The Year of Reading Proust discussion

I have started to peek at this work (OK, it's kind of hard to stop once you start, since it pulls you fully into its enveloping folds, not unlike the embrace of an old friend who has returned from afar, or the pull of a bag of sour candies, which at once are repulsive and addictive, or even the mesmerizing flicker of a favorite move; not unlike, say-- well, see how quickly that happens?)


In any case, some people prefer silence when reading, while others like some music. I was spinning some Alkan yesterday (quite a wet, rotter of a day, perfect for reading Proust), and thought the two went well together:

Edited to add Spotify link:

http://open.spotify.com/user/12309454...

Isn't that weird, though, that I can't find the original thread that talks about that Spotify playlist?

This is the playlist that has been created so far: http://open.spotify.com/user/12309454...

It has some Debussy in it. Unfortunately, I can't figure out who 'owns' that playlist. Their username is hidden, but I thought it was maybe Joshua? If we can get someone to admit to owning that playlist, then they can add whatever you want or they can just put the playlist into 'collaborative' mode so other people can add whatever they want.

I don't want to go ahead and start a new one just yet as there are already a bunch of people in here subscribed to it, including Moira, Elizabeth, Kris, Marieke, Selena, etc.

Oh, good, thanks for finding the author of that playlist. I just PM'd him and asked him to make it collaborative (as that would be the easiest route). Once that is done—assuming he agrees to make it collaborative—anyone with the link will be able to add music tracks to it.

For those who add tracks, though, please let us know by posting in this thread (so we know new tracks have been added!).

Also, once that's done, perhaps we could get Martin to ammend his message 1 with a link to the Spotify playlist, since message 1 in a Music thread would be the most ideal place for people to find the link if they are looking for it. I'll post the link again:

http://open.spotify.com/user/1230945405/playlist/1G0EfNWZAw59yktuLlyoZu

I've edited my post to add the link!

James has made this playlist 'collaborative' so it is now all set to add new tracks!

Proustitute wrote: "Awesome.

I'll have to figure out Spotify one of these days..."

I couldn't quite get the app to cooperate either. If any of you are feeling motivated, it would be great to post a text list here of the music on the playlist, for those of us who are Spotify-cally challenged...

Hm. I tried copying & pasting but it isn't very easy to do that from Spotify. Are you on Facebook, Jim? I think that's the easiest way to get on Spotify and see/edit the playlist.

Jason wrote: "Hm. I tried copying & pasting but it isn't very easy to do that from Spotify. Are you on Facebook, Jim? I think that's the easiest way to get on Spotify and see/edit the playlist."

I am. I'll try it that way. Thanks!

There was a music festival in Cabourg last month. Here is a new recording related to Proust and Music. http://www.riveneuve.com/

If you ever get a chanced to hear James Connelly speak about music in the novel...jump!

There's a document put together by James Connelly listing musical references in Proust. It's the PDF linked near the top of this page:

http://www.radioproust.org/links/

More info:

http://www.proust-ink.com/library/les...

I heard James Connelly speak about Proust's love for Beethoven's Late Quartets and Beethoven's influence on the Vinteuil Septet (as well as on Franck's Quartet).

Here is a website that recently had a Beethoven marathon.
http://www.wqxr.org/#!/articles/beeth...

Proust invited the Poulet Quartet to play for him personally, at home. One of the late quartets played was Beethoven's 13th String Quartet in B-flat, opus 130.

Joshua wrote: "There's a document put together by James Connelly listing musical references in Proust. It's the PDF linked near the top of this page:

http://www.radioproust.org/links/

More info:

http://www.pr..."

I just downloaded the pdf on the Musical References in Proust. Wonderful. This will be a Listening list for the year.

Thank you.

Barry wrote: "Marcelita wrote: "Proust invited the Poulet Quartet to play for him personally, at home. One of the late quartets played was Beethoven's 13th String Quartet in B-flat, opus 130. "

I'm reading "Mon..."

I just checked and the film is new. Will not come to Europe until April 2013.

How are you finding Monsieur Proust?

There is a German film on Céleste, but I have not watched it yet.

Bill Carter told us, via Proust Online-A Self-Paced Course, (http://www.proust-ink.com/courseinfo/) that he believed Percy Adlon's "Celeste" is the best film about Proust. Sadly, it is difficult to find in the U.S. Here is a morsel: (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3hVEjV...)

Marcelita wrote: "Bill Carter told us, via Proust Online-A Self-Paced Course, (http://www.proust-ink.com/courseinfo/) that he believed Percy Adlon's "Celeste" is the best film about Proust. Sadly, it is difficult t..."

I have not watched it yet.

It can be purchased in Amazon Germany, but I think the film is in German, and the DVD is Region 2.

http://www.amazon.de/C%C3%A9leste-Eva...

This music thread has derived into Cinema..!

I just ordered this:

http://www.amazon.com/Hahn-Chamber-Mu...

Reynaldo Hahn was such an important friend for Proust.

Proustitute wrote: "@Kalliope

That looks great!

And to devolve this music thread into art now: here's Lucie Lambert's portrait of Hahn, c. 1907:

"

Perfect return... Gesamtkunstwerk...!!!!

Proustitute wrote: "@Kalliope

That looks great!

And to devolve this music thread into art now: here's Lucie Lambert's portrait of Hahn, c. 1907:

"

Whoa! He looks almost exactly like a painter I know in San Francisco - spooky!

At The Morgan there was a concert "Réalités Invisibles" — Music from the Life of Marcel Proust with readings by Richard Howard from his translations of ISOTP.

I missed it; but I have Faure, Franck & Sainte-Saens on iTunes bought after looking into Proust's inspiration for the "petite phrase" in biographies and the like. I also have Hahn as I wanted to hear Proust's lover. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ecccYS...

http://www.themorgan.org/public/progr... (Hahn, Faure, Saint-Saens)

But I won't miss another NY Proust event, an exhibition at the Morgan coming in February, Marcel Proust and Swann's Way: 100th Anniversary

http://www.themorgan.org/exhibitions/...

Listening to music and learning more about Claude Debussy.
"Stephen Porter: The World Of Claude Debussy"
http://thedianerehmshow.org/shows/201...

Knowing how much Proust loved Debussy's "Pelleas et Melisande," it's interesting to know more about the composer. Sadly, no mention of Proust.

From WAMU 88.5, The Diane Rehm Show, Wednesday, October 17, 2012.

Thanks everyone for the links! 2012 is nearly at an end, and I'm now able to turn my attention to the upcoming year and the journey through Proust.

Marcelita wrote: "Listening to music and learning more about Claude Debussy.
"Stephen Porter: The World Of Claude Debussy"
http://thedianerehmshow.org/shows/201...

Knowing h..."

I have watched so far four versions of Debussy's Pélleas. Two direct, in Madrid by Robert Wilson and in Berlin by Marco Arturo Marelli.

Both were wonderful. The Berlin version relied a lot on the water Symbolism.

And two in DVD:

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Debussy-Pelle...

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Pelléas-Mélis...

Of the two DVDs I preferred the first one. Directed by Boulez.

I was given on my last birthday the following 4CD box:

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Gabriel-Fauré...

I am in the process of reading the accompanying booklet and plan to become more familiar with all these songs alongside reading Proust.

The songs were written from 1861-1921. Poems are by Leconte de Lisle, Verlaine and the Belgian Symbolist Charles va Lerberghe, amongst others.

I'm popping into this late. Looks like I'm going to have to do a Proust music folder in my iTunes. This forum is fun.

Saint-Saen's Sonata I for piano and violin, Opus 75

Saint Saen's piece inspired the "little phrase" by fictional composer Vinteuil, which is Swann and Odette's love music.

Sometimes, I stop searching and just listen.
(See Proust's Letter to Jacques de Lacretelle, on the sources of the "little phrase:"
http://books.google.com/books?id=_duh...


Here is a fellow Proustian, who created a video with words and music:

VICTORZ MARCEL PROUST 3/4 IN SEARCH OF THE LITTLE PHRASE
CESAR FRANCK VIOLIN SONATA - PART II

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XKxXWP...

Marcelita wrote: "Sometimes, I stop searching and just listen.
(See Proust's Letter to Jacques de Lacretelle, on the sources of the "little phrase.")

Here is a fellow Proustian, who created a video with words and m..."

This is lovely, thank you Marcelita.

For those of you who can read music, there is this site (although most probably already know about it).

http://imslp.org/

An article on Proust and Music.

http://www.french.pomona.edu/MSAIGAL/...

Kalliope wrote: "Marcelita wrote: "Bill Carter told us, via Proust Online-A Self-Paced Course, (http://www.proust-ink.com/courseinfo/) that he believed Percy Adlon's "Celeste" is the best film about Proust. Sadly,..."

I love Hahn... his pieces were some of my favorites to sing.

It's interesting that Proust takes such an interest in Beethoven's later works - his 3rd period compositions were vastly different from those of his earlier and middle period, and were often misunderstood. He was also completely deaf by that time, so his compositions were based on his memory/thoughts of sound rather than actually being able to hear them. Some passages were nearly unperformable - I dug out my old textbooks for reference, and "A History of Western Music" (Grout/Palisca) says "there are passages that almost require a miracle to make them "sound" in performance; the ideas seem to big for human capabilities to express."

Essay by musicologist Alex Ross that is worth a read:

http://www.therestisnoise.com/2009/08...

Ross also believes that this Faure recording "probably brings you as close as you can get to hearing the imaginary music of Vinteuil in Proust" - although he doesn't necessarily think Vinteuil was based on Faure...

http://www.therestisnoise.com/2008/05...

Sorry...music nerd...

Terrific. Thanks, Kristina.

Kristina wrote: "Ross also believes that this Faure recording "probably brings you as close as you can get to hearing the imaginary music of Vinteuil in Proust" - although he doesn't necessarily think Vinteuil was ..."

Re-wind time.
Proust's letter to Jacques de Lacretelle, on the sources of the "little phrase," gives some hints...if you believe him.
This article discusses Proust's letter describing the 5 different compositions that represented the "little phrase."

(Sadly, this link now is bad, but maybe a search for the author, Blair Sanderson, will lead us to his interesting article. http://www.allmusic.com/artist/blair-...)

Maybe some musical Proustian could match the 5 compositions-notes with the corresponding words...to hear if there is a melding.

Last night I was watching the wonderful:

http://www.amazon.com/Keeping-Score-R...

Le sacre du printemps was premièred in Paris in 1913, the same year Du côté de chez Swann was published (so, also a centenary year for this work). Camille Saint-Saëns was in the audience and was also shocked by the music. He did not recognize the instrument, the bassoon, with which the piece opens because it plays at its highest register.

Of the trio of Faure, Debussy and Saint-Saëns, the latter, and the one preferred by Hahn, was however the most conservative.

Ah, and 2013 is also a Debussy Year, since it is 150 years since he was born (1862). So, expect many concerts around with his music.. keep your ear atuned..LOL.

Kristina wrote: "Sorry...music nerd..."

You should visit this thread more often.!

Kristina wrote: "Sorry...music nerd..."

Kristina, are you kidding? Trust me, we would love to hear more about you singing Hahn's scores! Do you have a favorite recording we could hear? With or without your voice....

Kalliope wrote: "....The songs were written from 1861-1921. Poems are by Leconte de Lisle, Verlaine and the Belgian Symbolist Charles va Lerberghe, amongst others. ."

Leconte de Lisle is also the same Leconte who supposedly advised Bloch to read Bergotte....

Fionnuala wrote: "Kalliope wrote: "....The songs were written from 1861-1921. Poems are by Leconte de Lisle, Verlaine and the Belgian Symbolist Charles va Lerberghe, amongst others. ."

Leconte de Lisle is also the ..."

Yes, that is right.. Thank you for pointing it out... Bloch's "Père Leconte".

Marcelita wrote: "Kristina wrote: "Sorry...music nerd..."

Kristina, are you kidding? Trust me, we would love to hear more about you singing Hahn's scores! Do you have a favorite recording we could hear? With or wi..."

Haha, no recordings of me, thankfully :) I think the only recording I have of myself singing French is Poulenc, and it's from a lonnng time ago...

Recordings of Hahn's vocal music are surprisingly hard to find? Susan Graham was in town a few months ago and rocked some Hahn. This is my favorite and probably his most famous - it's on her "Century of French Song" recording :http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gBZNV7...

And some more from youtube:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IlJqpV...
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IDEBd7...

I don't think I'm familiar enough with his instrumental music to recommend a recording...which obviously means I now have to listen to music all day, doing "research" :)

Kalliope wrote: "Last night I was watching the wonderful:

http://www.amazon.com/Keeping-Score-R......"

Very cool! I haven't seen that, but now I think I need to. That doesn't surprise me that Hahn favored Saint-Saens over Debussy, as Hahn was also more conservative than his contemporaries. He really tried to stay rooted in romanticism even when popular opinion favored a more avant-garde/exploratory direction.

Kristina wrote: "Marcelita wrote: "Kristina wrote: "Sorry...music nerd..."

Kristina, are you kidding? Trust me, we would love to hear more about you singing Hahn's scores! Do you have a favorite recording we coul..."

Kristina, you are why we love Proust. Thank you for adding to our continually expanding knowledge of Marcel....and the musical world of Reynaldo Hahn.

A CD with Reynaldo Hahn's songs.

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Hahn-Songs-Fe...

Curious about Proust's poems set to music, I looked into "The Portraits de Peintres,"
and choose Anton Van Dyck.

Reynaldo Hahn's website:
http://reynaldo-hahn.net/Html/peintre...

Here is the French, with notes:
http://www.tailoredtexts.com/read/por...

Here are two English translations:translations
http://www.guernicamag.com/poetry/ant...
http://www.yorktaylors.free-online.co...

And a short musical excerpts here:
http://www.allmusic.com/album/reynald...
http://www.classicalarchives.com/work...

I am still looking for someone singing this poem.

Kalliope wrote: "Last night I was watching the wonderful:

http://www.amazon.com/Keeping-Score-R......"

The BBC Radio 3 series of "The Essay: Paris 1913," here is a 15-minute discussion on "The Rite of Spring."
http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b01pmh1g

I hope you don't mind me posting this here.

I have a nice hardback called "Satie Seen Through His Letters".



I looked up Proust in the index and it contained this story about Cipa Godebski's sister Misia:

"Gifted with unfailing taste and a definite charm, as well as a noteworthy capacity for intrigue, she treated the numerous geniuses she came across with great nonchalance.

"She has herself related, in her memoirs, how she crudely cut up with a pair of scissors certain canvasses by Bonnard that were too big for her walls, and one evening distributed to her guests to be used as paper hats dozens of letters from Proust, most of which she hadn't even bothered to open."

http://www.musee-orsay.fr/en/events/e...

Marcelita wrote: "Kalliope wrote: "Last night I was watching the wonderful:

http://www.amazon.com/Keeping-Score-R......"

Yes, thank you... I downloaded the series on Paris 1913.

Played at the Verdurins. Part of the symbolism of "light" in Proust.

Moonlight Sonata:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7Qqib2...

...the Verdurins were taking her to the Opéra-Comique, to see Une Nuit de Cléopâtre, and Swann could read in her eyes that terror lest he should ask her not to go,...

“Yet it’s not really anger,” he assured himself, “that I feel when I see how she longs to go and scratch around in that dunghill of music. It’s disappointment, not of course for myself but for her; I’m disappointed to find that, after living for more than six months in daily contact with me, she hasn’t changed enough to be able spontaneously to reject Victor Massé”

ML

Victor Massé operatic composition:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4v7Lng...