Topic: Pieces that have blown you away recently

[Pohjolas Daughter]

Yes.

Don Carlo, Aida, La Forza del Destino, Otello, La Traviata, Nabucco, Rigoletto......and the list goes on....   

PD

[MusicTurner]

Don Carlo, Aida, La Forza del Destino, Otello, La Traviata, Nabucco, Rigoletto......and the list goes on....   

PD

That's quite a few. I have most of them, but didn't go much into detail yet ...

[Mirror Image]

I’m currently blown away by Walton’s Portsmouth Point Overture. Many would view this short piece as a lot of fireworks with substance, but I don’t even care! It’s fun, lively and really gets the heart racing. I can’t decide whether I like the Previn or the Latham-Koenig performance the best. They’re both just so good.

<a href="https://www.youtube.com/v/4XYX6A-5PSc" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" class="bbc_link bbc_flash_disabled new_win">https://www.youtube.com/v/4XYX6A-5PSc</a>

[vandermolen]

I’m currently blown away by Walton’s Portsmouth Point Overture. Many would view this short piece as a lot of fireworks with substance, but I don’t even care! It’s fun, lively and really gets the heart racing. I can’t decide whether I like the Previn or the Latham-Koenig performance the best. They’re both just so good.

<a href="https://www.youtube.com/v/4XYX6A-5PSc" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" class="bbc_link bbc_flash_disabled new_win">https://www.youtube.com/v/4XYX6A-5PSc</a>

I've always enjoyed 'Portsmouth Point' and there are a number of fine performances. I think that it's great fun.

[Mirror Image]

I've always enjoyed 'Portsmouth Point' and there are a number of fine performances. I think that it's great fun.

It sure is! By the way, I listened to Haitink’s performance of Walton’s 1st yesterday and rather enjoyed it. It’s been quite some time since I’ve listened to this performance. It’s certainly one of the better ones I’ve heard.

[vandermolen]

It sure is! By the way, I listened to Haitink’s performance of Walton’s 1st yesterday and rather enjoyed it. It’s been quite some time since I’ve listened to this performance. It’s certainly one of the better ones I’ve heard.

I had the LP when it first came out. It was quite different to other performances, rather heavier I think, but I still enjoyed it.

[Mirror Image]

I had the LP when it first came out. It was quite different to other performances, rather heavier I think, but I still enjoyed it.

I think Haitink was able to nail the grandeur of this symphony that is sometimes downplayed for an edgier approach, but I think it worked rather well. My go-to recording of Walton’s 1st is still Previn’s legendary account with the LSO on RCA.

[André]

Braunfels gave a diminutive title to his 1948 symphony, an author’s caprice really, as the Sinfonia Brevis is anything but short (33 minutes) or small in scale. Cast in the regular 4 movements it packs a tremendous amount of symphonic weight and energy. Post-romantic and quasi atonal in places it is a more demanding piece than his other symphonic works. It felt at times as if Braunfels had uncovered the secret to Bruckner’s 9th finale, dissected it and recast in 4 different movements. It evokes that work’s vision of heaven, hell and the Great Beyond.

[Symphonic Addict]

Yes, the Sinfonia Brevis has superb music, and it definitely is the best work on the CD.

[Roasted Swan]

Braunfels gave a diminutive title to his 1948 symphony, an author’s caprice really, as the Sinfonia Brevis is anything but short (33 minutes) or small in scale. Cast in the regular 4 movements it packs a tremendous amount of symphonic weight and energy. Post-romantic and quasi atonal in places it is a more demanding piece than his other symphonic works. It felt at times as if Braunfels had uncovered the secret to Bruckner’s 9th finale, dissected it and recast in 4 different movements. It evokes that work’s vision of heaven, hell and the Great Beyond.

Another great description Andre!  You've nailed this - I agree completely.

[Artem]

William Walton's Five Bagatelles. What an astonishing piece. Never heard a piece of music by this composer before, but sampled this wonderful compositions for guitar on youtube played by Sean Shibe and was totally mesmerised and, yes, blown away.

[Symphonic Addict]

This blew me so far away. I think it like my first important discovery of 2021 (a great number), and numerous others for coming. This blown-away moment is specifically about La noche de los Mayas (Mayan Night) by the Mexican Silvestre Revueltas (who was born on December 31 1899). ¡Santo Dios Maya del Popol Vuh! I mean, an autochtonous epos translated into music. It's a masterpiece of the first order, and I'm not kidding. Revueltas is not known like the Mariachi Stravinsky for anything. Revueltas is to Mexico (or maybe that one would be Carlos Chávez, I can't figure out) what Villa-Lobos is to Brazil what Ginatera is to Argentina what Leo Brouwer is to Cuba. Mayans would have been proud for the work of Revueltas in evoking an unforgettable night. It comprises four movements:

Noche de los Mayas
Noche de Jaranas
Noche de Yucatán
Noche de encantamiento

It's a colossal orchestral machine (but not in lenght as it lasts less than half an hour), a treatise itself about orchestration. It mixes all very well: themes, melodies, Latin-American tricky rhythms, folksong influences and popular airs/dances, formidable orchestral handling. Again, I mean! Why did I come to dig up a fantastic composition like this until now? A real stunner. I can't recommend it enough. It's that great!!

[Mirror Image]

This blew me so far away. I think it like my first important discovery of 2021 (a great number), and numerous others for coming. This blown-away moment is specifically about La noche de los Mayas (Mayan Night) by the Mexican Silvestre Revueltas (who was born on December 31 1899). ¡Santo Dios Maya del Popol Vuh! I mean, an autochtonous epos translated into music. It's a masterpiece of the first order, and I'm not kidding. Revueltas is not known like the Mariachi Stravinsky for anything. Revueltas is to Mexico (or maybe that one would be Carlos Chávez, I can't figure out) what Villa-Lobos is to Brazil what Ginatera is to Argentina what Leo Brouwer is to Cuba. Mayans would have been proud for the work of Revueltas in evoking an unforgettable night. It comprises four movements:

Noche de los Mayas
Noche de Jaranas
Noche de Yucatán
Noche de encantamiento

It's a colossal orchestral machine (but not in lenght as it lasts less than half an hour), a treatise itself about orchestration. It mixes all very well: themes, melodies, Latin-American tricky rhythms, folksong influences and popular airs/dances, formidable orchestral handling. Again, I mean! Why did I come to dig up a fantastic composition like this until now? A real stunner. I can't recommend it enough. It's that great!!

I’ve known and loved Revueltas’ music for the past 12 years. Welcome aboard! When I first joined this forum, I felt like I was the only member who enjoyed Latin American music, but it turns out I was wrong thankfully. Unfortunately, many of the members that I used to converse with about Reveultas, Chávez, Villa-Lobos, Ginastera, Moncayo, Galindo, Guarnieri, Estévez, etc. have long left the forum. I’ve written a good bit about Revueltas on the forum, but it would be great if you could dig up the Revueltas thread and perhaps get some conversation going again. I wish more people were excited and passionate about Latin American music as you seem to be.

[Roasted Swan]

I’ve known and loved Revueltas’ music for the past 12 years. Welcome aboard! When I first joined this forum, I felt like I was the only member who enjoyed Latin American music, but it turns out I was wrong thankfully. Unfortunately, many of the members that I used to converse with about Reveultas, Chávez, Villa-Lobos, Ginastera, Moncayo, Galindo, Guarnieri, Estévez, etc. have long left the forum. I’ve written a good bit about Revueltas on the forum, but it would be great if you could dig up the Revueltas thread and perhaps get some conversation going again. I wish more people were excited and passionate about Latin American music as you seem to be.

I still feel that Latin American music is the most under-appreciated area of what is loosely called "classical music".  Remarkable richness and diversity and interest.  Probably what frustrates me most is that while CM "reaches out" for cultural diversity (a good thing as such) by embracing all kinds of different types of music it ignores so much music already written within the genre.  Certainly I think this is the case in the UK.  I'm a big fan of the BBC and the Proms but look no further than the entire list of works performed at the Proms over its 100+ years.  Type in just about any Latin American composer and either there will be none or possibly a handful of the "pops" pieces only.  Certainly no Guarnieri.  Revueltas 4 times (3 in 2002 and none since).  Even Ginastera has only been played 4 times of which 3 are Estancia!  I find its absence completely inexplicable given the interest and appeal of this repertoire

[Mirror Image]

I still feel that Latin American music is the most under-appreciated area of what is loosely called "classical music".  Remarkable richness and diversity and interest.  Probably what frustrates me most is that while CM "reaches out" for cultural diversity (a good thing as such) by embracing all kinds of different types of music it ignores so much music already written within the genre.  Certainly I think this is the case in the UK.  I'm a big fan of the BBC and the Proms but look no further than the entire list of works performed at the Proms over its 100+ years.  Type in just about any Latin American composer and either there will be none or possibly a handful of the "pops" pieces only.  Certainly no Guarnieri.  Revueltas 4 times (3 in 2002 and none since).  Even Ginastera has only been played 4 times of which 3 are Estancia!  I find its absence completely inexplicable given the interest and appeal of this repertoire.

It is frustrating that no major European orchestra (or US one for that matter) seem to think Latin American music is that important or worth performing. A conductor that has truly disappointed me in this regard is Gustavo Dudamel. Here is a guy that hails from Venezuela and even fronted a world-renowned orchestra youth orchestra during his time there (and is still music director of this orchestra I believe), but when he got the job with the LA Philharmonic, he performed Latin American music less and less. I simply do not understand why he doesn’t do more for these composers given that he has had the opportunity to perform this music on an even more international scale. Your own disappointment registers strongly with me and I agree with what you wrote.

[Roasted Swan]

It is frustrating that no major European orchestra (or US one for that matter) seem to think Latin American music is that important or worth performing. A conductor that has truly disappointed me in this regard is Gustavo Dudamel. Here is a guy that hails from Venezuela and even fronted a world-renowned orchestra youth orchestra during his time there (and is still music director of this orchestra I believe), but when he got the job with the LA Philharmonic, he performed Latin American music less and less. I simply do not understand why he doesn’t do more for these composers given that he has had the opportunity to perform this music on an even more international scale. Your own disappointment registers strongly with me and I agree with what you wrote.

The ASV (latterly Brilliant Classics) set of "Musica Mexicana" was a great place to start with just that country's music I thought



and I've enjoyed these Dorian discs too



I know what you mean about Dudamel but then again (playing Devil's Advocate) perhaps he wants to avoid being known as a conductor who "just" does Latin American music.  As ever - a jusicious balance would probably be the answer.  Certainly if he promoted it, the wider world would listen.....

[relm1]

I really liked this piece by young American composer, Will Healy, called Kolmanskop
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YeEVBA1k-Wk

[Mirror Image]

The ASV (latterly Brilliant Classics) set of "Musica Mexicana" was a great place to start with just that country's music I thought



and I've enjoyed these Dorian discs too



I know what you mean about Dudamel but then again (playing Devil's Advocate) perhaps he wants to avoid being known as a conductor who "just" does Latin American music.  As ever - a jusicious balance would probably be the answer.  Certainly if he promoted it, the wider world would listen.....

Yes, indeed. I own both of those sets. I certainly understand why Dudamel would want to conduct more European composers given how the more familiar names draw in crowds, but it would be nice if conducted more Latin American music.

[vandermolen]

The ASV (latterly Brilliant Classics) set of "Musica Mexicana" was a great place to start with just that country's music I thought



and I've enjoyed these Dorian discs too



I know what you mean about Dudamel but then again (playing Devil's Advocate) perhaps he wants to avoid being known as a conductor who "just" does Latin American music.  As ever - a jusicious balance would probably be the answer.  Certainly if he promoted it, the wider world would listen.....

I really enjoy the Dorian box as well.

[pjme]

"La noche de los Mayas" has an interesting, if chequered history. Wiki has all the details:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/La_noche_de_los_mayas_(suite)



New fact for me : in 1946, Paul Hindemith made a visit to Mexico where he met Rosaura Revueltas, sister of Silvestre. This led to his concert arrangement in two movements.

Read more here:
https://www.gramophone.co.uk/review/revueltas-la-noche-de-los-mayas-trigos-concerto-no-2
Hindemith's version can be heard here:

https://youtu.be/c-nnAB4bjIE

Dudamel recorded "La noche" for DGG:



To see Revueltas/Limantour's version of this blockbuster performed is of course great (for some addictive...) fun:

<a href="https://www.youtube.com/v/uenaA6djuzQ" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" class="bbc_link bbc_flash_disabled new_win">https://www.youtube.com/v/uenaA6djuzQ</a>

Orchestre de Paris / Alondra de la Parra

<a href="https://www.youtube.com/v/fVSpSBdxRmY" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" class="bbc_link bbc_flash_disabled new_win">https://www.youtube.com/v/fVSpSBdxRmY</a>

WDR Sinfonieorchester / Semyon Byshkov

The film directed by Chano Urueta, isn't on YT. In this clip one can see some (very short) fragments from the film :

https://youtu.be/0-E7ZDZcmzs

More : https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Night_of_the_Mayas