h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

Kes,

I would be most willing to cover the early background stuff - Franck, Lalo, perhaps D'Indy, if you like.

Is the project French composers or the French scene in general ie do you include the Ballet Russe?

How about Les Six? Challenging but influential for what was to come after.

Yes - I think something on the precursor composers would be great! Would you prefer to do it as the opening section of the covering article, or as a separate entry (part of the project) linked to the covering article?

Hadn't thought of things like the Ballet Russe ... maybe we'll see how the time goes (projects always seem to over-run!)

The Six ... maybe. I'd thought of individual composer bios, which would reference groups like that ... we could give it a section in the main article as well.

Yes?

Same argument as the diatribe on the Baroque, Kes. Intro-Development-Outro. Gives the article context and relevance. Late 19th century is getting quite complex with Wagner doing his chromaticals and all sorts of nationalist hidden agendas at play.

Saint-Saens is the most difficult. Very heavyweight, sort of Beethoven on acid. Needs a music grad to sort him out. However, he ends up being sort of peripheral as regards the others possibly excepting his pupil Faure. Satie probably was more influential on Ravel/Debussey. I think an intro concentrating on Franck (a Belgian!) and Lalo (Spanish descent) gives a reasonable picture as France hadn't really provided anyone of note since Rameau bar the bloke who wrote the Marseillaise (whose name escapes me).

I'm happy to do a draft intro to set the historical/stylistic scene, on the basis that I've performance experience of the symphonic stuff at least. But it needs a music pro to do a reality check on the theory side. It's twenty-five years since I studied post-classical form and harmony!

Mention Ballet Russe as an influence but leave detail for a Russian section?

Ditto Les Six as they were eclipsed by the Eastern Europeans especially the later Polish school.

OK - that sounds like the way to go. You can make a start on the intro, while I assume the intro exists, and start drafting the "middle section". I have access to music grads who can run a technical sanity check afterwards.

We'll see if anyone volunteers for more individual bios ... if not the current "staff" will take them on one at a time.

Thanks! Not sure when I'll get started - early next week, I hope (RL permitting)

First draft of covering article is "up" (far from complete!).
Please take a look at: A507719, and comment about it. Lots of feedback hoped for!