Topic: Pieces that have blown you away recently

[Roasted Swan]

Time for a Ligetti's Lovenest page I think....!

Here's a disc I picked up cheap in a charity shop..... didn't listen to for months...... finally did today and its brilliant!

Fascinating programme of Estonian music played with brilliance by the Stockholm PO and conducted with real flair by Paavo Jarvi.  I love the harumphing review on Amazon that moans that the Part Symphony isn't like his later (more familiar) minimalistic/'spiritual' music.  What a remarkable thought - composers...... wait for it....... change and don't always write in exactly the same way for all their careers.  Who would have thought it!  I got the disc for the completion of Tubin's 11th Symphony and very effective it sounds too.  But the whole disc is a winner and one I will put on for another spin very soon

[schnittkease]

Les Siecles do Ligeti? I thought they focused on early 20th century, but that interests me.

They do Ligeti, and they do it well.

Many thanks! Your forum name has me taking out Schnittke's Viola Concerto (love that piece).

Don't get me started on Schnittke...

[SymphonicAddict]

Time for a Ligetti's Lovenest page I think....!

Here's a disc I picked up cheap in a charity shop..... didn't listen to for months...... finally did today and its brilliant!

Fascinating programme of Estonian music played with brilliance by the Stockholm PO and conducted with real flair by Paavo Jarvi.  I love the harumphing review on Amazon that moans that the Part Symphony isn't like his later (more familiar) minimalistic/'spiritual' music.  What a remarkable thought - composers...... wait for it....... change and don't always write in exactly the same way for all their careers.  Who would have thought it!  I got the disc for the completion of Tubin's 11th Symphony and very effective it sounds too.  But the whole disc is a winner and one I will put on for another spin very soon

What Tüür work is included there? Have you listened to his symphonies? or do you considerate them as too modern for you?

I already see it: some orchestral/ensemble pieces. Interesting.

[Florestan]

This:



Aita Donostia (Father Donostia, born José Gonzalo Zulaica, 1886-1956) was a Basque Capuchin friar and composer. His music is full of warm lyricism, nostalgic poetry, delicacy of feelings and simplicity of expression. It charmed me no end.

[Roasted Swan]

What Tüür work is included there? Have you listened to his symphonies? or do you considerate them as too modern for you?

I already see it: some orchestral/ensemble pieces. Interesting.

This is my first encounter with Tuur and I enjoyed it so I will try and find some more of his music within my budget!

[SymphonicAddict]

This is my first encounter with Tuur and I enjoyed it so I will try and find some more of his music within my budget!

Very nice! Enjoy!

[André]

Leif Kayser, symphonies 1 and 4. I have attempted to describe them in the WAYLT thread. I keep noticing the influence of Nielsen in the 4th, not so much as through a rearview mirror, but in the other direction. Kayser takes off where Nielsen left. This is utterly convincing and original.

[Christo]

Leif Kayser, symphonies 1 and 4. I have attempted to describe them in the WAYLT thread. I keep noticing the influence of Nielsen in the 4th, not so much as through a rearview mirror, but in the other direction. Kayser takes off where Nielsen left. This is utterly convincing and original.

Put both CD's in my playlist; many thanks for the recommendation - inspiring ! 

[André]

At first listening I was mildly satisfied with symphony 4, but interest turned to admiration and enthusiasm with subsequent listenings. The work’s structure is quite unusual. It starts very deceptively.

[Florestan]

These.

[Roasted Swan]

Leif Kayser, symphonies 1 and 4. I have attempted to describe them in the WAYLT thread. I keep noticing the influence of Nielsen in the 4th, not so much as through a rearview mirror, but in the other direction. Kayser takes off where Nielsen left. This is utterly convincing and original.

Don't know the composer or the music - but I LOVE your description of it... evocative and intriguing and one that prompts me to seek this music out - thankyou!

[Roasted Swan]

The Hunt is great, a grail  track for fans.

On Dangerous Ground is also a very good old movie, with a stunningly beautiful female lead.

Not specifically linked to the comment above - more a Film Music/Piece that blew me away recently thing...... (is there a film music thread here?)

Picked up one of those Marco Polo/Moscow/Score reconstruction discs recently - Max Steiner's scores for Lost Patrol/Beast with 5 fingers/Virginia City.  I find some in this series can be interesting but not compelling.  This time I got this one:

The link above is from the UK Amazon site - this disc can be listened to there as part of their "Prime" package. 

First selection - "Lost Patrol" definitely falls into the interesting not compelling category.  Skillful potpourri of familiar themes/tunes - quite evocative, pretty well played..... unlikely to return to the score often.  THEN, the Beast With Five Fingers.  I'm always partial to a good big overblown arrangement of baroque music for a large symphony orchestra (Stokowski/Elgar/Respighi et al) - I had NO idea the main music theme of this score is a very neurotic working out of the Bach Chaconne (extrapolated from the Busoni piano arrangement I assume).  But loved the whole score - dark and menacing with the Bach exploding out at unexpected points.  I remember dimly having seen the film but this prompts me to see it again.

The disc closes with another fairly routine Western score - Virginia City - its that Beast that is the keeper!

[SymphonicAddict]

Penderecki - Utrenja

Mind-blowingly scary!!

[Cato]

Penderecki - Utrenja

Mind-blowingly scary!!

I was able to buy the score when Part I of the work (Die Grablegung Christi was fairly new (I still have it, somewhat worn after nearly 50 years) and found certain pages amazing: one page I called "How to Notate a Riot!"  In some bars Penderecki asks the singers to hit quarter-tones, which was one factor causing my impulse to want and buy the score of Part I. 

Yes, an excellent work!  I did not find it scary, but...

[SymphonicAddict]

In a good way, right? That's my relationship with Xenakis.

Don't hesitate! 

I was able to buy the score when Part I of the work (Die Grablegung Christi was fairly new (I still have it, somewhat worn after nearly 50 years) and found certain pages amazing: one page I called "How to Notate a Riot!"  In some bars Penderecki asks the singers to hit quarter-tones, which was one factor causing my impulse to want and buy the score of Part I. 

Yes, an excellent work!  I did not find it scary, but...

If I were able to read scores and if I had it in front of me, I would be more fascinated by it. That feeling of scary is often elicited by his works on me.

[André]

Yesterday My friends and I had a ‘string quartet day’. On the program were works by Dvorak, Beethoven, Mørk Karlsen, Bartok, Rosenberg, Britten, Haas, Ives and Zemlinsky.

The 3rd quartet by Kjell Mørk Karlsen (1998), a mere 10 minutes long, had everyone perking up their ears. I found it absolutely magical, an instant classic. Heartily recommended.

[Ken B]

Yesterday My friends and I had a ‘string quartet day’. On the program were works by Dvorak, Beethoven, Mørk Karlsen, Bartok, Rosenberg, Britten, Haas, Ives and Zemlinsky.

The 3rd quartet by Kjell Mørk Karlsen (1998), a mere 10 minutes long, had everyone perking up their ears. I found it absolutely magical, an instant classic. Heartily recommended.

Hmm. If I had a string quartet day I wouldn’t have any friends left!

Of course if I included Ives I would kinda deserve it ...

[some guy]

Bernard Parmegiani, Pour en finir avec le pouvoir d'Orphée.

I was on youtube just now, scrolling through Parmegiani pieces looking for a title that did not look familiar. I have many of Parmegiani's pieces on CD (well, they are computer sound files all of them now), but I had a feeling there was music of his I hadn't heard.

And here it was. Pour en finir avec le pouvoir d'Orphée. Not only a piece I hadn't heard before (though it is from 1972), but a piece that blew me away. Not a very long piece, the youtube clip clocks in at 23:25, but so set up that it seems as leisurely as a piece twice its length. And while it has a long section that is literally leisurely--slow and soft--it covers quite a lot of ground in twenty minutes. There's even a significant break about two thirds of the way through followed by music quite different from what has gone before. So it's even got two obvious parts in its short span.

Well, here's the link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MNnnhT_penE

It's well worth a listen, I think. I would recommend it, highly, whether you're an aficionado or a neophyte. And now, if you'll excuse me, I'm going to go give it another whirl. Because I can.

[SymphonicAddict]

Yesterday My friends and I had a ‘string quartet day’. On the program were works by Dvorak, Beethoven, Mørk Karlsen, Bartok, Rosenberg, Britten, Haas, Ives and Zemlinsky.

The 3rd quartet by Kjell Mørk Karlsen (1998), a mere 10 minutes long, had everyone perking up their ears. I found it absolutely magical, an instant classic. Heartily recommended.

And this was playing on my stereo. Certainly a masterpiece. It sounds like Pettersson-sounding at moments but not as demonic and disturbed, and very Nordic too. Thanks for sharing it! I enjoyed it gallore.

[André]

Glad you liked it ! I’m expecting a disc with his 3rd symphony any time now, another masterpiece IMO (I have a download of it). So much great music out there !