#endeavour music

[too-antigonish]

The Classical Music of Ride, Part I: Mozart’s Requiem

You can’t trust anything or anyone in Ride. People aren’t who they seem to be. Every action, every event is just a cover for something else.

Is Morse one of the idle rich? An Oxford drop-out? A taxi-driver's son from Lincolnshire? A man who’s just finished a prison sentence? A policeman?

Long post....

Is Bixby the filthy rich head of a gambling empire? Is he just a front for Harry Rose’s criminal empire? Is he Charlie Greel looking to win back Cathy or Joss Bixby looking to seduce Kay? Is he even himself or is he his hidden, evil twin Conrad?

Are the denizens of Lake Silence really Morse’s friends—sheltering him after the storm of Blenheim Vale and prison? Or are they a bunch of dysfunctional philanderers and addicts? Even worse, are they suspects? Criminals?

Using Mozart’s Requiem in this episode must have absolutely delighted the music staff because while a great part of its fame and mystique rests on the sheer accumulation of stories and legends that have grown up around it, almost none of those tales can be proven—and all of them have been challenged at some point. You really don't know what's real and what's not—right down to the music itself.

Was the anonymous “stranger cloaked in gray” who gave him the commission the only sponsor Mozart ever saw? Or did he  at some point become aware  that the Count, Franz von Walsegg, was paying for the work? Some people today are shocked to hear that Walsegg planned to pass off the Requiem as his own work—as a tribute composed in memory of his dead wife—but that was a fairly common practice for the aristocracy of the time. It was considered slightly shady, but the proper thing to do was to just politely nod and go along with it.

Did Mozart, his mind disturbed by illness in his final days, truly come to believe that he had been poisoned and that he was writing the requiem mass for his own funeral? Or was that tantalizingly dramatic detail added by his widow Constanze to drive up sales of the score after the his death? The couple was catastrophically bad at managing money and when her husband died, the widowed Constanze was left with massive debts and two small children. She needed to maximize any possible source of revenue. 

Her story certainly captured the public imagination. Pushkin took that little tidbit about writing his own funeral mass and wrote a very short but thought-provoking  play in which he cast Mozart’s contemporary Salieri as the envious poisoner and Mozart himself as a childish, spoiled, and petty genius. Peter Shaffer later adapted Pushkin’s work into the play, and later film, Amadeus. A surprising number of people today believe Amadeus to be not the work of imaginative fiction that it is, but rather a completely factual story of Mozart’s life and death.

Mozart worked on the Requiem up to the day he died at the age of only 35. It was the last piece he worked on. Most scholars believe the manuscript we have contains not only the last music he ever composed but possibly the last words he ever wrote.

As far as authorship is concerned, we know for certain that Mozart himself completed “in skeleton” the Introit, the Kyrie, and almost all of the Sequentia (Dies irae, Tuba mirum, Rex tremendae, Recordare, Confutatis). The last portion of the Sequentia, the Lacrimosa, was completed was the up through the first 8 bars.

The last words that he actually wrote were "Quam olim da capo” — which instructed the musicians to repeat the "Quam olim" fugue of the Domine Jesu from the beginning. In yet another mysterious twist to the story of the Requiem, these actual last words were stolen—quite literally by tearing them from the manuscript—while the score was displayed at the 1958 World’s Fair in Brussels. They are still missing.

We are certain about the authorship of parts because we have the autograph manuscripts—the music in Mozart’s very own hand. The big question, however, has always been, how much the the rest of the Requiem can we consider his? The parts that were completed “in skeleton” basically had all of the “important” notes in place. Things missing include details like doubled parts that could fairly easily be extrapolated from what he had written. 

In order for Constanze to receive her money from Walsegg, however, she needed to make it appear that Mozart had completed the work entirely or almost entirely himself before his death. Not only would this ensure full payment from Walsegg, it would also promote sales of the score to the public later. A work written by Mozart alone would far out-sell a work written by Mozart and “Mr. Competent-But-Lesser-Known-Composer.”

Today we know that at least two of Mozart’s students were involved in finishing the piece, with the majority of the work being done by Franz Süssmayr. What we don’t know, however, is how much of the completed work is purely theirs and how much came from Mozart’s notes and verbal instructions.

Some versions of the story indicate that Mozart gave detailed deathbed instructions and left many “little scraps” of paper with details of how to complete the composition. Other versions claim that this talk of “little scraps” is simply more of Constanze’s effort to maximize Mozart’s contributions and minimize those of others.

Regardless, we know that the completed Requiem was eventually sent (with Mozart’s counterfeited signature!) to Count Walsegg and dated 1792—which is rather odd in retrospect given that it was well-known that Mozart had died on 5 December 1791. It's always been yet another mystery.

The two excerpts used in Ride are the Lacrimosa, during the opening titles and establishing scenes, and the Confutatis, which Morse is listening to on his record player as he splits wood outside the lakeside dacha.

The Latin text of the first reads:

Lacrimosa dies illa, Qua resurget ex favílla Iudicandus homo reus: Huic ergo parce, Deus:

The equivalent translation (i.e. not the one used at mass, but a more literal translation) is: 

Tearful [will be] that day, on which from the glowing embers will arise the guilty man who is to be judged: Then spare him, O God.

So Ride starts with tears and guilt.

I’ve always found it interesting that this text doesn’t even try to claim innocence, instead it very clearly asks that the guilty be shown mercy. 

The Latin text of the second reads:

Confutatis maledictis, Flammis acribus addictis, Voca me cum benedictis.

The equivalent translation is: 

Once the cursed have been silenced, sentenced to acrid flames, Call me, with the blessed.

This text always strikes me as coming almost from a child’s point of view. Basically one interpretation is, “Come and get me once you’ve taken care of all the bad guys.” I'll leave you to draw your own conclusions as to how that might apply to Morse post-Blenheim Vale and prison.

Next week: The Classical Music of Ride, Part II: Rigoletto or “Why keeping a person’s entire existence a secret leads to Bad Things.”

Special Bonus Section!!!

Parts of Mozart’s Requiem used in Endeavour: 

Dies irae: completed by Mozart in skeleton* S4E4: Harvest (~2 min) (~3 min)

Rex tremendae: completed by Mozart in skeleton* S9E3: Exeunt(~1 h 11 min)(~1 h 11 min)

Confutatis: completed by Mozart in skeleton* S3E1: Ride (~5 min)

Lacrimosa: completed by Mozart in skeleton* through measure no. 8 S2E3: Sway (~0 min)(~1 hr 24 min); S3:E1 Ride (~1 min)

Lux aeterna: Not in Mozart’s MS; however Süssmayr reuses the Requiem aeternam written by Mozart almost note-for-note with just the different text S9E3: Exeunt (~31 min)

*skeleton: means full vocal and continuo parts, notes for prominent orchestral parts and musical bridges

[endeavourfiles]

[journey-to-the-attic]

the rest of the cast got their new song covers, so i wanted to try putting the others in a band :>

i did want to make it look a bit like an album cover but i have no idea how those are designed so eh?? i also couldn't think of any band or album/song names so. if anyone has any ideas...

[brotherdusk]

Endeavour Morse and the case of the disappearing Dean Martin song

Sway has always had one of my favourite openings of any Endeavour episode, mostly for the use of Sway by Dean Martin while the opening titles run. something about this romantic pop song being overlaid on top of the unfolding darkness and drama - and repeated multiple times throughout the episode to punctuate further tragedy - is so striking and really, really does it for me. by the time Huggins puts on that record for his final dance with Gloria, and Sway (the song) starts up, the opening chords are less of a fun bolero flourish and more a banshee shriek of horror to come.

so I was amazed to learn recently that the version of Sway (the episode) I've loved for ten years now... basically doesn't exist outside of the UK and Ireland? the Morse, Lewis, and Endeavour blog theorises that due to copyright restrictions, all overseas releases of the episode - including DVDs and the PBS Masterpiece version, which was later released on Amazon - replace Sway (the song) with a jazz instrumental piece composed by Barrington Pheloung. nothing but respect for Mr Pheloung's decades of work in defining Morse's sound as we know it today, but this replacement doesn't hold a candle to the original episode's vision.

(also, Sway (the song) is kind of hilariously load-bearing in that the episode title doesn't make a lot of sense without the song's appearance at key thematic moments, imo.)

anyway - after I made my initial post about this last week, a couple of people expressed interest in hearing the original episode's music, and after some digging I was able to find a copy ripped directly from ITV! enjoy the opening 3 minutes of Sway (the episode) as Russell Lewis intended:

[oeuvrinarydurian]

I tried to post this earlier and it ended up not posting, but I wanted to throw this in for my USA brethren for “Thank the Creatives Thursday“.

I apologize to the non—USA folks.

The drag is that I have access to the UK versions on my Google Drive, but I have no way of downloading the US version from Prime in an editable format, so I can’t give you the comparison. Let’s just call it generic. To its credit, it doesn’t try to emulate. There isn’t a cheesy piece of fake Zepplin. It’s a completely different vibe though. It’s the openings to “Sway” with the original Dean Martin music, and to “Pylon“ with the original Led Zeppelin. 

It’s a testament to Barrington Pheloung and Matthew Slater, and the care and craftsmanship the two of them employed. That’s original Slater music Morse is thinking about Joan and Fancy during, as he’s driving throughout the countryside in his little turquoise car. It’s just masterful what the two of them did musically for the show.

I love the show, but it’s an entirely different dimension with the music as intended. It’s just another layer of the onion that is our show. 

It’s six minutes. “Pylon” uploaded first for whatever reason. 

[mychemicalore]

i made a playlist with all the videos i could find of mcr talking about nerd stuff like guitars, amps, pedals and such, there's some playthroughs and how-tos too (this is mainly frank, he does that a lot)

you can check it out here!

[jessieren]

Ahh the boys. Look at them.. they’re all so adorable 🥰

[tbosasgunsandroses]

sketch6

[gaytobymeres]

the framing of this shot is so satisfying

[rabbitsonthemoon]

I'm all for the fuck endeavour train but this song fucks harder. Love me some Jonathan Young. His Bakugou song is still my favourite though. It deserves more views, so give them all some love if it's your jam. I love listening to them when I'm writing MHA fic. Maybe someone else will too.

A rabbit can hope he'll make one for Shigaraki and Eraserhead someday.

[too-antigonish]

Comment te dire adieu...

A sleepy morning HNW in honor of Françoise Hardy (17 January 1944 – 11 June 2024). Her recording of the song Comment te dire adieu (How to Say Goodbye) is the backdrop for this scene in the UK soundtrack for Endeavour.

Unfortunately for Morse, Claudine had absolutely *no* problems with how to say goodbye.

S5E4: Colours

[endeavourfiles]

Not specifically about Endeavour, but interesting and fun.

[greenapricot]

(x)

[librawritesstuff]

My take on Federico Fellini’s film 8-1/2 and its Broadway musical adaptation “Nine” in which actor Guido Contini must face his history with the women in his past in order to heal himself in the present.

Curtain up on Endeavour! The Musical

Act I

Gwen

We Took You In! (You Miserable Git)

Susan

It Was Never You

Alice

A Little Would Have Been Enough

Joan

(I’m Tired of Being) Always His Lady-in-Waiting

Monica

You’re Just Blue

Claudine

Au Revoir, Cherie!

Act II

Carol

Oops! Now Ain’t This Awkward

Shirley Trewlove

Brilliant Idiot

Eve Thorne

Gouging for a Spike

Violetta

Peccato, Dannazione e Perdono (Sin, Damnation & Forgiveness) and

Come Meet My Wife (trio: Ludo, Violetta, and Endeavour)

Dorothea Frazil

Sit Down, Shut Up and Listen!

And the 11pm closing number:

Rosalind Calloway/Endeavour Morse (duet)

The Voice That Saved You (was actually your own)

[leqclerc]

Seb sebsplaining and charles listen to him intently is just 🥹🥹🥹

Soooo true, it’s like when he said Seb’s comments in the team meetings/debriefs were always so interesting and insightful that could listen to him for an hour 😭❤️

Charles normally: I hate insects

Charles when Seb’s unveiling his insect-centric project: I love insects, insects are my best friend, look we’ve already someone staying at our hotel 🥺

[oeuvrinarydurian]

It’s Finger Fidget Fetish Friday!

For your digital delight, please enjoy two seconds of post-Pettybon.