Pieces that have blown you away recently

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

Previous topic - Next topic

0 Members and 3 Guests are viewing this topic.

Mirror Image

Quote from: Florestan on March 05, 2019, 07:58:44 AM
Thanks, John, I surelly will, but truth is these days I'm not in the mood for such serious endeavours. My life has been hectic and stressful lately and I really need music that soothes, relax, entertains and cheers me. Honestly, tonight I'd rather have Rossini or even a Strauss operetta than Oedipe --- actually, I'll have neither but that's the idea. When time will come, I will surely post my thoughts on it.

Looking forward to reading your thoughts on this work, which I haven't finished yet. I plan a listen to the second disc of the set over the weekend. Possibly Friday night.

Mirror Image

Quote from: Ghost of Baron Scarpia on March 05, 2019, 08:03:53 AM
Forgot I've been meaning to listen to the thing for five years

[asin]B004LP15N6[/asin]

Oh dear.

Would love to know your thoughts on this opera as well, Scarpia.

Mirror Image

Quote from: ritter on March 05, 2019, 10:13:10 AM
I'm not sure whether you're asking me, John, but if so, the answer is that wonderful phrase of the English language: "mixed feelings'.  ;) Messiaen actually appeared on my list in the "Your top favourite 25 composers" thread, and also is one of my "Top 10 French composers". Having said that, there's much of his music I admire tremendously—mainly for piano—, some that I'm rather indifferent to, and some I cannot stand (it was me who described the Trois petites liturgies... as "Fauré meets Mars Attacks!:D here on GMG).  This might not be the right thread to elaborate any further, but at least you have the short answer.

BTW, I met Messiaen once and exchanged some (very brief) words with him  8); unfortunately, this was after a concert of one of the "cannot stand" works, the song cycle Harawi (with Yvonne Loriod at the piano,  8) again).

Thanks for answering my question. I feel similarly to you, Rafael. I just can't stomach a lot of his music --- it does absolutely nothing for me. Probably the only work I can say for certain that I actively like is his L'ascension (whether it be for organ or orchestra). One of his most gorgeous works, IMHO.

kyjo

Cross-posted from the George Lloyd thread:

I just listened to Lloyd's 4th Symphony Arctic for the first time (Philarmonia/Downes on Lyrita) and I am utterly BLOWN AWAY!!! My God, this man could write some bewilderingly thrilling, colorful, memorable music!!! The first three movements are fantastic, but nothing prepared me for the sheer gloriousness of the 20-minute finale, where one splendid, life-affirming idea follows another in a manner not unlike the finale of another great 4th, the Braga Santos. When I read that the symphony was inspired by horrific events Lloyd experienced while serving in the Arctic Envoy (?) during WWII, I was expecting a dark, tragic piece, but, save for the dramatic climax of the first movement which very effectively portrays gunfire, this is an uplifting, tuneful, and masterfully orchestrated work which demands to be heard. Definitely my discovery of the year so far!!!

Movements 1 and 2: https://youtu.be/2HpAqbdIpxQ
Movements 3 and 4: https://youtu.be/xo9GQLSRxG4

[asin]B000S75CB2[/asin]
"Music is enough for a lifetime, but a lifetime is not enough for music" - Sergei Rachmaninoff

Ken B

#764
Quote from: kyjo on March 19, 2019, 08:12:57 PM
Cross-posted from the George Lloyd thread:

I just listened to Lloyd's 4th Symphony Arctic for the first time (Philarmonia/Downes on Lyrita) and I am utterly BLOWN AWAY!!! My God, this man could write some bewilderingly thrilling, colorful, memorable music!!! The first three movements are fantastic, but nothing prepared me for the sheer gloriousness of the 20-minute finale, where one splendid, life-affirming idea follows another in a manner not unlike the finale of another great 4th, the Braga Santos. When I read that the symphony was inspired by horrific events Lloyd experienced while serving in the Arctic Envoy (?) during WWII, I was expecting a dark, tragic piece, but, save for the dramatic climax of the first movement which very effectively portrays gunfire, this is an uplifting, tuneful, and masterfully orchestrated work which demands to be heard. Definitely my discovery of the year so far!!!

Movements 1 and 2: https://youtu.be/2HpAqbdIpxQ
Movements 3 and 4: https://youtu.be/xo9GQLSRxG4

[asin]B000S75CB2[/asin]

Quoteit is now widely accepted that, during the 1960s and 1970s, guided by the philosophy of Boulez, Radio 3 suppressed tonal composers such as George Lloyd,
https://www.newstatesman.com/node/150961

I have not heard 4 yet, but am slowly exploring. I especially liked 5 and 7.

Update. Heard 6 and liked it. Started 4 and didn't. Might give it another try.

arpeggio

Welcome to the George Lloyd fan club.

Whenever some misinformed self proclaimed expert bemoans the lack of tonal 20th century music, Lloyd is one of the composers I use to counter their claims.

Papy Oli

Quote from: Ken B on March 19, 2019, 08:23:01 PM
https://www.newstatesman.com/node/150961


Thank you for the link, Ken.

I am now curious to explore Berthold Goldschmidt and Andrzej Panufnik.
Olivier


Mirror Image

Debussy's Blanc et noir has truly blown me away since the first time I heard it:

https://www.youtube.com/v/fRRB9fABhpQ

vandermolen

Quote from: kyjo on March 19, 2019, 08:12:57 PM
Cross-posted from the George Lloyd thread:

I just listened to Lloyd's 4th Symphony Arctic for the first time (Philarmonia/Downes on Lyrita) and I am utterly BLOWN AWAY!!! My God, this man could write some bewilderingly thrilling, colorful, memorable music!!! The first three movements are fantastic, but nothing prepared me for the sheer gloriousness of the 20-minute finale, where one splendid, life-affirming idea follows another in a manner not unlike the finale of another great 4th, the Braga Santos. When I read that the symphony was inspired by horrific events Lloyd experienced while serving in the Arctic Envoy (?) during WWII, I was expecting a dark, tragic piece, but, save for the dramatic climax of the first movement which very effectively portrays gunfire, this is an uplifting, tuneful, and masterfully orchestrated work which demands to be heard. Definitely my discovery of the year so far!!!

Movements 1 and 2: https://youtu.be/2HpAqbdIpxQ
Movements 3 and 4: https://youtu.be/xo9GQLSRxG4

[asin]B000S75CB2[/asin]
Delighted that you discovered this fine symphony Kyle. It is my favourite although Symphony 7 and 11 (which I've heard live) mean a lot to me.
"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).

vandermolen

Symphony 4
"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

The Symhonie Concertante (1962), especially the central movement 'Tema con Variazione', and most of all the delicate aria section for solo violin and harp (there are eight variations on the theme from Valerius' Gedenck-clanck (1628): gavotte, sarabande, bourré, pavane, aria, menuetto, passepied, polonaise).
... 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

The new erato

Quote from: Christo on April 07, 2019, 04:50:02 AM
The Symhonie Concertante (1962), especially the central movement 'Tema con Variazione', and most of all the delicate aria section for solo violin and harp (there are eight variations on the theme from Valerius' Gedenck-clanck (1628): gavotte, sarabande, bourré, pavane, aria, menuetto, passepied, polonaise).

A vey fine series which should appeal to lovers of Vaughan Williams and Braga Santos.

SymphonicAddict

http://www.youtube.com/v/OPlK5HwFxcw

I'm speechless at this. Sublime is simply too short to describe it.

vandermolen

#774
Quote from: SymphonicAddict on April 09, 2019, 09:19:01 PM
http://www.youtube.com/v/OPlK5HwFxcw

I'm speechless at this. Sublime is simply too short to describe it.

What a beautiful work! Never heard of it and would never have guessed the composer. Thanks for posting this Cesar.
"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).


vandermolen

"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).

SymphonicAddict

Quote from: vandermolen on April 09, 2019, 10:37:40 PM
What a beautiful work! Never heard of it and would never have guessed the composer. Thanks for posting this Cesar.

You're welcome, Jeffrey! It was a real surprise for me too. It appeared to me as a suggestion on YouTube, and I'm glad it was so.

king ubu

Grisey,  Vortex temporum

On my way home from a live performance ... hadn't heard it before. Outstanding!
Es wollt ein meydlein grasen gan:
Fick mich, lieber Peter!
Und do die roten röslein stan:
Fick mich, lieber Peter!
Fick mich mehr, du hast dein ehr.
Kannstu nit, ich wills dich lern.
Fick mich, lieber Peter!

http://ubus-notizen.blogspot.ch/

vandermolen

Yizkor 'Evocation' certainly made a big impression on me:
"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).