Le Tic-Toc-Choc
January 18, 2021 5:05 AM Subscribe
Le Tic-Toc-Choc is a lively little harpsichord piece written by François Couperin (1668-1733) with many performances on YouTube (Elaine Comparone, Jory Vinikour). I happen to like alternative sonorities, so below the fold are some interesting non-harpsichord renditions.
It's more difficult to play on the piano because the hands often overlap, but people somehow manage:
Grigory Sokolov
Akiko Inao
random person at an airport(!)
Ryan Kim (10 years old!!)
Or you could just get a second piano.
Other instrumentalists want in on the fun too:
guitar duo
accordion
saxophone and recorder
harp
cimbalom duo
multitracked mandolins
hand-cranked organ
piano and string quartet
Couperin gave the piece an alternate title, Les Maillotins. As to what either title means, some thoughts.
It's more difficult to play on the piano because the hands often overlap, but people somehow manage:
Grigory Sokolov
Akiko Inao
random person at an airport(!)
Ryan Kim (10 years old!!)
Or you could just get a second piano.
Other instrumentalists want in on the fun too:
guitar duo
accordion
saxophone and recorder
harp
cimbalom duo
multitracked mandolins
hand-cranked organ
piano and string quartet
Couperin gave the piece an alternate title, Les Maillotins. As to what either title means, some thoughts.
I'm pretty sure the "saxophone and recorder" is two recorders.
posted by Nancy Lebovitz at 6:51 AM on January 18, 2021
posted by Nancy Lebovitz at 6:51 AM on January 18, 2021
Compared to the two harpsichord recordings above, 'alternative sonorities' are actually well within the possibilities of the harpsichord itself. Here's Olivier Fortin in a fairly recent studio recording.
The sound differences between harpsichords in various recordings of this piece appear to be (apart from issues of the quality of the instrument, or the recording, or both) partly the consequence of using different base pitches.
(The pitch standards in 18th-century France – 392HZ for opera, and around 404 HZ for chamber music – were lower than what passes as 'baroque' pitch today – 415HZ –, so harpsichordists tend to make different choices there depending on their inclination, the properties of the instrument they use, and so on).
The possibility offered by two-manual harpsichords, of playing interwoven lines without having to worry about the hands coming into each-others' way, was exploited by composers throughout the late 17th and 18th centuries. Such 'Pièces croisées' are known from before Francois Couperin, but he seems to have been the first to use the effect in this consistent (and somewhat mechanical) manner. Later came Rameau and, of course, Bach with the Goldberg Variations.
[Just for the record (ha!), the record label shown at the "saxophone and recorder" link does in fact say "saxophone and recorder." Soprano sax...]
posted by Namlit at 7:28 AM on January 18, 2021 [5 favorites]
The sound differences between harpsichords in various recordings of this piece appear to be (apart from issues of the quality of the instrument, or the recording, or both) partly the consequence of using different base pitches.
(The pitch standards in 18th-century France – 392HZ for opera, and around 404 HZ for chamber music – were lower than what passes as 'baroque' pitch today – 415HZ –, so harpsichordists tend to make different choices there depending on their inclination, the properties of the instrument they use, and so on).
The possibility offered by two-manual harpsichords, of playing interwoven lines without having to worry about the hands coming into each-others' way, was exploited by composers throughout the late 17th and 18th centuries. Such 'Pièces croisées' are known from before Francois Couperin, but he seems to have been the first to use the effect in this consistent (and somewhat mechanical) manner. Later came Rameau and, of course, Bach with the Goldberg Variations.
[Just for the record (ha!), the record label shown at the "saxophone and recorder" link does in fact say "saxophone and recorder." Soprano sax...]
posted by Namlit at 7:28 AM on January 18, 2021 [5 favorites]
I'm pretty sure the "saxophone and recorder" is two recorders.
Huh? No it's not.
posted by neroli at 7:33 AM on January 18, 2021 [1 favorite]
Huh? No it's not.
posted by neroli at 7:33 AM on January 18, 2021 [1 favorite]
Love the Sokolov version
posted by gt2 at 9:39 AM on January 18, 2021 [2 favorites]
posted by gt2 at 9:39 AM on January 18, 2021 [2 favorites]
Insane coincidence Department: Shortly before reading this post, I had randomly pulled a CD from my shelves of 1000+ CDs to listen to while I worked. It was a self-issued recording by harpsichordist Jori Vinikour. I was particularly struck by one piece, so I got up to look at the title and composer: it was "Le Tic-Tok Choc". I made a note of it: Great song. Listen again later. Then I went back to work ... checked out Metafilter during lunch hour and. Whoa!
Insane coincidence. But like all coincidences, utterly meaningless.
posted by Modest House at 10:35 AM on January 18, 2021 [3 favorites]
Insane coincidence. But like all coincidences, utterly meaningless.
posted by Modest House at 10:35 AM on January 18, 2021 [3 favorites]
Sheet music on IMSLP:
Original (Ordre XVIII, no. 6)
Eugen d'Albert piano arrangement
posted by polytope subirb enby-of-piano-dice at 11:00 AM on January 18, 2021 [1 favorite]
Original (Ordre XVIII, no. 6)
Eugen d'Albert piano arrangement
posted by polytope subirb enby-of-piano-dice at 11:00 AM on January 18, 2021 [1 favorite]
The cimbalom duo is cracking!
posted by scruss at 1:02 PM on January 18, 2021 [1 favorite]
posted by scruss at 1:02 PM on January 18, 2021 [1 favorite]
It looks like I don't know the difference between how a soprano sax sounds and a recorder.
posted by Nancy Lebovitz at 1:41 PM on January 18, 2021 [1 favorite]
posted by Nancy Lebovitz at 1:41 PM on January 18, 2021 [1 favorite]
cimbalom duo
TIL that the hammered dulcimer has a fancy older sister.
posted by The Bellman at 1:49 PM on January 18, 2021 [2 favorites]
TIL that the hammered dulcimer has a fancy older sister.
posted by The Bellman at 1:49 PM on January 18, 2021 [2 favorites]
It looks like I don't know the difference between how a soprano sax sounds and a recorder.
It's okay. They're different but they do blend very smoothly on this recording, which is something.
posted by ovvl at 2:55 PM on January 18, 2021 [2 favorites]
It's okay. They're different but they do blend very smoothly on this recording, which is something.
posted by ovvl at 2:55 PM on January 18, 2021 [2 favorites]
This is neat. I know this from Strauss' (Richard) rearrangement for orchestra, but I hadn't actually heard the original before. I like the harpsichord versions, and the hand-cranked organ one is special.
posted by womb of things to be and tomb of things that were at 3:17 PM on January 18, 2021 [1 favorite]
posted by womb of things to be and tomb of things that were at 3:17 PM on January 18, 2021 [1 favorite]
Music is time sculpture. I'm not apologizing for making this weird statement, no I'm not ok, but who is? This was freaking delightful. Thank you
posted by treepour at 3:50 PM on January 18, 2021 [1 favorite]
posted by treepour at 3:50 PM on January 18, 2021 [1 favorite]
My first post! Glad you enjoyed the music.
posted by mpark at 11:10 PM on January 18, 2021 [1 favorite]
posted by mpark at 11:10 PM on January 18, 2021 [1 favorite]
It's okay. They're different but they do blend very smoothly on this recording, which is something.
I'm quite surprised at its effectiveness, actually - it's a combo I've never heard before (probably because it doesn't fit anywhere in standard repetoire).
posted by solarion at 11:17 PM on January 18, 2021 [1 favorite]
I'm quite surprised at its effectiveness, actually - it's a combo I've never heard before (probably because it doesn't fit anywhere in standard repetoire).
posted by solarion at 11:17 PM on January 18, 2021 [1 favorite]
Those are great. My favorite is the one at the airport because of everybody's reaction -- it's lovely to see the awestruck expressions of the passers-by, and the joy of the pianist.
posted by yankeefog at 6:15 AM on January 19, 2021 [1 favorite]
posted by yankeefog at 6:15 AM on January 19, 2021 [1 favorite]
Insane coincidence. But like all coincidences, utterly meaningless.
Meaning is in the mind of the bethinker.
posted by y2karl at 7:12 AM on January 19, 2021 [1 favorite]
Meaning is in the mind of the bethinker.
posted by y2karl at 7:12 AM on January 19, 2021 [1 favorite]
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