Six favourite 20th Century choral works.

Started by vandermolen, March 23, 2015, 02:47:24 PM

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Mirror Image

Quote from: sanantonio on March 24, 2015, 04:10:34 PM
Well, my point was that it would not matter how many works written more recently I had heard and even liked, I chose my favorites based on those works which I have loved for a longer period of time and continue to have significance for me.  I would guess most people did the same.

James comment was just another in a series of put-downs towards the members of this forum by someone who has some kind of psychological need to think himself superior.

Yes and I absolutely agree with your point. James, on the other hand, I never agree with. :D

Ken B

Quote from: Mirror Image on March 24, 2015, 04:13:56 PM
Yes and I absolutely agree with your point. James, on the other hand, I never agree with. :D

I wish I could make that boast!  :laugh:


vandermolen

Quote from: Mirror Image on March 24, 2015, 03:03:01 PM
It certainly is a very special work for me, Jeffrey. What is your preferred performance? I like Hickox's on Chandos.

John, I especially like the old John Pritchard version but I only have that version and one on Naxos.
"Courage is going from failure to failure without losing enthusiasm" (Churchill).

'The test of a work of art is, in the end, our affection for it, not our ability to explain why it is good' (Stanley Kubrick).

Christo

#44
Quote from: James on March 24, 2015, 03:29:18 PM20th century is just too easy at this point .. and everything usually is weighted toward the 1st half of the century give or take a year. I don't think membership here has assimilated the masters of the 2nd half much.

With "masters of the second half" (haha) you usually refer to a bunch of strict Modernists or avantgardists, and that's your good right - I admire your well-informed contributions in the field. But the historical truth is that the large majority of composers - the same applies to every other art - have chosen to work along other lines, more in touch with tradition at large, the very thing 'strict Modernism' tried to break away from for a while. The experiment failed: the rediscovery of Early Music played a vital role in this "second half" and continues to do so. And tonality (of all kinds) is as back and leading as ever.

Actually many 'second half' composers were mentioned here before. I saw the names of Duruflé, Tippett, Britten, Rautavaara, Schnittke, Milhaud, Poulenc, Penderecki, Martin, Martinů, Wuorinen, Pärt, Sisask, Tormis, Ligeti, to name a few.

Second thoughts. Six other favourites I'm reminded of thanks to you:
Quote from: vandermolen on March 23, 2015, 02:47:24 PMDurufle: Requiem
Quote from: Sergeant Rock on March 23, 2015, 03:06:58 PMBritten War Requiem
Quote from: EigenUser on March 23, 2015, 03:14:13 PMRavel Daphnis et Chloe
Quote from: Draško on March 23, 2015, 03:53:10 PMMartinu - The Epic of Gilgamesh
Quote from: Todd on March 24, 2015, 07:21:20 AMSzymanowski – Stabat Mater
Janacek – Glagolitic Mass

I actually have some mixed feelings about the Mša glagolskaja; heard it live, last autumn, for the first time, and was more than ever aware of its impulsiveness. But the Szymanowski Stabat Mater is an all-time favourite - how could I have missed it!
... music is not only an 'entertainment', nor a mere luxury, but a necessity of the spiritual if not of the physical life, an opening of those magic casements through which we can catch a glimpse of that country where ultimate reality will be found.    RVW, 1948

North Star

#45
Janáček: Otče náš
Martinu: The Epic of Gilgamesh
Rakhmaninov: All-night Vigil
Schnittke: Choir Concerto
Shostakovich: Symphony no. 13
Stravinsky: Symphony of Psalms
"Everything has beauty, but not everyone sees it." - Confucius

My photographs on Flickr

Karl Henning

James is just here to help you tossers assimilate the really good music, which he knows best about.  You should be grateful  8)
Karl Henning, Ph.D.
Composer & Clarinetist
Boston MA
http://www.karlhenning.com/
[Matisse] was interested neither in fending off opposition,
nor in competing for the favor of wayward friends.
His only competition was with himself. — Françoise Gilot

Karl Henning

Quote from: North Star on March 25, 2015, 01:08:16 AM
Janáček: Otče náš
Martinu: The Epic of Gilgamesh
Rakhmaninov: All-night Vigil
Schnittke: Choir Concerto
Shostakovich: Symphony no. 13
Stravinsky: Symphony of Psalms


Ach, you're right, Karlo:  I had neglected Schnittke!
Karl Henning, Ph.D.
Composer & Clarinetist
Boston MA
http://www.karlhenning.com/
[Matisse] was interested neither in fending off opposition,
nor in competing for the favor of wayward friends.
His only competition was with himself. — Françoise Gilot

San Antone

QuoteRavel Daphnis et Chloe

I had wanted to include this work in my list but felt that the choral parts were not the main focus of the work.  A very good work with vocal chorus and I'm glad it was listed.  Hat tip to EigenUser.

:)

North Star

Quote from: karlhenning on March 25, 2015, 01:52:18 AM
Ach, you're right, Karlo:  I had neglected Schnittke!
I forgot about it myself at first, too.  :-X
"Everything has beauty, but not everyone sees it." - Confucius

My photographs on Flickr

ritter

My list (today) would look like this:

- Luigi Dallapiccola: Canti di prigionia
- Manuel de Falla / Ernesto Halffter: Atlántida
- Luigi Nono: Il Canto sospeso
- Franz Schmidt: Das Buch mit sieben Siegeln
- Arnold Schoenberg: Gurrelieder
- Igor Stravinsky: Canticum Sacrum
(alphabetically by composer)

San Antone

A recording (2000) that has captured my imagination is of several choral works by Pascal Dusapin

[asin]B0000501BF[/asin]

None made my list; but could in a month or so after I've lived with the recording a bit longer.

Karl Henning

Quote from: North Star on March 25, 2015, 02:05:46 AM
I forgot about it myself at first, too.  :-X

So, how to adjust, how to adjust . . . .

Quote from: karlhenning on March 24, 2015, 02:46:12 PM
Here are six of mine:

Wuorinen, Mass for the Restoration of St Luke's
Rautavaara, Vigilia
Stravinsky, Canticum sacrum
Nielsen, Søvnen
Rakhmaninov, All-Night Vigil
Schoenberg, Gurrelieder


The Nielsen is a comparatively minor work, but I do not wish to cut it loose.

The Rautavaara is arguably a quirky work, but I feel it deserves its place.

Since the strengths of the Gurrelieder rest in a number of elements other than the chorus . . .

Wuorinen, Mass for the Restoration of St Luke's
Rautavaara, Vigilia
Stravinsky, Canticum sacrum
Nielsen, Søvnen
Rakhmaninov, All-Night Vigil
Schnittke, Fourth Symphony
Karl Henning, Ph.D.
Composer & Clarinetist
Boston MA
http://www.karlhenning.com/
[Matisse] was interested neither in fending off opposition,
nor in competing for the favor of wayward friends.
His only competition was with himself. — Françoise Gilot

San Antone

Quote from: James on March 25, 2015, 03:01:11 AM
It's just an observation I'm stating out, it isn't a superiority complex .. and it happens almost every time, half of the century is largely missing.

Someone has to say it, and of course if you do .. youre the "bad guy".


Not really.   ::)

I may have missed it, but I didn't see your list.  What are the choral works written after 1950 that you think are as good as the ones that were listed that were written before 1950?

Karl Henning

And anyway, he's not the "bad guy," he's the class clown.  We all benefit from the chuckle.
Karl Henning, Ph.D.
Composer & Clarinetist
Boston MA
http://www.karlhenning.com/
[Matisse] was interested neither in fending off opposition,
nor in competing for the favor of wayward friends.
His only competition was with himself. — Françoise Gilot

San Antone

Here's a start

Wolfgang Rihm: Deus Passion


Maria Guinand, cond. - Golijov: Pasión según San Marcos


Tan Dun, cond. - Tan Dun: Water Passion after Saint Matthew


Stephen Layton, cond. - Lukaszewski: Via Crucis


Latvian Radio Choir - Vasks: Missa


Tonu Kaljuste, cond. - Pärt: In Principio


Juha Kotilainen, cond. - Linjama: Vesper


Tenebrae; Nigel Short, cond. - Talbot: Path of Miracles


Ed Spanjaard, cond. - Tsoupaki: St. Luke's Passion

Christo

Quote from: karlhenning on March 25, 2015, 04:23:27 AMAnd anyway, he's not the "bad guy," he's the class clown.  We all benefit from the chuckle.
:D

Quote from: sanantonio on March 25, 2015, 04:53:18 AM
Here's a start
Wolfgang Rihm: Deus Passion
Golijov: Pasión según San Marcos
Tan Dun: Water Passion after Saint Matthew
Lukaszewski: Via Crucis
Vasks: Missa
Pärt: In Principio
Linjama: Vesper
Talbot: Path of Miracles
Tsoupaki: St. Luke's Passion

Great series! I too love (and have) them all, even met Lukaszewski in Amsterdam, three years ago.
Except for the last three, that are literally unknown to me, Thanks for the tip, will look for them!
... music is not only an 'entertainment', nor a mere luxury, but a necessity of the spiritual if not of the physical life, an opening of those magic casements through which we can catch a glimpse of that country where ultimate reality will be found.    RVW, 1948

San Antone

Hugo Distler : chose suicide rather than serve Hitler



Because so much emphasis is currently placed upon the fate of Jewish composers under the Nazis, it is easy to forget that there were some German musicians who also suffered as a result of the repressive policies of the regime. Among those that can be singled out in this respect is Hugo Distler, a highly talented church organist and choral conductor who committed suicide at the age of 34 in 1942, on learning that he had been called up for military service. The two large-scale works presented here offer typical examples of the so-called Orgelbewegung style drawing their inspiration from Bach in the trenchant use of chorale and Schutz in the density of polyphonic argument. It's a tribute to Distler's mastery and the outstanding singing of the Netherlands Chamber Choir that despite this obvious musical provenance, both works strike an individual voice and sustain one's interest without the textural variety of an instrumental accompaniment.

Songlist: Totentanz, Spruchmotetten zum Totensonntag, Choral-Passion, Op. 7, Erster Teil: Der Einzug, Zweiter Teil: Judas und der Pharisaer Rat, Dritter Teil: Das Abendmahl, Vierter Teil: Gethsemane, Funfter Teil: Kaiphas, Sechster Teil: Pilatus, Letzter Teil: Golgotha


Delicious Manager

Britten - War Requiem
David Hykes - On Hearing Solar Winds
Janáček - Glagolitic Mass
Ligeti - Requiem
Rakhmaninov - All Night Vigil (Vespers)
Shostakovich - The Execution of Stepan Razin
Veljo Tormis - Raua needmine (Curse Upon Iron)

Karl Henning

Karl Henning, Ph.D.
Composer & Clarinetist
Boston MA
http://www.karlhenning.com/
[Matisse] was interested neither in fending off opposition,
nor in competing for the favor of wayward friends.
His only competition was with himself. — Françoise Gilot