|
Harry
|
 |
« Reply #15 on: March 06, 2007, 11:04:04 PM » |
|
Webern almost a unknown territory for me too! 
|
|
|
|
|
Logged
|
From your lips darts loveliness, flowers from your face,
Love fires from both your eyes, your hands shoot music's grace,
With your looks you rob their sight, their ears you stop with song,
Poor men! Pursued from every side, the hunt will not last long.
*******
"SONIC STEAMROLLER BY CHOICE"
|
|
|
|
Sergeant Rock
|
|
« Reply #16 on: March 06, 2007, 11:12:45 PM » |
|
I didn't find him anything of a tough nut; just liked the sound of his music first I heard it.
That was my experience, too. Love at first listen. I was seventeen and had a small record collection: a dozen or so LPs. Webern (and Schönberg, Berg) sat happily next to Elgar, Brahms, Wagner, Tchaikovsky, Vaughan Williams. I didn't have a problem with any of it. It was all just good music. Strangely enough, Mozart was a tough nut to crack at that age! It was the Classical Era's musical language that I had trouble understanding. Rosen's The Classical Style was my guide to opening up Mozart, Haydn, but I didn't read that until I was in my late 20s. Sarge |
|
|
|
|
Logged
|
May the farce be with you  |
|
|
|
Catison
|
|
« Reply #17 on: March 07, 2007, 12:20:32 AM » |
|
I don't think the genius of Webern comes from how he treated atonality or form in his music, but how he was able to concentrate it. Webern's music jumps from one climax to another, and in between there is no marking time, but a softness that feels like it will explode. I know of no other music before his that so successfully produced Webern's quiet intensity.
And that is where atonality comes in. One could argue that Schoenberg's and Berg's atonal music was unnecessary. Their music often seems like it could have been written many years before, if only tonally. Webern, however, demands atonality. I cannot possibly see tonal music producing anything like Webern's music. The uncertainty and sparsity require a harmonic system with the same properties. In a word, Webern's music is the killer app. of atonality.
|
|
|
|
|
Logged
|
-Brett  |
|
|
|
bhodges
|
|
« Reply #18 on: March 07, 2007, 01:38:06 AM » |
|
I don't know about "greatest genius" but it's cool that you're finding so much pleasure in his work. I think his sound world is amazing. A good performance of say, his Six Pieces for Orchestra can be a transcendent experience. And I love the Passacaglia and Im Sommerwind, perhaps not what we think as "characteristic" Webern but they are gorgeous.
A few years ago, the Focus! Festival at Juilliard presented his complete works, in one week. I wasn't familiar with some of the cantatas, for instance, and they were quite interesting.
--Bruce
|
|
|
|
|
Logged
|
"Why tonality as such should be thrown out for good I can't see. Why it should always be present I can't see." -- Charles Ives, Essays
Monotonous Forest |
|
|
|
71 dB
|
|
« Reply #19 on: March 07, 2007, 04:11:32 AM » |
|
You should find the time to explore Webern's music, db...and you won't need much time: ten minutes or so and you'll be finished  Sarge Plenty of time I do have since I am unemployed, money is the issue since I am unemployed.  Where should I start exploring Webern? |
|
|
|
|
Logged
|
Elgar's music possesses a very personal style, which is permeated by a very wide range of European influences: "His melody is reminiscent of Tchaikovsky, his spirituality of Franck; he possesses Beethoven's greatness and Brahms' distance...his masterly craft is reminiscent of Berlioz." -Eric Blom
|
|
|
|
edward
|
|
« Reply #20 on: March 07, 2007, 04:20:33 AM » |
|
Plenty of time I do have since I am unemployed, money is the issue since I am unemployed. Where should I start exploring Webern? If you're on a budget, probably the first volume of Robert Craft's Webern series on Naxos. It's got a mix of works from pretty much all periods and should be enough to tell whether you want to hear more. |
|
|
|
|
Logged
|
|
|
|
|
bhodges
|
|
« Reply #21 on: March 07, 2007, 04:21:00 AM » |
|
This collecton on Naxos is a great bargain, and coincidentally has an excellent review by edward!  --Bruce |
|
|
|
|
Logged
|
"Why tonality as such should be thrown out for good I can't see. Why it should always be present I can't see." -- Charles Ives, Essays
Monotonous Forest |
|
|
|
CS
|
|
« Reply #22 on: March 07, 2007, 04:23:13 AM » |
|
Plenty of time I do have since I am unemployed, money is the issue since I am unemployed. Where should I start exploring Webern?  This is a good place to start, and finish.  The older Boulez set on Sony, from what I hear, is also very good, but only has the opus-listed works. On the other hand, picking up one of his earlier tonal works (ie. Passacaglia, Im Sommerwind) may be a nice introduction, but it would be off course to say they "lead" into his main body of atonal, and then serial work. |
|
|
|
|
Logged
|
Chi più sa, meno crede
|
|
|
|
k a rl h e nn i ng
|
|
« Reply #23 on: March 07, 2007, 04:27:45 AM » |
|
The older Boulez set on Sony, from what I hear, is also very good, but only has the opus-listed works.
Well, but it had the arrangements of the Schubert German Dances and the Bach Ricercar a 6, didn't it? |
|
|
|
|
Logged
|
"I drink so that I may suffer twice as much." -- Marmeladov in Crime & Punishment
|
|
|
|
D Minor
|
|
« Reply #24 on: March 07, 2007, 04:35:46 AM » |
|
Webern and Elgar are the two greatest composers of all time . . . . . . .
|
|
|
|
|
Logged
|
|
|
|
|
Harry
|
|
« Reply #25 on: March 07, 2007, 04:36:57 AM » |
|
Webern and Elgar are the two greatest composers of all time . . . . . . .
Oke, that is settled then! |
|
|
|
|
Logged
|
From your lips darts loveliness, flowers from your face,
Love fires from both your eyes, your hands shoot music's grace,
With your looks you rob their sight, their ears you stop with song,
Poor men! Pursued from every side, the hunt will not last long.
*******
"SONIC STEAMROLLER BY CHOICE"
|
|
|
|
k a rl h e nn i ng
|
|
« Reply #26 on: March 07, 2007, 04:45:26 AM » |
|
Webern and Elgar are the two greatest composers of all time . . . . . . .
MahlerTitan would like a word with you, mon vieux . . . . |
|
|
|
|
Logged
|
"I drink so that I may suffer twice as much." -- Marmeladov in Crime & Punishment
|
|
|
|
71 dB
|
|
« Reply #27 on: March 07, 2007, 05:03:01 AM » |
|
If you're on a budget, probably the first volume of Robert Craft's Webern series on Naxos. It's got a mix of works from pretty much all periods and should be enough to tell whether you want to hear more.
This collecton on Naxos is a great bargain, and coincidentally has an excellent review by edward! --Bruce Thank you both for the rec. I try to buy that disc this year. |
|
|
|
|
Logged
|
Elgar's music possesses a very personal style, which is permeated by a very wide range of European influences: "His melody is reminiscent of Tchaikovsky, his spirituality of Franck; he possesses Beethoven's greatness and Brahms' distance...his masterly craft is reminiscent of Berlioz." -Eric Blom
|
|
|
|
71 dB
|
|
« Reply #28 on: March 07, 2007, 05:06:32 AM » |
|
This is a good place to start, and finish. The older Boulez set on Sony, from what I hear, is also very good, but only has the opus-listed works. On the other hand, picking up one of his earlier tonal works (ie. Passacaglia, Im Sommerwind) may be a nice introduction, but it would be off course to say they "lead" into his main body of atonal, and then serial work. Thanks CS! |
|
|
|
|
Logged
|
Elgar's music possesses a very personal style, which is permeated by a very wide range of European influences: "His melody is reminiscent of Tchaikovsky, his spirituality of Franck; he possesses Beethoven's greatness and Brahms' distance...his masterly craft is reminiscent of Berlioz." -Eric Blom
|
|
|
|
MahlerTitan
|
|
« Reply #29 on: March 07, 2007, 05:26:40 AM » |
|
yes
|
|
|
|
|
Logged
|
Sapere Aude
|
|
|
|
