# Different manifestations of wit in music, and "music with attitude"



## clavichorder (May 2, 2011)

Bear in mind that I'm thinking more in terms of keyboard music for my choices, but you are free to think of whatever music you like. There's music that with a few alterations wouldn't work at all, but passes off very well in a way that amuses and impresses upon you their quirkiness, because the composer was just that clever and wild. Alkan, Prokofiev, Scarlatti, are quite adept at this type of music in my opinion, their music has "attidude." Almost purely witty music of an aggressive nature. There are also those that posess it in a subtle way, such as Eric Satie, or John Field, simple and charming and quirky. Then there are the composers that seem to be bottomless pits of ideas, never relying on force or melody but always on their cleverness in modulation and rhythm; Bach and Medtner come to mind. The way these guys move around can sometimes leave you going, "now...what?" until you realize that what just happened worked perfectly well. These two perhaps have a cleaner and less overt version of humor to the three above. Bach passed on a cruder wit resembling the wit of those three above more, to his two eldest sons as well, WF Bach and CPE Bach are both a little nutty. Early Brahms has for me a certain wierdness and emptiness that is quirky and interesting, I would like give him his due for that as well. 

Perhaps as the thread progresses, we can give specific examples of our favorite "witty" passages in pieces. There are certain moments that are simply "too much," and very enjoyably so. Catch my drift? Do you like my drift on this, or would you prefer to redefine the wit described in this thread to suit your own preferences?


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## Jeremy Marchant (Mar 11, 2010)

Wit is surely in short supply in "classical" music, whether Monteverdi or Lachenmann.

I like the passage in _Atmen gibt das Leben..._ [_Breathing gives life, but the song gives form_] for chamber choir by Stockhausen where one of the singers has hiccups. Rather Haydnesque if one is willing to lift one's prejudices.


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## clavichorder (May 2, 2011)

Jeremy Marchant said:


> Wit is surely in short supply in "classical" music, whether Monteverdi or Lachenmann.
> .


This statement seems a little out of left field to me. What do you mean in short supply? Surely Prokofiev and Alkan have it in abundance.


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## Huilunsoittaja (Apr 6, 2010)

The tango in particular has _so_ much attitude, very malevolent "Muahaha!" music fit for a Russian conspiracy plot.


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## clavichorder (May 2, 2011)

^^^^^
Ah, a theatrical sort of wit. That's a whole new category that piano music probably can't evoke very easily. Interesting.


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## clavichorder (May 2, 2011)

Yep, I'd say that Shostakovich piece has a very defined and polished sort of wit. Mozart has great wit for sure. A great example is his 39th symphony, @1:49 is the epic chord


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## Huilunsoittaja (Apr 6, 2010)

clavichorder said:


> ^^^^^
> Ah, a theatrical sort of wit. That's a whole new category that piano music probably can't evoke very easily. Interesting.


Ah I missed the fine print. Well, there's always this from Prokofiev:


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## clavichorder (May 2, 2011)

Huilunsoittaja said:


> Ah I missed the fine print. Well, there's always this from Prokofiev:
> ]


Nope, no requirements, your first suggestion was a good one. But thanks for the new one too!


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## clavichorder (May 2, 2011)

I think the Tcherepnin Bagatelles are witty


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## tdc (Jan 17, 2011)

I find Ravel, Bartok and Stravinsky all seem very 'witty' in their composing styles.


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## Kopachris (May 31, 2010)

A Musical Joke?

Well, I thought it was witty.


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