Generally, tone poems use music to evoke the essence of a painting, a poem, or other non-musical source. In a literal case of art imitating life, symphonic music is freed from its traditional structures and takes a programmatic turn. Bill invites us to sit with him as he describes and listens to this image-evoking dramatic music in works like Ottorino Respighi’s Gli Uccelli and George Gershwin’s American in Paris.
Tone Poems
Playlist
Episode 1
Janequin: Escoutez tous gentilz “La bataille de Marignan; La guerre”
King’s Singers
The King’s Singers’ Madrigal History Tour
EMI 69837
6:04
Biber: Battaglia
Concentus Musicus Wien/Harnoncourt
Biber: The Rosary Sonatas
DG Archiv 73262
7:39
Couperin: Tic-Toc-Choc
Hoffmann, harp
Virtuoso Harp
Capriccio 10165
2:31
Rameau: La Poule
Salánki, harps
Panth 14074
9:06
Respighi: Gli Uccelli (excerpts)
Orpheus Chamber Orchestra
Orpheus CO: Respighi Ancient Airs & Dances I & II
DG 437 533
10:57, 2:33
Telemann: Don Quixote Suite (excerpts)
Orchestra of St. Luke’s
Orchestra of St. Luke’s: Telemann: Don Quixote Suite; Viola Concerto;
Concerto for Two Flutes and Two Oboes; Concerto for Flute, Oboe d’Amore,
and Viola d’Amore
Musicmasters 210
6:20
Vivaldi: The Four Seasons; Winter
English Concert/Pinnock; Standage, violin
Vivaldi: The Four Seasons
Arch 400045
7:50
Episode 2
Boccherini: “Night Music of the Streets of Madrid”
Moscow Concertino/Bushkov
Boccherini: La Musica Notturna delle Strade di Madrid
Discover 920129
9:54
Beethoven: Symphony No. 6, Pastoral (excerpt)
Chicago Symphony Orchestra/Solti
Beethoven Symphony No. 6
Lon 421773
:47
Beethoven: Egmont Overture, Op. 84
New York Philharmonic/Masur
Beethoven: Symphony No. 5; Egmont, Incidental Music
Teld 9031-77313
8:39
Berlioz: Le Roi Lear Overture, Op. 4
Dresden Staatskapelle/Davis
Overtures
RCA 09026-68790
:30, 15:50
Mendelssohn: Midsummer Night’s Dream Overture in E major, Op. 21
Chamber Orchestra of Europe/Harnoncourt
Mendelssohn: A Midsummer Night’s Dream
(Ein Sommernachtstraum)/Die Erste Walpurgisnacht (The First Walpurgis Night)
Teld 74882
11:44
Episode 3
Schumann: Symphony No. 3, Rhenish, IV
Concertgebouw/Haitink
Schumann: The Four Symphonies
Phil 416126
5:27
Wagner: A Faust Overture
London Philharmonic/Boult
Sir Adrian Boult Conducts Wagner, Volume 3
EMI 63122
11:26, :22
Liszt: Hunnenschlacht
Berlin Philharmonic/Mehta
Liszt: Symphonic Poems
Sony 66834
14:13
Strauss: Till Eulenspiegels lustige Streiche, Op. 28
Chicago Symphony Orchestra/Solti
Richard Strauss Concert
Lon 440618
14:57
Liszt: Années de pèlerinage; Au lac de Wallenstadt
Andre Watts, piano
Andre Watts Plays Liszt Vol 1
EMI 64599
3:28
Episode 4
Smetana: Má vlast: No. 6, Blaník, T 121
Chicago Symphony Orchestra/Kubelik
Smetana: Ma Vlast
Merc 434379
13:52
Dvorák: The Wild Dove, Op. 110
Royal Concertgebouw/Harnoncourt
Dvorák: Symphony No. 7; The Wild Dove
Teldec 21278
19:42
Franck: The Accursed Huntsman
Boston Symphony Orchestra/Munch
Saint-Saëns: Symphony No. 3; Poulenc: Organ Concerto;
Franck: Le Chasseur Maudit
RCA 5750
1:52, 13:56
Episode 5
Holst: The Planets
Mars
Royal Philharmonic Orchestra/Previn
The Planets
DG 429730
7:17, :18
Delius: A Song of Summer
Royal Philharmonic Orchestra/Groves
Delius: North Country Sketches
EMI 63171
9:35
Ives: Central Park in the Dark
St. Louis Symphony/Slatkin
Ives: Symphony No 3
RCA 61222
9:19
Gershwin: An American in Paris
Boston Pops/Fiedler
Rhapsody In Blue
RCA 68792
16:39
Satie: Gymnopédie, No. 1
London Symphony Orchestra/Previn; John de Lancie, oboe
John De Lancie – Philadelphia Orchestra’s Former Solo Oboist
Boston 1045
4:02
