Anyone familiar with the music of Antheil?

Cafe Society
1

I recently attended a chamber music concert which featured his Symphony #2 for violin and piano.

It was interesting More than a little frantic, but filled with lots of fun bits. A whole concert of that sort of music strikes me as exhausting to listen to, but the rest of the concert was appropriately varied.

The violinist came out at the beginning to talk about all the little non-traditional labels on various measures–not just allegro or andante or whatever, but sweet and sour and giggled . . .

I can’t say I’d heard of him before, but my exposure to chamber music is limited.
anyone else?

2

This may be farther out than you’re interested in going, but the Ballet Mécanique is sheer awesomeness.

3

His collaboration with Hedy Lamarr is a great story. He encouraged her concept of frequency-shifting control systems (probably actually from her industrialist ex-husband) in a dinner-party conversation. It began with his notions as an amateur biochemist that he could invent a way to naturally enhance her cleavage.

He was also allegedly known for bringing a pistol to premieres of his compositions, so he could shoot his way out of the theatre if he had to. :smiley:

4

Frequency-hopping was invented independently several times:

There’s a book published just last year about Lamarr and Antheil’s invention of frequency hopping - Hedy’s Folly by Richard Rhodes.