Pittsburgh Symphony Extravaganza:
Beethoven Symphony No. 6, "Pastoral"
Beethoven's Pastoral Symphony Part 1 -
Disney's Fantasia (1940
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YouTube
Beethoven was a great nature
lover and in this symphony he paints a musical picture of a day in the
country.
Walt Disney has given the pastoral symphony a mythological setting, and
that setting is of Mount Olympus, the above ofthe gods where we meet a
group of fabulous creatures of the field and forest: unicorns, fawns, Pegasus the flying horse and his entire family, the
centaurs - those strange creatures that are half man and half horse and
their girlfriends, the centaurettes.
Beethoven's Pastoral
Symphony Part 2- Disney's Fantasia (1940)
To download this video go to
YouTube
In this scene, the music elicits
a sense of calm and contentment. The centaurettes bathe, preen, and rest
for the upcoming festivites. Cherubs assist them as they beutify
themselves, and make sure that every one is paired with a handsome
centaur.
Beethoven's 6th Symphony - "Pastoral
Symphony 3/4" - Disney's Fantasia (1940)
To download this video go to
YouTube
Act three shows all the centaurs,
fawns and cherubs preparing for a grand celebration. Large amounts of
grapes are gathered into an enormous tub and pressed into wine as
Bacchus, the god of wine and revelry, arrives astride his
unicorn-donkey.
With the drunken deity present, the festivities get into full sway. All
the revelers dance about merrily. Bacchus joins the dance as well, and
also engages in somewhat cavalier behavior.
All of a sudden Zeus crashes the party, raining down a violent storm;
seemingly for no other reason than his own amusement (as usual).
Everyone runs off, taking whatever shelter they can find while Zeus
hurls his thunderbolts to the ground. (continuously aiming at Bacchus
for some reason.) Eventually, Zeus tires of his little game and hunkers down for a nap.
