Krzysztof Meyer (b. 1943)

Started by Maciek, April 16, 2007, 02:58:27 PM

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Guido

Problematic figures in terms of whther their music is truly great or not, or problematic for your theory? Messiaen's music does indeed make great logical sense, but parts of it are far from conventional major/minor tonality. When you say it makes logical tonal sense, do you mean because it refers back to conventional major/minal tonailty? The scales are very intellectually contrived, as are the non retrogradable rhythms, and the modes all contain mathematical symmetry. The resulting music is still very sensuous and emotional of course, but there is alot of intellectual theoty behind it.

Ligeti? He is another great.

Is what you object to serialism, or is it 'atonality'? Because I think that tonality and atonality are just degrees on a scale.
Geologist.

The large print giveth, and the small print taketh away

Sean

Guido, if you can hear the sense, the intuitive rightness, in Messiaen's music you know what I'm saying here. His whole cocktail of ingredients is streamlined under tonal principles: he doesn't violate our understanding of consonance and dissonance; as with Debussy, tonality is explored in extraordinary ways, but not abandoned. His only two minor efforts with 12 tone composition are the piano etude that Boulez et al developed into total serialism and the Livre d'orgue, and both retain his own strong character.

BachQ

Quote from: Sean on July 23, 2007, 07:38:19 AM
Just been listening to this symphony for strings- I thought at first it was a little amaturish with some ideas and progressions I'd heard a few times before, but no this is the work of a quite serious mind and from a tonal background that warms to repeated listening: there's also an unusually persuasive mysteriousness and intrigue to the slow movement; some of it reminds me of Gloria Coates's sinuisms but also of Szymanski and his striking if youthful seriousness and intelligence. I like it.

I was also reminded of Gloria Coates's sinuisms ...........

Maciek

Yes, the affinity is quite striking.

Maciek

Now this looks really, really good:

DUX have just released a disc of Meyer's concertos: Clarinet Concerto (with Eduard Brunnel), 2nd Violin Concerto (with Magdalena Rezler) and 2nd Cello Concerto (with Boris Pergamenschikov).

I think I also failed to mention before the new Acte Préalable disc:

It's the Wilanów Quartet playing Meyer's SQs nos 11 and 12 + the String Trio. The Wilanów Quartet are the same people who used to record his earlier quartets for the German label ProViva - one of the best Polish quartets. It was definitely the best until the Silesian appeared, and I believe the competition between the two is still quite tough - judging which one is ultimately better would have to be a matter of taste.

greg

Quote from: Maciek on February 08, 2008, 04:52:56 AM
Now this looks really, really good:

ooooooohhh yes, that looks pretty tasty.
Just a little barbecue sauce on the side, and it'd be perfect.

Is SQ 12 his latest?


Maciek


Lilas Pastia

And a really great work. How do the Wilanow compare with the Wienawskis, Maciek ?

Maciek

I don't have the one with the Wilanow Quartet. But chances are it's better. The Wieniawski is more of a "local" quartet, even by Polish standards ;D. I'm not saying they're bad but certainly their reputation is nowhere near that of the Wilanow.

But of course, this is all hearsay, since I don't have the other recording to give it an aural comparison... 0:)

Dundonnell

Meyer's Cello Concerto No.2, Violin Concerto No.2 and Clarinet Concerto have been released on a Dux cd.

There is a good review on Musicweb-

http://www.musicweb-international.com/classrev/2008/Sept08/Meyer_dux0594.htm

Are you familiar with these pieces, Maciek, and would you too recommend them? They certainly sound interesting!

Maciek

I still haven't bought that disc. But I would certainly recommend anything by Meyer (I think I have actually heard one or two of those concertos on the radio). He's definitely one of the finest Polish composers alive today. And I don't mean that in a "he's one of the best 50" way. Rather, in a "one of the best 2 or 3" way. (In fact, I can only think of one other composer I would recommend as highly. It's Pawel Szymanski, of course. ;D)

Lilas Pastia

Of all the contemporary polish composers I've heard, my hunch is that Meyer is the one with the most staying power. I look forward to hearin these concertos. I still have to listen to the VC no. 2 and a couple of chamber music works. Will report  ;)

Maciek

Not sure how I managed to miss this but there's a relatively new (Sept. 09) Naxos CD out with three of Meyer's String Quartets! (nos 5, 6 and 8)


Lilas Pastia

I was wondering what you thought of it, Maciek? I had it in my hands this weekend, then figured I had them all (thanks to you ;)), but still, Meyer is certainly one of the most important musical figures post 1950, so it might be of interest to compare various approaches. Waiting for your comment!

Maciek

Well, I only noticed its existence (quite accidentally) yesterday, so I haven't got it yet. 0:)

greg

I'll be looking forward to what you have to say, also, Maciek. The 8th quartet would be a new one for me.  :)

snyprrr

I have the Dafo No.8. It's like 5-6 mvmts., with titles like "Drammatico", etc. I would simply call it neo-Romantic. I was a bit disappointed

I do like more Meyer's No.3, with the Wilanow, I believe. Written in 1971, it has a different sound altogether as far as I'm concerned. Three, anonymous mvmts., slightly late-DSCH, but very individual, experimental (but without Penderecki sounds). Kind of sounds like the kind of Stravinsky memorial I like.

Many composers from this generation, and slightly before, seemed to me sometimes to get kind of neo-Romantic in the late '80s-'90s. I seem to prefer this generation's early to mid works, rather than the somewhat smoother sounding later works (perhaps Penderecki is a leader here? I don'tknow).

Any more in depth analysis of some individual SQs out there by anyone?


Maciek

snyprrr, you can't seriously call yourself a string quartet aficionado, unless you try some more Meyer! >:D As far as cycles go, his is definitely the most substantial and important in Polish 20th c./contemporary music. Except maybe for Bacewicz, but I'm not even sure of that - OK, let's say they're equally important.

snyprrr

Quote from: Maciek on December 17, 2009, 04:21:23 AM
snyprrr, you can't seriously call yourself a string quartet aficionado, unless you try some  Meyer! >:D As far as cycles go, his is definitely the most substantial and immoreportant in Polish 20th c./contemporary music. Except maybe for Bacewicz, but I'm not even sure of that - OK, let's say they're equally important.

:o :o :o

Does "size" really matter? :D

I am fully ready for a blow by blow (no pun, haha):


No.1: (insert Maciek commentary)

No2:

No.3: *

No.4:

No.5:

No.6:

No.7:

No.8: *

No.9:

No.10:

No.11:

String Trio:

Piano Quintet (?):



Go for it! Feel free to regale me, haha! 8)



I think you should buy a whole bunch of Polish-only type stuff and open up "Maciek's Polish Avant Garde (String Quartet) Store".

ok, other stuff, too!

(I'd be really interested in the rest of his '70s SQs 4?,5?,6?...)


Maciek

Hey, you're the sq aficionado! ;D I haven't even heard all of Meyer's quartets (4 to go). :P But I have it on good authority that his is the most important cycle (not that Poland is the greatest chamber music empire in the world, I'll grant you that). And judging by the ones I know, that's probably true.

The problem, I'm sure you've already noticed, is that they are almost all out of print. And the used copies usually go for 100$ OR MORE!!! :o :o :o (Are people actually insane/or rich enough to pay that much?) Now even I would have to say it's not worth it. Lets wait for Brilliant to release the whole box... ;D

In the meantime, to update your list: >:D

SQ no. 12
the Piano Trio (supposedly his greatest chamber music work - I'm yet to hear it)
the Clarinet Quintet

The general trend is: early = avant garde, later = more in Meyer's individual idiom (and he really works hard on the theoretical side of his composing!) = a sort of Shostakovich meets Lutoslawski style (with a lot of Meyer's own as well).