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Monday, March 30, 2015

Is This Some Kind of a Joke?

I made the mistake of turning on the radio this morning for my short drive to the shuttle stop, and what should KDFC decide to play but Richard Strauss's Aus Italien?

I had never heard this before, and after just a few minutes, I found myself trying to decide whether to fall over laughing or experience an epistemological crisis. I settled for a mild state of confusion, as my poor tired brain tried to reconcile hearing Funiculi, Funicula set in the style of Die Frau ohne Schatten.

Yes, it is that bad. Or maybe I mean that kitschy. Or perhaps Herr Strauss was having a little fun with us??

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5 comments:

  1. Patrick J. VazMarch 30, 2015 at 10:03:00 AM PDT

    I'd go with "that kitschy" -- for some reason I've always really hated Funiculi, Funicula but this actually sounds as if it could be fun

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  2. AnonymousMarch 30, 2015 at 10:49:00 AM PDT

    Have you heard Mahler's setting of "Frere Jacques"?

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  3. Lisa HirschMarch 30, 2015 at 10:55:00 AM PDT

    Yes - and his intent is clear. From just hearing the fourth section of Aus Italien, I can't tell what Strauss is up to.

    ReplyDelete
  4. Mark BerryMarch 30, 2015 at 4:42:00 PM PDT

    This is also a bit odd: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A1V-Dxto74M

    ReplyDelete
  5. Lisa HirschMarch 30, 2015 at 4:50:00 PM PDT

    Ha! But Schoenberg made money for a few years making reduction-arrangements of J. Strauss and other popular tunes - this is more of the same.

    ReplyDelete

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