Music reviews I’ve written for music published in 1874.
1. Camille Saint-Saëns: Danse macabre (9/10)
I feel like this is one of the all-time great “spooky” high art music pieces. Unlike so much programmatic music, it expertly evokes what it’s supposed to evoke, and it has some iconic moments that have stood the test of time.
2. Henri Duparc: “Elégie” (8/10)
A little more sprightly than the “Lament” but still sedate and perhaps a little wistful. The climax feels earned.
3. Henri Duparc: “Extase” (7/10)
A very sedate, deliberate song, which you could practically fall asleep to at times. “Dreamy” is the best I can come up with, despite its title. (I guess it’s a different type of “ecstasy” we’re talking about here.)