My favorite is the Stokowski arrangement. He took what made the Rimsky-Korsokov version one so good and made them even better. As legendary as the R-K version is, that version to my ears sound more like a pantomime in orchestration compared to Stokowski's arrangement. Stokowski was what guitarists like me like to call, a "tone chaser." He was constantly playing around with the acoustics of a venue, the arrangement of musicians in his orchestra, and even the techniques with which they played. He really brought out the menace in "Bald Mountain." For example, after the appearance of Chernobog in "Fantasia," when they go back to the "Dun dun DUN dun, Dun dun DUN dun," (for visual cue in the movie, it shows a noose with a vulture taking flight, and specters floating through the noose) Stokowski has the Cellos strike the strings with their bows, creating a very unnerving, almost heartbeat type sound. Afterward, the stings and wind instruments play the flourishes in a sliding and shrill way, creating a windy, ethereal and equally unnerving sound. He was a master of getting the individual instruments to "inhabit" the sounds they were making.
A favorite for Halloween alonside Stravinsky's Firebird, Dukas' The Sorcerer's Apprentice, Grieg's Peer Gynt, Mozart's Magic Flute, Wagner's Ring Cycle, Gounod's Funeral March of a Marionette, Sibelius' Swan of Tuonela & Tapiola, Lyadov's Tryptych featuring Baba Yaga, The Enchanted Lake, & Kikimora, Puccini's Turandot, Rachmaninov's Rhapsody on a Theme of Paganini, etc.
Disney should make a fantasia movie with a real life orchestra here are the pieces I want to be in the movie 1. Claude Debussy Claire de lune / la mar 2 Schubert Ave marae 3 Greig pry gent morning mood from the pry gent suite 4 Ludwig van Beethoven Fur Elise 5 Stravinsky la maraina from the oprea of the flowers 6 Puccini's La bohame / Manama butterfly/ nussem domellena 7 Debelies Flower duet from the lakem flower duet 8 Brahms lullaby 9 Gabriel faure La pavenne 10 George bizet Dancing flower ora 11 Four seasones spring vivaldi 11 Stravinsky Fête populaire de la semaine grasse Danse russe 12 Tchaikosky Flower suite
I have to correct my translation. Пекля, which I rendered, "heat," based on my (then) best-guess analysis of the Slavic root, is actually the Ukrainian word for "Hell." So when Chernobog comes out he says, "We've lived in hell this whole time, it will be nice to get a breath of fresh air." I didn't realize that Musorgsky was using the Ukrainian word, which he does because the opera (and the story it's based on) takes place in present-day Ukraine.
I feel quite embarassed that I didn't know there where two versions. Besides, talking about unexpected and anticlimactic ends: What is up with the end of Mozart's magic flute? It always dissapointed me.
I have mixed feelings about the Magic Flute. The main feeling being that the longer it goes on, the less I enjoy it. The first 3/4 were brilliant, but it just seems that Mozart was coming up on a deadline and had way too much material to fit in, so he just crammed it all at the end without giving it his usual care and attention. I also feel the same about Britten's War Requiem.
Classical Chatter Interesting, I feel much the same way. However there are some good pieces in the middle and near the end the quality definitely drops. I never thought about the posibility of that being due to a deadline, but that sounds probable.
![5 Pieces by Hans Zimmer \\ Iconic Soundtracks \\ Relaxing Piano [20min]](/img/1.gif)
Thank you, sir, for a brilliant, engaging analysis of a remarkable masterpiece. Your sense of humor made your insight remarkable, memorable.
Really apt commentary, thank you!
Looks like I found a new favourite channel
This is the best Chanel I've stumbled upon. Thank you so much, for showing how fun classical music can be.
This deserves more views
My favorite is the Stokowski arrangement. He took what made the Rimsky-Korsokov version one so good and made them even better. As legendary as the R-K version is, that version to my ears sound more like a pantomime in orchestration compared to Stokowski's arrangement. Stokowski was what guitarists like me like to call, a "tone chaser." He was constantly playing around with the acoustics of a venue, the arrangement of musicians in his orchestra, and even the techniques with which they played. He really brought out the menace in "Bald Mountain." For example, after the appearance of Chernobog in "Fantasia," when they go back to the "Dun dun DUN dun, Dun dun DUN dun," (for visual cue in the movie, it shows a noose with a vulture taking flight, and specters floating through the noose) Stokowski has the Cellos strike the strings with their bows, creating a very unnerving, almost heartbeat type sound. Afterward, the stings and wind instruments play the flourishes in a sliding and shrill way, creating a windy, ethereal and equally unnerving sound. He was a master of getting the individual instruments to "inhabit" the sounds they were making.
A favorite for Halloween alonside Stravinsky's Firebird, Dukas' The Sorcerer's Apprentice, Grieg's Peer Gynt, Mozart's Magic Flute, Wagner's Ring Cycle, Gounod's Funeral March of a Marionette, Sibelius' Swan of Tuonela & Tapiola, Lyadov's Tryptych featuring Baba Yaga, The Enchanted Lake, & Kikimora, Puccini's Turandot, Rachmaninov's Rhapsody on a Theme of Paganini, etc.
Where’s the new video i love your channel keep up the good work
Wonderful analysis! Have you done these videos on any other works of Mussorgsky’s? If so I’d love to see them.
Disney should make a fantasia movie with a real life orchestra here are the pieces I want to be in the movie
1. Claude Debussy Claire de lune / la mar
2 Schubert Ave marae
3 Greig pry gent morning mood from the pry gent suite
4 Ludwig van Beethoven Fur Elise
5 Stravinsky la maraina from the oprea of the flowers
6 Puccini's La bohame / Manama butterfly/ nussem domellena
7 Debelies Flower duet from the lakem flower duet
8 Brahms lullaby
9 Gabriel faure La pavenne
10 George bizet Dancing flower ora
11 Four seasones spring vivaldi
11 Stravinsky Fête populaire de la semaine grasse Danse russe
12 Tchaikosky Flower suite
I have to correct my translation. Пекля, which I rendered, "heat," based on my (then) best-guess analysis of the Slavic root, is actually the Ukrainian word for "Hell." So when Chernobog comes out he says, "We've lived in hell this whole time, it will be nice to get a breath of fresh air." I didn't realize that Musorgsky was using the Ukrainian word, which he does because the opera (and the story it's based on) takes place in present-day Ukraine.
the brocken is in germany
Do you think you can do one on the film Fantasia itself?
I feel quite embarassed that I didn't know there where two versions. Besides, talking about unexpected and anticlimactic ends: What is up with the end of Mozart's magic flute? It always dissapointed me.
I have mixed feelings about the Magic Flute. The main feeling being that the longer it goes on, the less I enjoy it. The first 3/4 were brilliant, but it just seems that Mozart was coming up on a deadline and had way too much material to fit in, so he just crammed it all at the end without giving it his usual care and attention. I also feel the same about Britten's War Requiem.
Classical Chatter Interesting, I feel much the same way. However there are some good pieces in the middle and near the end the quality definitely drops. I never thought about the posibility of that being due to a deadline, but that sounds probable.
that's racist