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What are you currently listening to?

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Author Topic: What are you currently listening to?  (Read 96699 times)
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chill319
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« Reply #270 on: December 11, 2013, 12:25:59 am »

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I have found [Børresen's Second] disappointingly conservative ...
IMHO, if any composer could be called a follower of Tchaikovsky, it is Børresen -- and here I don't mean the progressive Tchaikovsky of the 'Little Russian' symphony or the amazing second string quartet, but the more conservative Tchaikovsky (often drawing on Schumann especially [though, of course, he claimed Mozart as his main influence]) of the later works. What I think Tchaikovsky learned from Schumann and Børresen learned from Tchaikovsky was the importance of developing craft but of putting sincerity first, regardless of the risk.
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kyjo
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« Reply #271 on: December 11, 2013, 01:17:55 am »

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I have found [Børresen's Second] disappointingly conservative ...
IMHO, if any composer could be called a follower of Tchaikovsky, it is Børresen -- and here I don't mean the progressive Tchaikovsky of the 'Little Russian' symphony or the amazing second string quartet, but the more conservative Tchaikovsky (often drawing on Schumann especially [though, of course, he claimed Mozart as his main influence]) of the later works. What I think Tchaikovsky learned from Schumann and Børresen learned from Tchaikovsky was the importance of developing craft but of putting sincerity first, regardless of the risk.

Hmmmm.....you've lost me here. The Little Russian.....progressive? ??? His later works-the epic Fifth and Sixth symphonies......conservative? ??? Schumann in Tchaikovsky? ??? I don't hear a trace!

Back to Borressen, Tchaikovsky is definitely noticeable influence in his First Symphony. I wonder why (to my ears) he took a stylistic step backward in his Second? ???
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SerAmantiodiNicolao
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« Reply #272 on: December 11, 2013, 06:21:52 am »

Thank you for your reply! I have 'Hans Heiling' on cd. I find it remarkable that Marschner's operas were overlooked by record labels,throughout the 60s and 70s,when lesser known operas of this quality were still being recorded in studios and would have garnered a suitably 'starry cast'.

Well, a large part of the problem affecting Marschner, I suspect, is that singspiel doesn't translate well to other countries.  There's too much dialogue, which means non-native speakers will wrestle with it more so than native speakers.  And with other composers it can be overcome by translation, but in Marschner's best work the dialogue is so integral a part of the piece that there's no way around it.

At least, that's always been a reason that I've suspected singspiele aren't performed more often outside their country of origin.
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Neil McGowan
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« Reply #273 on: December 11, 2013, 07:36:01 am »

At least, that's always been a reason that I've suspected singspiele aren't performed more often outside their country of origin.

I agree with you here, but there is a way out - which is to translate the spoken dialogue!  I am more than certain the original author would have wanted their work understood by audiences, and not performed in an entirely alien language which they don't understand!  :))

I've seen Magic Flute, Seraglio etc performed with translated dialogue - and it works excellently.  There is no reason not to do it!  The only exception, maybe, would be recordings.  There the dialogue is almost always recorded by native-speaking German actors in any case :)

There is also historical precedent for translating. When Dittersdorf's DOKTOR UND APOTHEKER was premiered in London (about 3-4 years after the Viennese premier) it was titled DOCTOR & APOTHECARY, and performed entirely in English :)
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dyn
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« Reply #274 on: December 11, 2013, 10:39:22 am »

For some reason I am listening to Nikolay Peiko (1916-95)'s first string quartet, from an LP transfer with lots of lovely pops and crackles. It is a well-put-together & coherent work reminiscent of Shostakovich (at times could pass for a lost DSCH work) and Myaskovsky—I'm not sure it is exactly my "thing", but it is fairly enjoyable if one doesn't expect an unsung masterpiece and has its fair share of striking passages involving string harmonics and such-like. Perhaps not as substantial as Shostakovich or Weinberg's quartets but no less worth listening to. Hat tip to... whoever started the Peiko thread? I'm just going to guess Kyjo. And that he has 20 Peiko CDs already and a list of thirty similar composers to explore just burning a hole in his pocket. :D
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dyn
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« Reply #275 on: December 11, 2013, 11:22:50 am »

Following that up with the first quartet of Othmar Schoeck (1883-1957), a substantial late-Romantic work that nonetheless has a lot of almost neoclassical-ish touches (Martinu neoclassical, not Saint-Saëns neoclassical). Pre-echoes rather since I think this piece is from the 1910s. I'm finding it a compelling piece, if a bit rambly and directionless in places. It's also rather enjoyable to follow along with the score on IMSLP. http://javanese.imslp.info/files/imglnks/usimg/5/55/IMSLP290658-SIBLEY1802.27201.7b5a-39087009240468score.pdf

One thing this piece does lack is craftsmanship—a lot of the dramatic buildups and final cadences are pretty unconvincing. The melodies, harmonies and developmental twists are delightful, however, though the idiom wears thin after a while.
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cjvinthechair
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« Reply #276 on: December 11, 2013, 03:39:17 pm »

Oh the penalties of being a symphonic completist ::)

The recent Naxos release of Leonardo Balada's Symphony No.1 "Sinfonia en Negro: Homage to Martin Luther King"/Double Concerto for Oboe and Clarinet/"Columbus: Images for Orchestra"

http://www.prestoclassical.co.uk/r/Naxos/8573047

Purgatory for me ::) I know perfectly well that this is another cd I shall never listen to again and which will gather dust on my shelves.

Well, Mr. D., you could always send it on to a good home (yeah, just kidding !).

Listening to a lovely disc just arrived via E-bay (cheap, too !): Yo-Yo Ma playing Danielpour, Kirchner, Rouse concerti. Christmas starting early for me !
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Clive
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« Reply #277 on: December 11, 2013, 05:55:59 pm »

I just started a disc of Albanian concertante music: http://www.enokoco.com/conducting/cd-recordings/ (last but one on the page.)  So far, I quite like some of it, and am indifferent to some of it.  I can't remember composers offhand.  I do recall greatly enjoying the first piece, for violin and orchestra.

Thanks for bringing that to our attention. Squinting at the CD cover, the first piece appears to be the Rapsodi for violin and orchestra by Feim Ibrahimi (1935-97) which is certainly a strong piece. Speaking of Albanian repertory before 1990, violin and orchestra is a combination which seems to have brought out the best from their composers - examples by Thoma Gaqi, Aleksandër Peçi and Thoma Simaku also spring to mind.
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SerAmantiodiNicolao
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« Reply #278 on: December 11, 2013, 05:59:39 pm »

I just started a disc of Albanian concertante music: http://www.enokoco.com/conducting/cd-recordings/ (last but one on the page.)  So far, I quite like some of it, and am indifferent to some of it.  I can't remember composers offhand.  I do recall greatly enjoying the first piece, for violin and orchestra.

Thanks for bringing that to our attention. Squinting at the CD cover, the first piece appears to be the Rapsodi for violin and orchestra by Feim Ibrahimi (1935-97) which is certainly a strong piece. Speaking of Albanian repertory before 1990, violin and orchestra is a combination which seems to have brought out the best from their composers - examples by Thoma Gaqi, Aleksandër Peçi and Thoma Simaku also spring to mind.

That sounds right.

Of the others you mention, I am only familiar with Peçi, and cannot say that I ever cared much for him - his music's too modern for my liking.  One of the later pieces on the disc is by Tish Daija, which I also quite liked.

I'll have to revisit the disc in a little while to cement my opinions - much of the second half of it took a backseat to some computer issues with which I was wrestling at the time.  I hope those are resolved, but won't be certain for a few days.
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chill319
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« Reply #279 on: December 12, 2013, 03:46:40 am »

Today's treat has been Flagello's Symphony 1. The finale is especially fine, and the performance on Naxos, though a bit shaggy, sounds committed. If you haven't heard the work yet, it falls into same the general "progressive Romantic" expressive category as Barber's Andromache's Farewell or Schuman's Symphony 8, both written slightly earlier in the 1960s.
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kyjo
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« Reply #280 on: December 12, 2013, 03:54:33 am »

Today's treat has been Flagello's Symphony 1. The finale is especially fine, and the performance on Naxos, though a bit shaggy, sounds committed. If you haven't heard the work yet, it falls into same the general "progressive Romantic" expressive category as Barber's Andromache's Farewell or Schuman's Symphony 8, both written slightly earlier in the 1960s.

Yes, Flagello's Symphony no. 1 is indeed a great work. Interesting that you compare it to Schuman's Eighth-I find the Schuman to be a thornier and more uncompromising work than the Flagello. Have you heard Flagello's Missa Sinfonica?
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chill319
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« Reply #281 on: December 12, 2013, 04:47:50 am »

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Have you heard Flagello's Missa Sinfonica?
No, I'm just starting to get acquainted with Flagello. Thanks for the lead.

I agree that Schuman's Symphony 8 is much more "granitic" and astringent than Flagello's Symphony 1, but Flagello isn't afraid of dissonance, either. There's a lot more in the symphony than in the other works on the Naxos disc.

When I compared Flagello to Schuman and Barber I was thinking of other kinds of music that were happening at the time -- Boulez, Stockhausen, Schuller, Stravinsky's Movements for Piano and Orchestra, etc etc -- with a recognizably different aesthetic. Perhaps a comparison to Irving Fine's Symphony would have been more appropriate.
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kyjo
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« Reply #282 on: December 12, 2013, 05:05:58 am »

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Have you heard Flagello's Missa Sinfonica?
No, I'm just starting to get acquainted with Flagello. Thanks for the lead.

I agree that Schuman's Symphony 8 is much more "granitic" and astringent than Flagello's Symphony 1, but Flagello isn't afraid of dissonance, either. There's a lot more in the symphony than in the other works on the Naxos disc.

When I compared Flagello to Schuman and Barber I was thinking of other kinds of music that were happening at the time -- Boulez, Stockhausen, Schuller, Stravinsky's Movements for Piano and Orchestra, etc etc -- with a recognizably different aesthetic. Perhaps a comparison to Irving Fine's Symphony would have been more appropriate.

Yes, Flagello's First Symphony is one of his "craggier" works. Works such as his VC, PC 1 and Missa Sinfonica show his more lushly romantic side (think Barber's "softer" side).

Indeed, even Schuman's gritty later works are of a more conservative aesthetic than much of the other music being written at the time. There is still an allegiance to traditional symphonic models in these works.

Ditto for mentioning Irving Fine's Symphony! A magnificent work which utilizes 12-tone techniques in a most effective manner. The final movement sounds like a cousin to Copland's underrated Symphonic Ode in its craggy grandeur.
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SerAmantiodiNicolao
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« Reply #283 on: December 12, 2013, 06:26:38 am »

Tonight I've been listening to one of the CPO releases in the Felix Weingartner series - in this instance the Second Symphony and Das Gefilde der Seligen.  Very lovely, lush, late-Romantic music.  Mahlerian, but more accessible.  I'm impressed - a cut above most of what one hears from composer-conductors.
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« Reply #284 on: December 12, 2013, 03:00:55 pm »

Tonight I've been listening to one of the CPO releases in the Felix Weingartner series - in this instance the Second Symphony and Das Gefilde der Seligen.  Very lovely, lush, late-Romantic music.  Mahlerian, but more accessible.  I'm impressed - a cut above most of what one hears from composer-conductors.

Weingartner-like Furtwangler-was convinced that he was a composer who conducted :)
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