What are you listening to now?

[EigenUser]

I haven't really explored Bartok's solo piano music, but I'm not a fan of the genre in general. I do like Debussy's and Ravel's piano works and a few others, but I should also say that it's not really a priority of mine to explore every inch of a composer's oeuvre. I like orchestral and chamber music and everything that falls between the two.

Thread duty:



Finished Red Pony, now listening to Orchestral Variations. A gnarly arrangement of his seminal 1930 work Piano Variations.

I love Ravel's solo piano works. Oddly, that was where I started with Ravel's music. It wasn't until later that I found out what a masterful orchestrator he was. Aside from a few works of Debussy's, I haven't heard much of his enormous piano output.

A friend of mine learned the Copland Piano Variations a while ago. It's such a stark piece. I don't think I've ever heard the orchestration, though. Red Pony is a fun work. I played it in a youth orchestra I was in when I was in eighth grade.

[Mirror Image]

I love Ravel's solo piano works. Oddly, that was where I started with Ravel's music. It wasn't until later that I found out what a masterful orchestrator he was. Aside from a few works of Debussy's, I haven't heard much of his enormous piano output.

A friend of mine learned the Copland Piano Variations a while ago. It's such a stark piece. I don't think I've ever heard the orchestration, though. Red Pony is a fun work. I played it in a youth orchestra I was in when I was in eighth grade.

Yep, Ravel's solo piano music is quite good indeed.

Red Pony is a great work and quite beautiful. You should definitely hear the Variations for Orchestra and for a larger dosage of Copland Modernism try Connotations.

Now:



Finishing up Organ Symphony and then onto Music for the Theatre.

[Karl Henning]

I need to listen afresh to the Organ Symphony.

[Ken B]

I need to listen afresh to the Organ Symphony.

A splendid piece. Copland was a good conductor too.

[Todd]

Some peasant dances.

[Mirror Image]

I need to listen afresh to the Organ Symphony.

Yes, this particular performance is fantastic. (Bernstein, E. Power Biggs on organ, NY Phil.)

[Mirror Image]

A splendid piece. Copland was a good conductor too.

Yes, great work. Bernstein, however, was the conductor of the performance in the set I was listening to. I don't think Copland ever conducted Organ Symphony.

[Mirror Image]

Now:



Listening to Chavez's La Hija de Colquide. It seemed only natural to listen to some Chavez after Copland.

[Night Vision]

Listening to the piece "Isabella" - this one blows me away every time I hear it. I haven't gotten very far with this set as I am stuck on this work:
Edit: following up with another gushing work - Bantock's Celtic Symphony:

[Night Vision]

Now:



Listening to Kakadu. Such an awesome work and performance.

Agreed - this is a very nice piece. I was listening to a bit of Sculthorpe before I had my break from Classical Music. I must revisit him soon

[Mirror Image]

Agreed - this is a very nice piece. I was listening to a bit of Sculthorpe before I had my break from Classical Music. I must revisit him soon

Agreed. Sculthorpe is one of my favorites. It's a shame that Australian composers are so undervalued. I've enjoyed many composers from Down Under.

[NorthNYMark]

Currently listening to the Webern works in this set... [asin]B00E5YNBSU[/asin]
...after having heard them in this one a bit earlier:[asin]B00009V904[/asin]
Both wonderful, but the versions by the LaSalle feel more immediately engaging to me.

[kishnevi]

Now:



Listening to Kakadu. Such an awesome work and performance.

Does that piece make any reference to Beethoven?  LvB wrote a set of variations for piano trio on a song titled "Ich bin der schneider Kakadu"  from a then popular opera.

[Brian]

LET THE SHOOTOUT BEGIN

[asin]B000GETWHM[/asin]

Op. 18 No. 6.

The later (Foghorn) version is a clear winner in this quartet. Better sound quality (a dozen years made a big difference!), plus a more refined, sumptuous ensemble sound. And the later Alexanders still have the energy of the early recording: in fact, it's both faster and more velvety.

I'm excited to carry this comparison to the rest of these beloved works!

Does that piece make any reference to Beethoven?  LvB wrote a set of variations for piano trio on a song titled "Ich bin der schneider Kakadu"  from a then popular opera.

Kakadu is a National Park in the Northern Territory of Australia.

It looks exactly 0.0% similar to the awful, awful cover photo.

[kishnevi]

It figures Oz would have a park named that.
Of course where I live we have a city/county park named Topeekeegee Yugnee Park.  Apparently that means "place to get together" or similar in Seminole.  The closest Seminoles are the guys selling tax free cigarettes across from the Hard Rock Hotel and Casino about 25 blocks west of the park.  Which everyone calls TY Park, and has called  it that since it opened three decades or more ago.

GMG relevance of above.  Someone wrote an opera about Anna Nicole Smith.  The above mentioned Hard Rock is the hotel where she died. 

[Mirror Image]

Does that piece make any reference to Beethoven?  LvB wrote a set of variations for piano trio on a song titled "Ich bin der schneider Kakadu"  from a then popular opera.

[Madiel]

Kakadu National Park is the largest in Australia. The name comes from a local language (or rather, from European attempts at a local language), and has precisely nothing to do with Beethoven.

Having said that, it's not impossible that the local language was heard as "Kakadu" by a German-speaking person, as it is the German word for cockatoo and we have plenty of those over here.

[Mirror Image]

Well, all Beethoven associations and cuckoos aside, Sculthorpe's Kakadu is an excellent work.

[Mirror Image]

Now:



Listening to Symphony No. 1 which I'll follow it up with the Piano Concerto with the pianist who premiered the work, John Browning.

[Pat B]

Kakadu National Park is the largest in Australia. The name comes from a local language (or rather, from European attempts at a local language), and has precisely nothing to do with Beethoven.

Having said that, it's not impossible that the local language was heard as "Kakadu" by a German-speaking person, as it is the German word for cockatoo and we have plenty of those over here.

Interesting! Thanks for posting that.

Thread duty: Suk: Violin Fantasy (performed by the younger Suk with Ancerl). Already listened to the Dvořák Concerto and Romance.