The Incredible Walter Piston (1894-1976)

Started by vandermolen, April 04, 2010, 01:27:45 AM

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kyjo

I echo the opinion of many that Piston's Second Symphony is probably his finest achievement. I think the second movement is one of the most moving slow movements ever penned - beginning with a elegiac clarinet solo and working its way to a heart-wrenching climax. It's just about the farthest thing from "academic" in 20th century music I can think of. I also love the flowing, rather Sibelian quality of the first movement. The "populist"-inflected finale is great fun, but it is a bit too short on material to be ideally congruous to the first two movements. The MTT/Boston recording is indeed great and makes me wish he would record more Piston, or indeed, more lesser-known American music. Also great is his Violin Concerto no. 1, which has a life-affirming energy and lyricism, as well as his Divertimento for nine instruments, which has bouncily rhythmic outer movements and a deeply felt slow movement. The only other symphony of his I've heard is no. 5, which did not leave much of an impression and struck me as rather dry.
"Music is enough for a lifetime, but a lifetime is not enough for music" - Sergei Rachmaninoff

vandermolen

Quote from: kyjo on May 30, 2018, 07:18:32 PM
I echo the opinion of many that Piston's Second Symphony is probably his finest achievement. I think the second movement is one of the most moving slow movements ever penned - beginning with a elegiac clarinet solo and working its way to a heart-wrenching climax. It's just about the farthest thing from "academic" in 20th century music I can think of. I also love the flowing, rather Sibelian quality of the first movement. The "populist"-inflected finale is great fun, but it is a bit too short on material to be ideally congruous to the first two movements. The MTT/Boston recording is indeed great and makes me wish he would record more Piston, or indeed, more lesser-known American music. Also great is his Violin Concerto no. 1, which has a life-affirming energy and lyricism, as well as his Divertimento for nine instruments, which has bouncily rhythmic outer movements and a deeply felt slow movement. The only other symphony of his I've heard is no. 5, which did not leave much of an impression and struck me as rather dry.

Very much agree with this Kyle. The DGG CD with Piston's Second Symphony, Ives's 'Three Places in New England' and Ruggles' 'Sun Treader' is quite a sensational disc on all fronts as was the earlier release with the work coupled together with William Schuman's Violin Concerto. I like Piston's 'Three New England Pictures' with the opening of one of them ('Mountains' I think) sounding just like the opening of the contemporaneous Ninth Symphony by Vaughan Williams.
"Courage is going from failure to failure without losing enthusiasm" (Churchill).

'The test of a work of art is, in the end, our affection for it, not our ability to explain why it is good' (Stanley Kubrick).

Stu

I've just published the newest in my series of score follow videos for Walter Piston chamber music.  This is Piston's String Quartet No. 4.

As great as his symphonies are, I think the string quartets might be where his greatest work lies.  In the future I'm planning to do further videos for his Flute Quintet (1942) and Piano Quintet (1949).

https://www.youtube.com/v/rYETGQyD6IM

vandermolen

Was listening to Symphony No.6 yesterday - a fine work with a deeply felt slow movement.
"Courage is going from failure to failure without losing enthusiasm" (Churchill).

'The test of a work of art is, in the end, our affection for it, not our ability to explain why it is good' (Stanley Kubrick).

Daverz

#144
Quote from: kyjo on May 30, 2018, 07:18:32 PM
The only other symphony of his I've heard is no. 5, which did not leave much of an impression and struck me as rather dry.

After No. 2, my favorite is No. 4 (1950).  Interestingly, the Chavez Symphony No. 4 (1953) sounds very like the Piston No. 4 to me.  Perhaps a conscious homage by Chavez?


vandermolen

Quote from: Daverz on August 22, 2022, 03:18:32 PM
After No. 2, my favorite is No. 4 (1950).  Interestingly, the Chavez Symphony No. 4 (1953) sounds very like the Piston No. 4 to me.  Perhaps a conscious homage by Chavez?


Interesting. One of the Chavez symphonies ('Antigone' I think) reminds me of Havergal Brian!
"Courage is going from failure to failure without losing enthusiasm" (Churchill).

'The test of a work of art is, in the end, our affection for it, not our ability to explain why it is good' (Stanley Kubrick).

Stu

My favorite Piston symphony is the 7th.  Hard to sum up why in a quick post, but for me it's just about perfect.  A 2nd commercial recording was finally released in 2020 by Kalmar and the Oregon Symphony, but I still prefer the Mester/Louisville one from the 70s.


My tiers for Piston symphonies:

Top tier (among the greats)
7, 6, 4, 2

Mid tier (solid but less inspired)
5, 3

Bottom tier (respect but feel little connection to)
8, 1

vandermolen

Quote from: Stu on August 23, 2022, 02:39:30 AM
My favorite Piston symphony is the 7th.  Hard to sum up why in a quick post, but for me it's just about perfect.  A 2nd commercial recording was finally released in 2020 by Kalmar and the Oregon Symphony, but I still prefer the Mester/Louisville one from the 70s.


My tiers for Piston symphonies:

Top tier (among the greats)
7, 6, 4, 2

Mid tier (solid but less inspired)
5, 3

Bottom tier (respect but feel little connection to)
8, 1
I need to listen again to No.7 although I totally agree about 2 and 6 which are my favourites.
"Courage is going from failure to failure without losing enthusiasm" (Churchill).

'The test of a work of art is, in the end, our affection for it, not our ability to explain why it is good' (Stanley Kubrick).