While wandering aimlessly through the fantastical Interweb landscape earlier this morning, I happened across The National Post’s (CA) Arthur Kaptainis and his account of last Saturday’s “Casual Concert” from the Toronto Symphony Orchestra. The opening lines, in particular, caught my attention – which is exactly what a writer would want, I suppose:
Few composers are defined as mercilessly by a single movement as Samuel Barber — he of the Adagio. Listeners who brought a mental image of that long-lined and minimal masterpiece to the Toronto Symphony Orchestra concerts of last week might have had some difficulty understanding the compact and prolix Symphony No. 1.
One-hit-wonders are a well-known pop-music phenomenon, but it has been a fairly (or unfairly) merciless fact of life in the classical realm, as well. Barber is one of the better examples, though Pachelbel, Albinoni, Clarke, and Boccherini sprang immediately to mind. Even Wikipedia’s gotten in on the act. And who could possibly forget Rob Paravonian’s rant?
Orthodox. Faithful. Free.
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[video:http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JdxkVQy7QLM 635×355]
In many cases, the single piece for which these composers have become most well-known is worthy of particular attention. But a few YouTube samples suggest they may have deserved a better fate.
Sorting through the millions of Canon and Gigue recordings that come up if one is foolish enough to type “Pachelbel” into the YouTube search bar, one might happen across the Partita 1 in F Major – certainly reminiscent of the Canon itself, but very, very pleasant music in its own right:
[video:http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q3FLkr9aaiI&feature=related 300×25]
Trying to find a non-wedding themed-piece from Jeremiah Clarke is even more difficult, and I simply do not have the time to dig all the way down to the “bottom of the Clarke Barrell.” But who’s heard the entire Suite De Clairqueof which his Trumpet Voluntary is but a small part? Here it is:
[video:http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u02Hw5OD9KY 300×25]
Tomas Albinoni might have the most sizable bone to pick with the “one-hit wonder” label, because it’s not at all clear that the Adagio associated with him contains any of his own musical ideas. And besides, it paints him as a man of a gloomy, even despairing tempermant. His concerti, however, suggest otherwise:
[video:http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VqPoZaeAZlk&feature=fvst 300×25]
Lastly, Luigi “String Quintet in E Major, Op. 11, No. 5” Boccherini, who will never escape the lilting strains of his ubiquitous minuet, actually composed a number of enjoyable symphonies. Here’s the first movement from his (much less famous) Symphony N. 24 in A Major:
[video:http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FMfXdMw0fpQ 300×25]
(And here’s the entire playlist.)