Morton Feldman (1926-1987)

Started by bhodges, March 12, 2008, 10:57:40 AM

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Karl Henning

Quote from: snyprrr on April 19, 2014, 07:20:54 AM
How do you like the sonics for MDG's 'Triadic'? He gets a cd to go for 80:46!!!

I remember thinking highly of it . . . I shall listen afresh now.
Karl Henning, Ph.D.
Composer & Clarinetist
Boston MA
http://www.karlhenning.com/
[Matisse] was interested neither in fending off opposition,
nor in competing for the favor of wayward friends.
His only competition was with himself. — Françoise Gilot

Artem

I also enjoyed the sound of Triadic Memories on MDG.

The one recording of Triadic Memories that I disliked was this one (It is just so heavy and loud):
[asin]B004JUTICS[/asin]

I also have the latest Schleiermacher recording of Feldman compositions on MDG titled "Violin and Piano", and that set has a very nice recording of Piece for four pianos, which I enjoy a lot. And that piece brings me to this CD, which I'd highly recommend:
[asin]B0027CWF7A[/asin]

torut

Quote from: milk on April 14, 2014, 02:00:02 AM
Right. Interesting. I see he was friends with abstract expressionists like Barnett Newman. I thought these guys had a connection to Zen but now I don't see references to it on a web search. Hmm....I thought it was part of the spirit of that time. Anyway, I don't know quite how to put this. There is something that calls for a kind of presence in experiencing this music. Maybe I want to say that the music is not linear in the way other music is... Well, perhaps someone else will find a more coherent way of putting this.
Hi milk, you may be interested in this book introduced in Cage thread by petrarch. It seems to discuss the influence of Zen on Feldman.

Quote from: petrarch on April 19, 2014, 05:32:36 AM
Wonderful book on John Cage. It is a great complement to James Pritchett's.

[asin]0143123475[/asin]

QuoteComposer John Cage sought the silence of a mind at peace with itself—and found it in Zen Buddhism, a spiritual path that changed both his music and his view of the universe. "Remarkably researched, exquisitely written," Where the Heart Beats weaves together "a great many threads of cultural history" (Maria Popova, Brain Pickings) to illuminate Cage's struggle to accept himself and his relationship with choreographer Merce Cunningham. Freed to be his own man, Cage originated exciting experiments that set him at the epicenter of a new avant-garde forming in the 1950s. Robert Rauschenberg, Jasper Johns, Andy Warhol, Yoko Ono, Allan Kaprow, Morton Feldman, and Leo Castelli were among those influenced by his 'teaching' and 'preaching.' Where the Heart Beats shows the blossoming of Zen in the very heart of American culture.

snyprrr

Quote from: Artem on April 19, 2014, 09:55:35 AM
I also enjoyed the sound of Triadic Memories on MDG.

The one recording of Triadic Memories that I disliked was this one (It is just so heavy and loud):
[asin]B004JUTICS[/asin]

That's exactly the kind of feedback I was looking for. Fafchamps recording has been on the radar for decades, and surely I would have gotten it had the opportunity, but I shall gladly strike it off the list! Great!


Artem

That recording is actually a new one. He rerecorded the piece in 2010. There's something in the liner notes about the corrected edition of the score and such which appeared after he recorded Triadic Memories for the first time. So maybe the first recording he did is better. I don't knot. But I would definitely not recomend the one from 2010.


petrarch

Quote from: torut on April 19, 2014, 10:37:42 AM
Hi milk, you may be interested in this book introduced in Cage thread by petrarch. It seems to discuss the influence of Zen on Feldman.

No influence of Zen on Feldman, who showed no great interest in it. There is, however, plenty of what went on between Cage and Feldman, providing good context for how each shaped their music and absorbed other influences--in Feldman's case, his painter friends, mostly, aside from Cage himself. I would argue that Feldman's book is an essential, funny, joy to read and better source for his thinking, however:

[asin]1878972316[/asin]
//p
The music collection.
The hi-fi system: Esoteric X-03SE -> Pathos Logos -> Analysis Audio Amphitryon.
A view of the whole

7/4

#266
Quote from: Henk on February 05, 2014, 09:50:05 AM
Just downloaded this one for E 0,49 on E-music. It has 3 5-star reviews.



Listening to this for the third time today and really enjoying it. New to me.

There's a version on Col Legno (Isabelle Faust, Bavarian Radio SO, Peter Rundel cond.) that I've never heard.


7/4

Flux Quartet ready for full immersion in Feldman's six-hour String Quartet No. 2

http://newyorkclassicalreview.com/2014/04/flux-quartet-ready-for-full-immersion-in-feldmans-six-hour-string-quartet-no-2/

QuoteThe current Flux lineup has appreciable experience with the piece—this will be their third performance since last fall. (The quartet will finish their cycle of the complete Feldman quartets—the first on disc—for Mode with the release, on April 29, of a 2-CD set of the String Quartet No. 1 and the early Three Pieces and Structures. The recording will be available for pre-release purchase at the Armory concert.). - See more at: http://newyorkclassicalreview.com/2014/04/flux-quartet-ready-for-full-immersion-in-feldmans-six-hour-string-quartet-no-2/#sthash.4au0FNsr.dpuf

amw

Quote from: snyprrr on April 19, 2014, 07:20:54 AM(what exactly is the CORRECT timing for 'Triadic'?)

The score's got no tempo mark so I guess there isn't one. For me 80-90 min seems ideal.

(It also has only two dynamic marks—ppp on page 1, ppppp on page 44. Random trivia fact.)

snyprrr

Quote from: Artem on April 19, 2014, 11:23:57 AM
That recording is actually a new one. He rerecorded the piece in 2010. There's something in the liner notes about the corrected edition of the score and such which appeared after he recorded Triadic Memories for the first time. So maybe the first recording he did is better. I don't knot. But I would definitely not recomend the one from 2010.

oh, that's interesting

Quote from: amw on April 19, 2014, 04:11:53 PM
The score's got no tempo mark so I guess there isn't one. For me 80-90 min seems ideal.

(It also has only two dynamic marks—ppp on page 1, ppppp on page 44. Random trivia fact.)

Quote from: 7/4 on April 19, 2014, 03:36:27 PM
Flux Quartet ready for full immersion in Feldman's six-hour String Quartet No. 2

http://newyorkclassicalreview.com/2014/04/flux-quartet-ready-for-full-immersion-in-feldmans-six-hour-string-quartet-no-2/


I'm sorry, but reallY? They couldn't get the SQ on one CD, really? Again we have to switch CDs? Really? Again? We have to switch CDs? Again? Really?

Uber disappointed,... AGAIN >:D... at least that's just another expense I can whisk away! $:)

snyprrr

btw- 'Three Pieces' is available on the Mondriaan cd (Xenakis, Feldman, Cage), and 'Structures' is available on VoxBox. (I forget which is on the Arditti's 'From U.S.A.' disc)

snyprrr

The only thing that gets me madder than Cage is having to change a disc to continue hearing a Feldman piece. >:D Obviously ruining the whole point of the piece in the first place... how are you supposed to achieve zen when you have to change cds? How? I simply will not even entertain any Feldman music I have to work for.

But seriously, has anyone ever listened to a long Feldman piece on hard drugs? Serious. Hard drugs. MF wasn't an addict, was he? (besides cigs?) I mean, he sort writes the soundtrack to an 8 hour heroin high, doesn't he? brrrooowwwwwwrrrrr   brrrrroooowwwwrrrrrr   brrrrrooowwwwwwrrrrrrr brrrrrrooowwwrrrrr

amw


7/4

Quote from: snyprrr on April 19, 2014, 04:20:47 PM
oh, that's interesting

I'm sorry, but reallY? They couldn't get the SQ on one CD, really? Again we have to switch CDs? Really? Again? We have to switch CDs? Again? Really?

Uber disappointed,... AGAIN >:D... at least that's just another expense I can whisk away! $:)

I've been listening to the Flux play SQII on one DVD for 12 years.  :laugh:

milk

Quote from: EigenUser on April 19, 2014, 06:27:49 AM
I never really liked the horn trio very much, but I need to hear it again. The etudes took me a while to warm up to which is odd since most people seem to immediately like many of them. From my experiences, even people who don't care for modern classical have enjoyed them (especially the case with jazz fans and the 4th etude "Fanfares", which also happens to be my favorite). But, I do like most of them by now. His "Clocks and Clouds" is the first piece of his that I heard and it remains to be my favorite. Try his "Lontano" as well. It wasn't as immediately accessible as "Clocks and Clouds", but it is similar. I still don't really like "Atmospheres" very much. It's okay, but I think that it's his least-developed piece in his early style.
I might just go for the Ligeti Project box set (5 CDs). It's not too expensive and it has all these pieces on it.
Quote from: amw on April 19, 2014, 04:11:53 PM
The score's got no tempo mark so I guess there isn't one. For me 80-90 min seems ideal.

(It also has only two dynamic marks—ppp on page 1, ppppp on page 44. Random trivia fact.)
I have Triadic Memories by Sabine Liebner. Hers is just over 2 hours!
Quote from: 7/4 on April 19, 2014, 03:36:27 PM
Flux Quartet ready for full immersion in Feldman's six-hour String Quartet No. 2

http://newyorkclassicalreview.com/2014/04/flux-quartet-ready-for-full-immersion-in-feldmans-six-hour-string-quartet-no-2/

This is a really Well written and interesting article. Thanks! Wish I could be there!
Quote from: petrarch on April 19, 2014, 12:52:31 PM
No influence of Zen on Feldman, who showed no great interest in it. There is, however, plenty of what went on between Cage and Feldman, providing good context for how each shaped their music and absorbed other influences--in Feldman's case, his painter friends, mostly, aside from Cage himself. I would argue that Feldman's book is an essential, funny, joy to read and better source for his thinking, however:
I just ordered this. Thanks.
So many interesting posts here in the last 24 hours or so!

Artem

Quote from: 7/4 on April 19, 2014, 04:42:01 PM
I've been listening to the Flux play SQII on one DVD for 12 years.  :laugh:
Me, too. At least with Mode Records we can expect a DVD-audio release, which the new recording of SQI will probably be.

Also, I would highly welcome transfer of one fo the existing recordings of For Philip Guston to DVD-audio, that's for sure.

snyprrr

Quote from: 7/4 on April 19, 2014, 04:42:01 PM
I've been listening to the Flux play SQII on one DVD for 12 years.  :laugh:

Yes, i know, I have to buy my own "Special Feldman Player" just for this, oy vey!

"If I were a rich man, i would have a DVD Player by nooooow..."

".. all day long I'd... listening.. to... Mor-toooon Feld-maaaaan"


snyprrr

Quote from: Artem on April 20, 2014, 05:32:43 AM
Me, too. At least with Mode Records we can expect a DVD-audio release, which the new recording of SQI will probably be.

Also, I would highly welcome transfer of one fo the existing recordings of For Philip Guston to DVD-audio, that's for sure.

But how much over the 80 minute mark is it going to be anyhow,... waaaah! I don't want chaaaange!!!  Do they make DVD BoomBoxes?

milk

Listening to this today. This music is
fragile
diaphanous
never dull
full of nearly-hidden subtle treasures
mesmerizing

I'm glad I splurged on this.

springrite

Quote from: milk on April 26, 2014, 04:34:25 PM
Listening to this today. This music is
fragile
diaphanous
never dull
full of nearly-hidden subtle treasures
mesmerizing

I'm glad I splurged on this.

One of my all time favourite work and recording!
Do what I must do, and let what must happen happen.