Unusual movement indications.

[alberto]

I apologize if am introducing a kind of off-topic.
The topic about unsung instruments concertos has made me to remind the tuneful Concerto for accordion and orchestra by the French Jean Wiener (1896-1982; CD Arion 68186). Its first movement bears the very fanciful indication "brandebourgeoisement".
The third movement of Mario Pilati Concerto for Orchestra (CD Naxos) bears the full tempo indication "Rondò alla Tirolese. Allegro pesante e ben ritmato".
Can anyone suggest some unusual movement/tempo indications (NO Satie, who anyway, in my knowledge, didn't compose pieces divided in movements, and liked much jokes/mocking words. NO Rossini of the piano works - not divided in movements)?

[eschiss1]

actually, Satie composed quite a few pieces divided into movements- his Sonatine bureaucratique was just one of them...

[jimmosk]

One of my favorites, for the unusual juxtaposition of tempi it suggests, is the second movement of Ginastera's Piano Sonata No. 1, op.22. It's marked "Presto misterioso".

And, though you're not looking for jokes, I can't resist sharing my favorite movement indication of all time: the finale of P.D.Q. Bach's "Howdy" Symphony: "Come un pipistrello fuori dall'inferno"

Which, if your Italian's as poor as mine is, I'll let you know translates to "Like a bat out of Hell".

-J

--
Jim Moskowitz
The Unknown Composers Page: http://kith.org/jimmosk/TOC.html
My latest list of unusual classical CDs for auction: http://tinyurl.com/jimsCDs

[alberto]

I thank you.
As for Satie, I own , between other records, Jean-Yves Thibaudet box of five CD survey of piano music (Decca 673 620-2).
In the booklet I see the Sonatine Bureaucratique divided in three "movements"
-allegro lasting 0' 56"
-andante lasting 1' 00"
-vivache (?) lasting  1' 20". But the word "vivache" doesn't exist in musical lexicon (it is "vivace"=lively).(Or is it a Decca misprint?)
Satie always has fun (with words).
Other Satie pieces are more little suites or short polyptichs. Not in "canonic" forms. Against the "academy" he titled "three pieces en forme de poire" for two pianos.

[JimL]

In two of his finales (1st Symphony and Scottish Fantasy), Max Bruch used the indication "Allegro guerriero", which I presume translates as "fast and warlike/fierce".  Not particularly esoteric, perhaps, but who else has used it once, much less twice, that you can think of offhand?

[eschiss1]

Allegro guerriero makes me think immediately of Carl Nielsen.  Orgoglioso...

[alberto]

Nielsen marks "Allegro espansivo" mov.1 of Third Symphony.
Most fanciful (and poetic) Medtner (author of a "Sonata minacciosa" op.53 n.2= threatening).He invents the word "abbandonamente", which should be "con abbandono": I think he would mean "rapturously".
Examples: Sonata-Skazka op. 25 n.1 "allegro abbandonamente". Skazka op.34 n.1 "tempo cangiando, abbandonamente".
Wilful Scriabin. Symphony 2, mov. 4 "tempestuoso" (should be "tempestoso", stormy).
Symphony 3. Mov. 1"divin, grandiose...mysterieux, tragique, sombre, haletant, precipité. Mov. 2 "sublime-divin essai". Mov. 3 " avec une joie eclatante". Piano sonata 4, mov. 2 "prestissimo volando"(=flying). Many other examples possible in his piano music.
Prokofiev is rich in using varied words.
Allegro "feroce" (Scythian Suite")
Allegro "eroico"
Moderato "brioso" (both Symphony 4).
Allegro "agitato" (Piano sonata 3)
Allegro  "tranquillo" (Piano sonata 5)
Allegro "strepitoso" (Piano sonata 9)
Allegro "con brio, ma non leggiero" (Piano sonata 4)
Allegro "con brio, ma non troppo presto" (Piano sonata 9)
Allegro "inquieto" (Piano sonata 7)
Andante "caloroso" (Piano sonata 7)
Andante "dolce" (Piano sonata
Andante "sognando" (dreaming, Piano sonata .

[JimL]

Allegro agitato is fairly often used.  I believe the finale of the Henselt PC has that tempo indication.  Also, I've often wondered what is the difference between using different adjectives in Italian, to say the same thing.  That is what is the difference between "con brio" and "brioso"?  I believe there is a Haydn symphony where he does this (#103?)  The main body of the first movement is "Allegro con spirito" while the finale is "Allegro spiritoso"?  What's the grammatical or semantic difference?

[Lionel Harrsion]

In two of his finales (1st Symphony and Scottish Fantasy), Max Bruch used the indication "Allegro guerriero", which I presume translates as "fast and warlike/fierce".  Not particularly esoteric, perhaps, but who else has used it once, much less twice, that you can think of offhand?

I'm sure I recall reading that Mendelssohn originally marked the finale of the Scotch Symphony "Allegro guerriero" but later altered it to the "Allegro vivacissimo" with which we are now familiar.  I stand ready to be corrected!

[alberto]

About reply 7, one matter is to use an adjective or a preposition plus substantive: two ways to say the same thing.
So "Allegro con spirito" (= "with wit") is identical to "allegro spiritoso" (="witty").
Another matter is/would be using different adjectives in Italian "to say the same thing".
But that doesn't happen in the examples concerning the very accurate Prokofiev (or the slightly over-the-top Scriabin, using sometimes Italian, sometimes French).
For instance, about Prokofiev, "Andante dolce" ("sweet") is not the same as "Andante sognante" (= "dreaming" or "dreamy") or "Andante caloroso" (I would translate "hearty").

[jimmosk]

Actually, "feroce" is a rather common indication. A few I came up with are:

Atterberg: Symphony No. 7 op.45 'Romantica': III. Feroce. Allegro
Bax: Symphony No. 1 in E-flat Major: I. Allegro moderato e feroce
Dvorak: Symphony No. 4 in D minor, op. 13: III. Scherzo - Allegro feroce
Hanson: Piano Concerto in G Major, Op. 36 [1948]: II. Allegro feroce, molto ritmico
Rozsa: String Quartet No. 1: IV. Allegro feroce
Rautavaara: Symphony No. 8 "The Journey": II. Feroce
Tubin: Symphony No. 1 in C minor: I. Adagio. Allegro feroce
Poulenc: Aubade, Concerto Choréographique: V. Allegro feroce

-J

[eschiss1]

Molto allegretto, though (e.g. Rossini) is sometimes used but is a bit confusing. Presto misterioso at least I think I understand- rumbling fast quiet mosquito toccata...

[alberto]

Another group of unusuals.
Maverick Rued Langgaard, Symph. 7, mov. 3 "Fiorito" ( "adorned", "flowery"?).
Alberto Ginastera in Quartet 1 "Allegro violento e agitato"-"Allegramente rustico"
In Quartet 2 "Allegro rustico" "Adagio angoscioso" "Presto magico"
Myaskovsky: String quartet 1, mov.2 "Allegro tenebroso"
D.Milhaud very fanciful, a lot of words
Just for example, Symph. 8 mov. 1 "Avec mistére et violence" , mov. 2 "Avec serenité et nonchalance".
T.Rangstroem, Simph. 4, mov. 3 "Allegro arrabbiato" (=angry)
M.Gorecki in Symph. 3 distinguishes "cantabile" "cantabile semplice" and "cantabilissimo"
Mov.2 is marked "tranquillissimo cantabilissimo dolcissimo legatissimo"
"Dolcissimo" is also the second piece in Peteris Vasks Cello book.
Less unusual "Religioso" (Bartok P.C. 3, Suk Quintet op.
Much varied in words Walter Piston
Symph. 5, "Allegro lieto" ("allegro is the tempo; lieto=gay, merry is the mood)
Symph. 7 "Allegro festevole" (the word "festevole" doesn't exist; it should be "festoso"=joyful).

[eschiss1]

erm... hold up. (by way of example dolcissimo we have at least as early as Monteverdi and I'm not sure I would characterize it as rare... the same with a lot of the examples here - and another word that doesn't exist in any language outside of music is menuetto, which hasn't prevented it from becoming quite common in music anyway.)

(as to festevole, I see...)

[Lionel Harrsion]

...and then there's the second movement of Walton's 1st Symphony - "Presto, con malizia"; towards whom or what I'm not entirely sure.