board77

So I am fortunate enough to know some talented people IRL, not just here on the boards. My former viola teacher has agreed to play at my wedding. A guy I've been doing aikido with since childhood sings, and he's willing to sing at my wedding. He may or may not bring his SO in to do a duet. Which leaves me with picking music. T, the singer, specializes in ancient music but he can do whatever.

I DO NOT want the stereotypical wedding music. I will not have Wagner at my wedding, and while I have nothing against Mendhelsohn (I know I spelled that wrong), he's gotten cliched as well. Since there's no shortage of fine and talented people here, any suggestions? T and my former teacher may have some ideas of their own, but I'd like to have something of my own to bring to the table.

Cross-posted with HoF.

Nothing wrong with a bit of Wagner, so long as it's done the way Wagner intended.
(Or the way he would have loved, a.k.a. everything scored for horns)

So you have a violist and a singer. Will there be an organist?

No. It's on a beach. All instruments must be portable and preferably not pwered by electricty.

When you said you didn't want Wagner at the wedding, I immediately pictured having all your bridesmaids dress up with horned helmets and singing "Ho-jo-to-ho! Ho-jo-to-ho! Wallalei!!!!"

So what's wrong with being unconventional? At least you can be sure that none of the guests will ever forget that wedding.

Yeah, do "Ride of the Valkyries!"

I don't have bridesmaids. I have a maid of honor and while she can sing in her own special way, I'd rather she didn't.

Wagner is not invited to my wedding. I detest Wagner.

Is that for ideological reasons or musical reasons?

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Is that for ideological reasons or musical reasons?

Cuz if it's the former, you know Bach was as much of an asshole as Wagner, right?

It's both, but honestly, I could probably get past Wagner's ideology if his music was good. But it's not. It's over the top, bombastic, and simplistic and I hate it.

Which sucks because the Ring Cycle has a cool story underneath it.

Since when was Bach an asshole?

May I suggest something like this?

Um, I'm not sure how that's going to fly with the fam. Or with the bride and groom for that matter...

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Since when was Bach an asshole?

Since he challenged a bassonist to a duel for sounding like a goat. :p There's quite a good bit more to it, I just can't find the lecture notes right now... Certainly he asked his cousin (whom he married) to 'join him' at the organ during a service, which almost certainly finished with the conception of one of his many many children (only 17 of which survived)

River, the Overture to 'Meistersingers' alone is a testament to the subtlety and intricacy of Wagner. There are three main themes introduced, which he gradually combines and fits together in a big jigsaw at the end. Better still, one doesn't realise this until one notices that the march theme has its rhythms halved, so it sounds far more dance like. So, he fits the bombastic meistersingers theme, the march/dance, both in strict time, together with the molto rubato 'romantic' theme, in a polyphonic masterwork! (He was, of course, implying that he was a meistersinger himself)

The overture in question: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3nhcTllJgIY" target="_blank
Digression, sorry. :p

I assume you'll be having some hymns that the family etc. can join in with? The singer could lead them.
(This can be very effective. We did this for an easter morning service on the beach once, and the priest, no great singer, led them. It was brilliant!)

This is probably out of left field for you, but viola and voice plus wedding lends itself beautifully to klezmer music. Usually associated with clarinet, but violin or viola is also used, maybe with some handheld percussion, and possibly a Serbian/eastern European influence?

It's certainly not Wagner or Mendelsohn.

A quick youtube search:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PdISEenWhx8" target="_blank" target="_blank

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pTtAPC1jBeM" target="_blank

These have violin, but no reason you can't use viola.

or gypsy!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MuYnK6f-kDY" target="_blank

Cruci, aside from the fact that S and I are not religious, he comes from an Orthodox cultural background and I come from a Protestant one. Know any hymns that date back to before the Great Schism? Actually, given that my singer does ancient music, that would be pretty frickin' awesome if you did, or knew where to find one (it's my wedding, I can do the legwork, I just need a clue).

Impy, now there's an idea...especially the gypsy thing. I always had a blast with music that had an Central/Eastern European or Hebrew flavor to it (it was hard to play, but when my teacher found something accessible we'd work on it) and S would get a tremendous kick out of "gypsy music".

Or you could look to baroque music. I used to tell Steve that I wanted the Allegro from Corelli's "Christmas Concerto" for our wedding. Then we cheated and had no music at all, but it's still pretty.

River, hymns tend to be pretty ecumenical, unless they specifically call for the destruction or something of people who believe differently.
You could try a mix of both protestant and orthodox hymns, or, if you're going for pre-schism, how about some plainsong hymns? 'Ubi caritas' is extremely simply, and basically just talks about love.

I can't find the original plainchant on YouTube, there's only this lush setting of it by Duruflé, a sort of relatively recent composer. Just imagine it without the lower parts, and you have the plainsong.

Estel, that exact movement came up on a history test the other day, so I'm vaguely scarred by it. It's not quite practical for a single violist either.

There is one surviving hymn from the 1st century. I haven't heard it since my university years, but I remember it being more catchy than plainchant - at least it had a bouncy rhythm!

What about some traditional Serbian music and dancing?

Crucifer, I hadn't heard about the incident between Bach and the bassoonist. However, in the "asshole" category his sons take the prize. His second wife, Anna Magdalena, died in poverty even though many of her stepsons were enjoying hugely successful careers all over Europe. Bunch of jerks.

Riverthalos wrote:

I could probably get past Wagner's ideology if his music was good. But it's not.

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His second wife, Anna Magdalena, died in poverty even though many of her stepsons were enjoying hugely successful careers all over Europe. Bunch of jerks.

What, all two of them?