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

Hi, Edward.

As we've both just seen, it's probably not possible for one person to list all the noteworthy composers of the 20th Century. You mentioned that you hadn't heard of Gerald Finzi. His most famous work is called "Eclogue." It also exists in the form of a cantata, which my choral group sang a few years ago. But really, "Eclogue" is by far his best-known work.

Elliott Carter is another one you hadn't heard of. He's still alive (he's 103 years old), and still writing music.) I heard his most recent piece on the radio, and loathed it. Still, you might want to at least have heard of him. It can't hurt. You might even enjoy his music more than I do....

Frederick Delius was an honest omission. He may be a little bit early, but his best-known works were mostly composed after 1900.

Carl Orff? That was a big omission. Sorry about that. He almost singlehandedly brought Monteverdi's opera "Orfeo" back from the dead by arranging it for performance sometime in the late 40s/early 50s. Strangely enough, his version is in German, not the original Italian. Since then, "Orfeo" has become almost mainstream in its original version. Anyway, Orff's version has become known as "Orff Orf." "Carmina Burana" is a great piece. Orff wrote at least two other choral works, trying to make a trilogy. However, only "Carmina Burana" has remained famous.

I have to say...it's not my speciality. File under 'Must get around to.'

Weill I like.


Und der Haifisch, der hat Zähne
Und die trägt er im Gesicht
Und MacHeath, der hat ein Messer
Doch das Messer sieht man nicht.
<musicalnote)

My Latin teacher used to say that Carmina Burana wouldn't be played in public so often if folk knew what they were singing.

I imagined that you would like Weill a lot.

"Moon on Alabama" is another great song from his collaboration with Brecht. It's in "Rise and Fall of the City of Mahogonny" [my spelling may be wrong here.)

When my sister was in college, I sat through a student rendition of "Threepenny Opera." It was in English, as was the famous 1953 New York revival starring Lotte Lenya and Beatrice Arthur. I've also heard it in German. There is something about Lenya's voice that gets through to me. She was also great in "Cabaret."

Hitler's rise spelled doom for Weill [he wrote Jewish liturgical music, so I'm going to guess that he was Jewish]. He moved to Hollywood, and then wrote for the New York stage. I have a CD of his show "Street Scene," and I've heard his "One Touch of Venus." An important composer. He also wrote "Lady in the Dark," which starred gertrude Lawrnce and a young Danny Kaye.

Well Brecht and Weill were also Communists.

There are various good versions apart from Lenya's. I'm trying to recall the name of the singer who was married to Elvis Costello.

Diana Krall, who married Elvis Costello in 2003, sang "Mack the Knife" in the 1999 film "At first sight."