If I had chosen only one Work, it would have been the song "Speak low". This is the most beautiful song in his legacy. When I first heard this, I experienced something akin to a love fever. I've listened and re-listened to it hundreds of times.
Thank you for this, David. I'm forever grateful to the man who ran my high school drama club. In the spring of '70, he loaned me his LP of Threepenny, the Theater De Lys production featuring Lenya herself as Jenny. I was sixteen and that record rocked my world. Seven Deadly Sins is, of course, everything you said it is. Weill is an underappreciated genius.
Very good choice. My personal favorite among his later works is his Broadway opera Street Scene. Moon-faced! Starry-eyed! The only drawback is, ever since I first heard it, Dvorak's famous Humoresque will always be associated with the Maurrant murders.
It seems that an unusual number of Weill's theater works deal with executions. "Mahagonny" and "Lost in the Stars" ended with executions while "Knickerbocker Holiday" and "threepenny opera:" have last-minute reprieves, There are several others like the radio drama "down in the valley" and even "firebrand of Florence" starts with a would-be execution. Add in a short comic opera about an assassination "The Tsar's last photograph" and a sort of child sacrifice in "Der Jasager" and it seems Weill was drawn to some pretty dark librettos
@@njattyI mentioned the ones that came into my head. A few years back I heard "Down in the Valley" for the first time... folk tunes and all. It ends with the scene where the loved ones of the doomed prisoner wait for the execution. That is how "Lost in the Stars" ends. I made the connection and looked at a few of his other stories and it was"Is he really going there yet again"?
I was going to look through the comments to see if someone else had asked, but I’ll just go ahead and ask if you’ve done an “ideal” of Weill’s greatest works? About 20 years ago I found a budget double on DG of David Atherton and was struck by a violin concerto I hadn’t known existed.
Just what's the deal with the SCORE of the Seven Deadly Sins ? There seems to be no study score in existence, only a vocal score. For such an important work, wouldn't you think there would be a basic score available where you could follow the music with all its inimitable instrumentation ? Is there a Weill edition in the works ? Couldn't the musicologists leave Bruckner alone for five minutes to give us a basic study score of this wonderful work ??
Any mention of "the seven deadly sins"I think of my guilty pleasure of Marianne Faithfull's English language version. Dennis Russell Davies did conduct so maybe it shouldn't be such a guilty pleasure after all.
Great choice! Perhaps you know that Brecht was very musical. He contributed to the music of the Threepenny opera. Here is an annoying criticism of what you said about” a card carrying communist”. He was not a member of any party. By the way, a tip: Listen to his hearing at the HUAC in the fifties (Folkways records LP). Very funny!
If I had chosen only one Work, it would have been the song "Speak low". This is the most beautiful song in his legacy. When I first heard this, I experienced something akin to a love fever. I've listened and re-listened to it hundreds of times.
Yes, Weill's music makes me happy
I only know Drie Groschen Oper, thank you for all these recommendations!
I totally agree. Die Sieben Todsunden is my favorite by him as well, especially when his wife sings it
Thank you for this, David. I'm forever grateful to the man who ran my high school drama club. In the spring of '70, he loaned me his LP of Threepenny, the Theater De Lys production featuring Lenya herself as Jenny. I was sixteen and that record rocked my world. Seven Deadly Sins is, of course, everything you said it is. Weill is an underappreciated genius.
Yes, I luuuuuvs "The Seven Deadly Sins".
Martinu still to come: tough one to consider for such a prolific composer. Will have to give this one some thought.
Any suggestions?
Wait and see.
Very good choice. My personal favorite among his later works is his Broadway opera Street Scene. Moon-faced! Starry-eyed! The only drawback is, ever since I first heard it, Dvorak's famous Humoresque will always be associated with the Maurrant murders.
😮😮
I love Marianne Faithfuls recording of Seven Deadly Sins. A low rapsy voice. Reminds me of Lenya
Lenya was actually a light soprano. The low, raspy voice only happened to her in old age.
It seems that an unusual number of Weill's theater works deal with executions. "Mahagonny" and "Lost in the Stars" ended with executions while "Knickerbocker Holiday" and "threepenny opera:" have last-minute reprieves, There are several others like the radio drama "down in the valley" and even "firebrand of Florence" starts with a would-be execution. Add in a short comic opera about an assassination "The Tsar's last photograph" and a sort of child sacrifice in "Der Jasager" and it seems Weill was drawn to some pretty dark librettos
@@ColonelFredPuntridge Yes, many composers have done one or two of these. How many other composers have done more than half a dozen?
@@ColonelFredPuntridge I"m glad you pointed out I didn't make my initial as clear as I could.
There's also the "Doctor Crippen" number at the end of the first act of ONE TOUCH OF VENUS, as well as Rose Maurrant's murder in STREET SCENE.
@@njattyI mentioned the ones that came into my head. A few years back I heard "Down in the Valley" for the first time... folk tunes and all. It ends with the scene where the loved ones of the doomed prisoner wait for the execution. That is how "Lost in the Stars" ends. I made the connection and looked at a few of his other stories and it was"Is he really going there yet again"?
Mackie got off the hook
I was going to look through the comments to see if someone else had asked, but I’ll just go ahead and ask if you’ve done an “ideal” of Weill’s greatest works? About 20 years ago I found a budget double on DG of David Atherton and was struck by a violin concerto I hadn’t known existed.
No, I haven't.
Just what's the deal with the SCORE of the Seven Deadly Sins ? There seems to be no study score in existence, only a vocal score. For such an important work, wouldn't you think there would be a basic score available where you could follow the music with all its inimitable instrumentation ? Is there a Weill edition in the works ? Couldn't the musicologists leave Bruckner alone for five minutes to give us a basic study score of this wonderful work ??
There is a Weill edition in progress, but I've had the full score for decades. It's published by Schott.
@@DavesClassicalGuide Thanks, Dave. I've checked out the Schott site, but can only seem to find a vocal score, or parts for hire. Oh, well ...
Good choice, though I like the symphony, too. Any mention of Lotte Lenya reminds me of the murderous Rosa Klebb in "From Russia with Love."
Any mention of "the seven deadly sins"I think of my guilty pleasure of Marianne Faithfull's English language version. Dennis Russell Davies did conduct so maybe it shouldn't be such a guilty pleasure after all.
We Want PUCCINI!
I want a Puccini pastiche - second act of Tosca, second act of Tosca, second act of Boheme (Sutherland/Callas/Freni)!
Good morning… to all who dare🎉
Great choice! Perhaps you know that Brecht was very musical. He contributed to the music of the Threepenny opera.
Here is an annoying criticism of what you said about” a card carrying communist”. He was not a member of any party. By the way, a tip: Listen to his hearing at the HUAC in the fifties (Folkways records LP). Very funny!
Don't quibble. He was a committed leftist which is what "card carrying" means.