The Roger Sessions

[Sean]

The phrase is ambiguous, yes.

What I do find striking about Sessions is his huge American confidence and panache- the symphonies I've tried are some of the most assured atonal writing there is.

[snyprrr]

The phrase is ambiguous, yes.

What I do find striking about Sessions is his huge American confidence and panache- the symphonies I've tried are some of the most assured atonal writing there is.

That's the impression I'm left with. I'm wondering now about Searle, Frankel, Toch, Wellesz, Krenek, and the like.

I was listening again to Symphony No.3. There's a wondrous amount of stuff going on here, making me think of a tapestry. Though Sessions may be employing Schoenberg, I'm thankful that Sessions has his own toolbox of melodic and rhythmic invention. Session's rocking/ticking theme is interwoven in most all of his mature works, like a motto, and perhaps it is this seizing on a 'trademark' that I love so much. It got somewhat tiresome with me with Shostakovich, perhaps because of the programme, but with Sessions, it seems the motto is more abstractly based, so that my enjoyment of it isn't linked to any particular visual stimulus.

btw- have you gone hari hari on us??

[Sean]

I haven't got to know much by Sessions, only

Concerto for orchestra, Symphonies Nos.7-9, The Black maskers suite & String quartet No.2

I didn't really like Searle's symphonies, very continental, and Frankel's expressionism wears off after a while; I do know that great long dull symphony by Kreneck, and I'll have to check my lists for the other two- again they didn't make a huge impact. Toch kept a rather lighter palate if I remember though.

Shostak's ticking in the 4th & 15th is great stuff...

And no, I'm not in the Hare Krishna movement, I'm just Hindu. Best, Sean

[Karl Henning]

[T]he symphonies I've tried are some of the most assured atonal writing there is.

I think, that if you did not blinker yourself with the needless and erroneous idea that all music has gone downhill after Wagner, you would find that there is a wealth of assured atonal writing. And that it's good for the soul.

[Sean]

Going downhill and at an ever greater angle of attack, soon to hit the ground.

[Rons_talking]

Ever since I heard thrilling 2nd piano sonata of Sessions I've been a fan. His works have complex rhythms, but not for the sake of being difficult; colorful orchestrations, but not for the sake of being more accessable, highly dense harmonies, but not for the sake of being modern. Nearly all of his mature works are 1st rate and have the composer's distinctive sound. My favorites are his 5-9th Symphonies and most of his solo piano works, esp. the 2nd Sonata. They're all so powerful and brilliantly structured.

[Karl Henning]

Ever since I heard thrilling 2nd piano sonata of Sessions I've been a fan. His works have complex rhythms, but not for the sake of being difficult; colorful orchestrations, but not for the sake of being more accessable, highly dense harmonies, but not for the sake of being modern. Nearly all of his mature works are 1st rate and have the composer's distinctive sound. My favorites are his 5-9th Symphonies and most of his solo piano works, esp. the 2nd Sonata. They're all so powerful and brilliantly structured.

Thanks, and nice to meet you!

Anyone know what the actual marking is for the third movement of the Ninth Symphony?  The Amazon mps have Allegro e tranguillo for the third movement of each of the Sixth, Seventh & Ninth; and apart from the misspelling of tranquillo, it's got to be a mistake in all three cases.

TIA.

[Parsifal]

Thanks, and nice to meet you!

Anyone know what the actual marking is for the third movement of the Ninth Symphony?  The Amazon mps have Allegro e tranguillo for the third movement of each of the Sixth, Seventh & Ninth; and apart from the misspelling of tranquillo, it's got to be a mistake in all three cases.

TIA.

Symphony No.6 - I. Allegro
Symphony No.6 - II. Adagio e tranquillo    
Symphony No.6 - III. Allegro moderato    
Symphony No.7 - I. Allegro con fuoco    
Symphony No.7 - II. Lento e dolce
Symphony No.7 - III. Allegro misurato    
Symphony No.9 - I. Allegro: Impetuoso - Tranquillo
Symphony No.9 - II. Con movimento adagio - Doppio movimento quasi allegretto -
Symphony No.9 - III. Allegro vivace

[Karl Henning]

Thank you.

[snyprrr]

Ever since I heard thrilling 2nd piano sonata of Sessions I've been a fan. His works have complex rhythms, but not for the sake of being difficult; colorful orchestrations, but not for the sake of being more accessable, highly dense harmonies, but not for the sake of being modern. Nearly all of his mature works are 1st rate and have the composer's distinctive sound. My favorites are his 5-9th Symphonies and most of his solo piano works, esp. the 2nd Sonata. They're all so powerful and brilliantly structured.

When I need 'it', Sessions is one of the few... if not... well, he's one of the few who satisfies that need for a pure abstraction. I equate the 'feeling' with Xenakis too.

I do find some similarities between Pettersson and Sessions, though, as others have noted, it is superficial.

Welcome to The Roger Sessions!

[Leo K.]

This week is going to be mostly devoted to Sessions. I've acquired some broadcasts (Ormandy/no.5 and Martinon/no.7 to name a few). Can't wait!

[Leo K.]

A little trippy, isn't it, that both Ives and Sessions studied with Horatio Parker?

I know right? I just finished Gayle Sherwood Magee's book on Ives, and again I'm impressed by Parker's exhausting efforts to educate the next generation of composers (he died young as a result I think).

[snyprrr]

This week is going to be mostly devoted to Sessions. I've acquired some broadcasts (Ormandy/no.5 and Martinon/no.7 to name a few). Can't wait!

Yes, please compare and report!

[Daverz]

This week is going to be mostly devoted to Sessions. I've acquired some broadcasts (Ormandy/no.5 and Martinon/no.7 to name a few). Can't wait!

Where did you get the Ormandy?  I have the Martinon broadcast, and also a broadcast of Previn conducting Symphony No. 2.

[snyprrr]

Where did you get the Ormandy?  I have the Martinon broadcast, and also a broadcast of Previn conducting Symphony No. 2.

I  must say, I really like Blomstedt's 2nd. All of Sessions' "major label" appearances have been sonically well taken care of (not to mention performances). One could certainly use an Albany/New World recording of No.3!

[snyprrr]

This week is going to be mostly devoted to Sessions. I've acquired some broadcasts (Ormandy/no.5 and Martinon/no.7 to name a few). Can't wait!

How did all that go? I need some Sessions Tonic after all this fluffy music this week!

[Leo K.]

How did all that go? I need some Sessions Tonic after all this fluffy music this week!

It was excellant! I haven't heard the Martinon yet, but the Ormandy S5 and de Waart S6 are fantastic performances, with pretty good sound, especially de Waart's S6, where the sound is more open and less compressed than Davies' commercially released recording.

I was so inspired I ordered a couple OOP Sessions books by Sessions scholar Andrea Olmstead. Her 'Music of Roger Sessions" is a great reference!

[snyprrr]

It was excellant! I haven't heard the Martinon yet, but the Ormandy S5 and de Waart S6 are fantastic performances, with pretty good sound, especially de Waart's S6, where the sound is more open and less compressed than Davies' commercially released recording.

I was so inspired I ordered a couple OOP Sessions books by Sessions scholar Andrea Olmstead. Her 'Music of Roger Sessions" is a great reference!

Time for the yearly Sessions bump

[Cato]

Time for the yearly Sessions bump

emusic.com offers a fairly nice selection of works by Roger Sessions and lesser known American composers.

http://www.emusic.com/browse/album/all/composer:29/

[Leo K.]

It's definitely time to hear some Sessions again!