Favorite Morton Feldman "_____ and Orchestra"

[EigenUser]

I wonder if anyone will notice this thread...

By the way, by "_____" I'm referring to "solo instrument" (so Chorus and Orchestra 1&2 don't count).

I like all of them, but Cello and Orchestra gets my vote.

[Ken B]

I play them all at one tome. I call it Orchestra and Orchestra.

[Artem]

I think I only heard Violin and Orchestra. I like it. The rest are on my to listen list.

[not edward]

Piano and Orchestra for me. You missed out String Quartet and Orchestra, though.

[EigenUser]

Piano and Orchestra for me. You missed out String Quartet and Orchestra, though.

Shoot! I meant to include it, too (since it is a kind of concerto). I'll add it.

I love Piano and Orchestra. The "sudden loud parts" give me quite a scare, though.

I think I only heard Violin and Orchestra. I like it. The rest are on my to listen list.

I admit, that is actually the one I don't like as much as the others. I think it is just my general aversion to violin concertos (which is weird to begin with, because I play violin...).

I play them all at one tome. I call it Orchestra and Orchestra.

He did write one simply called Orchestra. It's great, but it sounds like Webern so you probably wouldn't like it.

[springrite]

Cello, by a nose ahead of the flute.

[EigenUser]

Cello, by a nose ahead of the flute.

Team cello!

Honestly, I'm surprised that three other people voted.

[springrite]

Flute is very good, too. Feldman has a way with the flute, especially if the player is Dorothy Stone!

(I assume you'd expect that I'd vote?)

[EigenUser]

Flute is very good, too. Feldman has a way with the flute, especially if the player is Dorothy Stone!

(I assume you'd expect that I'd vote?)

Yes, I did . Now I'm waiting on milk. He's a huge Feldmanite (hey, that kind of sounds like a kind of rock, or mineral...). Maybe he just didn't comment.

[jochanaan]

Not having much time or equipment to listen these days, I hadn't heard any of them yet despite my fondness for Piano and String Quartet.  But when I saw this poll, of course I had to look up Oboe and Orchestra!

[Artem]

Does anyone have favorites among the recordings of these works?

[EigenUser]

Does anyone have favorites among the recordings of these works?

Yes:
[asin]B00000JNPF[/asin]

This disk contains Coptic Light, Piano and Orchestra, and Cello and Orchestra. I think that they are superior readings of all three. Coptic Light is beautifully read, as are the other two. The only alternative Cello and Orchestra is this one:
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which really sucks because it sounds like a great performance, too, but there are a lot of irritating extraneous vocal/electronic noises (I even found the score online to check if they were intentional since it was the only recording I knew at first! Of course they weren't -- this is Feldman, not Stockhausen). I think it is some idiot(s) booing and hissing since it is a live performance -- maybe tape hiss, too. Hard to tell. It also has Flute and Orchestra and Oboe and Orchestra.

The only recording of Violin and Orchestra that I know is this one. I've heard it a few times.
[asin]B00AE10ACS[/asin]

I've heard SQ&Orch on YouTube before, but I can't find a recording of it. And I still forgot to add it to the poll! I'll do that right now...

I thought about adding The Viola in my Life IV, but then my neat little thread title wouldn't work.

[Mandryka]

Does anyone have favorites among the recordings of these works?

Yes



I don't have a problem with the sound, though there are noises as described above.

[Corey]

I'll have to give all of these a relisten, but I remember Flute and Orchestra making the biggest impression on me.

[bhodges]

I chose "Piano and Orchestra," but have only heard 3 of these (also violin and cello - like both). Have been eyeing many of the recordings mentioned here for awhile.

--Bruce

[Sergeant Rock]

String Quartet and Orchestra gets the vote. I like "Piano" too.

Sarge

[EigenUser]

I chose "Piano and Orchestra," but have only heard 3 of these (also violin and cello - like both). Have been eyeing many of the recordings mentioned here for awhile.

--Bruce

You have to hear the MTT Coptic Light performance if you haven't already. It's stunning. I have heard a few others and nothing else comes close for me. It is a slightly faster tempo than normal, but it works so well. The timpani/harp parts are extremely well balanced (Feldman uses the extreme low range of the harp is used as a percussive effect, giving it a similar sound to that of the timpani). For some reason, the whole piece reminds me of a lava-lamp slowly changing shape.

String Quartet and Orchestra gets the vote. I like "Piano" too.

Sarge

Great! I didn't know you liked Feldman...

[Sergeant Rock]

Great! I didn't know you liked Feldman...

Some pieces more than others. Crippled Symmetry and Piano and String Quartet are my favorites.

Sarge

[not edward]

You have to hear the MTT Coptic Light performance if you haven't already. It's stunning.

It's a great disc, and criminally OOP. I like the Gielen Coptic Light too, but MTT is my go-to recording for all three works.

[bhodges]

You have to hear the MTT Coptic Light performance if you haven't already. It's stunning. I have heard a few others and nothing else comes close for me. It is a slightly faster tempo than normal, but it works so well. The timpani/harp parts are extremely well balanced (Feldman uses the extreme low range of the harp is used as a percussive effect, giving it a similar sound to that of the timpani). For some reason, the whole piece reminds me of a lava-lamp slowly changing shape.

I've only hesitated - not quite the right word - because I've been distracted by another recording, on this Concertgebouw box from 1990-2000 - a live one conducted by Peter Eötvös (Oct. 30, 1998). At some point, will get the others cited and do an A/B/C comparison.

[asin]B0056WOZQM[/asin]

--Bruce