Реквием для голоса и фортепиано (ТВ) (1993)

Сюжет кино: I have tried to listen to the regular version of A GERMAN REQUIEM a number of times in the past, but I was not able to distinguish what was going on. The orchestral/choral version of A GERMAN REQUIEM, at least to my ear, sounds like a featureless wall of sound. The piece is like Phil Spector's legendary "wall of sound." The "wall of sound" has an attractive quality to it, but it is hard to tell what is going on. Now that the four-hand version of A GERMAN REQUIEM is available, it is easy for the layperson to distinguish between the various tunes, rhythms, and moods. The piece contains seven movements. In a nutshell, I liked the second movement and the sixth movement the best.
1. SELIG SIND (9 minutes, 57 seconds) begins with a slow tune, based on an ascending motif. At 2 minutes, 20 seconds, the speed doubles, but only for several seconds. At 2 min, 50 sec, the key changes, then the rate and volume speed up, but only for several seconds. The entire first movement is stately, slow, and quiet.
2. DENN ALLES FLIESCH (13 min, 12 sec) begins with a 2-note theme, chiming over and over like a humongous bell in a bell tower. Along with the 2-note theme there isa 4-note repeat, and also a 3-note repeat. These repeats provide a kind of nervous, ominous tension. At 2 min, 30 sec, the moderate volume turns into high volume. Then, at 3 min, there is a lovely tune. At 5 min, the 2-note chiming bell theme returns. The nervous 3-note repeat motif appears again, and at 7 minutes, the nervous 4-note repeat motif appears again. At 7 1/2 minutes, the 2-note theme gets very loud, but only for several seconds. At 8 1/2 minutes, the character changes entirely, and we are treated with a jolly fugue, suitable for a graduation day processional march. The jolly fugue continues until the end.
3. HERR LEHRE DOCH MICH (10 min, 19 sec) is distinguished by a 3-note theme that takes the form of a little trill. At seven minutes, this quiet movement picks up a bit, and gets boisterous for around 20 seconds. At 8 min, 15 sec, things pick up again and the piece romps along like part of Beethoven's HAMMERKLAVIER SONATA. This movement is lively and romping until the end.
4. WIE LIEBLICH (4 min, 42 sec) is a pleasant diversion. This movement is Brahms-lite.
5. IHR HABT NUN TRAURIGKEIT (7 min, 42 sec) is calm and somewhat quiet. A stately theme appears here and there, that ascends and descends like a bridge.
6. DENN WIR HABEN (10 min, 55 sec) is calm and on the quiet side. But at 3 minutes, the piece picks up and gets noisy, and pummels the listener with little crescendos. This part brings to mind the ALLEGRO movement of the PIANO QUARTET Brahms at his noisiest can be found at the five minute point in the ALLEGRO movement of Brahms' PIANO QUARTET At 6 min, 20 sec of A GERMAN REQUIEM, a rousing fugue makes an appearance, and this movement remains lively and rousing until the very end.
7. SELIG SIND DIE TOTEN (11 min, 57 sec) begins with an ascending theme of moderate volume. The ascending theme comprises a stream of chords (each chord sounded twice). If you like chords to be repeated twice, then this movement is for you. At 2 min, 50 sec, there is a transition where the piano gets very slow and quiet, and at 3 minutes and 30 seconds, what appears is an "optimistic theme." But at 5 min, things get bogged down again. At 6 min, 45 sec, the keychanges,and a steady, moderate-paced episode appears. Here again, what is provided is a stream of chords, with each chord repeated twice. Theis 2-chord episode lasts around three minutes, after which occurs a slow but moderately loud narrative in sound.
CONCLUSION. Finally, with the four-hand version of A GERMAN REQUIEM, I am able to discern the themes, rhythms, and tunes in the piece. With the orchestral and choral version, the piece has an indistinct quality, and it is more difficult to tell what is going on. At any rate, I am going to listen to four-hand version of the DENN ALLES FLEISHCH movement, and the DENN WIR HABEN movement, again and again.