Comments on: Thought Experiment

By: nissimmusic: music and news from composer nissim schaul » earnest Germans from All

Sat, 07 Jun 2008 18:56:29 +0000

[...] what Brahms could have done to a motive like this, and I’m reminded of Jeremy Denk’s post(s) on Brahms and motives (and Tchaikovsky). And since the Fauré is kind of modal, I’m even [...]

By: Thought Experiment, continued at think denk

Thought Experiment, continued at think denk — Wed, 31 Oct 2007 22:52:23 +0000

[...] Thought Experiment [...]

By: Rui

Rui — Mon, 29 Oct 2007 14:49:37 +0000

Hello! came upon your blog from http://jeeleong.blogspot.com/

i really enjoyed this post, cos i’m a brahms fan, but didn’t study music and therefore don’t take too well to the formal sort of analysis you find in books etc. so this was great, cos it’s fun and readable. can’t wait for the next instalment. i’ve got the brahms played by heifetz, kogan, and szeryng, and now i can’t wait to go and listen to all of them again.

By: Sarah Marie

Sarah Marie — Mon, 29 Oct 2007 14:41:53 +0000

Thanks for sharing your thoughts on the Brahms and Tchaikovsky works. I love your writing!

By: csrster

csrster — Wed, 24 Oct 2007 06:10:44 +0000

Well colour me an ignorant philistine but i can’t make head nor tail out of that Adorno quote you’re all raving about. What on earth is an “expression of historical tact” ?

By: Martin

Martin — Fri, 19 Oct 2007 16:05:25 +0000

He can be, can’t he? I wonder how well he played the piano. One doesn’t usually associate him with Chopin, but the passage from which the quote was taken is wonderfully sympathetic and insightful. Do you suppose Chopin and Balzac ever met?

(I can’t believe you’ve got me interested in Balzac.)

By: Jeremy Denk

Jeremy Denk — Thu, 18 Oct 2007 16:30:16 +0000

Damn that Adorno guy is good.

By: Martin

Martin — Wed, 17 Oct 2007 16:03:49 +0000

On Chopin, who solved the problem of the motif in his on way:

“With eyes averted, like a bride, the objective theme is safely guided through the dark forest of the self, through the torrential river of the passions….In Chopin paraphrase and doubtless every kind of associated virtuosity is the resigned expression of historical tact.” Adorno _Quasi una Fantasia_ “Motifs”

By: The Omniscient Mussel

The Omniscient Mussel — Tue, 16 Oct 2007 22:15:45 +0000

This is precisely why I cannot bear Tchaikovsky and positively adore Brahms only you managed to describe it far more accurately than my usual rolling of the eyes or empty superlatives. I’m already making my way over to the CD player to put the Brahms on for a listen.

Can’t wait to read the rest.