Pieces that have blown you away recently

[Florestan]

Violin Sonata No. 2 in E minor Op. 24

(especially the 3rd mvt, Andante sostenuto).

It so happened that today I had read a few pages of Balzac's The Lily of the Valley --- and the subtle and poetic prose was perfectly matched by the subtle and poetic music.

[André]

Violin Sonata No. 2 in E minor Op. 24

(especially the 3rd mvt, Andante sostenuto).

It so happened that today I had read a few pages of Balzac's The Lily of the Valley --- and the subtle and poetic prose was perfectly matched by the subtle and poetic music.

A superb set of works in fine performances.

[relm1]

I absolutely adored Thomas Ades' Dante.  This is a 90-minute contemporary ballet of Dante's Divine Comedy.  Incredibly virtuosic writing, accessible yet contemporary.  It is in three parts.  Inferno taking up the first half and being the most virtuosic, Purgatorio with a melody based on archaic Judaic chant, Paradiso featuring angelic choir at the end of an ascending structure. 

[Mirror Image]

I absolutely adored Thomas Ades' Dante.  This is a 90-minute contemporary ballet of Dante's Divine Comedy.  Incredibly virtuosic writing, accessible yet contemporary.  It is in three parts.  Inferno taking up the first half and being the most virtuosic, Purgatorio with a melody based on archaic Judaic chant, Paradiso featuring angelic choir at the end of an ascending structure.

Surprised it wasn't staged. I mean this would be the point of seeing a ballet to me. Otherwise, it's just a large orchestral suite.

[Maestro267]

What if it's like Daphnis et Chloe? There's endless performances of just the music without the dancing.

[relm1]

What if it's like Daphnis et Chloe? There's endless performances of just the music without the dancing.

Yes, and how often is the Rite of Spring performed as a ballet?  I saw a dance performance of Firebird, and the music was clearly the star. 

[Mirror Image]

Yes, and how often is the Rite of Spring performed as a ballet?  I saw a dance performance of Firebird, and the music was clearly the star.

Was this a US premiere performance of the Adès? If it was, then I would've thought that Adès being a man of the theatre himself would've opted for choreography and so forth. Oh well, I run hot/cold his music anyway. I was just wondering.

[Maestro267]

Schubert's Symphony No. 1, specifically the Adagio introduction to the first movement. Even this early he's exploring the quasi-chromaticism that I feel separates him from the likes of Mozart and even Beethoven to a degree.

[kyjo]

Kyle, you need to listen to Isang Yun's Cello Concerto. It's certainly a bit more abrasive, but as my Andre has pointed out, there's a lyricism that can be found deep within his music. Oh and if Cesar hasn't heard it, he should check it out, too!

Will do, John!

[kyjo]

Pijper: Symphony no. 2 (1921)

https://youtu.be/mp2OjcEZ5qs

(Rotterdam Philharmonic/Roelof van Driesten)

In the most eloquent way I can put it: this is so freakin' cool! Pijper's style is nothing if not eclectic and quirky; it's modern yet wholly engaging. Of particular note are the huge buildups of orchestral sound in the first movement with the organ putting in a surprising and memorable appearance, and the seductively playful, distinctly Spanish-sounding theme that features over the course of the second movement. Pijper was definitely an important and singular voice in Dutch music.

[Florestan]

Myroslav Skoryk' - Piano Concertos Nos. 1, 2, 3.

Listened to them a few days ago on car radio, recorded live from a concert in Kyiv two years ago.

Valentin Silvestrov - The Messenger

Heard on car radio as well, Helene Grimaud playing.

Contemporary music right up my alley.

[kyjo]

Myroslav Skoryk' - Piano Concertos Nos. 1, 2, 3.

Listened to them a few days ago on car radio, recorded live from a concert in Kyiv two years ago.

Valentin Silvestrov - The Messenger

Heard on car radio as well, Helene Grimaud playing.

Contemporary music right up my alley.

Nice, Andrei! I'll have to hear these.

[Florestan]

Nice, Andrei! I'll have to hear these.

I reckon you'd enjoy them as much as I did, Kyle.

[Maestro267]

Four pieces today: Shostakovich's Piano Trio No. 2 in E minor and all three of Britten's string quartets. 20th-century chamber music is magnificent!

[Mirror Image]

Four pieces today: Shostakovich's Piano Trio No. 2 in E minor and all three of Britten's string quartets. 20th-century chamber music is magnificent!

All fine works and completely agreed! I should revisit all four of these works actually.

[kyjo]

Castelnuovo-Tedesco: Violin Concerto no. 1 Concerto Italiano



I had waited too long to hear this extraordinarily enchanting composition! Full of gorgeous lyricism, dazzling violin writing, and colorful orchestration (including an organ part!), this concerto would be a veritable hit in the concert hall. But no, we must hear the umpteenth rendition of the VCs by Tchaikovsky, Brahms, Bruch, Sibelius, etc... Oh, and fortunately the performance and sonics on the Naxos CD are superb - Tianwa Yang is an excellent violinist who employs appropriate portamenti to great effect. I'm looking forward to revisiting the Hollywoodesque VC no. 2 in the coming days.

[Mirror Image]

Castelnuovo-Tedesco: Violin Concerto no. 1 Concerto Italiano



I had waited too long to hear this extraordinarily enchanting composition! Full of gorgeous lyricism, dazzling violin writing, and colorful orchestration (including an organ part!), this concerto would be a veritable hit in the concert hall. But no, we must hear the umpteenth rendition of the VCs by Tchaikovsky, Brahms, Bruch, Sibelius, etc... Oh, and fortunately the performance and sonics on the Naxos CD are superb - Tianwa Yang is an excellent violinist who employs appropriate portamenti to great effect. I'm looking forward to revisiting the Hollywoodesque VC no. 2 in the coming days.

I'm personally in favor of the Sibelius and Tchaikovsky VCs in concert. You can keep the Brahms and Bruch.

[foxandpeng]

Peteris Vasks
Viola Concerto
Maxim Rysanov
Sinfonietta Riga

I could probably just write 'Vasks', and that would do, really.

The viola concerto is just ridiculously beautiful.

[relm1]

Jean Huré (1877-1930): Piano Quintet (1913)



https://youtu.be/OTPuNfkVV6Q

*MASTERPIECE ALERT!!!* I had listened to this work before a few years ago, and my very positive memories were reinforced yesterday. Words fail me as to how a work of this stature should be so utterly unknown?! My God, this has to be one of the most ineffably beautiful, life-affirming works in the chamber music repertoire. It's in one single movement with multiple sub-sections, lasting a total of half an hour. The pastoral opening conjures up images of the French countryside on a bright, breezy summer morning; it's so incredibly evocative with really cool pizzicato and col legno effects in the strings. Towards the middle of the work, the music becomes much more dramatic and sometimes mysterious, and in the sunset-like coda, the music of the opening returns in a most touching way. Huré really creates a sense of "journey" throughout the work and the end feels like a true "homecoming".

Sacrilege, perhaps, but I prefer this work to - say - Fauré's two revered works in the medium, both of which I still find quite elusive. I am dying to hear more of Huré's music - his worklist includes, amongst other things, three symphonies, a concerto each for violin and cello, four cello sonatas, and two string quartets - but there is nothing available besides the accompanying Violin Sonata on this disc (which I have yet to hear) and one of the cello sonatas on another. This is a situation that needs to be rectified immediately - are you listening, record companies?? On the evidence of this Quintet alone, Huré is clearly a major composer who demands rediscovery. As I've said in another post, I've tried to be more critical in my listening recently to determine which works are truly deserving of being called a "masterpiece" and/or "unjustly forgotten" - words that tend to get "thrown around" a lot. But, IMO, in the case of Huré's magnificent Quintet, both of these descriptors are quite warranted!

I was looking for this for quite some time.  I remember really liking it when hearing it a year ago but failed to retain the composer or work so have been searching for it again and finally rediscovered it.  Thanks again kyjo for pointing out this gem.

[kyjo]

I was looking for this for quite some time.  I remember really liking it when hearing it a year ago but failed to retain the composer or work so have been searching for it again and finally rediscovered it.  Thanks again kyjo for pointing out this gem.

You're welcome! Glad you enjoyed the magical Huré Piano Quintet.