Ernest Bloch (1880-1959)

Started by vandermolen, April 19, 2007, 04:40:56 AM

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snyprrr

What Bloch orchestral piece most identifies with the mystical qualities of the VS 2 and P5Q 2?... the most awe inspiring Bloch?... not necessarily as much 'Hebrew' as 'transcendental' (certainly those chamber works above)?

Mirror Image

Quote from: snyprrr on November 03, 2011, 08:13:57 AM
What Bloch orchestral piece most identifies with the mystical qualities of the VS 2 and P5Q 2?... the most awe inspiring Bloch?... not necessarily as much 'Hebrew' as 'transcendental' (certainly those chamber works above)?

I really like his works for violin and orchestra, but works like Sacred Service and Evocations really standout as well.

Scion7

Pulled out the ol' Isaac Stern/Alex Zakin LP  of the first violin sonata.  A driving work!
When, a few months before his death, Rachmaninov lamented that he no longer had the "strength and fire" to compose, friends reminded him of the Symphonic Dances, so charged with fire and strength. "Yes," he admitted. "I don't know how that happened. That was probably my last flicker."

snyprrr

Quote from: Scion7 on May 15, 2012, 05:14:46 AM
Pulled out the ol' Isaac Stern/Alex Zakin LP  of the first violin sonata.  A driving work!

Muscular, with fists full of notes, like boulders,... I just pulled out No.2, the mystical one,... I need to do a No.1 soon!

Mirror Image

I really love Bloch's music. I've been revisiting some of it lately (two orchestral recordings on Capriccio with Steven Sloane conducting). I'm about to dig into the newer recording on Hyperion with Volkov and cellist Natalie Clein. But I think I'll save that recording for earlier in the weekend --- maybe a first-listen Monday kind of thing.

One work that I find immediately attractive is the Impressionistic Hiver-Printemps. This is such a gorgeous work. I have a few performances of it, but Sloane's on Capriccio is the finest I've heard.

Mirror Image

I'd really love CPO to do a whole orchestral series of Bloch. That would be awesome. Maybe get Alun Francis to conduct the series.

vandermolen

This looks like an extremely interesting release. I especially like Bloch's early Symphony in C sharp minor, with its echoes of Respighi, Richard Strauss and Wagner, but with elements of the mature Bloch style breaking through, not least in the lowering conclusion, reminiscent (to me) of the ending of Harold Truscott's fine Symphony and also Maximilian Steinberg's Second Symphony. I was sorry to miss Dalia Atlas's performance of the Bloch Symphony in London a few years ago.
Great cover art too:
[asin]B00E3ISHMI[/asin]
"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).

kyjo

Quote from: vandermolen on September 09, 2013, 08:54:29 AM
This looks like an extremely interesting release. I especially like Bloch's early Symphony in C sharp minor, with its echoes of Respighi, Richard Strauss and Wagner, but with elements of the mature Bloch style breaking through, not least in the lowering conclusion, reminiscent (to me) of the ending of Harold Truscott's fine Symphony and also Maximilian Steinberg's Second Symphony. I was sorry to miss Dalia Atlas's performance of the Bloch Symphony in London a few years ago.
Great cover art too:
[asin]B00E3ISHMI[/asin]

I love his Symphony in C-sharp minor as well. It may be a bit derivative, but is it hugely enjoyable and sometimes powerful? Absolutely! I have this most tantalizing disc on pre-order already. :)

vandermolen

Quote from: kyjo on September 09, 2013, 11:28:33 AM
I love his Symphony in C-sharp minor as well. It may be a bit derivative, but is it hugely enjoyable and sometimes powerful? Absolutely! I have this most tantalizing disc on pre-order already. :)

Thought you might!  :)
"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).

snyprrr


vandermolen

"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).

snyprrr

Quote from: vandermolen on June 26, 2014, 07:37:08 AM
'Chavez'?

Chavez and Bloch "sound" similar to me, especially in the '50s- that "hardening of the language" that the mid-century generation went through post-WW2. It's that bluff cragginess we also find in... oh... what's that guy's name?... oh... hmm....

vandermolen

Quote from: snyprrr on June 26, 2014, 10:07:55 AM
Chavez and Bloch "sound" similar to me, especially in the '50s- that "hardening of the language" that the mid-century generation went through post-WW2. It's that bluff cragginess we also find in... oh... what's that guy's name?... oh... hmm....
Chavez No 1 reminds me of 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).

snyprrr

Quote from: vandermolen on June 26, 2014, 01:26:22 PM
Chavez No 1 reminds me of Brian.

I laughed. I've seen you write this comment in three different place now!! Have you ever tried GINKO?... I'm concerned about your memory- lol, sorry, but... it IS funny!! ;)


Anyhow, out of the "Craggists", Bloch has always been favourable... but, I have avoided loads of his music... lots of "phases"... where to go first?... mostly I know the SQs and the Quintets and such.

vandermolen

#114
Quote from: snyprrr on June 15, 2016, 07:39:22 AM
I laughed. I've seen you write this comment in three different place now!! Have you ever tried GINKO?... I'm concerned about your memory- lol, sorry, but... it IS funny!! ;)


Anyhow, out of the "Craggists", Bloch has always been favourable... but, I have avoided loads of his music... lots of "phases"... where to go first?... mostly I know the SQs and the Quintets and such.

Well, I like the SQs and Quintets. The epic SQ No.1 is especially good. I like the early craggy, Brian-like Symphony in C but also the Sacred Service and 'Voice in the Wilderness' for Cello and Orch. I find that I often re read comments that I have already posted. Either early or not-so-early onset Alzheimer's or possibly caught in a time warp. Ginko idea is good.  :)  :)
Here are some Bloch recommendations:
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"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).

cilgwyn

Or maybe Chavez reminds you of Brian?!! Do you mean the herb?! I remember my father telling me some years ago now,that they'd found a box of Gingko Biloba dumped in the street. He claimed that they'd used the contents of the box to no apparent benefit. He's still alive though at 84. My mother isn't. I would have thought she would have been the one who used it? She was always taking all these wierds things they tell you live to a great age. My father drank and sat in front of the tv!! She had the best memory though. If he did take them,maybe I should buy him some more?!!
And let me see? What intelligent observation about Bloch can I add to this thread,while I'm at it? Erm.....erm?!! Okay,I'll leave it at that! :(
Incidentally,why is it,the only thing I ever find dumped in a street are empty fast food containers,beer cans,fag butts,pools of vomit,dog t***s,chewing gum and drunks?!! I had to pay for my Gingko!! >:(

cilgwyn

Funnily enough,Bloch reminds me of Bloch!! 8)

vandermolen

I've added some Bloch recommendations to my post above.
"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).

snyprrr

Quote from: cilgwyn on June 15, 2016, 09:39:10 AM
Incidentally,why is it,the only thing I ever find dumped in a street are empty fast food containers,beer cans,fag butts,pools of vomit,dog t***s,chewing gum and drunks?!!

Wales, hmmm? :laugh:

Edinborough South?

Rinaldo

Thanks for reminding me I need to find more time for Bloch. The PQs are brilliant.

[asin]B000WE5G6W[/asin]
A staple of my modest collection. Inspired by this thread, I just listened to the piano version of Poems of the Sea and really enjoyed it, exactly my cup of drama.