Pieces that have blown you away recently

Started by arpeggio, September 09, 2016, 02:36:58 PM

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Monsieur Croche

Quote from: Thatfabulousalien on April 09, 2017, 03:12:15 AM
I'm getting a kick out of Feldman's Music for piano and string quartet right now!

For quite a while, I couldn't get enough of it that I played it (Kronos Quartet and Aki Takahashi) repeatedly to an extent that now, this is a piece -- in full -- quite "stuck in my head."

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SEzPYIkfYOk
~ I'm all for personal expression; it just has to express something to me. ~

DaveF

This really belongs in the "Embarrassing gaps in your musical knowledge" thread, but until I played in a performance of it last weekend, I'd never heard En Saga.  (I'm not a great sight-reader who can do it on one rehearsal - my contribution was 3 bars of triangle and a cymbal-crash.)  Heck, what a piece - 3 themes that you feel at some deep level are really all the same theme (something to do with those repeated notes, I guess).  And no timpani, but a big bass drum part, played with timpani sticks - strange.
"All the world is birthday cake" - George Harrison

Mirror Image

Quote from: DaveF on April 09, 2017, 08:26:26 AM
This really belongs in the "Embarrassing gaps in your musical knowledge" thread, but until I played in a performance of it last weekend, I'd never heard En Saga.  (I'm not a great sight-reader who can do it on one rehearsal - my contribution was 3 bars of triangle and a cymbal-crash.)  Heck, what a piece - 3 themes that you feel at some deep level are really all the same theme (something to do with those repeated notes, I guess).  And no timpani, but a big bass drum part, played with timpani sticks - strange.

Ah yes, Sibelius' En Saga certainly one of the this master's great works. Just for kicks, check out the original version of this work sometime:

https://www.youtube.com/v/U_rCidehBn0

Sergeant Rock

Quote from: DaveF on April 09, 2017, 08:26:26 AMAnd no timpani, but a big bass drum part, played with timpani sticks - strange.

Love the bass drum in this piece...but you know, almost every recording fails to bring it out properly. The exceptions, and consequently my favorites are Vänskä/Lahti, Stein/Suisse Romande, and Schmidt/RPO.

Sarge
the phone rings and somebody says,
"hey, they made a movie about
Mahler, you ought to go see it.
he was as f*cked-up as you are."
                               --Charles Bukowski, "Mahler"

Mirror Image


ComposerOfAvantGarde

Quote from: Thatfabulousalien on April 14, 2017, 07:38:28 PM
Bruckner's 9th is completely blowing me away yesterday and today, simultaneously with various works from Kagel.

Bruckner = WOW
First time? He is a remarkable composer!

ComposerOfAvantGarde

Quote from: Thatfabulousalien on April 15, 2017, 12:16:54 AM
First time really engaging with a Bruckner symphony and I'm in disbelief, so unreal.....astounding  ???
My favourite is number 7.

And my favourite Bruckner conductors are Jochum, Young and Celibidache.

Which recording did you hear?

ComposerOfAvantGarde

Quote from: Thatfabulousalien on April 15, 2017, 01:01:05 AM

I'll have to hear that next. I heard the one with Daniel Barenboim conducting, it was powerful!!!  :o
Lol....which one....?

TheGSMoeller

Quote from: Thatfabulousalien on April 15, 2017, 01:40:10 AM


That's a great one, alien. Barenboim and Berliners brilliantly bring out the apocalyptic tone of the music. The 9th has a great variety on record too, many greats to choose from.

SymphonicAddict

Three astounding compositions:

Kabelac: Mystery of Time (I've seen so good commentaries about this piece, I liked it so much)
Pärt: Tabula Rasa (Hypnotic and intense work)
Finzi: Cello concerto (One of the jewels of the 20th century, what level of beauty and power!!! The 2nd movement is sublime in the whole meaning of the word)

Maestro267

Quote from: SymphonicAddict on April 15, 2017, 06:04:09 PM
Finzi: Cello concerto (One of the jewels of the 20th century, what level of beauty and power!!! The 2nd movement is sublime in the whole meaning of the word)

Agreed on all counts. A fantastic concerto!

SymphonicAddict

Quote from: Thatfabulousalien on April 15, 2017, 06:37:15 PM
My current obsessions:

Bruckner - Symphony no 9 (One of the greatest romantic symphonies, period!!!)


I completely agree!

Cato

Quote from: Thatfabulousalien on April 15, 2017, 12:16:54 AM
First time really engaging with a Bruckner symphony and I'm in disbelief, so unreal.....astounding  ???

We welcome all to Bruckner and Eugen Jochum, his top acolyte, at any time!  8) ;)

I can also recommend the Simon Rattle, Berlin Philharmonic performance with the completion of the final movement.

[asin]B007O3QC8K[/asin]
"Meet Miss Ruth Sherwood, from Columbus, Ohio, the Middle of the Universe!"

- Brian Aherne introducing Rosalind Russell in  My Sister Eileen (1942)

some guy


ComposerOfAvantGarde

Quote from: Thatfabulousalien on April 18, 2017, 05:54:22 PM
Maderna's Hyperion, love it so much  :-*
Don't know the piece, but love his music in general so this is one I should check out!

TheGSMoeller

Quote from: jessop on April 18, 2017, 06:13:26 PM
Don't know the piece, but love his music in general so this is one I should check out!

Is this the same as the conductor Maderna?

kishnevi

Quote from: TheGSMoeller on April 18, 2017, 06:17:07 PM
Is this the same as the conductor Maderna?
Yes.
I have one CD with the conductor (M9) and one CD of Maderna's works conducted by Sinopoli (Quadrivium, Biogramma, Aura). A lot easier to admire the conductor--a very recommendable M9--than the composer for me!

TheGSMoeller

Quote from: Thatfabulousalien on April 18, 2017, 06:47:16 PM
Yes, same situation as Boulez (both great composers AND conductors)  ;D

Quote from: Jeffrey Smith on April 18, 2017, 06:48:36 PM
Yes.
I have one CD with the conductor (M9) and one CD of Maderna's works conducted by Sinopoli (Quadrivium, Biogramma, Aura). A lot easier to admire the conductor--a very recommendable M9--than the composer for me!


Didn't know that about Maderna, will have to check out some of his works. Thanks, Friends.

ComposerOfAvantGarde

Quadrivium seems to be the most well known piece; it is especially good if you like percussion, I guess.

https://www.youtube.com/v/YLV5DUu1zqw

although personally I prefer Aura

https://www.youtube.com/v/Y9fwwDnTW6c

and Giardino Religioso

https://www.youtube.com/v/w93zOiuK_OY

Also, something I am surprised to have only just found out considering my enthusiasm for electroacoustic music, he has a sizeable number of tape compositions too if anyone else is interested.

arpeggio

I mentioned the two below works in the Phillip Glass Thread.

The concerto for two timpanists:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Lnw0IHgjE2E

And the concerto for Saxophone Quartet:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MYkIrYh7zuw

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c9pUnqtc4-k