Luigi Nono

[val]

"Il Canto Sospeso" and "Como una ola de fuerza y luz" are among my preferred works of the last 50 years. I also love "A floresta é jovem e cheia de vida" and "Sofferte onde serene".

His string Quartet, "An Diotima" is a very difficult work. I must listen to it more times.

[lukeottevanger]

....If you enjoy Nono and Berio, though...

of course, to enjoy Nono you only need mono; but for Berio, stereo.


Sorry, must try to be serious....

[Don Giovanni]

 

[scottscheule]

I'm a Nono fan, too (and thought there was a thread about him on the old board, but I couldn't find one). 

I'll add La lontananza nostalgica utopica futura, which I first heard live by violinist Mark Menzies, here in NYC a few years ago.  Now I have Gidon Kremer's recording, which is very good, but not like hearing (and seeing) it in person!

I also like Liebeslied, on Abbado's disc Wien Modern (which is great in general). 



--Bruce

I second the quality of the album.  The majority of the works are not to my taste--the exception being the Boulez--but Abbado's performance is inspired.

[bhodges]

I also love "A floresta é jovem e cheia de vida"...

I'm hearing this tonight, by the International Contemporary Ensemble, and very much looking forward to it.  I've never heard it before. 

--Bruce

[Bonehelm]

He's a big nono to me.

Back to Mahler.

[Don Giovanni]

Care to explain that, Bonehelm?

[Bonehelm]

Care to explain that, Bonehelm?

That pun was intended to be there..he's a big nono to me. So I'm saying I'm going back to Mahler's music.

[bhodges]

Last night, I felt very lucky to hear A floresta é jovem e cheia de vida ("The Forest is Young and Full of Life"), for vocal soloist, vocal trio, five percussionists and solo clarinet, plus electronics.  It's quite powerful, with texts about injustice, struggle, war and death, and the ICE group did a great job with it.  Some of the texts are sung, others are whispered or shouted.  Guest vocalist Tony Arnold has a piercing soprano used to haunting effect, especially in segments in which she and the other vocalists are orbiting just microtones away from each other. 

ICE is bringing the piece down to Mexico, which should be interesting, for a concert that includes Crumb's Black Angels and a new piece by Jason Eckardt.  But I hope they keep it in their repertoire for awhile.

--Bruce

[Kullervo]

I will not hesitate to say that I just do not get Nono. His tape pieces are novel I suppose, but I really have little interest in tape music. His late stuff (Fragmente-stille, etc.) just leaves me scratching my head and the feeling that I've wasted about 30 minutes of my life.

[Todd]

I've listened to perhaps a half-dozen works by Nono, and generally I like him.  Except for Al gran sole carico d'amore, which I find to be heavy-handed tripe.

[bhodges]

I don't claim to "get" all of Nono's music, either (the limited amount I've heard).  Last night, for example, I said to a friend that the spoken portions of the piece don't really satisfy the side of my brain that wants music.  Occasionally some of it felt more like a poetry reading than a concert.  This work is a "politically charged manifesto" (as the Times said) that requires a willingness to be a bit assaulted for its 45-minute length, which may or may not be on a listener's agenda that evening. 

Also, I suspect much of his work is best encountered live.  Someone last night was very familiar with a recording of the work (perhaps the one below), but said it gave him little idea of what it would be like in person.  Nono is one of those composers whose ideas are sometimes spatial, making recordings somewhat inadequate.

--Bruce

"Voices of Protest" on Mode

[Charles]

I don't claim to "get" all of Nono's music, either (the limited amount I've heard).  Last night, for example, I said to a friend that the spoken portions of the piece don't really satisfy the side of my brain that wants music.  Occasionally some of it felt more like a poetry reading than a concert.  This work is a "politically charged manifesto" (as the Times said) that requires a willingness to be a bit assaulted for its 45-minute length, which may or may not be on a listener's agenda that evening. 

Also, I suspect much of his work is best encountered live.  Someone last night was very familiar with a recording of the work (perhaps the one below), but said it gave him little idea of what it would be like in person.  Nono is one of those composers whose ideas are sometimes spatial, making recordings somewhat inadequate.

--Bruce

"Voices of Protest" on Mode

Excellent points Bruce, I have some difficulty understanding his music sometimes. The issue of recording in lieu of Nono's compositions makes total sense. Perhaps that is why sometimes there is unbearable silence and space that loses my interest at times with the CD releases.

Still, I enjoy his work but I must revisit.

Charles

[sonic1]

I thought we already did a Nono thread, but I will have no problem in saying that Fragmente SQ piece is one of the most powerful SQs I know. In my own personal SQ hierarchy  I would rate Framente in the top 10, maybe even top 5. His extension of the vocabulary in the String Quartet is hugely significant, but the music itself is very very powerful/moving for me, and very very personal. Definitely not dinner music, but a great get-away on headphones.

[bhodges]

I haven't heard Fragmente in years (not for any particular reason) and should revisit it.  The Amazon reviewer of the LaSalle version (which I had on LP) seems to know what he's talking about.

Which recording do you have?

--Bruce

[Charles]

I personally have the LaSalle version of Fragmente - Stille, an Diotima . I wanted to hear this piece in the most lyrical interpertation possible at the time I bought it. I don't recall offhand that the LaSalle is really that lyrical. Looking back and knowing more about it, it must be due the powerful nature of the work, in that it is likely music that cannot be brought out in those terms because it is it's own unique creation. In fact I question now my original intentions (was it a good idea?) to hear it in a more romantic style.

Charles

[bhodges]

I personally have the LaSalle version of Fragmente - Stille, an Diotima . I wanted to hear this piece in the most lyrical interpertation possible at the time I bought it. I don't recall offhand that the LaSalle is really that lyrical. Looking back and knowing more about it, it must be due the powerful nature of the work, in that it is likely music that cannot be brought out in those terms because it is it's own unique creation. In fact I question now my original intentions (was it a good idea?) to hear it in a more romantic style.

Charles

I can imagine it done more lyrically, although based on what I've heard of Nono and his ideology, he might prefer a more "neutral" reading.  In any case, I really need to get this on CD. 

--Bruce

[Charles]

I can imagine it done more lyrically, although based on what I've heard of Nono and his ideology, he might prefer a more "neutral" reading.  In any case, I really need to get this on CD. 

--Bruce

That's it .. and based on that the Arditti would be a safe choice .... I might seek that one out.

Charles

[bhodges]

That's it .. and based on that the Arditti would be a safe choice .... I might seek that one out.

Charles

Charles, I didn't realize you like Nono until seeing these posts.  If I had, I would have dragged you to the concert last night!    Hopefully ICE will do it again sometime.

--Bruce 

[sonic1]

I haven't heard Fragmente in years (not for any particular reason) and should revisit it.  The Amazon reviewer of the LaSalle version (which I had on LP) seems to know what he's talking about.

Which recording do you have?

--Bruce

My intro to the piece was the arditti. I have a few others but like the arditti the best.