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Gauk
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« on: December 18, 2013, 09:41:08 pm » |
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There have been a number of threads recently with subjects like "symphonies about war", "symphonies about mountains", "symphonies about knitting" (OK I made the last one up), which provokes reflection about when any piece of music is "about" something. And what types of music.
When one considers the symphonic poem as a form, it's hardly surprising that most are "about something", whether it is frolicking nymphs or heroes from literature.
Then there are a hefty number of symphonies with subtitles like "The year 1942", or "Mt Ararat", which gives a good idea about what they are about.
There are a reasonable number of piano concertos and violin concertos with subtitles that give their extra-musical associations.
But where does it go from there? How many cello concertos have similar subtitles? And I mean works called "Cello Concerto 'The Sea' ", not "The Protecting Veil", which is not titled as a cello concerto even if you might consider it one. Are there any oboe concertos about war? And if not, why not?
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