Django's Classical Influences

GregHB

Hello everyone. I'd like to ask about Django's classical influences. Specifically who may have inspired his Improv. number one. I've heard Debussy mentioned quite a bit and would like to learn a bit more about it.

Also, I'm wondering which composers may have inspired Birelli's Vienne Song from the Jazz Live a Vienne DVD. Any classical buffs out there? - Greg

pallopenna

Well, I don't know about Improvisation #1 specifically, but the Intro and Outro to the solo Nuages sound like they could sit alongside of any of the pieces in Children's Corner, Images, or Suite Bergamasque, so yes, I think Debussy was a definite influence. Perhaps Ravel too, although that's a little less immediately obvious (to me), but clearly they shared an interest in Spanish music. Albeniz perhaps? (that's purely fantasy on my part).

-Paul

dennis

as far as the jazz a vienne solo, bireli took a lot from costa lukacs

check this out

http://video.google.ca/videoplay?docid=8691805431719230846&q=costa+lukacs&total=35&start=0&num=10&so=0&type=search&plindex=5

a

where did costa get it?

Bones

Has anyone transcribed any of Bireli's solo piece Vienne Song?

thanks

Buco

Sometimes last year I just occurred to me there's a classical composition with the exact same chord progression as one of Django's tunes. I know melody was completely different so the master kept his own originality but he was definitely influenced by classical composers. I wish I wrote down which compositions they were.

Rob MacKillop

The Dim 7 arp over a V7 chord is very common in the early 19th-century guitar music - Giuliani clearly loved it - and can also be traced in later 19th-century guitar works. It's just something guitarists loved to play with, and still do.

I've been listening a lot to the CD from Michael's amazing book, Unaccompanied Django, and every now and then I hear a Segovian influence. It could be phrasing, or tone production, but also some of the Spaniard's early repertoire. Spanish composers of the 1920s and 30s were very much influenced by Ravel, Debussey, etc. I'm wondering how often Django heard orchestral performances (live or on record) and how often he heard that musical influence channelled through Segovia?

PapsPier

In 1941, Django's Bolero was played by a symphonic orchestra. In the same program, there was the Ravel's Bolero and Debussy's Fetes.
And a quote from Django "Jazz attracted me because in it I found a formal perfection and instrumental precision that I admire in classical music, but which popular music doesn't have."

Rob MacKillop

Did Django write more than one orchestral piece? I'd love to hear them if he did.

Svanis1337

There are two symphonic recordings of "Troublant Boléro" and two takes of the same recording of "Boléro". It's worth noting that "Boléro" is not the same composition as "Troublant Boléro". I don't think he wrote anything that was specifically intended to be played by a symphonic orchestra with the exception of maybe "Boléro".

Rob MacKillop

Thanks.