Off the beaten track

[MusingMuso]

I could have placed this under the category of "You Tube," but the music of Dezso d'Antalffy-Zsiross is little known outside his native Hungary, so it qualifies as being on the margins. Little did I realise that this particular composer (who moved to America to become the theatre-organist of the Radio City Music Hall, playing the largely "straight" Wurlitzer organ), studied with Karl Straube and Max Reger,as did English theatre-organist Quentin Maclean. He also studied with Enrico Bossi, unlike MacLean. He was also a teacher at the Feranc Liszt Academy in Budapest.

 

I'm not quite sure what the significance of the artist Arnold Böcklin is, but clearly, his art was considered important enough to inspire.

 

Xaver Varnus is no stranger to us on the discussion board, but what fascinates me about him, is his almost unique approach to anything he plays, which with the greatest stretch of imagination, could never be considered predictable. His Bach, for instance varies between the downright showy and dramatic, to the positively scholarly and meticulous. (The various You Tube videos demonstrate this very well). In addition, Xaver Varnus also crosses musical boundaries, which are often a source of great delight.

 

So here is the interesting "THE ISLAND OF THE DEAD" from the pen of Dezso d'Antalffy-Zsiross; magnificently played by Xaver Varnus on the equally magnificent organ of the Palace of the Arts, Budapest.

 

 

MM

[ick1508]

 

I can't help but think that this is a rather special instrument, even though I am only able to judge from the recording.

 

MM

 

The panel for the registration assistant at the side of the console is an excellent idea! Obviously duplicate sequencer controls, maybe general pistons as well? Is this unique?

Ian

[David Drinkell]

Wow - Master Tallis's Testament by Garth Edmundson......

[John Sayer]

 

I'm not quite sure what the significance of the artist Arnold Böcklin is, but clearly, his art was considered important enough to inspire.

 

So here is the interesting "THE ISLAND OF THE DEAD" from the pen of Dezso d'Antalffy-Zsiross; magnificently played by Xaver Varnus on the equally magnificent organ of the Palace of the Arts, Budapest.

 

 

MM

 

Die Toteninsel - Böcklin's most famous and atmospheric painting, now on view in the Alte Nationalgalerie in Berlin. (There are 5 versions in all, some more gloomy than others). It inspired Rachmaninoff to write a symphonic poem of the same name. Reger wrote 4 tone poems inspired by Böcklin's paintings.

 

 

 

 

See http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Arnold_Boecklin_-_Island_of_the_Dead,_Third_Version.JPG

 

JS

[MusingMuso]

Die Toteninsel - Böcklin's most famous and atmospheric painting, now on view in the Alte Nationalgalerie in Berlin. (There are 5 versions in all, some more gloomy than others). It inspired Rachmaninoff to write a symphonic poem of the same name. Reger wrote 4 tone poems inspired by Böcklin's paintings.

 

 

 

 

See http://en.wikipedia....ird_Version.JPG

 

JS

 

 

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For my sins, I studied Fine Art as an ancillary subject, but my limited knowledge obviously unembraces Boecklin.

 

Apart from the fact that the island is an ecological impossibility, the technique is formidable.....just look at that water and the reflections therein;not the mention the colouring and shading of the cliffs.

 

I haven't a clue what it is all about beyond that, but it obviously has some significance.

 

I had no idea that the Swiss ever did anything beyond inventing the cuckoo-clock and making goat's cheese.

 

MM