Sunday, December 14, 2008

The term "masterpiece"...

...doesn't get much use in reference to the last 100 years, what do you see as criteria for a masterpiece? Any examples?
Posted by at

2 comments:

Anonymous said...

Hmmm...well, I don't think I can fully give an answer to that. But I do think one there is one thing that "masterpieces" often have in common: the desperation of life. What I mean by that is the last composition or creation by an artist who knows or feels it will be his last. The two best examples I can think of are classical, so my apologies if you aren't a fan. Beethoven's last symphony, his ninth (http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=5487727) was the first time human voice was used on the same level as instruments in a symphony. The result is one of the most famous and influential creations in all of Western art. Keep in mind, at the time of its creation and premiere, Beethoven was completely deaf. There are different stories about how he conducted the piece, but each suggest Beethoven gave tempos for each movement. One violinist says, "Beethoven directed the piece himself; that is, he stood before the lectern and gesticulated furiously. At times he raised, at other times he shrunk to the ground, he moved as if he wanted to play all the instruments himself and sing for the whole chorus. All the musicians minded his rhythm alone while playing." The most beautiful report of the 1824 event is this: "When the audience applauded - testimonies differ over whether at the end of the scherzo or the whole symphony - Beethoven was several measures off and still conducting. Because of that, the contralto Caroline Unger walked over and turned Beethoven around to accept the audience's cheers and applause. According to one witness, "the public received the musical hero with the utmost respect and sympathy, listened to his wonderful, gigantic creations with the most absorbed attention and broke out in jubilant applause, often during sections, and repeatedly at the end of them." The whole audience acclaimed him through standing ovations five times; there were handkerchiefs in the air, hats, raised hands, so that Beethoven, who could not hear the applause, could at least see the ovation gestures."

Ok, so I know I went on about that for awhile...but come on. It was his last symphony and the man couldn't hear a damn thing. Not even the applause. Amazing.

My other example would be Mozart's Requiem. He was writing this when he died and it's not clear how much he finished. But listen to the Lacrimosa. The fact that the guy basically wrote his own funeral music gives me chills.

This is certainly not a requirement for masterpieces, but I sure love it when it is one.

Lacrimosa: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gP8IBS0sh8k&feature=related

If you'd like to listen to all of Beethoven's Ninth:
Part One, http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O2AEaQJuKDY
Part Two, http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cSEqQsAXbJw&feature=related

December 15, 2008 at 1:01 PM
Anonymous said...

Giada De Laurentiis.

December 15, 2008 at 10:33 PM

Post a Comment

Subscribe to: Post Comments (Atom)