Unsung Composers

The Music => Composers & Music => Topic started by: BerlinExpat on Tuesday 04 December 2012, 15:38

Title: A Massenet world première
Post by: BerlinExpat on Tuesday 04 December 2012, 15:38
This evening and on Friday evening the first performances of Massenet's 1891 Poème symphonique Visions in the final version conceived with Electrophone will take place in St Etienne as part of this year's Massenet Festival.

Unfortunately, I can't ascertain if this will be broadcast or recorded.
Title: Re: A Massenet world première
Post by: TerraEpon on Tuesday 04 December 2012, 18:56
Damn, a symphonic poem by Massenet? Would love to hear that!
Title: Re: A Massenet world première
Post by: BerlinExpat on Wednesday 05 December 2012, 08:56
Well, it's not the first time theatre management hasn't done it's research thoroughly enough.  ;D

Some years ago the Komische Oper in Berlin announced the first Robin Hood opera, that by Frank Schwemmer. Since then I've seen Albert Dietrich's version (1879) and George Alexander Macfarren's (1860) has appeared on CD and there are others lingering in dusty vaults waiting their resurrection!
Title: Re: A Massenet world première
Post by: Alan Howe on Wednesday 05 December 2012, 10:35
Wikipedia lists a number of instruments under the category "electrophone":
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_musical_instruments_by_Hornbostel-Sachs_number (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_musical_instruments_by_Hornbostel-Sachs_number)

The Encyclopedia Britannica says this:
electrophone, any of a class of musical instruments in which the initial sound either is produced by electronic means or is conventionally produced (as by a vibrating string) and electronically amplified. Electronically amplified conventional instruments include guitars, pianos, and others.
Among instruments that use electronic means of generating sound are the theremin, the ondes martenot, electronic organs, and electronic music synthesizers. The vibraphone, or vibraharp, a metallophone that looks somewhat like the orchestral xylophone, makes use of electric fans at the upper ends of the vibrator tubes in order to produce a vibrato sound.