Orchestration: Orchestra, Choir (but only men, at least in the excerpt) and piano. But is it a solo or just prominent participation? A Concerto or maybe a Cantata?
Language: Diction is too muddled to discern. My 1st impression was German perhaps, or maybe English.
Era: Maybe early/mid 1900's?
Based specifically on the given clue - but only on a bit of the audio - the 1st piece that came to mind was Beethoven's Choral Fantasy. He fits the profile. And it's a large ensemble for piano solo, choir, vocal soloists, orchestra. But Beethoven also weaves piano into the fabric of the orchestra at times. It's been quite a while since I've played that, but this excerpt doesn't sound like it. For one thing, no hint of Ode to Joy, at least in this section. And although there are some Beethoven-esque moments, the harmonies sound too expansive, chromatic, too modern. So I'll rule him out.
And amongst the rep, I'd guess this piece is likely also post Schumann, Brahms, Tchaikovsky, probably Grieg (and definitely isn't one of their piano concertos that I've played in the orchestra).
Rachmaninoff is certainly both pianist and composer and wrote expansive piano concertos (I've played those - no choirs) and large symphonies. And I think he wrote a large choir/orchestra piece of some kind, although I am not at all familiar with it. But I associate men's choirs often with Russia. And if I were him, of course I would put in a prominent piano part! So I'll throw him in the mix.
The excerpt harmonies made me think specifically of Romantic Fantasy for Violin and Viola by Aurthur Benjamin (Australian). No choir in that, but he opens with an expansive broken piano chord and a luscious horn solo. But gosh that horn moment was difficult to nail with its wide awkward intervals and chromatic progressions - which definitely felt like it had to have been penned by a pianist. With that clue and his harmonies in mind, I thought of his Storm Clouds Canatata for orchestra and choir. Perhaps better known as the symphony of choice for political assassins due to its flashy cymbal crash, as featured in the scores of both versions of Hitchcock's The Man Who Knew Too Much. I don’t specifically remember piano in that, so it might not be the actual NTT. But perhaps he wrote another choral/orchestral piece featuring piano.
Arthur Benjamin made me think of another Benjamin who employed large forces: Britten (British). His War Requiem is a massive piece for Soloists, Choir, Boys Choir, Orchestra, Chamber Orchestra, Piano - Organ, too, I think (and 6 Horns - yay), etc. I don't remember playing anything exactly like this passage, but it was about an hour and a half long - and that was some years ago.
Another massive Cantata with large forces and of a similar era is Prokofiev's Alexander Nevsky. But did we have a piano included? I can't remember, at least not a prominent one, like in some of his other work. And I think the NTT excerpt doesn't have enough flavor of Slavic folk tunes - or acerbic wit - for this (or him) to be the right answer. So I'll rule him out.
Other composers using large forces from a similar era that come to mind are Carl Orff (German) and Ottorino Respighi (Italian).
Orff's Carmina Burana is fresh in my mind from Pacific NW Ballet's recent performance. And he might have been a pianist who could possibly have written something in this NTT genre.
Same perhaps for Respighi, whose most familiar large works are the Roman trilogy. No choir in those, but perhaps he wrote in that genre with a piano.
So, in the basket I'll leave Rachmaninoff, Benjamin, Britten, Orff, Respighi.
Language not detected. Male chorus plus solo piano (it seems) and orchestra. Not much help in my limited knowledge of choral works. But here is my detailed analysis from what I hear. Very beginning into the first harmony: harmonically sooo Brahms (Violin Concerto, Alto Rhapsody)! But second harmony, not very Brahmsian, more modern (Rachmaninov??). Shift from this harmony to next one, and the two following harmonic passages: Beethoven, and the piano writing confirms that. BUT, the big resolution into the major chord moves the piano writing to Tchaikovsky, and then the augmented harmony that follows definitely places this more in the romantic-late romantic period.
I did not consider the hint! Thinking about that, and the harmonic language, I have to put Liszt in my basket (augmented chords are truly his bread and butter!).
So sad I ran out of time to attempt to name that tune on the last newsletter! I blame tech week/performance weekend (in which I played, among other things, harmonica!!). For this one though...
Well, it has a choral element-- I can't quite tell what language it's in (the syllables/vowels sounded like English, perhaps?) but I also noticed piano and orchestra... hmm. From the harmony, I want to say that it's late 19th century/early 20th? It does have a slightly earlier Romantic flavor, though...
I avoided reading the hint until after listening, since it tripped me up so badly last time. The hint on this one didn't sway me one way or the other, as I know precious little about "piano-composers".
Final thoughts: out of my depth as usual, but let's say it's a late Romantic English, German, or Russian (why not!) composer. My basket: I don't know enough composer names to even start a basket without the aid of Google, I'm afraid!
Orchestration: Orchestra, Choir (but only men, at least in the excerpt) and piano. But is it a solo or just prominent participation? A Concerto or maybe a Cantata?
Language: Diction is too muddled to discern. My 1st impression was German perhaps, or maybe English.
Era: Maybe early/mid 1900's?
Based specifically on the given clue - but only on a bit of the audio - the 1st piece that came to mind was Beethoven's Choral Fantasy. He fits the profile. And it's a large ensemble for piano solo, choir, vocal soloists, orchestra. But Beethoven also weaves piano into the fabric of the orchestra at times. It's been quite a while since I've played that, but this excerpt doesn't sound like it. For one thing, no hint of Ode to Joy, at least in this section. And although there are some Beethoven-esque moments, the harmonies sound too expansive, chromatic, too modern. So I'll rule him out.
And amongst the rep, I'd guess this piece is likely also post Schumann, Brahms, Tchaikovsky, probably Grieg (and definitely isn't one of their piano concertos that I've played in the orchestra).
Rachmaninoff is certainly both pianist and composer and wrote expansive piano concertos (I've played those - no choirs) and large symphonies. And I think he wrote a large choir/orchestra piece of some kind, although I am not at all familiar with it. But I associate men's choirs often with Russia. And if I were him, of course I would put in a prominent piano part! So I'll throw him in the mix.
The excerpt harmonies made me think specifically of Romantic Fantasy for Violin and Viola by Aurthur Benjamin (Australian). No choir in that, but he opens with an expansive broken piano chord and a luscious horn solo. But gosh that horn moment was difficult to nail with its wide awkward intervals and chromatic progressions - which definitely felt like it had to have been penned by a pianist. With that clue and his harmonies in mind, I thought of his Storm Clouds Canatata for orchestra and choir. Perhaps better known as the symphony of choice for political assassins due to its flashy cymbal crash, as featured in the scores of both versions of Hitchcock's The Man Who Knew Too Much. I don’t specifically remember piano in that, so it might not be the actual NTT. But perhaps he wrote another choral/orchestral piece featuring piano.
Arthur Benjamin made me think of another Benjamin who employed large forces: Britten (British). His War Requiem is a massive piece for Soloists, Choir, Boys Choir, Orchestra, Chamber Orchestra, Piano - Organ, too, I think (and 6 Horns - yay), etc. I don't remember playing anything exactly like this passage, but it was about an hour and a half long - and that was some years ago.
Another massive Cantata with large forces and of a similar era is Prokofiev's Alexander Nevsky. But did we have a piano included? I can't remember, at least not a prominent one, like in some of his other work. And I think the NTT excerpt doesn't have enough flavor of Slavic folk tunes - or acerbic wit - for this (or him) to be the right answer. So I'll rule him out.
Other composers using large forces from a similar era that come to mind are Carl Orff (German) and Ottorino Respighi (Italian).
Orff's Carmina Burana is fresh in my mind from Pacific NW Ballet's recent performance. And he might have been a pianist who could possibly have written something in this NTT genre.
Same perhaps for Respighi, whose most familiar large works are the Roman trilogy. No choir in those, but perhaps he wrote in that genre with a piano.
So, in the basket I'll leave Rachmaninoff, Benjamin, Britten, Orff, Respighi.
Language not detected. Male chorus plus solo piano (it seems) and orchestra. Not much help in my limited knowledge of choral works. But here is my detailed analysis from what I hear. Very beginning into the first harmony: harmonically sooo Brahms (Violin Concerto, Alto Rhapsody)! But second harmony, not very Brahmsian, more modern (Rachmaninov??). Shift from this harmony to next one, and the two following harmonic passages: Beethoven, and the piano writing confirms that. BUT, the big resolution into the major chord moves the piano writing to Tchaikovsky, and then the augmented harmony that follows definitely places this more in the romantic-late romantic period.
Bottom line: I have no idea!
I did not consider the hint! Thinking about that, and the harmonic language, I have to put Liszt in my basket (augmented chords are truly his bread and butter!).
So sad I ran out of time to attempt to name that tune on the last newsletter! I blame tech week/performance weekend (in which I played, among other things, harmonica!!). For this one though...
Well, it has a choral element-- I can't quite tell what language it's in (the syllables/vowels sounded like English, perhaps?) but I also noticed piano and orchestra... hmm. From the harmony, I want to say that it's late 19th century/early 20th? It does have a slightly earlier Romantic flavor, though...
I avoided reading the hint until after listening, since it tripped me up so badly last time. The hint on this one didn't sway me one way or the other, as I know precious little about "piano-composers".
Final thoughts: out of my depth as usual, but let's say it's a late Romantic English, German, or Russian (why not!) composer. My basket: I don't know enough composer names to even start a basket without the aid of Google, I'm afraid!
I'm almost sure I know what piece this is, so I'm going to stay out of it.