Beethoven in A-flat; Michael Tilson Thomas, Alicia de Larrocha, and Dudley Moore

[1:14] "This key of A-flat, to Beethoven" says Michael Tilson Thomas to Alicia de Larrocha (1923-2009), "is this key of reconciliation."



He plays the first part of the second movement of the fifth symphony as an example, and de Larrocha begins to sing, caught in sympathetic vibration. Thomas compare this to the late masterwork in A-flat major; the Op. 110 sonata. De Larrocha plays the opening of the sonata with a deep and human warmth.

A-flat major then, can be an expression of "the inward, all-forgiving Beethoven. [2:07]"

This clip is from a lovely series of six television programs filmed in 1993 called "Concerto!" Dudley Moore (1935-2002) was interested in further developing the series he began with Sir George Solti (called "Orchestra!") a few years earlier.

This is an early example of Thomas in his role as an educator. Here he is exploring how to create connections to musical style through highly personal collaborations.

Dudley Moore was a trained musician. We think of him laughing in his most famous roles, but he was musical also. At [3:35] he launches into his imitation of Beethoven mixed with the theme from the "Colonel Bogey March." De Larrocha seems to love it and the first time you hear it the charm is irresistible. But Moore did this parody at every available opportunity--there are several versions on YouTube.

Thomas and Moore had a complicated relationship; they respected one another but never quite harmonized. They each expressed it in an interview in "The Independent" from 1993:

Tilson Thomas on Moore:
"Dudley seems to want music to be comforting, and, at the same time, an amusing force which somehow makes it possible for the audience to stand further away from the sadness and confusion of life. For me, the most important part of music is the breadth and depth of emotion. Despite the fact that we were coming at the music from two different places, there was a great deal of trust between us. When I was talking about something with great seriousness, Dudley would frequently add some surreal comment prefaced with 'Come off it, Michael.' He has this extraordinary ability for brilliantly clever repartee - a never-ending comic stream of consciousness."

Moore on Thomas:
"To an extent, musicians are quite isolated and I couldn't imagine Michael with a massive group of friends. I wouldn't say Michael is a friend in the sense of wanting to make sure that he was OK, but he's certainly much more than just an acquaintance. If he were to walk into my kitchen now, I would be absolutely delighted."

Rhythmic Urges and the Bass Drum Solo in The Rite of Spring

"Keeping Score" is a series of programs centered on specific works of classical music created by conductor Michael Tilson Thomas with the San Francisco Symphony. The series is articulate, charismatic and fun.

The episode on Stravinsky's Rite of Spring includes a section that explores the role of the bass drum in the "Danse de la Terre (Dance of the Earth)" that closes part one of the Rite [3:03]:



Jack van Geem, principle percussionist of the SFS [3:12], says the bass drum solo "is used for every audition that a percussionist has to take, because it is the first time that the bass drum is used in this way; as a solo instrument. What makes this piece stand apart from anything written before is that rawness and vitalness of the rhythmic elements."

The bass drum establishes a rhythmic field of triplets in this "solo." At first it is completely alone in this division; all the other parts subdivide in duple divisions, or are parts of quick gestures that divide in fives and sevens. Gradually the bass drum triplets attract, absorb, parts of these gestures; as one can hear in the brass and winds at [3:54-3:58]. At this moment the tam-tam gesture (supported by horns, clarinets and flutes) cuts across the triplets, and the bass drum seems moving with the current for the first time.

[4:00] "There really are no themes here," says Thomas, "it is all just a bunch of rhythmic urges that have been set down into different parts of the orchestra. Later [5:05], as Thomas highlights the violas and horns playing triplets, this is yet another configuration that is pulled into the vortex of the bass drum.

The cross-currents in this passage are articulated with great clarity by the San Francisco Symphony. "Everything drives on," says Thomas [5:31], "building and layering until it is just so crazy that it just can't be sustained. The rest of the band gives up with a bunch of whoops and shrieks." (The film is layered over whoops and shrieks from a russian folk ensemble to show similarities).

"Party's over," says Thomas [5:48], "Blackout."