The Diamond Mine

Started by karlhenning, March 17, 2009, 04:28:06 AM

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vandermolen

Quote from: Mirror Image on April 14, 2015, 07:03:02 AM
I own them all. I actually own the Naxos reissues as well. The same applies to the Piston series with Schwarz.

Me too  ::)
"Courage is going from failure to failure without losing enthusiasm" (Churchill).

'The test of a work of art is, in the end, our affection for it, not our ability to explain why it is good' (Stanley Kubrick).

Mirror Image

Quote from: vandermolen on April 14, 2015, 07:05:10 AM
Me too  ::)

8) Something of Diamond's that I don't own is his SQ cycle. This seems to be highly rated. Do you own it, Jeffrey?

San Antone

#82
Quote from: Mirror Image on April 14, 2015, 07:20:11 AM
8) Something of Diamond's that I don't own is his SQ cycle. This seems to be highly rated. Do you own it, Jeffrey?

Those are the only Diamond works I have, and they are worthwhile.  But the recordings are OOP as far as I know.  After checking Amazon, most (if not all) can be bought.

Mirror Image

Quote from: sanantonio on April 14, 2015, 07:22:08 AM
Those are the only Diamond works I have, and they are worthwhile.  But the recordings are OOP as far as I know.  After checking Amazon, most (if not all) can be bought.

Very nice, David. I see they're on the Albany label.

Sergeant Rock

Quote from: sanantonio on April 14, 2015, 07:22:08 AMAfter checking Amazon, most (if not all) can be bought.

I just ordered 3 & 8 from Amazon DE

[asin]B000063CO4[/asin]

and this

[asin]B00008LLHE[/asin]


Has anyone heard it?

Sarge
the phone rings and somebody says,
"hey, they made a movie about
Mahler, you ought to go see it.
he was as f*cked-up as you are."
                               --Charles Bukowski, "Mahler"

vandermolen

Quote from: Mirror Image on April 14, 2015, 07:20:11 AM
8) Something of Diamond's that I don't own is his SQ cycle. This seems to be highly rated. Do you own it, Jeffrey?

Some of the individual releases John - not sure which ones but will check.
"Courage is going from failure to failure without losing enthusiasm" (Churchill).

'The test of a work of art is, in the end, our affection for it, not our ability to explain why it is good' (Stanley Kubrick).

Peter Power Pop

#86
Quote from: Mirror Image on April 14, 2015, 07:03:02 AM
I own them all. I actually own the Naxos reissues as well. The same applies to the Piston series with Schwarz.

Quote from: vandermolen on April 14, 2015, 07:05:10 AM
Me too  ::)

Splendid.

Rons_talking

Quote from: sanantonio on April 14, 2015, 07:22:08 AM
Those are the only Diamond works I have, and they are worthwhile.  But the recordings are OOP as far as I know.  After checking Amazon, most (if not all) can be bought.


As many know, I love Diamond's music! His first three quartets (along with his "Concerto" for SQ (alone)) are in his "diatonic" style as are his first 4 Symphonies. After 1950, he composed more chromatically but still using his own lyrical style. The Potomic Quartet reconded nearly all of his quartets (the first is, I believe, withdrawn). I've downloaded several of his quartets from the PSQ collection and they are wonderful. The 3rd is his crown jewel. The 1st Violin Sonata is also lovely, as are the Rounds.

Diamond, whom Schoenberg called "another Bruckner," paying the complement of NOT teaching him serialism after Diamond requested lessons, composed such great tonal music in the 40s I was sad to see that he left the idiom after around 1950. I like non-tonal music but Diamond could do so much with just the 7 diatonic notes!

Daverz

I got the whole quartet cycle during an Arkivmusic Albany sale.  I'll have to "work" my way thru the cycle some day.

Mirror Image

Quote from: Rons_talking on April 14, 2015, 04:08:58 PM

As many know, I love Diamond's music! His first three quartets (along with his "Concerto" for SQ (alone)) are in his "diatonic" style as are his first 4 Symphonies. After 1950, he composed more chromatically but still using his own lyrical style. The Potomic Quartet reconded nearly all of his quartets (the first is, I believe, withdrawn). I've downloaded several of his quartets from the PSQ collection and they are wonderful. The 3rd is his crown jewel. The 1st Violin Sonata is also lovely, as are the Rounds.

Diamond, whom Schoenberg called "another Bruckner," paying the complement of NOT teaching him serialism after Diamond requested lessons, composed such great tonal music in the 40s I was sad to see that he left the idiom after around 1950. I like non-tonal music but Diamond could do so much with just the 7 diatonic notes!

Thanks for that anecdote about Diamond and Schoenberg. I never heard that one before. It seems many American composers started off writing more lyrical music early in their careers but after WWII, they were somehow hardened by the whole experience. Besides Diamond, Schuman and Mennin spring to mind.

vandermolen

Thoroughly enjoying Symphony 4 (Bernstein). I think that Diamond, especially in symphonies 1-4 is a most endearing, inspiriting and humane composer. These works,especially symphonies 3 and 4 move me deeply. He really is one of the great American composers.
"Courage is going from failure to failure without losing enthusiasm" (Churchill).

'The test of a work of art is, in the end, our affection for it, not our ability to explain why it is good' (Stanley Kubrick).

Mirror Image

Quote from: vandermolen on May 30, 2015, 05:06:44 AM
Thoroughly enjoying Symphony 4 (Bernstein). I think that Diamond, especially in symphonies 1-4 is a most endearing, inspiriting and humane composer. These works,especially symphonies 3 and 4 move me deeply. He really is one of the great American composers.

I can't argue with that! :)

vandermolen

Quote from: Mirror Image on May 30, 2015, 06:04:28 AM
I can't argue with that! :)
I can always rely on you John to reply positively to my inconsequential messages. It is appreciated.  :)
"Courage is going from failure to failure without losing enthusiasm" (Churchill).

'The test of a work of art is, in the end, our affection for it, not our ability to explain why it is good' (Stanley Kubrick).

Mirror Image

Quote from: vandermolen on May 30, 2015, 09:35:44 AM
I can always rely on you John to reply positively to my inconsequential messages. It is appreciated.  :)

8)

vandermolen

Have been listening to Symphony 4 over and over and over again. A wonderful work, possibly Diamond's finest, although Symphony 3 is just as good. Schwarz and Bernstein versions are both great.
"Courage is going from failure to failure without losing enthusiasm" (Churchill).

'The test of a work of art is, in the end, our affection for it, not our ability to explain why it is good' (Stanley Kubrick).

Mirror Image

Quote from: vandermolen on June 25, 2015, 03:46:56 PM
Have been listening to Symphony 4 over and over and over again. A wonderful work, possibly Diamond's finest, although Symphony 3 is just as good. Schwarz and Bernstein versions are both great.

Diamond's 4th is one of my favorite symphonies....ever. Such sublime beauty and it's over all over before you know it. I'm constantly thinking "I wish he would have gone on a little longer." ;D

vandermolen

Quote from: Mirror Image on June 25, 2015, 06:25:47 PM
Diamond's 4th is one of my favorite symphonies....ever. Such sublime beauty and it's over all over before you know it. I'm constantly thinking "I wish he would have gone on a little longer." ;D

Yes, me too - as a result of which I have to play it over and over again. I can hear it three times in a row during my drive to work.  :)
"Courage is going from failure to failure without losing enthusiasm" (Churchill).

'The test of a work of art is, in the end, our affection for it, not our ability to explain why it is good' (Stanley Kubrick).

Rons_talking

Quote from: Mirror Image on June 25, 2015, 06:25:47 PM
Diamond's 4th is one of my favorite symphonies....ever. Such sublime beauty and it's over all over before you know it. I'm constantly thinking "I wish he would have gone on a little longer." ;D

Both the 3rd and 4th have been two of my favorites from the first time I heard each of them respectively. The 4th is glorious from first to last measure. It doesn't feel as if there's any development that's not essential and the music is always propelling forward, even the Adagio. I think part of that effect is attained through the flowing use of the orchestral piano. It's well-scored all the way around. But I also love the 3rd...

calyptorhynchus

Just discovered that the concerto for string quartet and orchestra (a late work from 1996, and not the concerto for solo sq) is available from youtube in a recording that is presumably a radio recording of the premiere.
Wonderful music!
'Many men are melancholy by hearing music, but it is a pleasing melancholy that it causeth.' Robert Burton

vandermolen

#99
Quote from: Rons_talking on June 26, 2015, 04:32:52 PM
Both the 3rd and 4th have been two of my favorites from the first time I heard each of them respectively. The 4th is glorious from first to last measure. It doesn't feel as if there's any development that's not essential and the music is always propelling forward, even the Adagio. I think part of that effect is attained through the flowing use of the orchestral piano. It's well-scored all the way around. But I also love the 3rd...

Totally agree with you in every way. I find the very start of No.4 very moving, sad and poignant and yet the symphony ends with a kind of defiant 'triumph against the odds' finale, which is inspiriting and life affirming. I just retired yesterday from 37 years of full-time teaching and following an emotional send-off was feeling very sad. Diamond's 4th Symphony accompanied me during my car journey both ways and I have just played it again (Bernstein, although Schwarz is just as good) as I try to take-in yesterday's experience. Forgive the personal anecdote but this music has really meant a lot to me during the last few days.  :)
"Courage is going from failure to failure without losing enthusiasm" (Churchill).

'The test of a work of art is, in the end, our affection for it, not our ability to explain why it is good' (Stanley Kubrick).