to write a load of rubbish. Johannes Brahms (1833-1897) managed to write very little rubbish at all, despite going all gooey over Clara Schumann, the wife of his friend and fellow composer, Robert Schumann.

Brahms was a bit of a throwback. His music was fairly structured by the standards of the day, and had almost as much in common with stuff written in the Classical period as it did with the Romantic.

His symphonies are great, and I reckon the First just shades it over the Fourth. The opening pounds away like crazy and it’s all marvellous stuff. Buy the recording that has Charles Mackerras conducting a Scottish orchestra on Telarc. The first movement is taken at breakneck speed, but that just adds to the thrill.

Brahms wrote a heap of vocal music, too. The Four Serious Songs, written for Clara Schumann when Brahms learnt she was dying, are as intense as anything he ever composed. Treat yourself and get a cheapo CD on EMI sung by New Zealand’s own Jonathan Lemalu. He’s won all sorts of awards in the last few years and the disc will only cost you about $15.

Tchaikovsky was also tormented by love and ended killing himself for fancying blokes at a time when fancying blokes could end you up in jail.

He also wrote some bloody annoying oompah music, most notably the horrid 1812 Overture. But he was also capable of moments of real beauty such as the ballet Swan Lake.

He’s actually probably best remembered for his ballets, and that perennial fave, The Nutcracker, is a great place to start. There’s a bit of oompah, but the Coffee Dance is gorgeous, Arabian influenced stuff and is alone worth the price of the disc. Get Andre Previn’s budget priced two CD set, released by EMI.

Tchaikovsky’s Fourth Symphony displays his full range of talents. It’s powerful without being overbearing, and the movement performed entirely with the strings playing pizzicato (plucked with the fingers) is delightful. Mikhail Pletnov’s recording on Deutsche Grammophon is the one to get.

Bluffer’s Guide Extra: Where to go Next…

Nicolai Rimsky-Korsakov - Scheherazade: Proof that even the mediocre composers can have one moment of genius. Scheherazade is based on the Arabian Tales of 1001 Nights, which also gave us Ali Baba and the 40 Thieves. The music is powerful and wonderfully orchestrated, and even if it’s occasionally overdone I don’t care ‘cause I love it. Get Charles Mackerras on Telarc.

By Richard Betts

Thanks to Megan Johnson of Thread for the Support

Source: Thread, New Zealand's Fashion Culture Magazine