Ornstein - Suicide in an Airplane

Suicide in an Airplane (date of composition unknown; probably between the WWI years of 1914-1918)

Sorry about the brightness of the pages and apparent fadedness of the staves.

Leo Ornstein (1893-2002) was once a celebrated American composer in the early 20th-century, often regarded as the "poster boy" for the avant-garde in American music. Music textbooks are quick to cite Henry Cowell as the progenitor of the tone cluster in art-music, but credit should be given to Ornstein, who made innovative applications of tone clusters in his early piano pieces of the 1910s. Although considered an American composer, Ornstein was born in Ukraine and studied at the St. Petersburg Conservatory. He established a controversial but famous repuation in America both as a pianist and as a radically modern composer. But after 1920, Ornstein slowly abandoned his efforts in the avant-garde and his idiom became relaxed and more conservative, angering many of the modernist cohorts who admired his music. In the 1930's Ornstein and his wife founded a music school in Philadelphia and he devoted his time to teaching until the 1950's. Throughout these decades Ornstein's music and his very name became marginalized and he seemed to vanish from the music world entirely until the 1970's. After turning his back on the avant-garde, Ornstein composed music in an accessible style reminiscent of Rachmaninov with occasional forays into biting dissonance. His last composition, the Eighth Piano Sonata, was finished at the age of 97, but it is his early experimental works that show the indelible stamp of genius.

Category:

Music

Tags:

• leo
• ornstein
• mosolov
• cowell
• ives
• contemporary
• avant-garde
• debussy
• bartok
• schoenberg

[MrLindenson]

If I start an airline, I will definitely include this piece in the on-flight music offerings.

[riteofspring04]

I love this piece. Incredibly affecting...Ornstein paints a perfect picture. I get chills every time I listen.  Just a brilliant, brilliant piece of music.

[jermlocks]

Learn2dissonance. He didn't just smash random keys. Not sure how you'll interpret this piece on a drum set and get the same feeling.

[PSNDemonwing]

@Darkserpentes well then just go with drums. Only rhythm is involved

[Darkserpentes]

@PSNDemonwing Wouldn't you think that being suicidal is an emotion, whether it's anger, sadness or whatever? Rhythm is music because it is organized sound. It may describe something like captivity or obedience If I could write a piece about suicide with the harmonic language I wanted and with the impression I have, i'd probably go with dissonant and chaotic as well. I certainly don't think of long, free melodies or pleasant chords.

[PSNDemonwing]

Its all so rhythmic. Thats it. No creativity in musicality but only in rhythm. This song is easily forgetful. No emotion. Think of it like this. Its like a drum is playing this song in which only rhythm is involved.

[AfroDeezeeYak]

@PSNDemonwing What makes it 'horrible'?

[PSNDemonwing]

after this i bet this guy commited suicide for writing such a horrible piece

[mistou26]

Never hear of this composer before ..

Beautifull piece ..

Even if terribly tragic ..

[Liduniya]

it takes 3 .33 to commit suicide? Quite long.

[TheEdgarvarese12]

@Emanresu56 time will pass and they will be