# Musical food



## Ingélou (Feb 10, 2013)

'If music be the food of love, play on... ' - Yes, but what if music *was* food? (Avoidance of the subjunctive is deliberate.  )

Do your favourite composers have versatility, writing jeux d'esprit as well as serious symphonies? 
Or are they excellent at one style only?

If music was food, what would your composer produce? Main course? Fluffy dessert? Or all five courses - hors d'oeuvres, starter, main course, dessert, cheeseboard - plus coffee and mints - or port?

As usual, I don't know enough to make a 'menu' for Lully, Handel or Bach (my favourites) but I would love to read your 'menu' where you match a 'course' against a specific piece of work. The menu could show the differing talents of one composer, or you could equate each course with a different composer. 

Wit & thought-provocation are equally welcome.


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## Ramako (Apr 28, 2012)

I apologise: I have taken liberties with the premise of the OP. Nevertheless, to the knowledgeable the composer should be plain as a bird's song, and hopefully this little creation of mine should be sufficiently dream-like as to not distract from the thrust of the OP in these changing times. However, my composer wouldn't just make a meal, he would make a whole day of food and entertainment for many guests, and that by only selecting from three genres.


I would hold the day in Oxford. I would have to get up at Sunrise with the Lark to prepare everything, since my guests would arrive in the Morning. I would ask them "How do you do?", and then at Midday Surprise them with a fantastic lunch of Hen cooked on the Fire.

Afternoon entertainment would depend on the Season. If it were Autumn I would take them out Riding. Otherwise, we would see the dancing-Bear I'd have brought up from London. I would tell them the tragedy of when it once maimed and killed the local Schoolmaster, who had gone too close to it on a school-trip. At the school they still Mourn him on the Fifth of every month (on which the tragedy also occurred). Nobody heard the master's last words, but we were fairly sure there were Seven of them.

When the Clock struck the hour, and the Evening began, I would give the guests a dinner fit for a Emperor. Unfortunately one of my Jokes fell flat when the Philosopher started choking on the Mercury someone had put in his glass to poison him (we all suspected the Russians, but unfortunately there weren't any around at the time, and they denied it Passionately). We had already started Lamenting, but by a Miracle someone had a cure, and he survived, and we were all so happy we sang "Allelujah".

After such a happy day, I would be sad to say Farewell to the guests, however it would be necessary. I would mark the end of dinner with a Hornsignal and a Drumroll, we would Toast the Emperor, and I would send off my guests in true Imperial-style with a Military escort.


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## ComposerOfAvantGarde (Dec 2, 2011)

http://www.talkclassical.com/20289-i-eat-vivaldi.html?highlight=I+eat+Vivaldi


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## Kieran (Aug 24, 2010)

ComposerOfAvantGarde said:


> http://www.talkclassical.com/20289-i-eat-vivaldi.html?highlight=I+eat+Vivaldi


That's brilliant!


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## ComposerOfAvantGarde (Dec 2, 2011)

Entree: Sonata for Violin and Continuo no. 2, RV12
Main: In Furore, RV626
Dessert: Violin Concerto, RV356


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## HaydnBearstheClock (Jul 6, 2013)

Ramako said:


> I apologise: I have taken liberties with the premise of the OP. Nevertheless, to the knowledgeable the composer should be plain as a bird's song, and hopefully this little creation of mine should be sufficiently dream-like as to not distract from the thrust of the OP in these changing times. However, my composer wouldn't just make a meal, he would make a whole day of food and entertainment for many guests, and that by only selecting from three genres.
> 
> I would hold the day in Oxford. I would have to get up at Sunrise with the Lark to prepare everything, since my guests would arrive in the Morning. I would ask them "How do you do?", and then at Midday Surprise them with a fantastic lunch of Hen cooked on the Fire.
> 
> ...


Brilliant post. My thoughts exactly. Franz Joseph surely knew how to cook some good music!


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## Taggart (Feb 14, 2013)

I would start with a little light Bach - some of the minuets from the Notebook perchance.
For a main course one of the Brandenbergs.
Something light and fluffy for afters - probably something French by M. Lully - perhaps the Bouree des Basques from Xerxes.
To finish something rousing like a good coffee - perhaps Mr Handel's Hornpipe or La Réjouissance

And to lull us into pleasant slumbers at the end some of the Goldberg Variations?


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## EricABQ (Jul 10, 2012)

I've always thought of Vivaldi as a palette cleanser. Like a nice crisp salad with a vinaigrette dressing. Something to cut through the fat of the romantic period (fat in a good way, not a bad way.)


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## Weston (Jul 11, 2008)

My favorite composer could rarely cook a meal in several courses with variety, but they are hearty meals.

1st movement - Allegro con caffe, 60 beans per cup
2nd movement - Andante con carne, little Vienna sausages
3rd movement - Scherzo aus jus, medium rare
4th movement - Allegro de-Boeuf, "Death by Protein"

My apologies for mixing cultures, but the time was a melting pot of ideas.


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## Ingélou (Feb 10, 2013)

Just look at post number 2 - it's fabulous! :tiphat:

 Thanks, Ramako!


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## HaydnBearstheClock (Jul 6, 2013)

Weston said:


> My favorite composer could rarely cook a meal in several courses with variety, but they are hearty meals.
> 
> 1st movement - Allegro con caffe, 60 beans per cup
> 2nd movement - Andante con carne, little Vienna sausages
> ...


oh wow, you've got my saliva going there .


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## HaydnBearstheClock (Jul 6, 2013)

EricABQ said:


> I've always thought of Vivaldi as a palette cleanser. Like a nice crisp salad with a vinaigrette dressing. Something to cut through the fat of the romantic period (fat in a good way, not a bad way.)


I like that fat metaphor .


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## HaydnBearstheClock (Jul 6, 2013)

Entrée: Pizza à la Carne con pisci served by Wolfgang

Main meal: fat Leviathan served right by Joseph
cochons jouissantes served by Georg Philipp
fire-fried chicken served by Georg Friedrich
pastoral, hairy Turkey served by Ludwig
Rat king served by Pyotr,

Dessert: Brandenburg cupcakes served by Johann Sebastian


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## Huilunsoittaja (Apr 6, 2010)

If music were food, I would be morbidly obese, that's the grim truth. From eating Russian delicacies of course.

So, I'm glad music isn't food.

:lol:


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## HaydnBearstheClock (Jul 6, 2013)

Huilunsoittaja said:


> If music were food, I would be morbidly obese, that's the grim truth. From eating Russian delicacies of course.
> 
> So, I'm glad music isn't food.
> 
> :lol:


you're Russian? Cool, I speak Russian too.


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## Huilunsoittaja (Apr 6, 2010)

HaydnBearstheClock said:


> you're Russian? Cool, I speak Russian too.


I wish I was Russian sometimes...

I'm a Russian at heart! Is that enough?


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## HaydnBearstheClock (Jul 6, 2013)

Huilunsoittaja said:


> I wish I was Russian sometimes...
> 
> I'm a Russian at heart! Is that enough?


I'm not an official 'Russian' either (was born in Ukraine), but still, mother Russia rules .


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