The Devil's Trill-- Was this song inspired by the Fallen One? Hauntingly beautiful violin.

The story behind this gorgeous composition, The Devil's Trill, is fascinating- apparantly the composer- Guiseppe Tartini (1692-1770) had a dream one night in which he made a pact with the devil.. who proceded to produce a violin and fiddled a hauntingly beautiful song which jolted Tartini awake, breathless and gasping for air.

Tartini:

He woke and hastily wrote this amazing piece before the dream wore off entirely. From his own words:

“One night I dreamed I had made a pact with the devil for my soul. Everything went as I desired: my new servant anticipated my every wish. I had the idea of giving him my violin to see if he might play me some pretty tunes, but imagine my astonishment when I heard a sonata so unusual and so beautiful, performed with such mastery and intelligence, on a level I had never before conceived was possible. I was so overcome that I stopped breathing and woke up gasping. Immediately I seized my violin, hoping to recall some shred of what I had just heard; but in vain. The piece I then composed is without a doubt my best, and I still call it “The Devil’s Sonata,” but it falls so far short of the one that stunned me that I would have smashed my violin and given up music forever if I could but have possessed it.” - Giuseppe Tartini

Take a listen and hear one of the most beautiful musical compositions ever penned.



So what do you think? Is this music befitting of the most infamous composer of all creation?

I find that the violin absolutely weeps in a true lament. Perhaps it was the dark one who inspired this bewitching music.

Ha! Apparently the devil also went down to Georgia also. Jammed with some guy Johnny.

a reply to: WUNK22

Busy walkin the earth.. heh

a reply to: zosimov
Pretty good stuff. I definitely pick up on the vibe that there was something Tartini was reaching for that he couldn't grasp. Thanks for this, would have never likely heard of it otherwise.

a reply to: zosimov

I just started but I have to restart that.. Get the proper readiness..

It's reaching I can feel it..

You know this actually happened to me one day. I was in my head maybe not in normal waking consciousness as they say Not in the morning but Glorious it twas. Anyway all the sudden I started hearing violins.. and part of my brain just went off on it's own and their were drums and cellos and all kinds of things I can't name flutes obos?

I played a little piano year and years before this.. I can still read music slowly, but I can't make up music that sounds good.. but there I was..

At first I had made the violins play, but now all the parts had a mind of their own..

I listened to my favorite symphony ever for about an hour.. I was so awe struck I was literally sitting there with my mouth wide open.. Realized later when I turned to the mirror and opened my eyes.. When the symphony ended.. I had no idea it was going to end either.. wth??

it will never be heard again I don't think.. Whoever made it up for me to listen to is way over my head.

Cool now I'm in the right mindset..

here we go



EDIT:

mmm yes that was lovely. Set off something in my brain.. I'm all smiley now.

a reply to: zosimov

Not sure if this will work, no YT button on mobile, but I think I have the tag right.

I'll be giving this a listen at work today, haven't heard it yet, but really interesting! A dream of the Ideal, and all he - all anyone can do - is arrive toward it. What an awesome experience!

Meantime, I'm wondering if Jack Black had known about this one...

a reply to: dogstar23

Your embed link is broke. But everyone knows the devil is a redneck, anyway.

Here he is in Georgia, lol...

I'v heard all this some time ago... decades ago. Then there's the one of a Monk who had to write a whole volume of sacred script, da da, and in the morning it was done.... middle ages..!

Pacts with the Devil. There were inventors, the Vatican, Inquisition. All in the lust for power, at least perceived. Good enough for a suspicious and superstitious people.

Meh... Skittle Fiddle...Not even pleasing...
a reply to: zosimov

a reply to: zosimov
It's just beautiful. Thank you for posting it!

a reply to: zosimov

Had to listen to it twice. Chords and melodies do many things to me, that's why I love symphonies.

I wouldn't doubt the devil used the one language that's universally understood.

Regardless of his intentions, this was quite beautiful.

Thanks to everyone for listening to the piece and for your contributions to this thread! I'm glad most of you enjoyed the composition.. and to dickbriskit.. well done not falling for the wiles of the evil one

I thought I'd include the additional info that this sonata has a reputation for being extremely difficult to play well. Tartini was tremendously admired in his day, and is now known as creating music that bridged baroque with classical style. A quote from the following website explains why this piece is so difficult to play:

www.progarchives.com...

It is hugely demanding, even by modern standards, requiring a number of double stop trills (there is a rumour that Tartini had 6 fingers on his left hand, such is the difficulty), whilst simultaneously keeping a melody line running. The piece is also notable in that it is much "wilder" than standard violin sonatas of the time, and comprises a series of build-ups from a gentle, melancholic tune to a series of frenzied trilling with ever-increasing difficulty and complexity.

Thank you for stopping in.. and if the devil appears to you in a dream, be sure to grab a pen! (and a cross)

a reply to: Reverbs

What a fascinating experience your own personal concert must have been! That's a trip Reverbs.. I have a funny (slightly) related encounter which took place in a hostel in Amsterdam years ago. I had returned from a fun evening to a large room full of sleeping guests.. head in a really good place.. and suddenly the snores I heard came together as a chorus in my mind..
Lying in my bunk I heard various types of music (electronic, rock, classical) in my head and all to the ambient beat of the raucous slumberers.

It was great fun. I suppose I can entertain myself for hours.

a reply to: zosimov

Yes.. Like that.

I think creativity and insanity are almost the same thing..

After I played that song.. It hit me so good, I was inspired to find symphonies that might sound like what I heard playing for me. What you played was so good.. It had that same vibe. It has something More to it.. That magic.

Not yet have I.. Well, not even close. I may be looking at the wrong composers.

What mine ws like was a lot of strings and so dynamic.. There was no clear part of the music as a lead.

And the best part of this trip inside my mind, was that I didn't need a lead. I was able to follow every individual dynamic flow all at once. That's something I try to do when I notice I'm focusing on lyrics or melody or bass or whatever..

AND I was deep in thought.. The Symphony was the sound track to my imagination.. The whole thing was way off the charts. Like flying through space above the speed of light.

I havn't visited one of your threads yet, without being inspired.

a reply to: Reverbs

Haha, yes, creativity can take you to the very bounds, I think so too!

That just sounds like an incredible experience. To have an original piece just burst through your mind.. just awesome..

Life can be so fun like that sometimes.

BTW: I enjoy your thought provoking posts tremendously. I am definitely inspired by you an fellow ATSers who have interesting and varied tastes and knowledge.. this is why I came here (that and ghosts, bigfoot, conspiracy in general)

This is Anne Sophie Mutter who does such a lovely performance of this piece.. really gives you an appreciation of the difficulty and complexity of the Devil's Sonata.



Have a great night!

a reply to: zosimov

Every time we talk I have a different view of who you are in my head.
It's kind of magic.
It's beautiful I don't know your name or race or age or sex.

I've found people calling me like ALL of the above. Man, Woman.. Black White, mexican.. I get called all of it.

You have a really varied appreciation of art, life.
from tupac growing as a rose out of concrete to the most amazing violin I've ever heard.

It's just something above and beyond top secret.

I don't know anything about you really.. Except some of your insides..
And yet I know we are allies. Humans.

I get curious sometimes... But then I remember this random quote.. "People need to personify to identify." And I think I don't need to put you in a spot so I know where you are.. I can just enjoy who you are without defining it.

Sorry if I got cheesy..




and damn seeing that played live... Holy hell.. It only makes me think.. I LOVE people.

a reply to: Reverbs

Reverbs, my friend,

I agree that people are really lovable. And this woman is solid proof.

Yes the anonymity of this type of communication is so interesting! I do think our minds tend to create some sort of idea about who it is meeting with.. that's fun as well. But you're right that there is something wonderful about not knowing much about someone but for certain core qualities.

I'm so glad you liked this composition.. I really loved it too. It is magic, just like you said.

a reply to: zosimov

I hope this is cool

I'm listening to this now








...Ok that beats my dream.

a reply to: Reverbs

Listening to jump start my day.. yes it is a wonderful way to start a day!!

Thanks Reverbs