1 Topic by Strummerboy Bill (edited by Strummerboy Bill 2015-01-26 20:35:43)

  • From: West Georgia
  • Registered: 2006-10-14
  • Posts: 2,557

Topic: My First Visit To This Part Of Chordie

This hasn't anything to do with theory, but I have a 2 part trivia question y'all might find interesting or maybe not. wink

In another thread I mentioned I could talk about and listen to the Maestro Ludwig van Beethoven all day long.

There's a reason I fancy myself a "Beethoven scholar" and it all began with a strange note in this, one of his most beautiful compositions:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e4d0LOuP4Uw

Can you detect the note (or notes, depending on who is playing - many improvise)? I don't read piano music, but begin listening at :32.

A German friend of mine claims to know why Beethoven put that note in there. Do you?

He says that many of his contemporaries did this as well.

Thanks

Bill

Epiphone Les Paul Studio
Fender GDO300 Orchestral - a gift from Amy & Jim
Rogue Beatle Bass
Journal: www.wheretobud.blogspot. com
  • From: Nova Scotia, Canada
  • Registered: 2013-01-20
  • Posts: 4,083

Re: My First Visit To This Part Of Chordie

Haven't a clue, Strummerboy. I have heard that many classical composers put signature note combos in their pieces, like an artist signs a painting. Don't know if that thinking applies, but it came to mind.

  • dino48
  • Honoured Member
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  • From: los banos,california
  • Registered: 2007-04-06
  • Posts: 6,801

Re: My First Visit To This Part Of Chordie

play e7,a7 not too fast up and down and they sound like some parts in the songs.

my papy said son your going too drive me too drinking if you dont stop driving that   Hot  Rod  Lincoln!! Cmdr cody and his lost planet airman
  • From: Probably Somewhere
  • Registered: 2010-12-09
  • Posts: 2,446

Re: My First Visit To This Part Of Chordie

are you referring to the d#?

  • From: West Georgia
  • Registered: 2006-10-14
  • Posts: 2,557

Re: My First Visit To This Part Of Chordie

Baldguitardude wrote:

are you referring to the d#?

Yup, I sure am, BGD. We've grown so used to hearing it over the years that no one notices that little "discordant" note. My German friend (music major) told me that not only Beethoven, but his contemporaries put a little (as TF says) "signature" note in their compositions. They also stole from each other, and no one really cared as long as the thief wasn't blatant about it and dressed it up a little. smile

Anyway, the note was supposedly put in there to make sure folks were "paying attention".

Not sure if that's myth or truth, but there you have it. smile

Thanks

Bill

PS: dino, I'll have to give that a try, thanks! smile

Epiphone Les Paul Studio
Fender GDO300 Orchestral - a gift from Amy & Jim
Rogue Beatle Bass
Journal: www.wheretobud.blogspot. com
  • From: Western Oregon,US
  • Registered: 2008-07-22
  • Posts: 2,498

Re: My First Visit To This Part Of Chordie

All my music has "signature notes"..... they're the ones I screwed up on.  With the amp turned up and lots of distortion, nobody notices though.

"what is this quintessence of dust?"  - Shakespeare
  • Registered: 2015-06-10
  • Posts: 19

Re: My First Visit To This Part Of Chordie

Many composers started with admiring Beethoven and trying to follow him. Some of them ended up doing something totally different, like Richard Wagner for example.

By the way I had an irritating and fascinating experience with one single but totally weird note in one of B's string trios. It was a little tone and had its effect on me only by some overlay harmonic change by line progression on an unaccentuated time (something like 3andand of 4). No one else wondered about this and I had to explain at length what I meant, but finally it became clear that it was indeed strange.

Another one was the beginning of Vivaldi's "sinfonia al santo sepulchro". First a long held minor second, then moving in to fourth. Two long dissonances at the begining, just holding the tension, not swirtly releasing it! Hey, we are in the Baroque age and this is not Black Sabbath? But maybe the musical language is still the same in Metal as well as in Blues or much earlier: hard dissonances that don't resolve as the rules would demand -they  may show pain and suffer.