MUSIC OFF THE RECORD: GYPSY NIGHTS

Northwest Sinfonietta Dr. Ken Owen

EXOTICISM

• • What is Exotic to you?

What are Gypsies?

• Where do they come from?

• What do they do?

COSTUMES? AMUSEMENT PARKS?

CREEPY FORTUNE TELLERS?

HISTORY?

GYPSIES IN EUROPE

• From Northern India to Eastern Europe • 11 th -12 th centuries • • Not accepted • remained nomadic & separate Spread through Europe • Larger populations in Eastern Europe

MISCONCEPTIONS, PERCEPTIONS AND NAMES

• • Europeans thought they came from Egypt • = Egyptsies gypsies German • “Zigeuner” = untouchable • Separate, mysterious, unapproachable

EXOTICISM = PERCEPTION, NOT REALITY

• • Many Gypsies in Hungary • Hungarian = Gypsy?

Music & other art about gypsies makes no attempt at accurate representation • Excitement of unknown and different

CSÁRDÁS

• • Hungarian folk dance Danced by country girls in Inns of rural Hungary • Aristocratic party promoters made it up!

• Verbunkos with inserted pop tunes

CSÁRDÁS

• Verbunkos orginiated in 1700s • Recruiting tool for army • Gypsy bands forced to play for Gypsy girls to dance • • The style developed, stuck, and traveled through Eruope Michael McLean – a high school string teacher orchestrated a traditional csárdás • http://youtu.be/yLZ3xkxqr-Q

JAN VÁCLAV VOŘÍŠEK

• Born: May 11, 1791, Vamberk, Bohemia

JAN VÁCLAV VOŘÍŠEK

• • • • Dad was • Schoolmaster • Church organist • Choir master Jan studied piano, organ, violin and composition w/father Prodigy – toured bohemia as a boy • Played Mozart piano concertos & his own works Studied law at UP

JAN VÁCLAV VOŘÍŠEK

• • • • • • Gave up law for music Bohemia liked Mozart – Jan too Beethovenesque Vienna – success!

• Met Beethoven To Viennese Hungarian/Bohemian = gypsy Didn’t want to be “the gypsy composer” • Studied Vienese composers to learn to not sound Hungarian • Didn’t work – Viennese always thought of him as gypsy Died: November 19, 1825, Vienna, Austria

SINFONIA IN D

• • • • • Jan’s only work for orchestra w/out piano Listen for instrument groups • • Back & forth Combine for climaxes Opening 3 note motive – Beethoven?

Stormy scherzo in d minor http://youtu.be/yLZ3xkxqr-Q

ANTONÍN DVOŘÁK

• • • • • Born: September 8, 1841 Nelahozeves, Czech • Part of Bohemia = lower class culture Studied music as a boy with the village schoolmaster 12 yrs – had to quit to learn family trade – butchery 13 yrs – on his own to big city • Learn German • Better musical opportunities 16 yrs – Prague Organ school & viola in small orchestras

ANTONÍN DVOŘÁK

• • Worked his way up to Prague Opera orchestra 30s – composition competition to benefit “young, poor, and talented artists” • • • Brahms = judge Dvorak won several times Friends w/Brahms – promoted his music.

ROMANCE FOR VIOLIN AND ORCHESTRA

• • • • Started as a string quartet Dvorak didn’t like it – wouldn’t publish it Publisher liked 2 nd • Would sell well movement – sounded gypsy Dvorak reworked into the Romance

ROMANCE FOR VIOLIN AND ORCHESTRA

• Melancholy tone • Composed in same year that he lost 3 children • • • • http://youtu.be/W_KLj000nuA?t=30s Intentionally wrote Czech music Visited and taught in USA Died: May 1, 1904 Prague

BÉLA BARTÓK

• • Born: March 25, 1881, Nagyszentmiklós Hungary/Romania Father = amateur musician – cello & piano • • Mother = teacher & played piano Noticed young Bela’s talent when Mom taught him (5 yrs old)

• • • • • 7 yrs old father dies Mom supports family w/piano lessons

BÉLA BARTÓK

10yrs – has composed and offered a place at Academy of Music in Budapest • Mom wants him to stay home After regular schooling goes to Budapest Recognized as prominent pianist in Hungary

BÉLA BARTÓK

• • Proud Hungarian Recognized that composers using “Hungarian” folk music = pop music • • Studied Hungarian folk song – traveled, recorded, dictated Piano professor at BAM • Composed music imitating folk song

OLD HUNGARIAN DANCES

• • • • Several large scale projects flopped • Opera & others • Publishers didn’t want any more Moved to Suburbs and wrote only a few piano pieces that year “Hungarian Peasant Songs” • Subset of 9 movements titled “Old Dance Tunes” • http://youtu.be/yT1gLnu4oyQ 2007 – Clark McAlister orchestrated as Old Hungarian dances

BÉLA BARTÓK

• Disturbed by fascist governments in Italy and Germany • Forbade his music to be broadcast in those countries • • Fled to USA • Always wanted to go home Died: September 26, 1945, New York

PABLO MARTÍN MELITÓN DE SARASATE Y NAVASCUÉS

• • Born: March 10, 1844, Pamplona Last of the Paganini tradition

SARASATE

• • Father = Bandmaster 8yrs old – performing in public as a child prodigy • Frequently asked to play for Queen Isabella II at the Royal Palace

• • Foremost Spanish violinist, toured • Throughout Europe • Russia • Middle East • • North America South America Owned 2 Stradivarius violins • Left to museums

SARASATE

ZIGEUNERWEISEN (GYPSY AIRS)

• • • • Like most Europeans, thought • Hungarian = gypsy Traveled to Hungary to meet Liszt – Hungarian music please! List had a student who played a popular song that his father had written Sarasate used it to write Zigeunerweisen

ZIGEUNERWEISEN (GYPSY AIRS)

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PLAGERISM!

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SCANDAL!

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LAWSUIT!

ZIGEUNERWEISEN (GYPSY AIRS)

• • • Claimed it as Hungarian music and that he thought it was folk music Received a letter from the songwriter asking for credit Thereafter acknowledged the songwriter in credits

ZIGEUNERWEISEN (GYPSY AIRS)

• Csárdás form • Slow introduction – “lassu” – elaborate flourishes • Inserted popular song – much simpler solo line • Fast fiery fiddling – “friss” = gypsy fiddling • http://youtu.be/xir-5oAWxXE

THANK YOU AND ENJOY THE CONCERT!

• • • Dr. Owen Pierce College Puyallup Choralconductor.org

• “Lectures and presentations” tab