The French Music Exploration thread

[Iota]

Decided to go on the quiet side this morning by digging up some Satie. I really love the the Gymnopédies and the Gnossiennes (particularly the sloooow versions by De Leeuw) but I never spent proper time with much else of his or not clicked with it.

Time to correct this and explore the rest of the De Leeuw twofer again.

Playing the 3 Sarabandes now.

An excellent way to restart the thread, Papy O! De Leeuw's playing is mesmerising on that set. Good to see you back. 

[pjme]

Et nous revoilà en route!

What a wonderful, unusual "creature" Satie was. He reminds me a little bit of painter James Ensor...both eccentric (both half British) and creating often mesmerising and/or (mildly) provocative art.

The Sarabande inspired many French composers:

Pierre Octave Ferroud: https://youtu.be/QORWQ8t-ynk
J.P. Rameau: https://youtu.be/nliifc82gbg
Camille Saint Saëns: https://youtu.be/op4uI-Y0ckw
Maurice Ohana: https://youtu.be/FzDJlZLp_Zk
Mel Bonis: https://youtu.be/FQsQ3Xz0wQo

....

[Madiel]

Satie, eh?

Okay, this will be interesting...

[Papy Oli]

Olivier, you might be interested in checking out these articles/page about Ravel's Piano Concerto for Left Hand and Wittgenstein.  I thought of you when I stumbled across the articles.  In particular, I quite enjoyed watching and learning more about the piano concerto watching an analysis by Stephen Johnson complete with samples by the BBC orchestra and (I am embarrassed to admit that I forgot the pianist's name)....?  I had started a thread the other day on Paul Wittgenstein.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/articles/3WX6QVVc7wtQRCCKJzNHPJ0/paul-wittgenstein-the-one-armed-piano-maestro-of-ww1

Best wishes,

PD

Thank you PD, I have saved the link for future investigation when I get to Ravel

[Papy Oli]

An excellent way to restart the thread, Papy O! De Leeuw's playing is mesmerising on that set. Good to see you back. 

Thank you Iota.

I agree with your view on De Leeuw, although his slowness will be very much an acquired taste. To an extent, he has "ruined" the Gymnopedies and Gnossiennes for because when i listen to a "normal" speed version, the first thought coming through my mind is "that's not right" (very much like Celibidache with Bruckner as well !).

I had a couple of listens to Sarabandes and now to 3 Sonneries de la Rose+Croix. Progress is being made  0:)

[Papy Oli]

Et nous revoilà en route!

What a wonderful, unusual "creature" Satie was. He reminds me a little bit of painter James Ensor...both eccentric (both half British) and creating often mesmerising and/or (mildly) provocative art.

The Sarabande inspired many French composers:

Pierre Octave Ferroud: https://youtu.be/QORWQ8t-ynk
J.P. Rameau: https://youtu.be/nliifc82gbg
Camille Saint Saëns: https://youtu.be/op4uI-Y0ckw
Maurice Ohana: https://youtu.be/FzDJlZLp_Zk
Mel Bonis: https://youtu.be/FQsQ3Xz0wQo

....

En avant, Marche !!

Thank you for those links, Johan. I'll check them later today.

[Papy Oli]

Satie, eh?

Okay, this will be interesting...

One that you struggle with yourself ?

(Aussie Off topic : I know this was a while ago now, but boy did I really enjoy the Richmond-Geelong AFL Grand Final, it had everything to hook me properly into that sport. Definitely something I will follow up more often as and when the next season starts, as long as BT sport still has the broadcasting right for those in the UK. Rugby league still evades me though after years of trying bits of games...  ) 

[Madiel]

One that you struggle with yourself ?

(Aussie Off topic : I know this was a while ago now, but boy did I really enjoy the Richmond-Geelong AFL Grand Final, it had everything to hook me properly into that sport. Definitely something I will follow up more often as and when the next season starts, as long as BT sport still has the broadcasting right for those in the UK. Rugby league still evades me though after years of trying bits of games...  )

On topic: Yes I suspect so, though really I haven't heard a huge amount. I shall try to go on with an open mind and focus on the actual music rather than some of his quirky ideas that I react against.

Off topic: My own preference is usually AFL over rugby league, so definitely thrilled to hear when a non-Australian enjoys it. You probably didn't enjoy it half as much as my brother-in-law and his relatives, who are all dedicated Richmond supporters and have suddenly found themselves with their best team in decades. For any family with roots in Melbourne, AFL teams are genetically inherited. You've no idea what an obsession it is for many Melburnians...

[Florestan]

On topic: Yes I suspect so, though really I haven't heard a huge amount. I shall try to go on with an open mind and focus on the actual music rather than some of his quirky ideas that I react against.

Well, IIRC, one of those quirky ideas was that you should actually pay no special attention to the music while it's being played. (I'm too lazy to dig up the reference). 

[Madiel]

Well, IIRC, one of those quirky ideas was that you should actually pay no special attention to the music while it's being played. (I'm too lazy to dig up the reference). 

Yeah well, if he didn't value his own music not sure I should either.

[pjme]

Yeah well, if he didn't value his own music not sure I should either.

It is more complicated than that, I think. I suppose one can say that Satie invented" Muzak"....

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Furniture_music

[Madiel]

It is more complicated than that, I think. I suppose one can say that Satie invented" Muzak"....

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Furniture_music

This is not improving my opinion.

Nor are the Sarabandes I'm currently listening to... they kind of remind me of Debussy's Sarabande in Pour le Piano without being remotely interesting. I'm sure there's a market for this, but I'm not the market.

Nevertheless I will try some other things.

[Papy Oli]

I enjoyed De Leeuw's Pièces Froides and Sonneries de le Rose+Croix yesterday, more than sarabandes

Listening to this one at the moment - it includes some songs    0:)

Still very (very !) slow but the singing is beautiful.

[pjme]

The" musique d'ameublement" was one of Satie's quirky ways of upsetting academia and bourgeoisie.
However, I think that it isn't farfetched to think that, at certain times in his life (e.g. ca 1905 he started studying counterpoint at the Scola cantorum) he (secretly?) aspired also at being a "real" composer, not only a provocateur.
When the princesse de Polignac commissioned a work he produced his most ambitious work" Socrate" for 4 female voices and (small) orchestra. I find it difficult, "naked", austere music (the version for tenor solo is even less "pleasing").
Satie is a wondrous and unique phenomenon and a real composer with a real gift for melody.

https://youtu.be/BpPVqsXEIWg

https://youtu.be/hTwRY__oJM4

[Madiel]

Trying this album.



The first Gnosienne will always be a winner because Tori Amos used it as the basis of a song... we will see how the rest goes.

EDIT: There is music on here that elicits a mildly positive reaction.

[Pohjolas Daughter]

I enjoyed De Leeuw's Pièces Froides and Sonneries de le Rose+Croix yesterday, more than sarabandes

Listening to this one at the moment - it includes some songs    0:)

Still very (very !) slow but the singing is beautiful.

I'm trying to recall what I heard Barbara Hannigan singing (maybe about a year ago).  Someone had told me about a contemporary composer and I found her singing it on youtube.  I remember being quite impressed with her voice and performance, so when I ran across this posting, I wasn't surprised to hear that you enjoyed it (though again, I don't know the works).   

Best,

PD

[Papy Oli]

EDIT: There is music on here that elicits a mildly positive reaction.

We will have none of that disproportionate behaviour here, thank you  

(which work(s) ?  )

[Pohjolas Daughter]

I'm trying to recall what I heard Barbara Hannigan singing (maybe about a year ago).  Someone had told me about a contemporary composer and I found her singing it on youtube.  I remember being quite impressed with her voice and performance, so when I ran across this posting, I wasn't surprised to hear that you enjoyed it (though again, I don't know the works).   

Best,

PD

Ah, found it!  Not French (but you still might want to check it out).  It's by Abrahamsen and called "Let Me Tell You" (using Ophelia's words from Hamlet to tell her own story but rearranged, etc.).  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IxKkRWTiWDo&list=PLkoKuMUKhyTP4yCkU2o0ULV2vhMMO8xOf

[Papy Oli]

The Sarabande inspired many French composers:

Pierre Octave Ferroud: https://youtu.be/QORWQ8t-ynk
J.P. Rameau: https://youtu.be/nliifc82gbg
Camille Saint Saëns: https://youtu.be/op4uI-Y0ckw
Maurice Ohana: https://youtu.be/FzDJlZLp_Zk
Mel Bonis: https://youtu.be/FQsQ3Xz0wQo

....

Interesting little selection, thank you again. The Ferroud, Saint Saëns & Bonis caught my ear particularly.

[Papy Oli]

Ah, found it!  Not French (but you still might want to check it out).  It's by Abrahamsen and called "Let Me Tell You" (using Ophelia's words from Hamlet to tell her own story but rearranged, etc.).  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IxKkRWTiWDo&list=PLkoKuMUKhyTP4yCkU2o0ULV2vhMMO8xOf

Thank you for the link PD. Not much my cup of tea this time.