Marcel Landowski (1915 - 1999)

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Marcel Landowski, a prominent French composer and conductor who defended the virtues of classical music against what he called avant-garde ''over-experimentation,'' died Wednesday in a Paris hospital. He was 84.

Mr. Landowski was a prolific composer, with 150 works to his name ranging from symphonies and operas to film soundtracks. But he was just as well known in France as a promoter of music education in schools and as the driving force behind the creation of several regional orchestras and the Orchestre de Paris.

In contrast to other renowned postwar conductors, however, he was never formally associated with a major orchestra. Rather, his career was built around posts in education and government, most important among them the job of first director of music, dance and lyrical arts in the Culture Ministry in the early 1970's, under the leadership of Andre Malraux.

Born in Pont l'Abbe in Brittany on Feb. 18, 1915, Mr. Landowski was raised in a family of artists. His great-grandfather, Henri Vieuxtemps, was a famous violinist; his father, Paul, was a prominent sculptor.

[Taken from the obituary of the composer printed in New York Times]

Is any one else familiar with this composer? There are some gorgeous moments throughout his music and here I'm thinking especially of his symphonies and concertante works. If you like Dutilleux, Landowski will give you a lot of listening pleasure I imagine.

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While I'm here, and did start this thread, I might as well post some links to some of Landowski's music -

Symphony No. 1 -

http://www.youtube.com/v/OUPQAgX9aK0

Symphony No. 3 'des Espaces' -

http://www.youtube.com/v/dUjga8AW9LE

Symphony No. 4 -

http://www.youtube.com/v/GtWfwEYyy-s

[snyprrr]

Wait a minute, I thought III started the Landowski Thread... in the Honegger thread!!! I'll sue!!

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Wait a minute, I thought III started the Landowski Thread... in the Honegger thread!!! I'll sue!!

Well this composer deserves his own thread. BTW, did you listen to any of the videos I provided? Kyle? Anyone?

[kyjo]

I liked Symphony no. 3 very much (better than the Jolivet Symphony no. 2)-a haunting work rather like a French Rautavaara ( )!

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I liked Symphony no. 3 very much (better than the Jolivet Symphony no. 2)-a haunting work rather like a French Rautavaara ( )!

Yeah, I like Landowski much more than Jolivet myself and that's mainly because I think his ideas are clearer and not such tangled up masses of sound. There is definitely a clarity to his music.

[lescamil]

I'm a fan of his concertos, in particular the Piano Concerto No. 2 and the Ondes Martenot Concerto. I love when composers write for the ondes martenot. These works are a definite curiosity of mine.

[kyjo]

Yeah, I like Landowski much more than Jolivet myself and that's mainly because I think his ideas are clearer and not such tangled up masses of sound. There is definitely a clarity to his music.

Precisely, my friend! Clarity is always something I need to have in 20th century music in order for me to get something out of it.

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Precisely, my friend! Clarity is always something I need to have in 20th century music in order for me to get something out of it.

Yes! BTW, I'm now revisiting Tournemire's symphonies after a long hiatus.

[kyjo]

Yes! BTW, I'm now revisiting Tournemire's symphonies after a long hiatus.

See my post in the WAYLT thread (I'm sure you already have)!

[snyprrr]

While I'm here, and did start this thread, I might as well post some links to some of Landowski's music -

Symphony No. 1 -

http://www.youtube.com/v/OUPQAgX9aK0

Symphony No. 3 'des Espaces' -

http://www.youtube.com/v/dUjga8AW9LE

Symphony No. 4 -

http://www.youtube.com/v/GtWfwEYyy-s

Pulled this Erato disc out yesterday. I don't know, I hear post-Honegger type Film Music here, at least yesterday. It was nothing outre, just normal mid-century music  perhaps just under Dutilleux. I felt like I might sell the disc... mmm...

[snyprrr]

Pulled this Erato disc out yesterday. I don't know, I hear post-Honegger type Film Music here, at least yesterday. It was nothing outre, just normal mid-century music  perhaps just under Dutilleux. I felt like I might sell the disc... mmm...

same feelings yesterday with No.3 (1965). OK, but definitely nothing out of the ordinary... on the fence...

[snyprrr]

I enjoyed No.1 much more, yesterday. The last er. has a powerful, cascading (and typically modal) passacaglia type set-up that does sound a lot like gradeA Honegg

[SymphonicAddict]

Discovering new composers I came across Landowski. I'm listening to the symphonies (No. 2 is playing now) from this set:



Let me tell you that this is cool! Landowski creates engaging, severe at times and otherworldly atmospheres that leave an intriguing feeling to the listener. Impressive and resourceful use of the orchestra to achieve the best effect. I definitely like what I'm hearing.

[André]

This set is a magnificent tribute to a composer who had much to say but nothing to prove.

As a composer he was very much off the radars, most of the media/academia attention being captivated by some or other enfant terrible of modern music. The disc containing his second symphony and piano concerto is also available in the Martinon Icon box. It's an excellent entry point to Landowski's music.

[Roy Bland]

Coffret with symphonies is a great achievement but IMHO we need also concertos and other orchestral works.

[SymphonicAddict]

Yesterday I got acquainted with his symphonies. They are modern but very approachable. 1 & 2 were the most compelling (really outstanding!), 3 & 4 were more gaseous and enigmatic. Since I'm very curious, I found out Landowski composed a 5th Symphony (Les lumières de la nuit), which is on YouTube. Although there is too much noise, the music is discernible and can be enjoyed. It inhabits a rather similar soundworld like in the 4th Symphony.

I'll leave his other stuff for other days since I don't want to get saturated too soon.

https://www.youtube.com/v/fNuMDNoLRwA

[vandermolen]

This thread seems somehow to have passed me by. I enjoyed the start of Symphony 1 almost exactly six years after it was posted by John (MI)! Will listen to the rest of it later. Looking at available CDs of his music I'm fairly sure that I have a copy of the one featuring symphonies 1,3 and 5. Must fish it out!

[Alex Bozman]

I've got the CDs of Landowski's first four symphonies, which I liked, but haven't listened to in a while. Had a few other records and cds of other orchestral and choral pieces. The one that stands out for me is the Trumpet Concerto Au Bout Du Chagrin with orchestra and electonic tape, just about my favourite concerto for trumpet.

[André]

+1. The trumpet concerto is indeed an amazing piece.