overture to king lear

[pianistimo]

does anyone have more information on the inspiration (plot of king lear) and the musican inside scoop of mily balakirev's composition for symphony?  i heard it this morning on the radio and was interested by it's many turns and twists as thought it was preparing to expand on each one during the opera. 

[pianistimo]

i found the plot here (in case anyone is interested):
https://www.shakespeare-online.com/plots/learps.html

the overture is unusually twisty and turnish.  it's rather pianistic, imo.  has anyone arranged it.  or did balakirev do this himself - by starting with a piano arrangement and then orchestrating it?

[thalbergmad]

He did it himself and i think also there is a piano version by liapunov.

I am writing to Zimmermans to check the availability of the scores.

Thal

[pianistimo]

you are?!  just for me?  thank you !  i love you, you know that already.  crazy man that you are.  perhaps i will arrange it afterwards for organ and post it in the audition room.

[ahinton]

Let the love affair between pianibergmad and thalistimo flourish! - unencumbered by God or by ironing problems or by banjos.

By the way, I should state (if I haven't previously) that, far from being in principle against the idea of instruments with five strings, I long ago wrote a chamber work that makes massive ue of one such (albeit not a banjo, admittedly, but a double bass - although only a five-string one could ever possibly do the job); Susan might even like to investigate it, since some of the texts set for the soprano soloist who has a major rôle in its finale may strike a kind of chord with her (although some others, written by dedicated "born-again" atheists Frederick Delius and Norman Douglas, may do the very opposite)...

Best,

Alistair

[pianistimo]

were these soprano soloists angels? 

[ahinton]

were these soprano soloists angels? 

Only one soprano soloist, Susan - just the one (please re-read); given my position vis-à-vis the kinds of religious thing about which you so frequently write, it's not for me to claim angelic status for anyone - even that particular soprano - although it nevertheless seems eminently plausible in this case; maybe you should listen and decide for yourself...

Best,

Alistair

[pianistimo]

ok.  can you post it in the audition room?  or is that a no no?