# Blind Listening #1



## Portamento (Dec 8, 2016)

Below is a link to the first work in this blind listening experiment of mine. Playtime is about 14 minutes, so nothing too time-consuming to begin with. Feel free to comment - discussion is encouraged. I'll be posting my thoughts later.

https://www.dropbox.com/s/61skd9uj4exqhbb/Mystery[1].wav?dl=0

(No spoilers if you already know it!)


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## DaveM (Jun 29, 2015)

I’m not familiar with it. Sounds like a trio in the realm of what I call ‘wandering tonal’ probably from earlier 20th century. But I’m totally sticking my neck out. It’s not something I would put on ordinarily, but it’s not bad at all and I can see others liking it.


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## Portamento (Dec 8, 2016)

DaveM said:


> I'm not familiar with it. Sounds like a trio in the realm of what I call 'wandering tonal' probably from earlier 20th century. But I'm totally sticking my neck out. It's not something I would put on ordinarily, but it's not bad at all and I can see others liking it.


Glad to hear you didn't hate it. This is certainly one of the composer's more conservative works and a pleasing listen. I didn't know what to expect from him but discovered a few gems along the way. It sounds very (early) Hindemithian to me, but there's a unique flavor to the work.


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## Captainnumber36 (Jan 19, 2017)

I'm big on melody, and I don't quite fancy the melody of this one. There is something plain about the work, I think!


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## Bulldog (Nov 21, 2013)

I found it very enjoyable, especially the 2nd movement. I'd buy it; heck, I might own it already (many discs not played yet).

As for who wrote it, I have no idea. The work did get me to thinking of Russian composers like Myaskovsky or Shebalin, but I'm probably way off base. Anyways, I loved how the work blended austerity with tenderness; I always take to that mix.

Just having read post #3, I take back any reference to Myaskovsky/Shebalin. This work could not be one of their more conservative ones.


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## Merl (Jul 28, 2016)

I have no idea who wrote that but a few observations.
1) I like it.
2) Lovely recording! Everything sounded deep and rich, even on my crappy phone earbuds
3) Interesting compositional style. I don't do musical theory but there's something interesting about the style that kept me intrigued (and listening).
4) Is it me or do I hear a tenuous Dvorakian influence?
5) I would be interested in hearing any symphonies this composer wrote.I might not like them, though. 
6) Not a clue


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## Enthusiast (Mar 5, 2016)

I liked it well enough but didn't detect anything very distinctive in the outer movements. I was left thinking of a few names that this could be an early work of but none of them really fitted. The slow movement (or middle section) was more distinctive but didn't suggest to me any composer I know. I don't think I would actually buy it.


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## Guest (Aug 30, 2019)

I found it quite pleasing. I'm very uncertain of its composer. Rough guess I'd say it's of approx 1900-1925 vintage. I doubt that it's English or American. It doesn't sound Scandinavian, and it's even less likely to be Spanish or Italian. I don't think it's French and yet it has a certain affinity with String Trio Op 58 by Roussel which I'd say is a nicer piece. If it's none of these chances are it's German or Russian or Hungarian or Czech.


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## Portamento (Dec 8, 2016)

I'll let this sit around for a few more days before revealing the composer.


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## Phil loves classical (Feb 8, 2017)

For some reason I feel it sounds like from a French composer like Milhaud.


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## calvinpv (Apr 20, 2015)

I don't hear more than four instruments. I'm gonna guess it's a string quartet because I keep hearing what sounds like two violins doubling up on the same melodic line but a few pitches apart. Now that could be one violin, but with a piece this short and with a cello part that also sounds pretty simple, I doubt that this composer is looking to give the violin a hard time. It sounds like an early work of the composer, but not too early, as the harmonies are just beginning to ripen and mature. The melodies sound pastoral at times, and there is a light rhythmic pulse to them. I would guess this composer is Hungarian. A contemporary of, say, Lajtha? However, I'm also vaguely reminded of Langgaard, so the composer could be Scandinavian.

Do I like the piece? It was pleasant enough in the moment, but I wouldn't actively seek it out in the future. Though I'd be interested in hearing a couple of other works by the composer to see if my mind could be changed.


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## WildThing (Feb 21, 2017)

Not bad...the idiom kind of reminds me of a Bacewicz, but not quite as enjoyable as any of my favorite pieces from her.


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## Merl (Jul 28, 2016)

Just been listening to this again. It's a very individual voice but I'm still hearing what initially I thought was a Dvorak influence but now I think it's just a slavic flavour. Weirdly, after playing this I went off to play Novak's Slovak Suite. I doubt there's any connection there but that sometimes happens when you've been playing certain pieces.


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## Malx (Jun 18, 2017)

I enjoyed it greatly but have no real notion of who it may be other than to say it sounds European.


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## Enthusiast (Mar 5, 2016)

One of the things I did after listening to it was to listen to some early/mid 20th century quartets to see if anyone sounded similar. Strangely, early Tippett (the 1st quartet) and Urbanner (the 4th quartet) were the closest I got. Both seemed to get more from the approach than the blind example (possibly because I know them better). I'd like to know who and what it was, though.


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## Bulldog (Nov 21, 2013)

Perhaps it's time to reveal the mysterious composer?


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## Portamento (Dec 8, 2016)

[drumroll]

The "mystery composer" is *Alois Hába* (1893-1973; Czech). The work is his String Quartet No. 7, op. 73 "Christmas" (1950-51), played by the eponymous Hába Quartet.

Chief among Hába's output was a cycle of 16 string quartets. Like Wyschnegradsky, you may be familiar with this composer for his extensive work in microtonal music, in this case stemming from its use in Moravian folk music. From _The Cambridge Companion to the String Quartet_: "Hába used quarter tones systematically as an integral part of the compositional material in his String Quartets Nos. 2-4 inclusive (1919-22), No. 6 (1950) and Nos. 12 and 14 (1959-60; 1963), as well as sixth tones in Nos. 5, 10 and 11 (1923; 1952; 1957) and fifth tones in Nos. 15 and 16 (1964; 1967), all notated according to his system. In the preface to his Second Quartet Op. 7 Haba wrote: 'It is my concern to permeate the semitone system with more delicate sound nuances, not to abolish it... to extend the possibilities of expression already given by the old system.' *Hába's microtonal quartets contrast markedly with his Quartets Nos. 7, 8 and 9, which are characterised by 'a greater simplicity of harmony and form and a less sophisticated expression'.*"

As you can see, Hába was akin to Bartók in that, while being as radical as Schoenberg, his love for folk music kept him from completely abandoning traditional tonality. If you want to hear a piece more representative of Hába's mature style, here is the austere String Quartet #16, op. 98 (1967) - fans of late Shostakovich need not hesitate:


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## Merl (Jul 28, 2016)

Portamento said:


> [drumroll]
> 
> The "mystery composer" is *Alois Hába* (1893-1973; Czech). The work is his String Quartet No. 7, op. 73 "Christmas" (1950-51), played by the eponymous Hába Quartet.
> 
> ...


Do I get any brownie points for saying it sounded Slavic? Ps never heard of him.


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## calvinpv (Apr 20, 2015)

Something in the back of my head was telling me to expect a sort of head fake like this, a radical composer as the author of this conservative composition. I've actually been meaning to buy Haba's quartets for some time, having heard and enjoyed Wyschnegradsky. Maybe it's time to pull the trigger?


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## Portamento (Dec 8, 2016)

Merl said:


> Do I get any brownie points for saying it sounded Slavic? Ps never heard of him.


Yes, yes you do.


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## Larkenfield (Jun 5, 2017)

I have no idea of the composer but I found the work refreshing and well-written. It sounds like a composer I'm probably not familiar with… and I'm not inclined to think it was Bartok, Shostakovich, or Hindemith because I hear a subtle lyricism that I wouldn't necessarily associate with them. I look forward to the great reveal.


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## Portamento (Dec 8, 2016)

Larkenfield said:


> I have no idea of the composer but I greatly enjoyed it. It sounds like a composer that I'm probably not familiar with… and I'm not inclined to think that it was Bartok, Shostakovich, or Hindemith because I hear a subtle lyricism that I wouldn't necessarily associate with them. I look forward to the great reveal.


You will find out when you read post #17.


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## Larkenfield (Jun 5, 2017)

Portamento said:


> You will find out when you read post #17.


Oops. Thanks! Will do...

Ahhh, Alois Hába! Wonderful. I'm completely unfamiliar. Must hear more of him! Excellent blind test. I genuinely enjoyed hearing this work and making a new discovery. I like that he was Czech and didn't abandon tonality (not that any composer hasn't the freedom to pursue that).


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