Popular Post Loert 2,511 Posted August 2, 2019 Popular Post Share Posted August 2, 2019 Something I really love about this piece is how subtle the transitions between the different movements are. Some of them are so well integrated that they almost become movements in themselves, as if they each tell their own story about how the subject gets from one scene to the other. And by the time you get to the polonaise you almost wonder how you ended up there, given that only 17 minutes ago you were in "fairy-tale" land with the glistening, whimsical orchestration, and there has not been a single break in the music since then. I don't know another piece of music which gives off that effect as well as this one... publicist, SteveMc and karelm 2 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SteveMc 2,674 Posted August 5, 2019 Share Posted August 5, 2019 Going off of @Marian Schedenig's recommendation in another thread, I've been looking into Hans Rott's music. Some very dynamic stuff from the guy. What I love is how he often sets up a phrase or progression to go in a certain direction, but then suddenly veers someplace completely unexpected, yet so much better and more satisfying. Too bad he buckled under the weight of his mind. The Illustrious Jerry and Marian Schedenig 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
publicist 4,643 Posted August 5, 2019 Share Posted August 5, 2019 Two albums with symphonic elaborations on Nino Rota's film work. Recommended! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Disco Stu 15,495 Posted August 5, 2019 Share Posted August 5, 2019 I've been returning to Scriabin's 10th sonata regularly over the past few weeks. It's such an unsteady work, the trills start to be almost ludicrous at a certain point, but it's really a remarkable piece. I'm a bit addicted. It's definitely music for hot, humid summers. Loert and The Illustrious Jerry 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jurassic Shark 12,076 Posted August 5, 2019 Share Posted August 5, 2019 Summer's over here. I even saw snow today. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Disco Stu 15,495 Posted August 5, 2019 Share Posted August 5, 2019 We're past the hottest part of the Summer, but we'll have highs in the upper 80s F/low 30s C pretty much all August. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Disco Stu 15,495 Posted August 5, 2019 Share Posted August 5, 2019 As someone who says he doesn't listen to choral music, I can't believe how completely bowled over I am by Poulenc's Mass. I really dig the pandiatonic/chromatic/whatever the heck you call it harmonies. Although I quickly figured out that I despise recordings that feature a boys choir. I especially love the Gloria. Check out that crazy chord at 0:48 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jurassic Shark 12,076 Posted August 5, 2019 Share Posted August 5, 2019 Good find. His Gloria is great as well! How can you say you don't listen to choral music when we have such great works as these, and Mozart's Requiem and Grosse Messe, and Schubert's late masses, and Händel's Messiah, and and and? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Disco Stu 15,495 Posted August 5, 2019 Share Posted August 5, 2019 And I love Britten and his Spring Symphony dearly. When I enjoy choral music it tends to be quirky and daringly individual, like Britten and Poulenc. I don't like it when it's overly "pretty" sounding. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jurassic Shark 12,076 Posted August 5, 2019 Share Posted August 5, 2019 Then you should definitely check out Schnittke's Requiem! Disco Stu and publicist 1 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Disco Stu 15,495 Posted August 9, 2019 Share Posted August 9, 2019 Very good Ned Rorem settings of two of my favorite poems. Gerard Manley Hopkins' "Spring and Fall," my favorite poem about death Robert Frost's "Stopping by Woods on a Snowy Evening" There are many composers who've taken on the Frost poem, but Rorem's is the best to my ear. I think it's better suited to a soprano than a tenor, but this tenor performance is the only one I found that takes the song as slowly as I think it should be. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SteveMc 2,674 Posted August 10, 2019 Share Posted August 10, 2019 Heard Brahms's 4th this afternoon. A very rich work, an interesting juxtaposition of conservatism and complexity. But, Carlos Kleiber's 1981 recording of the 4th with the Vienna Philharmonic left me wanting. What recording(s) would you guys recommend? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jurassic Shark 12,076 Posted August 11, 2019 Share Posted August 11, 2019 4 hours ago, SteveMc said: Heard Brahms's 4th this afternoon. A very rich work, an interesting juxtaposition of conservatism and complexity. But, Carlos Kleiber's 1981 recording of the 4th with the Vienna Philharmonic left me wanting. What recording(s) would you guys recommend? Kleiber's recording is considered to be very good. What left you wanting more? A bit lacking in emotions? Another favourite recording of my mine is Szell's with the Clevelanders: SteveMc 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SteveMc 2,674 Posted August 11, 2019 Share Posted August 11, 2019 13 hours ago, Jurassic Shark said: What left you wanting more? A bit lacking in emotions? Perhaps that is it. But, generally, Brahms does not connect with me on an emotional level. Still, I heard a lot I liked in the 4th that I feel could use a more dynamic treatment. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KK 3,307 Posted August 11, 2019 Share Posted August 11, 2019 I can appreciate Brahms, but he often puts me to sleep. Delivery is a big thing when it comes to clicking with his work. I'd rather play some great Beethoven instead. SteveMc 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Marian Schedenig 8,193 Posted August 11, 2019 Share Posted August 11, 2019 I also have the Szell set of the Brahms symphonies. But I've never been able to really connect with most of Brahms' orchestral works. His 1st symphony is lovely, and the rest are (to borrow KK's term) appreciable enough, but most of the time they leave me rather cold. For some time I thought I might just not be a fan of Szell's interpretations, but I've come to accept that it's just how I think of Brahms, the recordings themselves seem very fine (and for Beethoven's 9th, Szell's recording might still be my favourite). I keep being positively surprised by Brahms' a-cappella choir works though (but I guess I'll never be a fan of his Requiem). On a different note, one of my favourite Michael Daugherty works has finally appeared on YouTube, or at least three of its four movements have: Sadly, the Jefferson movement is missing - my favourite along with Roosevelt. karelm 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jurassic Shark 12,076 Posted August 11, 2019 Share Posted August 11, 2019 18 minutes ago, Marian Schedenig said: the recordings themselves seem very fine (and for Beethoven's 9th, Szell's recording might still be my favourite). 18 minutes ago, Marian Schedenig said: his Requiem Just stop the CD after the first two movements. A good starting point for approaching Brahms' symphonies is the final movement of the 4th. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Marian Schedenig 8,193 Posted August 11, 2019 Share Posted August 11, 2019 10 minutes ago, Jurassic Shark said: Just stop the CD after the first two movements. Oh, I do admire the moody second movement. But the rest doesn't do much for me, and having heard it live last year sadly hasn't changed that. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Loert 2,511 Posted August 11, 2019 Share Posted August 11, 2019 This sounds like something out of a Disney movie! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Disco Stu 15,495 Posted August 11, 2019 Share Posted August 11, 2019 Rimsky-Korsakov would have been perfect for either Fantasia film Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jurassic Shark 12,076 Posted August 12, 2019 Share Posted August 12, 2019 11 hours ago, Marian Schedenig said: Oh, I do admire the moody second movement. But the rest doesn't do much for me, and having heard it live last year sadly hasn't changed that. It really is a test of patience to sit through the whole thing in concert. Interestingly, Brahms first composed the movements I, II, and IV. Perhaps he should have stopped after that, before the inspiration seemingly left him. When it comes to requiems, I mostly listen to Mozart's, Faure's, and Verdi's. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Score 770 Posted August 12, 2019 Share Posted August 12, 2019 13 hours ago, SteveMc said: Perhaps that is it. But, generally, Brahms does not connect with me on an emotional level. Still, I heard a lot I liked in the 4th that I feel could use a more dynamic treatment. Try Karajan's recording. I am curious to check Szell, as recommended by other people. Brahms is often a mixed bag, for me... The 3rd and the 4th are my two favourite symphonies of his, but there is a big difference between movements. In the 4th, the first two movements are stunning, among the best orchestral works composed up to that time. The last two sound to me as if he had to add two more movements to call it a symphony, but he didn't have as much inspiration as with the first two, and the result feels anticlimactic. The problem of how to structure a symphony was a typical one in the Romantic period and later, of course. I have a similar issue with some of Mahler's works: when it's good, it's exceptional and among the greatest stuff ever composed; at other times, it is boring. SteveMc 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jurassic Shark 12,076 Posted August 12, 2019 Share Posted August 12, 2019 1 hour ago, Score said: Try Karajan's recording. I am curious to check Szell, as recommended by other people. Brahms is often a mixed bag, for me... The 3rd and the 4th are my two favourite symphonies of his, but there is a big difference between movements. In the 4th, the first two movements are stunning, among the best orchestral works composed up to that time. The last two sound to me as if he had to add two more movements to call it a symphony, but he didn't have as much inspiration as with the first two, and the result feels anticlimactic. The problem of how to structure a symphony was a typical one in the Romantic period and later, of course. I have a similar issue with some of Mahler's works: when it's good, it's exceptional and among the greatest stuff ever composed; at other times, it is boring. C'mon, the final movement of Brahms' 4th is magnificent! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Score 770 Posted August 12, 2019 Share Posted August 12, 2019 1 minute ago, Jurassic Shark said: C'mon, the final movement of Brahms' 4th is magnificent! I know that some people have that opinion, good for you if you love it It's difficult to explain why I am not enthusiastic about it. I would say that I don't see it as the right conclusion of a large work that starts with movements 1 and 2. In itself, it's a very good piece, of course. In that place, I find it lacks something... it sounds too static. Maybe I just don't connect with what Brahms was trying to say there. SteveMc 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jurassic Shark 12,076 Posted August 12, 2019 Share Posted August 12, 2019 24 minutes ago, Score said: I know that some people have that opinion, good for you if you love it It's difficult to explain why I am not enthusiastic about it. I would say that I don't see it as the right conclusion of a large work that starts with movements 1 and 2. In itself, it's a very good piece, of course. In that place, I find it lacks something... it sounds too static. Maybe I just don't connect with what Brahms was trying to say there. Ok, I can understand that point of view. Then it's probably best to think about the movements as separate works that just happen to be played after each other. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Popular Post Marian Schedenig 8,193 Posted August 12, 2019 Popular Post Share Posted August 12, 2019 Now Brahms the a-cappella choir composer is a different story altogether. Here's two pieces we did last year: Score, Jurassic Shark and SteveMc 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jurassic Shark 12,076 Posted August 12, 2019 Share Posted August 12, 2019 That's nice. I knew Brahms did a lot of choir music, and I intend to get to know it better, some day... Which one's you, btw? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Marian Schedenig 8,193 Posted August 12, 2019 Share Posted August 12, 2019 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jurassic Shark 12,076 Posted August 12, 2019 Share Posted August 12, 2019 That's a good position to check out the women choir! On another note, and no offense, you look a bit like a priest with that collar... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Marian Schedenig 8,193 Posted August 12, 2019 Share Posted August 12, 2019 28 minutes ago, Jurassic Shark said: That's a good position to check out the women choir! Not during a concert! That's what rehearsals are for. 28 minutes ago, Jurassic Shark said: On another note, and no offense, you look a bit like a priest with that collar... It's a disguise so they'll let an atheist sing in a church. Jurassic Shark 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jurassic Shark 12,076 Posted August 12, 2019 Share Posted August 12, 2019 9 minutes ago, Marian Schedenig said: It's a disguise so they'll let an atheist sing in a church. I bet it attracts all the wrong women, though. Fabulin 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Disco Stu 15,495 Posted August 14, 2019 Share Posted August 14, 2019 Fauré’s 6th Nocturne... it’s just perfect. The 13th (and final) Nocturne is also a favorite Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Popular Post karelm 2,913 Posted August 14, 2019 Popular Post Share Posted August 14, 2019 publicist, Disco Stu, SteveMc and 1 other 3 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
publicist 4,643 Posted August 14, 2019 Share Posted August 14, 2019 Ah, the underwater symphony. karelm and Dixon Hill 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Disco Stu 15,495 Posted August 15, 2019 Share Posted August 15, 2019 An hour-long Library of Congress lecture on a midcentury American symphony? DON'T MIND IF I DO I WILL SUBSCRIBE TO YOUR NEWSLETTER Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KK 3,307 Posted August 15, 2019 Share Posted August 15, 2019 A fine evening for Copland's contemplative harmonies... Disco Stu 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Disco Stu 15,495 Posted August 15, 2019 Share Posted August 15, 2019 #StuBait Along the same lines, @KK, I recommend a great later Copland piece that evokes urban loneliness. The second movement from his Music for a Great City Suite, "Night Thoughts." (it's a bit confusing because he actually published two completely different pieces both called "Night Thoughts," the other is a solo piano tribute to Charles Ives) KK 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nick Parker 3,040 Posted August 16, 2019 Share Posted August 16, 2019 1 hour ago, KK said: A fine evening for Copland's contemplative harmonies... That was my introduction to Copland years ago! Hell of a way to get introduced. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jurassic Shark 12,076 Posted August 16, 2019 Share Posted August 16, 2019 It's too quiet! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Disco Stu 15,495 Posted August 16, 2019 Share Posted August 16, 2019 11 hours ago, Nick Parker said: That was my introduction to Copland years ago! Hell of a way to get introduced. My unconscious introduction to him in childhood, like for most, was through the Hoedown and the Fanfare for the Common Man, and not coincidentally those are the two Copland pieces interpreted by the prog-rock band Emerson, Lake, and Palmer. I was such a classic rock obsessed kid when I was a teen, those ELP tracks were definitely the first time I took note of Copland's existence and name. Step two was Williams' Music for Stage and Screen album, I loved both The Red Pony suite and Quiet City on that. And then just seeing his name pop up in reviews and pieces about Williams. Step three was buying this Sony Classical compilation From there, it was just a slow process of becoming more and more obsessed. Falling in love with each of the more populist works, before gradually finding that I loved music from other periods, including the more severe, abstract works. A joyful process of discovering that his distinct character and generous need to communicate suffused everything he ever did. Of all the souls I have encountered in my listening, his was the most....human. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Romão 2,274 Posted August 16, 2019 Share Posted August 16, 2019 On 8/14/2019 at 6:13 PM, karelm said: I don't think I've ever heard a better musical depiction of murky water. Love it Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jurassic Shark 12,076 Posted August 16, 2019 Share Posted August 16, 2019 3 hours ago, Disco Stu said: Step three was buying this Sony Classical compilation How many boxes are there in Sony's Copland collection? I've been thinking about getting them. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Disco Stu 15,495 Posted August 16, 2019 Share Posted August 16, 2019 2 minutes ago, Jurassic Shark said: How many boxes are there in Sony's Copland collection? I've been thinking about getting them. It's just three compilations that I know of. The one I posted, plus the two below Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nick Parker 3,040 Posted August 16, 2019 Share Posted August 16, 2019 2 hours ago, Romão said: I don't think I've ever heard a better musical depiction of murky water. Love it I miss him. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jurassic Shark 12,076 Posted August 16, 2019 Share Posted August 16, 2019 Is he dead? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nick Parker 3,040 Posted August 16, 2019 Share Posted August 16, 2019 Naw, but it just doesn't feel like we get to hear much from him anymore. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Disco Stu 15,495 Posted August 16, 2019 Share Posted August 16, 2019 I would very much like to hear his trumpet concerto that was premiered last year. His brass writing is my favorite aspect of his art. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nick Parker 3,040 Posted August 16, 2019 Share Posted August 16, 2019 Me too! Though I also love his woodwind writing, as well. His work just strikes sparks, it feels so fluid and alive. One of my favorite voices in the contemporary scene. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jurassic Shark 12,076 Posted August 16, 2019 Share Posted August 16, 2019 Just give him a call, I'm sure he misses you too! 25 minutes ago, Disco Stu said: It's just three compilations that I know of. The one I posted, plus the two below And the performances are all good? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KK 3,307 Posted August 17, 2019 Share Posted August 17, 2019 On 8/15/2019 at 6:56 PM, Disco Stu said: #StuBait Along the same lines, @KK, I recommend a great later Copland piece that evokes urban loneliness. The second movement from his Music for a Great City Suite, "Night Thoughts." (it's a bit confusing because he actually published two completely different pieces both called "Night Thoughts," the other is a solo piano tribute to Charles Ives) Yea, lovely shades in that one. Though I prefer the more contemplative Quiet City, it's lovely to hear these murkier sides to Copland's harmonic language. Much of which would inform Williams' own denser material. In the spirit of #StuBait... 13 hours ago, Romão said: I don't think I've ever heard a better musical depiction of murky water. Love it I don't know if it holds up very well in the symphonic form for me. It has some fantastic colours in it, but I can't seem to derive a very meaningful structure or take-away from it. Last I heard it, it still came across as Sphere-cues stitched together, with flashy zingers every now and then. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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