Five "unsung" works everyone should hear

[The new erato]

Good post mc!

[springrite]

For me, since I am in China, when I see something recommended here that interests me, I'd make an order shipping to a friend's house in California. I will pick them up in October every year when I go to the US for a conference.

So, every October I'd have anywhere between 100 to 200 CDs to pick up. It will take me a while to listen to them all but I surely will listen to about 1/3 of them while driving around the Wild West!

[Ten thumbs]

From time to time, I'm asked to play a short piano piece and the preference I'm given is to play something that everyone will know. This is perhaps illustrative of the situation regarding classical music as a whole. These pieces are known because they are broadcast again and again on the popular classical channels. However, there is no objective reason why they should be. There are large numbers of 'unsung' pieces that are equally memorable and just as good technically. All that distinguishes those that are accepted is an accident of birth.

[Karl Henning]

For me, since I am in China, when I see something recommended here that interests me, I'd make an order shipping to a friend's house in California. I will pick them up in October every year when I go to the US for a conference.

So, every October I'd have anywhere between 100 to 200 CDs to pick up. It will take me a while to listen to them all but I surely will listen to about 1/3 of them while driving around the Wild West!

And it may just be getting wilder!

[North Star]

Finnish Special!

Klami: Kalevala Suite Try if you like Stravinsky's early ballets or Sibelius.
Englund: Symphony No. 2 'The Blackbird' - Try if you like Shostakovich or Prokofiev.
Raitio: The Swans Wonderfully lush orchestration, influenced by Scriabin & Impressionism
Salonen: Piano Concerto Not too thorny, with some jazzy elements
Aho: Clarinet Concerto Aho was influenced most of all by Shostakovich, and I suppose there are traces of the 'Soviet soundworld' in his music.

[mszczuj]

No one has followed any of my suggestions?!

No, but your suggestions live in us and will give some fruits some day. But first we must listen to thousends of records we have planned to listen.

[Karl Henning]

The Parable of the Seed . . . .

[Mirror Image]

Aho: Clarinet Concerto Aho was influenced most of all by Shostakovich, and I suppose there are traces of the 'Soviet soundworld' in his music.

I would say that Rautavaara also had an effect on Aho. After all, this was his teacher.

[North Star]

I would say that Rautavaara also had an effect on Aho. After all, this was his teacher.

Oh yes, certainly.

[kyjo]

Finnish Special!

Klami: Kalevala Suite Try if you like Stravinsky's early ballets or Sibelius.
Englund: Symphony No. 2 'The Blackbird' - Try if you like Shostakovich or Prokofiev.
Raitio: The Swans Wonderfully lush orchestration, influenced by Scriabin & Impressionism
Salonen: Piano Concerto Not too thorny, with some jazzy elements
Aho: Clarinet Concerto Aho was influenced most of all by Shostakovich, and I suppose there are traces of the 'Soviet soundworld' in his music.

I love all of those works! Thanks for posting your thoughts on the Englund in the thread dedicated to him.

[Johnll]

I love all of those works! Thanks for posting your thoughts on the Englund in the thread dedicated to him.

oh oh oh  yes

[Madiel]

Look, guys, I'm not trying to be a pompous jerk (although I may come across as being one); I'm just trying to figure out what's keeping you from investigating "unsung" music.

Ahem.

My list of music to investigate is quite extensive. Composers (and popular music acts) tend to marinate on the list for several years before I get serious about investigating them. That's usually after seeing multiple references and having my interest pricked multiple times.

It can also take several attempts before deciding that yes, I would like to add that composer/act to my collection.

Sure, I can click on a few youtube links. But I won't be paying attention that closely. It will be background music, in one ear and out the other. I find youtube inherently bad for actually listening to music, as opposed to watching videos.

You're not coming across as a pompous jerk for wanting people to investigate the music you recommend. You ARE, however, coming across as a pompous jerk for wanting them to do it on your timetable and come back here within a short timeframe to give you the satisfaction of telling you how wonderful your recommendation was.  Is it about the music, or is it about stroking your ego?

[The new erato]

And if you search the archives you will see plenty of recommendations for works you mention. I spoke highly of Englund 3 years ago for example and don't need to relisten now nor repeat what I've already said...and my listening and purchasing queues are full. Notwithstanding that some of your recommendations will turn up in my piles on some future date.

[kyjo]

I'm going to bow out of this thread for now. Some members are being way too damn sensitive and argumentative and have no idea what the actual intention of this thread is. You guys can b*tch all you want about how much of a jerk I am for only encouraging people to try new music, but I'm not going to get into any more arguments with the smartasses here. The end.

[Madiel]

(All of this is just my personal opinion, of course, but here goes.)

Next time you start a thread, then, you should say up front what you want from it and not expect people to be mind readers. You didn't say anything at the start about expecting people to listen to the items that were posted. You only said that later.

As for people being sensitive or argumentative... tone is notoriously hard to read on the internet, but the only person who is coming across as getting worked up and upset over this is yourself.  Similarly, the only person I can see setting out to criticise other people for their contributions is you, and when some of us have responded back you can't handle it.

We're not here for you to hand out pats on the head when we do the right thing and scoldings when we don't, but reading back over the thread there is an awful lot of your commentary that is one or the other.

I moderate another message board. Starting a thread on a message board doesn't give you control over the future content or the posters. But I come across quite a few people who think that it does. Right now you're looking very much like one of them.

[Karl Henning]

Luke Ottevanger, Canticle Sonata
Ivan Moody, Passione popolare
Charles Turner, Little Goblin Music
Mark Gresham, Mortal Coils
Chris Forbes, O Oriens

I repeat, though maybe I should think about posting a fresh pentad . . . .

[North Star]

I repeat, though maybe I should think about posting a fresh pentad . . . .

Are there recordings of the Ottevanger, Turner & Forbes pieces somewhere?

[Karl Henning]

We recorded the première of the Forbes antiphon;  I must find it and make it available to you.

The Ottevanger wants a performance, it is true.

The Turner goblin-music is on Soundcloud, e.g.

[TheGSMoeller]

Re: second bolded phrase: For new music you should try some from the 21st century thread.  There's plenty of unsung works there.  Have you listened to any new music?

+1
SanAntonio is doing some phenomenal posting on that thread. I may only be familiar with a small percentage of the names on there, and do not enjoy all of the music posted, but there is some quality music being composed today and its exciting to see them being performed in concerts and posted on YouTube.

[Karl Henning]

And anyway, if you enjoy everything you hear, you're not casting a wide enough sonic net