Purchases Today

[André]

[Mirror Image]

From La Quinta de Mahler here in Madrid:

I was wondering when you were going to buy this recording, Rafael.

P.S. There is a feature on Hahn in the new BBC Music Magazine. He's 'Composer of the Month'.

[Mirror Image]

I have not seen that reference before 

Yeah, this was his nickname whenever he was in the Jewish mob.

[Mirror Image]

I just purchased this recording,I could choose a used copy 166 euro!!!  or a new sealed one for 5 euro. 



Decided to purchase this one as well.

Very nice, Jan. I didn't realize you were a fan of Penderecki's music. I'm still kind of on the fence with this composer. I know I like those earlier works, but I'm not exactly sure how I feel about his larger choral works like St Luke's Passion, Polish Requiem, etc.

[Traverso]

Very nice, Jan. I didn't realize you were a fan of Penderecki's music. I'm still kind of on the fence with this composer. I know I like those earlier works, but I'm not exactly sure how I feel about his larger choral works like St Luke's Passion, Polish Requiem, etc.

I wouldn't call myself a fan of Penderecki, I do think he is one of the composers you should take note of. It is known that his music has become much more accessible in later years and at the same time a lot more uninteresting.
I have a very small number of recordings with his music and listen to it very little, it seems an excellent idea to give it my full attention again,especially now that I am more familiar with composers such as Boulez and Ligeti to name just a few.

[Mirror Image]

I wouldn't call myself a fan of Penderecki, I do think he is one of the composers you should take note of. It is known that his music has become much more accessible in later years and at the same time a lot more uninteresting.
I have a very small number of recordings with his music and listen to it very little, it seems an excellent idea to give it my full attention again,especially now that I am more familiar with composers such as Boulez and Ligeti to name just a few.

You and me are in the same boat regarding Penderecki. I do think he's at his best when his music is more condensed and concentrated. I just don't think he's too good in larger forms, but we'll see if my opinion changes at all as I start listening to his music again.

[DavidW]

I wouldn't call myself a fan of Penderecki, I do think he is one of the composers you should take note of. It is known that his music has become much more accessible in later years and at the same time a lot more uninteresting.
I have a very small number of recordings with his music and listen to it very little, it seems an excellent idea to give it my full attention again,especially now that I am more familiar with composers such as Boulez and Ligeti to name just a few.

I'm a Penderecki fan so this might not mean anything... but if you haven't heard it try his first symphony.  It is right between the two extremes of his early and his late styles.

[André]

I wouldn't call myself a fan of Penderecki, I do think he is one of the composers you should take note of. It is known that his music has become much more accessible in later years and at the same time a lot more uninteresting.
I have a very small number of recordings with his music and listen to it very little, it seems an excellent idea to give it my full attention again,especially now that I am more familiar with composers such as Boulez and Ligeti to name just a few.

While I agree that his style and whole musical language have considerably evolved, I find that this statement is somewhat contradictory. If it is more accessible, it should have broader acceptance and therefore be 'interesting' to a greater number of people. Conversely, those for whom it has become 'a lot more uninteresting' must think that its increased accessibility is a damnable fault. Hardcore avant-garde cognoscenti vs a broader public, then ?

[Mirror Image]

While I agree that his style and whole musical language have considerably evolved, I find that this statement is somewhat contradictory. If it is more accessible, it should have broader acceptance and therefore be 'interesting' to a greater number of people. Conversely, those for whom it has become 'a lot more uninteresting' must think that its increased accessibility is a damnable fault. Hardcore avant-garde cognoscenti vs a broader public, then ?

A fair point. I personally wouldn't say that accessibility is a flaw or a damnable fault. I mean I love the "Populist" Copland as much as the "Modernist" Copland, so I don't think the change of style is something to be upset or discontented with as there were many composers who changed their style ---- some of them changed it overnight! I guess perhaps where I think I'm in agreement with Jan about is that Penderecki in his later compositions seemed to lack the kind of excitement and sense of discovery you'd get with his earlier, more avant-garde works.

[Traverso]

While I agree that his style and whole musical language have considerably evolved, I find that this statement is somewhat contradictory. If it is more accessible, it should have broader acceptance and therefore be 'interesting' to a greater number of people. Conversely, those for whom it has become 'a lot more uninteresting' must think that its increased accessibility is a damnable fault. Hardcore avant-garde cognoscenti vs a broader public, then ?

I think that listeners who are "afraid" of Penderecki's music will not easily return to his music, even if it is more accessible, the image of difficult music remains and in their eyes tough meat that you better stay away from.
I think a lot of classical music fans are very conservative and are happy (and satisfied) with Mozart, Chopin, Beethoven and everything else from the so-called golden canon.
I have had a hard time conquering the modern classics, partly because of laziness and prejudice,
something that hopefully bother me less now.
I have a hunger for new music and I have to accept that there is a lot that I will not hear, especially since I do not want to part with the music of Mozart, Ockghem and many others, life is too short. 

[Mirror Image]

I think that listeners who are "afraid" of Penderecki's music will not easily return to his music, even if it is more accessible, the image of difficult music remains and in their eyes tough meat that you better stay away from.
I think a lot of classical music fans are very conservative and are happy (and satisfied) with Mozart, Chopin, Beethoven and everything else from the so-called golden canon.
I have had a hard time conquering the modern classics, partly because of laziness and prejudice,
something that hopefully bother me less now.
I have a hunger for new music and I have to accept that there is a lot that I will not hear, especially since I do not want to part with the music of Mozart, Ockghem and many others, life is too short. 

It still amazes me the amount of people who are scared or just don't have ears for the Second Viennese School, especially nowadays. You'd think that, collectively, our ears would be able to expand beyond the confines of our own limitations and prejudices, but, no, it still happens and it may be even more widespread now.

[DavidW]

Scared and afraid are not the right words.  The word you're looking for is averse.

would be able to expand beyond the confines of our own limitations and prejudices,

I think I hate this description.  Nobody would even listen to classical music if they were not able to explore music that sounds very different from what is played on the radio, requires a long attention span and a certain degree of focus.  Please let's not start describing people that don't like modern music the way that you just did.  It certainly doesn't fit them at all.

[Mirror Image]

I think I hate this description.  Nobody would even listen to classical music if they were not able to explore music that sounds very different from what is played on the radio, requires a long attention span and a certain degree of focus.  Please let's not start describing people that don't like modern music the way that you just did.  It certainly doesn't fit them at all.

True, I was painting with a broad brush, but I won't belabor my point any further.

[Traverso]

True, I was painting with a broad brush, but I won't belabor my point any further.

I knew it,I knew it........

[Mirror Image]

I knew it,I knew it........

[aligreto]

This CD just arrived today.





I saw it posted here somewhere quite recently. I thought then, Dvorak chamber music performed by the Panocha Quartet and recorded on Supraphon so what is not to like here? I will find out soon enough.

[Brian]

Acquired my second, third, fourth, and fifth Reicha discs (following a one-off album of wind quintets):

[aligreto]

I think that listeners who are "afraid" of Penderecki's music will not easily return to his music, even if it is more accessible, the image of difficult music remains and in their eyes tough meat that you better stay away from.
I think a lot of classical music fans are very conservative and are happy (and satisfied) with Mozart, Chopin, Beethoven and everything else from the so-called golden canon.
I have had a hard time conquering the modern classics, partly because of laziness and prejudice,
something that hopefully bother me less now.
I have a hunger for new music and I have to accept that there is a lot that I will not hear, especially since I do not want to part with the music of Mozart, Ockghem and many others, life is too short. 

Hi Jan, It is interesting the way some of Life's journeys change. I am getting old now but since I was a very young man my musical taste was very much rooted in the Baroque and the Classical eras. That is still mostly the case. However, in recent years, as I grew older, my desire to experience newer music took me to music that I would definitely not have listened to 20 years ago. And what is more, I enjoy it. Perhaps it is a more mature palette in my case but the same applies, I find to my surprise, to a greater appreciation also for Modern Art, as I grow older. I find it an interesting and somewhat fascinating change in myself.

[Traverso]

Hi Jan, It is interesting the way some of Life's journeys change. I am getting old now but since I was a very young man my musical taste was very much rooted in the Baroque and the Classical eras. That is still mostly the case. However, in recent years, as I grew older, my desire to experience newer music took me to music that I would definitely not have listened to 20 years ago. And what is more, I enjoy it. Perhaps it is a more mature palette in my case but the same applies, I find to my surprise, to a greater appreciation also for Modern Art, as I grow older. I find it an interesting and somewhat fascinating change in myself.

It is clear that it enriches your life and gives it more color, it is certainly fascinating against the background that the improbable takes place.
The improbable is hearing meaning in something that was previously incoherent.
What is the meaning of life when we stop learning. 

[aligreto]

It is clear that it enriches your life and gives it more color, it is certainly fascinating against the background that the improbable takes place.
The improbable is hearing meaning in something that was previously incoherent.
What is the meaning of life when we stop learning. 

That is one of the things that I like about you, Jan. You think deeply about stuff.