Fun reviews corner

[Karl Henning]

There were two composers of nine symphonies who died in 1911?

Tough luck, Gustav!

[The new erato]

I overlooked the 1911 part, in which case I agree. He was the supreme master.

[Karl Henning]

I thought you must have read over-quickly : )

Nicht schleppen, and all that . . . .

[eyeresist]

I overlooked the 1911 part, in which case I agree. He was the supreme master.

Your criteria are a little TOO specific.

[Karl Henning]

Oh, by design, and all to Mahler's advantage!

[eyeresist]

The best composer, initials GM, to leave a 10th symphony uncompleted?
Oh, that's Gavin Mulroy, of course. He used to live right up my street.

[Lethevich]

Allan Pettersson is a more successful composer than
Stravinsky because Mr. Pettersson liked what he was doing
and without trying to be imporant either academically or
in being famous. Stravinsky was always working hard at being
the 'leader' of a musical revolution which now seems less
musical than the current craze of Lady Gaga, Justin Bieber or
even of a few years ago, Hannah Montana. Petterson's works
were a joy to discover and the way to end this post is
"I like it."

Link

[Sergeant Rock]

Link

Thanks for the link. It lead me also to a classic and very long paulb review which begins

"EDIT MAY 6,2009: SYSM 3 and 4 ARE PART OF THE SYMPHONIC CYCLE...I have reconsidered my previous assessment that the cycle begins at sym 6,,but now realize syms 3,4,5 ARE INDEED PART of the cycle...UNREAL..3-15..lets see thats a 13 sym cycle..13 syms in as part of one cycle...name any other composer to do such a task?...Pettersson, the greatest symphonic composer in the 20th century, and the greatest other than Mozart.. (Beethoven..good grief, I hate LVB's music, yucckkk!)"


Wow...just wow. I miss the guy 

Sarge

[Lethevich]

Dunstable and Egyption art, By A Customer

Dunstable is the dawn of renaissance music with its glow and dewy freshness. To compare Dunstable to Dufay may be liken Schubert to Mozart. The latter is more symmetrical and apollonian. Dunstable's music can "overflow" like the Nile. Indead, if Dufay is Greek, Dunstable is Egyption. For example his broad, static, and reposeful harmonies can be liken to Egyption art. Or to a river where the harmonies proceed going from one current to another. The partwriting is more "spatial" less "linear", so while intricacy isn't lacking, it is less prominant than in medeival France. As a curioso, the Egyptions were the ancient masters of astronomy and math and Dunstable was an astronomer and mathematican. There is an impersonal and expansive quality to their artistry. Yet no renassaisance music I know of surpasses it in warmth, sponteniety and noble simplicity.

Link

[Lethevich]

Vasks is typical of today's "spiritual minimalists" - sort of a blend of New Age "air pudding" with a very light sprinkle of "seriousness". Easy to listen to - you could put this on as background music, or to fall asleep to. And I realize that's what a lot of people seem to be looking for these days. But don't expect any soul-searching, or profundity. Slightly melancholic, wistful, not exactly "deep", but at least it isn't Yanni. If you've heard it once, there's not a lot to be mined out of it on repeated listenings.

If you'd like a more substantial musical experience, try the symphonies of Allan Pettersson. Start with his 7th. - Amazon review

The smugness-to-not-getting-it ratio is off the chart.

[Opus106]

Oh, I do want to continue reading so badly. Alas, it's one of those pay-to-read articles.

[Brian]

Oh, I do want to continue reading so badly. Alas, it's one of those pay-to-read articles.

Maybe you, Sarge, me, and anyone else who might be interested should take up a collection and get a shared Insider account to read those things. We can use a pseudonym like Vi McBrato.

[Karl Henning]

David Hurwitz watched Sex in the City?

[Brian]

David Hurwitz watched Sex in the City?

[Kastchei]

Maybe you already know this, but for contemporary music reviews you can use it.

http://www.dominicirving.com/cccbsg/

It works! 

[eyeresist]

Maybe you already know this, but for contemporary music reviews you can use it.

http://www.dominicirving.com/cccbsg/

It works! 

My God, the implications are depressing.



"The fact that dissonances tend to (at least in their 12-tone state), non-linearly incorporate, even in the presence of a strong conflict, is, you will agree, patently absurd."

[Karl Henning]

Good review, apparently awful performance: Botstein, Ives & Mahler in a trainwreck for the ages.

[PaulSC]

Good review, apparently awful performance: Botstein, Ives & Mahler in a trainwreck for the ages.

I saw that American Symphony review; such a shame, considering the good intentions...

Meanwhile, Amazon customer reviews are fish in a barrel, but still, I can't let this one go unmentioned:

Besides being my favorite composer, Beethoven is, by far, the most talented composer as he was blind. Yet he was able to compose and play as well as direct in total darkness. He was, and still is, the greatest!

[Brian]

David Hurwitz has exceeded even his own usual high standards!

"Fonogrammi, Anaklasis, Partita, and De natura sonoris I consist almost entirely of noise—often wonderful, imaginative noise, but noise nonetheless. When listening to De natura sonoris I, for example, I was so captivated by a strange percussive sound that I went back to listen to it again—only to find it missing. Turns out on closer examination that it was the ice maker in my refrigerator dumping cubes into the hopper. It fit perfectly into the texture of the piece. Indeed, if Mr. Penderecki is listening, I strongly recommend that he consider scoring his next work for a Bosch side-by-side refrigerator-freezer with automatic ice dispenser in the freezer door. It's amazingly musical."

http://www.classicstoday.com/review/naxos-penderecki-grammy-winner/

[Karl Henning]

A hoot!