Morton Feldman (1926-1987)

[snyprrr]

cage bump

[Mandryka]

I've been listening to his opera Neither lately,  it's instantly one of my favourite operas (alongside operas such as Le Grand Macabre, Bluebeard's Castle, Tristan and Isolde, Licht Cycle , Oresteia)

I feel the connection to Webern's music so strongly, at the same time as being so unique.
I've heard quite a few Feldman pieces before but none of them have effected me quite as deeply, really I haven't really heard anything before that comes close to Neither.

Nethertheless I'm highly impressed! 

What is Oresteia?

[milk]

https://youtu.be/emeDjNSxsCs

Just started watching this but already it is extremely interesting. Grateful!

[San Antone]

New from Hyperion (image links to recording page)

Morton Feldman (1926-1987)
For Bunita Marcus
Marc-André Hamelin (piano)





From the booklet essay ~

'I have no problem with notes ... none at all', was Feldman's cryptic comment on For Bunita Marcus.

You are about to enter a world unlike any other. A universe of sound completely unrelated to the narrative, linear musical physiognomies we are all used to. With For Bunita Marcus Feldman has managed to wipe the slate clean and invent a world which has its own laws, which must be dealt with in its own terms. It is also a domain of extreme economy of means, both in its radically reduced dynamics and in its uncommon textural sparseness. The miraculous thing, though, is that there are so many dimensions within this seemingly limited material that it is entirely possible for the listener to understand the music in many different ways, and also to be affected by it in different ways.

The first time I sat down at the piano to read Feldman's piece, I initially experienced a beautiful sense of liberation. In all my years of exploring the more obscure regions of the literature for my instrument, I'd never felt anything like it. A seventy-two-minute stretch of delicate, triple-piano textures with the damper pedal held constantly down is not something that any amount of exposure to traditional repertoire could ever prepare pianists for. But as the piece unfolded I was carried through a conflicting host of impressions, and it became clearer and clearer to me that a single hearing of it could never reveal the myriad ways in which the work can be listened to and understood.

[snyprrr]

New from Hyperion (image links to recording page)

Morton Feldman (1926-1987)
For Bunita Marcus
Marc-André Hamelin (piano)





From the booklet essay ~

'I have no problem with notes ... none at all', was Feldman's cryptic comment on For Bunita Marcus.

You are about to enter a world unlike any other. A universe of sound completely unrelated to the narrative, linear musical physiognomies we are all used to. With For Bunita Marcus Feldman has managed to wipe the slate clean and invent a world which has its own laws, which must be dealt with in its own terms. It is also a domain of extreme economy of means, both in its radically reduced dynamics and in its uncommon textural sparseness. The miraculous thing, though, is that there are so many dimensions within this seemingly limited material that it is entirely possible for the listener to understand the music in many different ways, and also to be affected by it in different ways.

The first time I sat down at the piano to read Feldman's piece, I initially experienced a beautiful sense of liberation. In all my years of exploring the more obscure regions of the literature for my instrument, I'd never felt anything like it. A seventy-two-minute stretch of delicate, triple-piano textures with the damper pedal held constantly down is not something that any amount of exposure to traditional repertoire could ever prepare pianists for. But as the piece unfolded I was carried through a conflicting host of impressions, and it became clearer and clearer to me that a single hearing of it could never reveal the myriad ways in which the work can be listened to and understood.

well well well...hmmmm.....yes, can't wait...

[Mandryka]

well well well...hmmmm.....yes, can't wait...

How much of For Bunita Marcus have you heard?

[snyprrr]

How much of For Bunita Marcus have you heard?

I found Kleeb somewhat bland, but Schliermacher(?) quite... lol... scintillating. Basically, it comes down to the recording- I'd assume the Hyperion would be great, but the engineers at MDG caught just the right perspective, giving the tones a bit of air. I didn't really care for the piece under Kleeb (probably not her fault?), but the Schleiermacher made me love it.

[Mandryka]

I found Kleeb somewhat bland, but Schliermacher(?) quite... lol... scintillating. Basically, it comes down to the recording- I'd assume the Hyperion would be great, but the engineers at MDG caught just the right perspective, giving the tones a bit of air. I didn't really care for the piece under Kleeb (probably not her fault?), but the Schleiermacher made me love it.

I think this was a good suggestion. I too had been listening to Kleeb because I like the cover design of those cds. But I could never get through more than 15 minutes. Amazingly, I've listened to the whole thing from Schleiermacher.

[bwv 1080]

New from Hyperion (image links to recording page)

Morton Feldman (1926-1987)
For Bunita Marcus
Marc-André Hamelin (piano)





Its a great piece, but the title creeps me out now after Bunita spoke out about her abuse



From the booklet essay ~

'I have no problem with notes ... none at all', was Feldman's cryptic comment on For Bunita Marcus.

You are about to enter a world unlike any other. A universe of sound completely unrelated to the narrative, linear musical physiognomies we are all used to. With For Bunita Marcus Feldman has managed to wipe the slate clean and invent a world which has its own laws, which must be dealt with in its own terms. It is also a domain of extreme economy of means, both in its radically reduced dynamics and in its uncommon textural sparseness. The miraculous thing, though, is that there are so many dimensions within this seemingly limited material that it is entirely possible for the listener to understand the music in many different ways, and also to be affected by it in different ways.

The first time I sat down at the piano to read Feldman's piece, I initially experienced a beautiful sense of liberation. In all my years of exploring the more obscure regions of the literature for my instrument, I'd never felt anything like it. A seventy-two-minute stretch of delicate, triple-piano textures with the damper pedal held constantly down is not something that any amount of exposure to traditional repertoire could ever prepare pianists for. But as the piece unfolded I was carried through a conflicting host of impressions, and it became clearer and clearer to me that a single hearing of it could never reveal the myriad ways in which the work can be listened to and understood.

[milk]

I find this very satisfying. I hesitate to buy another, especially one with a faster tempo.

[San Antone]

I find this very satisfying. I hesitate to buy another, especially one with a faster tempo.

Liebner has always been my preferred recording of Feldman, but the new Hamelin is really nice, too.   It doesn't sound "too fast" to me.

[torut]

Liebner's Feldman, Cage, Wolff recordings are excellent, though I have not heard her For Bunita Marcus. I didn't like Schleiermacher's Cage, so I have not heard any Feldman by him. I thought his playing was too bold.

[snyprrr]

Liebner's Feldman, Cage, Wolff recordings are excellent, though I have not heard her For Bunita Marcus. I didn't like Schleiermacher's Cage, so I have not heard any Feldman by him. I thought his playing was too bold.

I have Schleiermacher in Feldman's Last Works for Piano Solo. I find him impeccable, and, coupled with the exacting MDG sound, this version has just the effect I find tantalizing.

Kleeb on HatHut I found too... something (no acoustic effect?)...

I like Scheliermacher in some very specific Cage (the numbered piano muiscs), but, in, say, the 'Etudes Australes', I get curious dog face (wtf?)...



...low days for Morty on das interwebs ...

[Mandryka]

Today I've discovered two fabulously interesting performances of Palais de Mari, one by Ronnie Lynn Patterson, and another by Marianne Schroeder. It's strange how some pianists can really make the piece work, and others . . . can't.

[milk]

Today I've discovered two fabulously interesting performances of Palais de Mari, one by Ronnie Lynn Patterson, and another by Marianne Schroeder. It's strange how some pianists can really make the piece work, and others . . . can't.

I have only Takahashi. It might be worth getting another.

[Artem]

Did you guys see that Out There Music added Hat Hut/Art label to their catalogue and are now issuing some Feldman? Interesting.

[Mandryka]

Who are the composers whose music was influenced by Feldman's ideas?

[milk]

Who are the composers whose music was influenced by Feldman's ideas?

John Luther Adams professes. But somehow I feel this is more about mood then any technical aspects of the music? Anyway, Adams has had no lasting effect on me despite a bit of effort I gave it.

[Mandryka]

I have only Takahashi. It might be worth getting another.

Yes I think you should. I've found 16 recordings of Palais de Mari and there's a lot of differences.

I've been listening to this, it is very bleak indeed, and very good. Feldman was dying in 1987 and I'd say he wrote some extraordinary music at that time.

[Mandryka]

John Luther Adams professes. But somehow I feel this is more about mood then any technical aspects of the music? Anyway, Adams has had no lasting effect on me despite a bit of effort I gave it.

Well it certainly would be interesting if Feldman's sole legacy is John Luther Adams. What about Merzbow and other noise music people who write serious  long compositions where not much happens? Music that sounds like a badly tuned FM radio.