Thoughts on { Classical Music | Victor Borge, 1909-2000

Laetitia Devernay, The Conductor

“The oboe sounds like a clarinet with a cold.”

“The difference between a violin and a viola is that a viola burns longer.”

“Beethoven wrote in three flats a lot. That’s because he moved twice.” <

“Mendelssohn never wrote any Water Music. However, he wrote the Scotch Symphony, which is even better, or at least stronger.” ^

“In my dreams of Heaven, I always see the great Masters gathered in a huge hall in which they all reside. Only Mozart has his own suite.” #

“Ah Mozart! He was happily married – but his wife wasn’t.”

“I only know two pieces; one is ‘Clair de Lune’ and the other one isn’t.” ~

“You may not be aware of this but Leonard Bernstein won another award, for explaining the music of Igor Stravinsky… to Igor Stravinsky!”

“You want something by Bach? Which one, Johann Sebastian or Jacques Offen? “> +

“The conductor is a peculiar person. He turns his back on his friends in the audience, shakes a stick at his players in the orchestra, and then wonders why nobody loves him.”

“When I was a little boy and played Liebestraum, my father used to hit me on the head with a newspaper every time I slopped the cadenza ― I hate Liebestraum.” *

Victor Borge, 1909-2000

* Franz Liszt – Liebestraum No. 3 – 1850

~ Claude Debussy – Clair de Lune – 1913

< Ludwig van Beethoven – Sonata No.18 in E-flat Major – The Hunt – 1802

^ Felix Mendelssohn – Symphony No. 3 in A minor, Op. 56 – Scottish – 1829-42

# Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart – Allemande from Suite In C Major K. 399 – 1782

Johann Sebastian Bach – Cello Suite No.1 in G Major, BWV 1007 – 1717

+ Jacques Offenbach – Orpheus in the Underworld Overture – 1858

Also:
Persons [ ] Not to be Found in the Notes | Gustav Mahler, 1860 – 1911
The virtuoso | Franz Liszt, 1811- 1886
Songs Without Words | Felix & Fanny Mendelssohn, 1805-47
Music Creates Order Out of Chaos | Yehudi Menuhin, 1916-1999