Donald Martino (1931-2005)

Started by Sandra, May 23, 2011, 12:23:32 AM

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Sandra

May 23, 2011, 12:23:32 AM
Donald Martino  (1931-2005) 

I found out about this brilliant composer in 2005, the year he died. I think he was one of the more talented modernists of his time. I enjoy his Notturno - http://youtu.be/PXPQfe6bbQc

I'm usually not a big fan of the "Milton Babbitt crowd", but there are a few composers I can relate to.

YouTube doesn't have much of him, but his Pianississimo is there too - http://youtu.be/upbfsf_LjjA , hair-raisingly difficult to play but an interesting exploration of piano sounds.
"Pay no attention to what the critics say... Remember, a statue has never been set up in honor of a critic!" - J. Sibelius

karlhenning

#1
May 23, 2011, 03:45:57 AM
Good point! I've hardly heard any Babbitt, really.

It's the Schoenberg syndrome, further aggravated . . . so few of those who wring their hands over the "awful music" have actually listened to any Schoenberg  ; )

snyprrr

#2
May 23, 2011, 08:30:07 AM
Quote from: Sandra on May 23, 2011, 12:23:32 AM
Donald Martino  (1931-2005) 

I found out about this brilliant composer in 2005, the year he died. I think he was one of the more talented modernists of his time. I enjoy his Notturno - http://youtu.be/PXPQfe6bbQc

I'm usually not a big fan of the "Milton Babbitt crowd", but there are a few composers I can relate to.

YouTube doesn't have much of him, but his Pianississimo is there too - http://youtu.be/upbfsf_LjjA , hair-raisingly difficult to play but an interesting exploration of piano sounds.

Babes for Babbitt?? :o

How are you single? ??? :-*


oh,... right,... Martino.


Wouldn't he be more in the Sessions camp, really? I have enjoyed that Koch disc for years (meaning, I've played it four times), though  find the SQ (Julliard SQ) a bit more academically Beethovian (in a Sessions way (I also think there's a new Albany disc with a second SQ)). I'll give 'em a spin.


Try the Robert Hall Lewis disc on NewWorld. Martino's twin?

Sandra

#3
May 24, 2011, 01:17:26 AM
Quote from: k a rl h e nn i ng on May 23, 2011, 03:45:57 AM
Good point! I've hardly heard any Babbitt, really.

It's the Schoenberg syndrome, further aggravated . . . so few of those who wring their hands over the "awful music" have actually listened to any Schoenberg  ; )

I agree. For many people the moment Babbitt's name is mentioned, the association is always boring essays on modern music, radio interviews, talks, debates... anything except his music itself.

I'll start listening more, with an open mind. Any recommendations?
"Pay no attention to what the critics say... Remember, a statue has never been set up in honor of a critic!" - J. Sibelius

snyprrr

#4
May 24, 2011, 05:32:02 AM
Quote from: Sandra on May 24, 2011, 01:17:26 AM
I agree. For many people the moment Babbitt's name is mentioned, the association is always boring essays on modern music, radio interviews, talks, debates... anything except his music itself.

I'll start listening more, with an open mind. Any recommendations?

I think MB's best music is in his SQs 3-4, and the Piano Music. His orchestral stuff is very noisy and ugly.

Sandra

#5
May 25, 2011, 04:43:19 AM
Thanks! Haven't heard his SQs yet. I'll check them out.
"Pay no attention to what the critics say... Remember, a statue has never been set up in honor of a critic!" - J. Sibelius

klingsor

#6
May 25, 2011, 05:18:07 AM Last Edit: May 25, 2011, 05:21:02 AM by klingsor
Milton Babbitt was a fine composer, and he also had interesting and AMUSING things to say about music.

I highly recommend this interview with Babbitt from the Internet Archive:

http://www.archive.org/details/SOM_1984_11_15

And I like Martino as well, though I have not heard much besides the Notturno

snyprrr

#7
May 06, 2012, 11:42:45 AM
SOMEHOW I've come back around to that old Koch disc with Notturno, (now in my head) a lovely 12-tone piece, and I checked Amazon and thought I'd like to try the Piano Music. We have three main pieces under consideration: 12 Preludes, Pianississimo, and Fantacies & Interludes. There's a few different recordings. Does anyone have any reccomendations before I set upon the Amazon samples? ;D

Also interested in A Clarinet Set.

snyprrr

#8
May 07, 2012, 06:35:19 PM
Quote from: snyprrr on May 06, 2012, 11:42:45 AM
SOMEHOW I've come back around to that old Koch disc with Notturno, (now in my head) a lovely 12-tone piece, and I checked Amazon and thought I'd like to try the Piano Music. We have three main pieces under consideration: 12 Preludes, Pianississimo, and Fantacies & Interludes[/i]. There's a few different recordings. Does anyone have any reccomendations before I set upon the Amazon samples? ;D

anyone? :-*

snyprrr

#9
May 08, 2012, 06:05:47 AM
Well, I went and checked as many samples as I could. Pianississimo and the F&I sounded nice, wasn't too interested in the Preludes.

snyprrr

#12
January 01, 2016, 09:14:23 AM
'Later Works'(Albany)

String Quartet No.5
Piano Trio
Clarinet Trio
Violin Sonata No.2

Just listened to the SQ, my, what a remarkably good piece. I had everything I wanted from DM, I was really struck by its way. Nothing outre, but he had lots of things, busy, Beethovinian... but verrry modern, sleek, like a sports car perhaps...very smooth yet not boring at all- masterfully put together...

closest I would say might be Wourinen's complexity...

looking forward to the rest


I look at it as the End of an Era- this is what it all ended with- Modern Composers going backwards juuust a little (even Xenakis and such)... all these guys nodded to the past just before they popped off, as if the High Modernism was just something to be assimilated, not an end to itself (you don't hear too many doing the Xenakis/Penderecki noise bleep/bloop from the 60s these days???)... eeeeverybody's conservative when they're 80....


I 'D RECOMMEND THIS ALBUM TO JUST ABOUT EVERYONE
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