i heard it on the radio, but had to leave before i could get the composer and the name of the work. it's a voluptious, multi-movement piece, probably a symphony. it has sort of a high-class circus sound. heavy on the winds but not brassy. probably late-late romantic, or mid-century harmonic. it strikes me as being contemporary of poulenc, but not as atonal as 'dialogs of the carmelites'. i guess from the harmonics, tho, it would make more sense if it was from the 20's.
it's driving me crazy. anybody got any ideas?
2007-11-27 18:25:16 · 6 answers · asked by bad tim 7 in Entertainment & Music ➔ Music ➔ Classical
thanks, lynndramsop, jazzier, but not really jazzy. it has a pee-wee's breakfast machine quality, but not so brash.
2007-11-27 18:59:56 · update #1
Actually no answer, but a suggestion. Have you tried to contact the radio station? Most are willing to tell you what they played. And the obvious - have you checked if the station has play lists?
2007-11-27 20:07:17 · answer #1 · answered by Wolfgang 2 · 3⤊ 0⤋
A possibility that sprang into my mind was Messiaen's Turangalîla Symphony of 1948. Messiaen was French. The work is a huge symphony in 11 movements lasting nearly an hour an a half. The musical language is quite 'exotic' and has a lot of prominent woodwind writing. It also uses the first electronic keyboard instrument, the Ondes Martenot.
I'm not sure what a 'high class circus sound' might be but some of Turangalîla's fast movements have a crazed carnival atmosphere about them. This might also fit the 'pee wee's breakfast machine' reference.
Good luck!
2007-11-27 20:57:33 · answer #2 · answered by del_icious_manager 7 · 0⤊ 1⤋
Could it have been an orchestral piece by Poulenc whom you appear to know only by one opera. His orchestral music could not be described in any measure as atonal. I guess it wasn't one of his concertos - for piano, two pianos, harpsichord or organ as you do not mention a soloist. It could just be his ballet 'Les Biches' which fits your description or his Sinfonietta.
2007-11-28 07:48:43 · answer #3 · answered by rdenig_male 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
possibly a piece by Mihaud? and I wouldn't eliminate Poulenc since much of what he wrote was more tonal than Dialogues
Good Luck sounds interesting
2007-11-28 00:28:36 · answer #4 · answered by toutvas bien 5 · 0⤊ 0⤋
I don't have a specific example, but perhaps Camille Saint-Saens is worth looking at. Like another answerer, Turangalila came to mind but it has enough chaos in it that you'd probably have mentioned it in your description.
2007-11-28 01:52:47 · answer #5 · answered by Less is Less 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
one of the tone poems of Ravel or Debussy? la Mer, Prelude a l'Apresmidi d'un Faun?
If it was jazzier, perhaps even Honegger or Messaien?
Bonne chasse
2007-11-27 18:52:57 · answer #6 · answered by lynndramsop 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋