What Music Do You Associate With Keats?

[greymouse]

Franz Schubert! Because of the expansiveness, the rich colorful melody. Maybe also because they lived in similar times and both died young. I suppose I associate the Shelleys with the Schumanns too for the same reasons.

I looked back to page 1 to see others agree. But Keats is greater than Schubert for sure.

[Saturn]

Its hard to comapre music with poetry.

I would say though; in their own fields they are equal to one another.

What Schubert was doing with music, Keats was doing with poetry.

[fleshyniteshade]

Musically or rather instrumentally I do not really associate anything musically with Keats poetry...

and after thinking about it, I have to say I don't listen to many musicians who say anything to me that's on the same romanticist style as Keats was.

What I think Keats would have listen, that's a whole different story. lol.

I think Keats might have liked the lyrics to

Silverchair - Across the Night

that or maybe something like

Darren Hayes - Insatiable

and I base these judgements off the lyrics

[dks]

You may be right, fleshynightshade.

Personally, I think Keats would've loved the words to "King of Pain" by the Police...talk about a song of opposites...it almost illustrates perfectly Keats's idea of "light and shade."

[Credo Buffa]

As I bask in the glory of the Minnesota Orchestra's newly-released recording of Beethoven's 3rd and 8th, I can't help but lament how unfortunate it is that Keats didn't live to hear the 9th Symphony (not to mention the other great Romantic works of the 19th century).

Although, I also wonder how many other works of Beethoven he would have had the opportunity to hear. Despite my musical background, I confess I know little about the disbursement of music in Europe in Keats's time. I know that many people only were able to hear Beethoven's symphonies in piano transcription--thanks to Franz Liszt--but these did not appear until many years after Keats's death. Perhaps Keats lived his whole life, while overlapping with Beethoven's, without ever hearing one of his symphonies.

[Saturn]

As I bask in the glory of the Minnesota Orchestra's newly-released recording of Beethoven's 3rd and 8th, I can't help but lament how unfortunate it is that Keats didn't live to hear the 9th Symphony (not to mention the other great Romantic works of the 19th century).

Although, I also wonder how many other works of Beethoven he would have had the opportunity to hear. Despite my musical background, I confess I know little about the disbursement of music in Europe in Keats's time. I know that many people only were able to hear Beethoven's symphonies in piano transcription--thanks to Franz Liszt--but these did not appear until many years after Keats's death. Perhaps Keats lived his whole life, while overlapping with Beethoven's, without ever hearing one of his symphonies.

More than likely.

It was not until the mid 1820s that Beethoven's music began to be performed in London so Keats most probably never heard any Beethoven at all, or indeed any Schubert.

We do know that he heard and loved Mozart and Haydn though.

Beethoven's symphonies I know off by heart - I must have listened to them hundreds of times

[dks]

As I bask in the glory of the Minnesota Orchestra's newly-released recording of Beethoven's 3rd and 8th, I can't help but lament how unfortunate it is that Keats didn't live to hear the 9th Symphony (not to mention the other great Romantic works of the 19th century).

Oh...I don't think there is any other classical piece that moves me quite like Beethoven's 9th--I can feel his passion when I hear it...it moves me inexplicably.

[Saturn]

Oh...I don't think there is any other classical piece that moves me quite like Beethoven's 9th--I can feel his passion when I hear it...it moves me inexplicably.

Nothing to be embarassed about there.

It is possibly the greatest piece of music ever written

[Nightingale27]

I agree that Schubert's music does remind of Keat's poems. I was reading some poetry while listening to one of Schubert's Impromtus. The combination of the music and Keat's words was amazing! I also like listening to some Nocturnes by Chopin and Beethoven's Moonlight Sonata when I read Keats.

[Malia]

I agree that Schubert's music does remind of Keat's poems. I was reading some poetry while listening to one of Schubert's Impromtus. The combination of the music and Keat's words was amazing! I also like listening to some Nocturnes by Chopin and Beethoven's Moonlight Sonata when I read Keats.

I admit to being unfamiliar with most classical music, but after what you said, Nightingale27, I am interested in reading Keats to Schubert--I've never heard Schubert (that I know of, anyway!). I have heard some Chopin (I've loved everything I've heard by him) and of course Beethoven is so Romantic in nature. . .his music reminds me of Keats--the man and the poet--a lot. I think we tend to forget that Keats had a lot of anger in him. . .some of Beethoven's music connects with Keats's angry side, I think. Oh, and I heard on NPR the other day that there was a musician who planned on playing (and recording?) all of Beethoven's sonatas. Supposedly, his sonatas are some of the most demanding to play. The musician (I can't remember her name) said that Beethoven's music is like being situated in the midst of darkness but always looking up to heaven's light. There's a *hope* in Beethoven's music--and that sensation of hope is one of the things that makes his music so wonderful. I think Keats lived his life (and wrote his poetry) with a similar sensation---the world was not always beautiful, not always perfect or filled with light. . .but even in the midst of darkness, there was always hope.

[Nightingale27]

I think we tend to forget that Keats had a lot of anger in him. . .some of Beethoven's music connects with Keats's angry side, I think.

I completely agree. Beethoven sometimes does have that powerful, almost angry element in a lot of his compositions. And it does seem he had a similar feeling of hope in the midst of trial and sadness. But if you like Chopin, I recommend reading Keats to his Nocturne #13 in C Minor. In a lot of Chopin's works, especially in the one I mentioned, he starts off quiet and soft and suddenly breaks into into this powerful, huge, spontaneous burst of music- call it anger, excitement, intense emotion. It reminds of Keats- both of his life and his poetry.

[Saturn]

Malia you need to be educated!!


You could try and get hold of a recording of the last three of Beethoven's sonatas and you will be sellbound I guarantee - perfect for reading along with or just listeneing to the wonder, beauty and strangeness of them.

See here for my personal recommendation:

http://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B00000417L/026-6727853-5718843?v=glance&n=229816

Also get this

http://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B00000417L/026-6727853-5718843?v=glance&n=229816

for the greatest earlier sonatas.

[greymouse]

Malia,

I wouldn't be surprised if you've heard the melody from Schubert's "Unfinished" Symphony. I'd also recommend some of his famous chamber stuff like the "Trout" Quintet, or the String Quartet in D Minor "Death and the Maiden."

Not to overload you or anything!

[dks]

I will try that, Nightingale, reading him to Chopin the way you suggested. Hmmmm. Yes...the rhythm of his poetry is that way...interesting observation.

[Malia]

Thanks everyone for the links and recommendations. It'll be fun to check them all out