A Lark Ascending Posted May 13, 2014 Author Report Share Posted May 13, 2014 Unsurprisingly there are lots of 'arts' programmes on the BBC mentioned here (some may have already passed): http://www.bbc.co.uk/mediacentre/mediapacks/ww1/arts This one links with this thread: Music In The Great War BBC Radio 3 In June 2014, BBC Radio 3’s daytime and evening schedule will be dedicated to telling the story of World War One through its music. For two weeks the station follows the journeys of composers and musicians from Britain and across the world as they became caught up in the conflict. From orchestral and chamber music, to trench songs, music hall, the rise of jazz and the music of non-Europeans swept into the war by Empire, Radio 3 programmes discover music expressing jingoism, pride, escapism, nostalgia, camaraderie, grief and loss – and explore how music uniquely captured the mood of a society in total war. Each day focuses on how the war affected the music and culture of a participant country, including Russia, Germany, Austria-Hungary, France, the USA and the UK. There will be a showcasing of the work of the ‘combatant composers’ such as George Butterworth, Cecil Coles, German Rudi Stephan and Australian-born Frederick Septimus Kelly – all killed in action. Live music includes concerts from the BBC Concert Orchestra and the BBC National Orchestra of Wales, focusing on musicians in exile. Plans for how the BBC Proms will reflect World War One in its centenary year will be unveiled in April 2014. BBC Productions. MC4 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
A Lark Ascending Posted May 13, 2014 Author Report Share Posted May 13, 2014 Ivor Gurney fits the bill, notably his War Elegy. I'd never heard of that. Looks like it is just out on the new BBC MM cover disc too. Interesting article here:http://theunknownregion.wordpress.com/2014/04/25/gurney-war-elegy/ Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BillF Posted May 14, 2014 Report Share Posted May 14, 2014 If we can widen the scope of the thread a little ... http://www.theguardian.com/artanddesign/2014/may/14/first-world-war-german-art-otto-dix Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
king ubu Posted May 14, 2014 Report Share Posted May 14, 2014 love Dix and Grosz! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
David Ayers Posted May 14, 2014 Report Share Posted May 14, 2014 Since this is basically my field I won't get started. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
king ubu Posted May 14, 2014 Report Share Posted May 14, 2014 Just out of curiosity: do you read German? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
David Ayers Posted May 14, 2014 Report Share Posted May 14, 2014 I read German only if I have to! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
soulpope Posted May 14, 2014 Report Share Posted May 14, 2014 (edited) Nielsen's 4th and 5th are usually thought of as war symphonies. The composer asserted that he was not conscious of the influence of World War I when composing the 5th symphony, but added that "not one of us is the same as we were before the war". Nevertheless it`s documented that Nielsn wrote about a "evil motif" intervening in course of the first movement...... Probably a good reason to play again the great interpretation by Michael Schonwandt and Dnso released on Dacapo...... Edited May 14, 2014 by soulpope Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
A Lark Ascending Posted May 14, 2014 Author Report Share Posted May 14, 2014 (edited) If we can widen the scope of the thread a little ... http://www.theguardian.com/artanddesign/2014/may/14/first-world-war-german-art-otto-dix Compelling pictures. I use that first one in school filling the whole screen. Always gets a reaction. Made me think of 'Kanonen Lied' from the Threepenny Opera. Granados was another musical victim. Died when the ship he was on was torpedoed in 1916. Edited May 14, 2014 by A Lark Ascending Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
A Lark Ascending Posted May 15, 2014 Author Report Share Posted May 15, 2014 (edited) Fabulous story on the recent Ian Hislop programme (about how how we create the past) concerning one Daisy Daking: Went over to France in WWI to help the wounded convalesce by teaching them morris dancing! http://www.ju90.co.uk/ctfolk/ctfolk6.htm ***************************** An English folk revival classic about the pre-war world and the impact the Great War had disrupting that world. As well as the folkies David Munrow's Early Music Consort of London are involved. Brief site about British composers who fought in the war: http://www.warcomposers.co.uk/composers.html Edited May 15, 2014 by A Lark Ascending Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
David Ayers Posted May 16, 2014 Report Share Posted May 16, 2014 (edited) Ah! Picked up the current BBC MM. FWIW the Gurney is only 11 minutes long. The main item is Bridge's war elegy Oration (a cello concerto) and also Gurney's Gloucestershire Rhapsody. Neither composer interests me much, although the Bridge, which I have heard before, is generally held to be a better piece by him. There are several pages on the theme of this thread and some nice photos. Brit-o-centric but not entirely. http://www.classical-music.com/magazine/current-issue/bbc-music-magazine The other two are new recordings but the War Elegy is taken from a 2006 Dutton CD. PS I see the *next* issue of BBC MM will include a recording of Elgar's Spirit of England. Getting a bit parochial? Edited May 16, 2014 by David Ayers Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JSngry Posted May 17, 2014 Report Share Posted May 17, 2014 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
David Ayers Posted May 19, 2014 Report Share Posted May 19, 2014 The BBC Music Magazine and the Gurney/Bridge cover disc are very worthwhile, for those interested. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
A Lark Ascending Posted May 24, 2014 Author Report Share Posted May 24, 2014 (edited) Just been listening to Bridge's Piano Sonata again - written in the early 20's under the influence of WWI and dedicated to Farrar, one of the composers killed in the conflict. The liner notes describe it as the first full manifestation of his late style. Like Oration and the last two SQs it's darker and harmonically more ambiguous than the earlier music. Recommended if you don't already know it and have an ear for the music of that time. Edited May 24, 2014 by A Lark Ascending Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Liberdade Posted June 5, 2014 Report Share Posted June 5, 2014 WW1 hastened the decline of the British Empire, so I'm not surprised to see the choices of music from Britain. However WW1 also triggered the destruction of four empires - Germany, Russia, Austro-Hungarian and Turkey - which haven't been mentioned so much in the thread so far. What music would you select from these countries? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
king ubu Posted June 9, 2014 Report Share Posted June 9, 2014 guess Anna Prohaska's new disc fits the bill here:http://www.deutschegrammophon.com/en/cat/4792472 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chris_T Posted July 19, 2014 Report Share Posted July 19, 2014 Talk of Mike Westbrook's Marching Song leads me to mention his "London Bridge is Broken Down". The BBC are playing the whole of the "Picardie" section of the album to mark the centenery of the outbreak of the First World War on "Jazz on 3" at 23.00 on 4th August. There will also be an Interview with Mike & Kate. More information here:http://www.westbrookjazz.co.uk/ Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
A Lark Ascending Posted July 19, 2014 Author Report Share Posted July 19, 2014 Yes that Westbrook sequence is excellent. Will listen out on Aug 4th. BBC has acres of stuff now on WWI and music. Not just the usual suspects: http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/p02146t5 Also a selection to listen to here: http://www.bbc.co.uk/blogs/radio3/posts/Music-and-the-Great-War-on-BBC-Playlister Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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