Literature and music

[lisztisforkids]

How much was the composers of old and today influenced by poems and other written works???

[m1469]

Well, I know that Robert Schumann, as a person, was greatly influenced by literature throughout his life.  I am not sure that his musical writing was ever directly correlated (I just don't know enough about that), but surely if an individual is effected on a personal level, everything they do would embody some kind of influencial effects.

Also, Franz Liszt sometimes has poems written at the top of (or otherwise in correlation with) some of his works.  And I believe the works were composed in direct correlation with them. 


m1469 

[mrchops10]

I have long been fascinated by the connections between literature and music, seeing as these are perhaps the two great loves of my life. Somebody should compile a list linking composers to the authors who influenced them, and who's writing we should read to form a more complete understanding.

The #1 work for any pianist interested in 19th century music (esp. German) must read Goethe's Faust, particularly if playing: Liszt -- b minor sonata, mephisto waltz, or anything by Busoni.

Schumann -- ETA Hoffman (particularly in Kresleriana)

Liszt again -- Dante: the Divine Comedy

Ravel -- the poetry of Bertrand, Baudelaire

Bach -- the Bible, obviously

Beethoven -- poetry of Schiller

There are many more, obviously. Ideas, anyone?

[g_s_223]

Berlioz - Byron,Shakespeare
Liszt - Byron, Dante, Lamartine
Schubert - any number of poets
Sibelius - Kalevala
Wagner - Schopenhauer

[rc]

Going the other way, Leo Tolstoy wrote a short story featuring Beethoven's op.47 violin sonata, the story's also called 'The Kreutzer Sonata'.

[mrchops10]

Going the other way, Leo Tolstoy wrote a short story featuring Beethoven's op.47 violin sonata, the story's also called 'The Kreutzer Sonata'.

And Strindberg wrote an important play named "the Ghost Sonata," by which he was actually referring to the "Tempest" sonata of Beethoven. This thread could become overwhelming.

[arensky]

And Strindberg wrote an important play named "the Ghost Sonata," by which he was actually referring to the "Tempest" sonata of Beethoven. This thread could become overwhelming.

Really? I did not know, and I am relearning the "Tempest". Overwhelm, post away, I am here! I will google it now....

[arensky]

Really? I did not know, and I am relearning the "Tempest". Overwhelm, post away, I am here! I will google it now....

I just googled it, and it seems that the "Ghost Sonata" actually refers to the Ghost Trio", op.70 #1; don't know why Strindberg called it the "Ghost Sonata".....

[pianistimo]

if you are talking about 'program music' - probably the romantic era best represents it.  but, as is pointed out - whenever the labelling of beethoven's sonatas occurred, there was a distinct need for people to relate music to what they read.  shakespeare's tempest would be another set of 'program notes' to read whilst listening to such a tempestuous sonata. 

asm1469mentioned, robert schumann, of all the composers (except maybe debussy and many contemporary composers) also had a talent for writing fiction, non-fiction, and music critiques (not just letters).  mozart was also well read and incorporated many political/ideological ideas at the time into his music and opera.  if you look at subtlety, too, you can see what composer's name their own pieces (as with liszt - each of his stages of life and what he was learning about at the time) and what nationalistic tendencies they have (and poetry they were attached to that seems to fit their music - as with chopin).  schubert's erlking (and many lieder) is poetic.  the difference now is that audiences are not naive and the 'magical land' of the tempest is a harder place to take an average audience which is 'here and now' reality based, scientifically reasoned, and war-weary.  the hope that shakespeare tries to give in 'the tempest' by having prospero forgive his enemies - seems like a lost hope today.  and, the world of angels and demons is thought not to exist at all.

to my way of thinking, to have hope, you DO need angels in particular and not the demons of doubt, confusion, and anger.  you can see so many temptations, too, in the tempest - and the working out of who's who and what they are about.  God is really our 'prospero' if you want to call Him that - since it is only He that can work 'magic' in our lives by real truth.  that island - is our freedom in Christ, imo.  when i play works that have a 'magical' bent - i usually try to relate it to my own beliefs - and the music becomes 'intentional' in my personal interpretations of it (which noone has to know but myself).

[mrchops10]

I actually agree--I respond better to words than images, and I often make up (really cheesy) words when I play, I figure no one needs to know.

But does the connection to literature only concern "program" music, or is it larger? The connection to the "Tempest" sonata is a case in point. This is absolute music for sure, only someone made a very clever connection to a work of literature. Another example is the wonderful description of the 2nd mov't of Beethoven G major piano concerto as Orpheus (the piano) pleading with the Furies (the strings) to release his beloved.

I am actually more interested, however, in subtler connections and influences, rather than direct inspiration for works. Perhaps we could identify authors who, if nothing else, demonstrate the Zeitgeist of the composers.

[Tash]

ah i thought debussy'd be quite an obvious example- his interest in the symbolist poets- baudelaire, mallarme, verlaine etc.

handel- alexander's feast, based on dryden's poetry

ummmm can't think what else right now

[mikey6]

well i'm guessing anyone who write an opera or song would need to be influenced by literature.  Shakespeare figured rather prominently - Mendelsshon, Verdi, Britten etc.