GMG Listening Group — Stravinsky's Agon :: 22 May - 4 June 2011

[(poco) Sforzando]

He's just being antagonistic 

It's the $.02 that gets to me.

[Scarpia]

Got this recording recently



but it looks like I missed the boat by about a year.   

[karlhenning]

Well, if you mean this recording, I haven't fetched it in yet, myself, either.

If you mean the discussion . . . I think we are now trending towards getting it under proper way.

[Scarpia]

Well, if you mean this recording, I haven't fetched it in yet, myself, either.

If you mean the discussion . . . I think we are now trending towards getting it under proper way.

The recording is in hand.  According to the caption, the discussion ended a year ago next week.  Behind schedule?

[karlhenning]

Pretty badly, too.

What if we say first week in November?

[Brahmsian]

Pretty badly, too.

What if we say first week in November?

I'm ahead of the game, as I listened to it yesterday.  Yet, I will happily repeat the listen, and make sure I'm doing nothing else but put 100% focus on the piece.

[karlhenning]

I'm ahead of the game, as I listened to it yesterday.  Yet, I will happily repeat the listen, and make sure I'm doing nothing else but put 100% focus on the piece.

Cool! We're on!

[Benji]

I went on a wee Stravinsky binge last night on Amazon. I'm sure I have at least one recording of Agon in there. Two if Boulez recorded on DG at any time.

[Scarpia]

I guess no one got around to listening to it.  I gave the Gielen recording a spin.  An interesting piece, uses a very large ensemble, but rarely allowing more than a few instruments to participate at any point in time, creating the impression of an infinitely variable chamber music ensemble.  I usually find that exasperating, but it seems to work this time.  There are parts that are gentle, playful, and some very vigorous and rhythmically intense.   Interesting music, although not compelling in the way some of the earlier scores are.

The notes to the recording make a point of telling us that Stravinsky had inexplicably started exploring 12-tone, serial methods in this work, although it doesn't sound more "atonal" than a lot of other things Stravinsky had written in earlier times. 

[karlhenning]

Mea culpa.

Who's still interested?  When should we shoot for?

[(poco) Sforzando]

Mea culpa.

Who's still interested?  When should we shoot for?

Christmas 2012?

[Philoctetes]

I'd definitely be down for an idea like this. I've not yet heard Agon. Are we still going to do this? Or should a new piece be selected?

[karlhenning]

Christmas 2012?

Looking that way, isn't it?

[snyprrr]

I've got MTT. Ready when you are, capt'n.

[petrarch]

I'd definitely be down for an idea like this. I've not yet heard Agon. Are we still going to do this? Or should a new piece be selected?

Have you watched Simon Rattle's Leaving Home series on TV? The opening titles are an excerpt from Agon.

[(poco) Sforzando]

The NYC Ballet is performing Agon this Saturday afternoon, May 7, and next Tuesday, May 10.

[karlhenning]

Very nice! You attending?

[(poco) Sforzando]

Very nice! You attending?

On Saturday. Apollo is also on the program.

It really is an uncommon opportunity to see the Balanchine choreography, as (despite numerous CDs of the music) there is no full-length commercial video of the ballet. (You can, however, track down a VHS tape called Balanchine Celebration that includes about 15 minutes worth of the ballet, minus the opening and closing sections, but better than nothing.)

(Oh. Reading back a page, I see I said the same thing over a year ago. This is one fast-moving thread.)

[karlhenning]

Hah!

[DavidW]

I predict that on the 10th anniversary of this thread we will actually have that listening group of Agon.