OCR Text |
Show Sex, Death and Riots: Classical Music’s Most Shocking Moments BY PAUL HORSLEY KNIGHT RIDDER NEWS SERVICE Classical music: high art, intentions, transcendent visions of beauty. Right? Well, that’s just part of the story. The music's history is also shot through with violence, disease, tawdry sex, incarceration, riots and premature death — all the ingredients of mainstream entertainment. Remember, these are musicians we're talking about. Like their rock brethren, Jim Mor- well, jumping the gun. The composer makes certain that ‘we get the point, as the French horns blare a series of uncontrolled up" Worse still, one segment of Strauss’ “Symphonia Domestica” depicts a whole love scene between the composer and his wife — it’s sort oflike watching your parents make love. Q So in the spirit of VHI'srecent “100 Most Shocking Moments in Rock ’n’ Roll,” we've assembled some pretty juicy stuffto show that Altamont was far from music’sfirst raucous catastrophe. Q Gesualdo Knew the Score Hard to imagine a composer of mellifluous Renaissance polyphony committing murder? The 16th-century Italian nobleman-musician Carlo Gesualdo, prince of Venosa, caughthis wife with her lover, and in a jealous fit he had them both murdered. The killer is unknown, but the rich and well-connected composer got offscot-free. Thecrimeleft its mark: For years Gesualdo brooded, secluded and alone in his palace. His music was some of the Highbrow Casting Couch Speaking of scandalous books, the most startling publication on the high-brow music “industry” in recent years was Norman Lebrecht’s 1996 Who Killed Classical Music?, an “expose”of corruption, greed and musical casting-couches in the classical world. It didn’t matter that much of the book was wildly exaggerated: It madeclassical-lovers stand up and take note. According. to powerful conductors and executive directors give artists — both male and teanie —jobs in return for sexual favors. “T think ‘Jack’ really was just in- terested in the sex,” one young victim is quoted as saying, “and was interested in relationships only to the extent that they served him.” Q weirdest, most dissonant chro- maticism anyone ever heard. Qa Doctor Freud, I Presume? Composers often find themselves in the middle ofamorous intrigues: It’s part of the ¢reative life. But poor Gustav Mahler: He married lovely Alma Schindler in 1902, only to discover in 1909 that she was onwith the architect Walter Sea (twas one ina long line of trysts she had with famous artistic personalities.) The infidelity drove Mahler to .seek help from a fellow named Freud. Mahler’s neuroses offer a fascinating glimpse into the psyche of a tortured genius. He died of a heart condition in 1911 at age 51, Q Lebrecht, Death and Taxis Musicians have suffered their share of disease, suffering, violent accidents and pre- mature deaths. French composer Maurice Ravel, already suffering from a severe neural condition, was involved in a car accident in 1932 and was never quite the same. Within three years he“could barely write. N us composers have died sexually transmit- ted diseases, including possibly Schubert and Schumann. Oneof the more spectacular composer deaths was that of Anton Webern, who having survived war and deprivation was shot at age 61 as he smoked Naked Face ofGenius Sex has always been used to sell merchandise and classical music is hardly immune. Foxy violinist Lara St. John posed topless for her 1996 recording of Bach violin works: only the appropriate contours ofherviolin prevent the CD from looking likea Playboy spread. (This was had an audierice heard raucous rhythm, such jolting dissonance. “Twas sitting in the fourth or fifth row,” composer Igor Stravinsky said. years later. “Monteux stood there apparently impervious and as nerveless as a crocodile. It is still almost incredible to me that he actually broughtthe orchestra through to the end.” a Their Inner Turmoil Recently, scandalous mate- rial previously light. On theface of it, things look pretty bad: The composer’s extensive diaries reveal him as a tortured admirer of adolescent boys. At age 43, he began toexpress a growing infatuation. with his 13-year-id nephew, Vladimir Davidov, whom he called Bob. This was the source of unspeakable guilt and selfloathing for the composer. But, it seems clear that his relations with Bob and other boysremained chaste. Tchaikovsky was not the only composer with such proclivities. The Renaissance composerNicolas Gombert was sentto the high seas for forcing himself upon a boy. And Schubert spoke in what some scholars believe was a code language about his “peacocks,” namely the boy prostitutes ofVienna. Why bring this up? Because it’s importantin understanding the full extent of the inner turmoil of works like Tchaikovsky’s Sixth Symphony or Schubert’s “Die Winterreise.” This is music written by men doomed to wander the world racked with guilt and fear. Anyone who has felt alienation or iation —for whateverreason —might hear a whisper of his or her own tormentin such music. some of the most compelling playing we've heard in years. ny , Caribbean Getaw: >, Hummer! Play Slots to be a Winn Everyone Wins Ever Day— enraniecer meg 1 800 848-7300 STATE LINE VISIT US DURING THE PARK CITY PARADE Os e[eNiiay 1970s that featured a topless babe wearing nothing but a two dollops ofwhipped cream.) ‘The remarkable thing about St. John is that her CDs contain suppressed about Tchaikovsky has come to PUTTSeekam a Bronce 100% OR ta Monthly Payment as Low as Rent! ely) Q The Last Word Myriad performers have expired onstage in mid performance, most recently the Italian conductor Sinopoli, who died of a heart attack this year during a performance of Verdi’s “Aida.” Performing is a strenuous activity — it's a wonder this doesn’t happen more often. But few onstage deaths match that of 63-year-old tenor = Richard Versaille, whofell offa ladder in the middle of a per pital after having sung his last lyric: “You can only live so long.” Q Premature Prestissimo Back to sex, picking up on vee lustful strains in “Tristan Mao Harare) CANYON CREEK CLUB CONDOMINIUM HOMES IN A RESORT SETTING FROM ‘SI9IIO! MODELS OPEN DAILY 10-6 / 578-2009 ONE,TWO ANDTHREE BEDROOMS IMMEDIATE AVAILABILITY 900 BITNER ROAD, NORTH OF KIMBALL JUNCTION, PARK CITY FULL BROKER COURTESY (MARKETED BY PACIFIC MARKETING ASSOCIATES, INC. |