Hello

[Artran]

Hi GMG. My name is Jan and I'm an ordinary listener without musical education, who simply love classical music. I started to listen classical music when I was 18. Now I'm 37, but I still can be thrilled and moved.

I can listen practically to everything, but I'm especially fond of baroque and modern/contemporary composers.

My taste will be best seen on last.fm:

https://www.last.fm/user/Artran

I'm from Czech Republic.

[bhodges]

Welcome, Jan! Baroque and contemporary seem to be a popular duo (I have a couple of friends who share your taste). Enjoy your time here!

--Bruce

[Karl Henning]

Welcome to GMG, Jan!

[Mirror Image]

Welcome aboard! Looking at your top plays from your last.fm account, good to see Schoenberg and Prokofiev so high on your list. You'll fit in just fine around here.

[pjme]

Greetings from Belgium.

There are plenty of musical omnivores at GMG and quite often new things to explore and discover.
This afternoon, I combined Heinrich Schütz (Psalms of David) with the 2nd symphony of American David Diamond.





From Musicweb international:The four-movement David Diamond Second Symphony surges forward with luxuriously Barber-like lungs - elongated singing lines and great emotional concentration. Its first movement is, after all, an Adagio funebre. The following Allegro vivo has the fierce tempestuous pulse of Ulysses Kay's contemporaneous overture New Horizons and at about 1:20 Diamond introduces a euphoria that tempers the preceding grittily embattled writing. The third movement is a serene eclogue. Its Andante espressivo is most moving, as indeed is much of this symphony. Once again those intense strings suffer from a degree of audio spalling but their import remains clear. The vibrant Allegro vigoroso promises victory in heroic language that has much in common with the Harris. Its life-enhancing pizzicato recalls similar pages in Harris's Fourth. This Diamond symphony has enjoyed a good modern recording originally on Delos DE3093 but adopted into the Naxos family. It has also had at least one broadcast outside the USA: Gerard Schwarz conducted the BBCPO in 1990 in Manchester.

I hear some Honegger and Peter Mennin in this symphony aswel.

P.

[mc ukrneal]

Welcome and enjoy!

[aligreto]

You are very welcome to GMG Jan. Ask questions, make recommendations and post often   

[Hollywood]

Hi Jan. Greetings from a L.A. Lady living in Vienna, Austria. Welcome to the forum. 

[Artran]

Thanks everyone for kind welcome.

I've returned back to Schönberg after a longer period but I'm still amazed how grand his musical output is. Wind Quintet, Op.26 is one of the most inspiring compositions I've recently heard.



With Prokofiev it's complicated, because I'm not much convinced by his orchestral output, symphonies included. On the other hand, his war sonatas, first violin sonata or second string quartet resonate deep inside me...




I never heard about David Diamond, what a shame. So I read this morning an interview with him and listened to his second symphony. It's an interesting composer, faithful to tonality. Not sure what should I think about him yet, but I'll listen him more.

[Karl Henning]

Thanks everyone for kind welcome.

I've returned back to Schönberg after a longer period but I'm still amazed how grand his musical output is. Wind Quintet, Op.26 is one of the most inspiring compositions I've recently heard.

Love that Quintet!

With Prokofiev it's complicated, beacause I'm not much convinced by his orchestral output, symphonies included. On the other hand, his war sonatas, first violin sonata or second string quartet resonate deep inside me...

Of course, the f minor Violin Sonata is one of his very peaks!  (And those two discs are among my own favorites.)  Have you tried the ballet, L'enfant prodigue?

[Artran]

Have you tried the ballet, L'enfant prodigue?

Not yet. Do you have a recording to recommend?

[Karl Henning]

Either the Jurowski/Köln or the Järvi/SNO.  The Alsop is not at all bad, too.

[pjme]

I never heard about David Diamond, what a shame. So I read this morning an interview with him and listened to his second symphony. It's an interesting composer, faithful to tonality. Not sure what should I think about him yet, but I'll listen him more.

Don't worry - David Diamond isn't that well known at all. I just happened to listen to that record. But Diamond's music is definitely well crafted and should appeal to those who like XXth century, basically tonal (and symphonic) music.
There's plenty of Czech music that I like ( ca 1850 -1950): Dvorak, ofcourse, Novak, Suk, Janacek, Martinu, Kabelac, Kalabis, etc.

Here in Belgium we are spoiled with some excellent performers of old and Barock music: René Jacobs, Jos Van Immerseel, de Kuijken family, oboist Marcel Ponseele, flautist Jan Dewinne... (Il gardellino ens.), Korneel Bernolet (cembalo) etc.  Many composers however,(from the 18th to the 20th century) seem to be forgotten or are hardly ever performed - alas.
P.

[Artran]

Either the Jurowski/Köln or the Järvi/SNO.  The Alsop is not at all bad, too.

Järvi is on Spotify, so I go with him. Thanks!

There's plenty of Czech music that I like ( ca 1850 -1950): Dvorak, ofcourse, Novak, Suk, Janacek, Martinu, Kabelac, Kalabis, etc.

You know Kalabis and Kabeláč? That's rather cool. They're not so well known. I like Kalabis symphonies and his harpsichord concerto. Overall, my favorite czech composers are Zelenka and Janáček. I've been obsessed with Martinů, but today my interest is elsewhere.

Here in Belgium we are spoiled with some excellent performers of old and Barock music: René Jacobs, Jos Van Immerseel, de Kuijken family, oboist Marcel Ponseele, flautist Jan Dewinne... (Il gardellino ens.), Korneel Bernolet (cembalo) etc.  Many composers however,(from the 18th to the 20th century) seem to be forgotten or are hardly ever performed - alas.

Can you recommend me any Belgian composers? Unfortunately, I know only those from the renaissance period.

[Karl Henning]

Quite a Martinů fan base here at GMG.  And I have been curious about Kabeláč for a while . . . .

Järvi is on Spotify, so I go with him. Thanks!

Let me know what you think!

[North Star]

Overall, my favorite czech composers are Zelenka and Janáček. I've been obsessed with Martinů, but today my interest is elsewhere.

Welcome to GMG, Jan! I love all of those composers' music.

Can you recommend me any Belgian composers? Unfortunately, I know only those from the renaissance period.

Try César Franck (Violin sonata, Piano quintet, Prelude, choral & fugue), Ysaÿe (solo violin sonatas).

[Artran]

Quite a Martinů fan base here at GMG.  And I have been curious about Kabeláč for a while . . . .

Let me know what you think!

I will

Regarding Kabeláč, check this recording:

Try César Franck (Violin sonata, Piano quintet, Prelude, choral & fugue), Ysaÿe (solo violin sonatas).

Eh, that's embarrassing, I thought that César Franck is a French composer... His Symphony is superb, but I know only this work and nothing else. Ysaÿe I know only by name. Thanks for tips.

[pjme]

You know Kalabis and Kabeláč?

Can you recommend me any Belgian composers? Unfortunately, I know only those from the renaissance period.

I discovered Kabelac ca 1975-1980 - the French ensemble Les percussions de Strasbourg toured Europe and often played Kabelac 8 Inventions. The score was also used for a ballet (by Alvin Ailey, I think). It made -then- a huge impression on a me. I love his Reflections for orchestra and the mighty Mystery of time ( great perfomance on You Tube by the Finnish RSO).
Kalabis I know less well - not that much on cd or on YT. Still his second symphony, Sinfonia pacis is a favorite of mine.  The harpsichord concerto for Zuzana Ruzickova is a valuable addition to the repertoire. Must listen again...

César Franck always pops up when "Belgian composers" are mentioned, and rightly so. However he was naturalised a Frenchman in 1837...Anyway, Belgium may be small but there is a great choice of compôsers who cover a very wide gamut of styles, influences and predilections. From the arch-conservative (19th century - early 20th century) to ,say Stefan Prins who just recently got a mention on Alex Ross' blog with "piano hero 1-4.
I love the rather old fashioned, late Romantics, late Impressionists and tentatively early experimentalists: Arthur Meulemans, Jef van Hoof, Marcel Poot, Jan Blockx, Peter Benoit, André Souris, Joseph Jongen, Raymond Chevreuille, Frederic Devreese, Piet swerts, jan van der Roost, Wim Hendrickx, Annelies Van Parys etc. etc.

You Tube is a good source . But there is much more.... see CEBEDEM - the now defunct Belgian Center for music documentation:

Between 1951 and 2015, the Belgian Centre for Music Documentation was a non-profit association. It was placed under the auspices of the Federal Government and sponsored by Sabam and the National Lottery in order to stimulate the promotion and performance of the works of Belgian contemporary composers of serious music.

The object of CeBeDeM was to stimulate the expansion of Belgian contemporary music, in Belgium as well as abroad. For that purpose, CeBeDeM compiles and publishes the works of its members, reproduces unpublished scores for performance or promotion, provides orchestral material, collects and gives all information concerning the affiliated composers.

CeBeDeM was a member of I.A.M.I.C. (International Association of Music Information Centres), as such it was also affiliated to I.M.C. (International Music Council). It is also a member of I.A.M.L. (International Association of Music Libraries, Archives and Documentation Centres).

From 2015, the library of the Brussels Royal Conservatories, managed by the Koninklijk Conservatorium Brussel, School of Arts of the Erasmus University College and the Conservatoire royal de Bruxelles, took over the Cebedem collection. It will give access to the collection and rent orchestral material.

Here you can listen to a selectionof mainly late Romantics:https://youtu.be/-CF-JpbNjoE?list=PLmyb6xT5w4UDMCuKlUm3bcL3pOl1OSG6D

An elegant fluteconcerto by De Croes:https://youtu.be/LBYpBU19fGE

Contemporary & young : Stefan Prins:http://www.stefanprins.be/eng/index.html

Contemporary (&  mostly tonal): Piet swerts: http://www.pietswerts.be/

Contemporary (& percussion, Buddhism...): Wim Henderickx :http://www.wimhenderickx.com/

Female composers: http://www.anneliesvanparys.be/

http://www.petravermote.be/

The "grand old dame" of Belgian music: Jacqueline Fontyn: http://www.jacquelinefontyn.be/

Specialises in contemporary music: ICTUS : https://www.ictus.be/

Enjoy...

Peter.

[Artran]

Enjoy...

Thank you, Peter. I'll go slowly through the links and names. My last national musical focus was Estonia. Now, I'll stay in Belgium for a while, I suppose. Look forward to it

[Karl Henning]

Thank you, Peter. I'll go slowly through the links and names. My last national musical focus was Estonia.

Eduard Tubin?