Darius Milhaud (1892-1974)

Started by Kullervo, April 10, 2008, 05:54:27 PM

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Parsifal

#160
Cross Posted from WAYLTN:

Milhaud Symphony No 5.

[asin]B00004SH7J[/asin]

No side drum. What a relief!

A pleasant, sunny work, which I enjoyed. But not real Milhaud. Too profound, not flippant enough.

I found this in the booklet notes.

QuoteThose who expect these symphonies to contain the bizarre contortions or bold distortions of bitonality or melodic formulations characteristic of the light music will be disappointed.

That sums it up. Give me my light music!


Sergeant Rock

Quote from: Scarpia on November 14, 2017, 07:44:09 AM
Milhaud Symphony No 5.
No side drum. What a relief!

;D :D ;D

Quote from: Scarpia on November 14, 2017, 07:44:09 AM
A pleasant, sunny work, which I enjoyed. But not real Milhaud. Too profound, not flippant enough.

The Sixth begins with a quirky melody and the following symphonies lose much of their American (i.e., Coplandesque) flavor. Maybe the second half of his output will be more to your liking.

Sarge
the phone rings and somebody says,
"hey, they made a movie about
Mahler, you ought to go see it.
he was as f*cked-up as you are."
                               --Charles Bukowski, "Mahler"

snyprrr

I'm on a Milhaud tear, ask me a question. lol

Parsifal

Quote from: Sergeant Rock on November 14, 2017, 09:00:37 AMThe Sixth begins with a quirky melody and the following symphonies lose much of their American (i.e., Coplandesque) flavor. Maybe the second half of his output will be more to your liking.

I'm working my way there. :)

snyprrr


Herman

I may have said this before, but I'm a fan of Milhaud's last two string quartets, nrs 17 and 18. Particularly the last one, dedicated to his parents, is a beauty.

It's really too bad these works have never really entered the recital repertory. It would be good to hear other interpretations than the Parisii  -  not because they're bad, but to round out the character of this music.

snyprrr

Quote from: Herman on November 19, 2017, 01:31:48 AM
I may have said this before, but I'm a fan of Milhaud's last two string quartets, nrs 17 and 18. Particularly the last one, dedicated to his parents, is a beauty.

It's really too bad these works have never really entered the recital repertory. It would be good to hear other interpretations than the Parisii  -  not because they're bad, but to round out the character of this music.

What about that Cybellia label cycle?

Yes, I too enjoy them. After 18, he went on to write 5(?) String Quintets and a Sextet! Indefatigable But I like all the SQs 12-18, his is an effusive style for sure! Ilikethe Revueltas Mexico of 13.

I just brought over the Arriaga rec. of 1-2, which I think form another perfect set of bookends alongside with 17-18... their performances are "10 times better" than the Parisii.

snyprrr

Sonatina Op.354

I am loving Milhaud's most perfectly realized piano music. It's less than 10 minutes, and perfectly anonymous in the way only Milhaud can be. I detect the influence of Satie very strongly here, suffused with Milhaud's all encompassing technique of all-at-once. Ultimately, I find it very beautiful.

The actual Piano Sonata No.2, of a few years previous, is very similar, but the Sonatina in pretty much Milhaud's final word on the subject, and, as such, is a masterpiece of summation. Beauty, with complexity.

Peter Power Pop

Quote from: snyprrr on November 26, 2017, 07:33:47 AM
Sonatina Op.354

I am loving Milhaud's most perfectly realized piano music. It's less than 10 minutes, and perfectly anonymous in the way only Milhaud can be. I detect the influence of Satie very strongly here, suffused with Milhaud's all encompassing technique of all-at-once. Ultimately, I find it very beautiful.

The actual Piano Sonata No.2, of a few years previous, is very similar, but the Sonatina in pretty much Milhaud's final word on the subject, and, as such, is a masterpiece of summation. Beauty, with complexity.

https://www.youtube.com/v/bVB-Z65Wjq4

Mirror Image

Quote from: Peter Power Pop on February 27, 2018, 07:38:41 PM
https://www.youtube.com/v/bVB-Z65Wjq4

Thanks for sharing this! I just listened to this and agree with snyprrr about this being a good piece. I know nothing of Milhaud's piano music, but enjoyed it enough to investigate recordings of this repertoire.

snyprrr

Quote from: Mirror Image on February 27, 2018, 07:59:19 PM
Thanks for sharing this! I just listened to this and agree with snyprrr about this being a good piece. I know nothing of Milhaud's piano music, but enjoyed it enough to investigate recordings of this repertoire.
was listening to the Sonatina
Interesting- I juuust                   today. There are two recordings of it (unless it's also on the Martin Jones AVM disc), both on "Koch Discover". Get the "Vol.3" recording by the French lady. It amazed me that both were playing the same music, but the French lady's recording had that extra special magic.

If I were you, I'd get that "Vol.3", and maybe perhaps Tharaud's Naxos disc,...and, frankly, that should be plenty. The former has the main three works- Sonatina, Sonata No.2, and one other Late Work... along with the early Sonata No.1, not so much to my taste.

The other KochDiscover disc is ok, but not as good as Vol.3 from the French lady (read the Amazon reviews, that's what sold me!).


2) Milhaus 2Piano Music... on Hyperion,... eh,... festive! Way down on the list for me...


3) Piano Concertos 1/4 on Erato: don't bother with the CPO Cycle, the Erato is the one to get.

Mirror Image

#171
Quote from: snyprrr on March 03, 2018, 01:35:34 PM
was listening to the Sonatina
Interesting- I juuust                   today. There are two recordings of it (unless it's also on the Martin Jones AVM disc), both on "Koch Discover". Get the "Vol.3" recording by the French lady. It amazed me that both were playing the same music, but the French lady's recording had that extra special magic.

If I were you, I'd get that "Vol.3", and maybe perhaps Tharaud's Naxos disc,...and, frankly, that should be plenty. The former has the main three works- Sonatina, Sonata No.2, and one other Late Work... along with the early Sonata No.1, not so much to my taste.

The other KochDiscover disc is ok, but not as good as Vol.3 from the French lady (read the Amazon reviews, that's what sold me!).


2) Milhaus 2Piano Music... on Hyperion,... eh,... festive! Way down on the list for me...


3) Piano Concertos 1/4 on Erato: don't bother with the CPO Cycle, the Erato is the one to get.

I should've been more specific in my last post. I do know the piano and orchestra works (thanks to the CPO set (Korstick/Francis) that you have apparent disdain for), which are quite good and fun. Carnaval d'aix is the only piano + orchestra work that I do know well. I have the Erato set, so perhaps I should get it out and give it a spin per your recommendation. I wasn't aware that Tharaud recorded a Milhaud piano disc, but looking at the contents of the recording (on Naxos), I'm really only interested in that Brazilian-inspired piano suite, Saudades do Brasil from this disc as the rest of the works look like they're pieces that involve narration, which isn't my thing. Thanks for the recommendations. I'll have to check out that third volume on the Koch label from this 'French lady'. ;)

schnittkease

For me, essential Milhaud is:

Le bœuf sur le toit, op. 58
Saudades do Brasil, op. 67
La création du monde, op. 81a
String Quartet #7, op. 87
Suite provençale, op. 152
Suite for Violin, Clarinet, and Piano, op. 157b
Scaramouche, op. 165b
Suite française, op. 248
La mère coupable, op. 412

I will go out on a limb and say that these are his (major) masterpieces.

snyprrr

Quote from: schnittkease on March 07, 2018, 06:38:52 PM
For me, essential Milhaud is:

Le bœuf sur le toit, op. 58
Saudades do Brasil, op. 67
La création du monde, op. 81a
String Quartet #7, op. 87
Suite provençale, op. 152
Suite for Violin, Clarinet, and Piano, op. 157b
Scaramouche, op. 165b
Suite française, op. 248
La mère coupable, op. 412

I will go out on a limb and say that these are his (major) masterpieces.

Hmmm, a slight bias towards the jazzyBrazil works?

For the sheerest Impressionism there is, String Quartet No.1 can't be beat, No.2 following on- after that, his style changed into a more Schoenbergian Expressionism (SQ5), and then settled into his mature style (SQ8-13).

SQs 6-7, and 12, all have a Fauresque character...


Then we have the Late Milhaud,... he didn't even write any SQs passed the early 50s... the Late Milhaud can be some of the thorniest sweet sounding music there is,... of which the Piano Sonatina is a particularly appealing example (again, the French lady has the better presentation).

Much Late Milhaud can just be agonizingly "atonal"- Aspen (or Julliard?) Serenade comes to mind... I mean, maybe sometimes I need something like this, but,... mm,...


Surely there's a Masterpiece to be counted amongst his 12 Symphonies? Maybe, as a Cycle? I do like the DG 1-2/6-7, with the Erato 4/8,... and I'd like a No.10...


The much maligned(?) Violin Sonata No.2 is as nice as can be, and the Flute Sonatina has a particularly cosmopolitan feel for me (as opposed to the rather noisy Oboe Sonatina).

The Sonata for four winds and piano, also, I think is a minor Impressionist Masterpiece, very mellow (right before his Brazil trip?).



I'd rather agree that your list is more of a Greatest Hits, and don't get me wrong, I do like that side of him, but, he did seem to make it a point that he was goingto try to be AllThings- which, maybe he didn't quite get to,... but, he's starting to become one of my go-tos for various moods.


The 6 Little Symphonies are quite bizarre, and the rest of that VoxBox2CD has a wide smattering of various quality.




And, frankly, if we're talking Masterpieces, how about String Quartets 14-15, which, when played together, become the Octet?


The Chroeoephers(lol) , probably a Masterpiece, is just too much for me to handle....







and the list goes on....



Piano Concerto No.4, the uber pastoral Cello Concerto,... not so much the Violin Concerto (No.2?)...



And the Piano Trio, one of his last works, from the 70s, is quite nice...



How do you eat an elephant?

schnittkease

Hmmm, a slight bias towards the jazzyBrazil works?

I wouldn't contest it.


Then we have the Late Milhaud,... he didn't even write any SQs passed the early 50s... the Late Milhaud can be some of the thorniest sweet sounding music there is,... of which the Piano Sonatina is a particularly appealing example (again, the French lady has the better presentation).

Interesting, I'll have to give it a listen. And are we talking about Tailleferre here?


Much Late Milhaud can just be agonizingly "atonal"- Aspen (or Julliard?) Serenade comes to mind... I mean, maybe sometimes I need something like this, but,... mm,...

Wow, that Aspen-sérénade is quite obnoxious. Reminds me of Perle's equally brash wind quintets (not a big fan of those in general).


Surely there's a Masterpiece to be counted amongst his 12 Symphonies? Maybe, as a Cycle? I do like the DG 1-2/6-7, with the Erato 4/8,... and I'd like a No.10...

I don't know if I can handle a Milhaud work longer than 20min!


I'd rather agree that your list is more of a Greatest Hits, and don't get me wrong, I do like that side of him, but, he did seem to make it a point that he was goingto try to be AllThings- which, maybe he didn't quite get to,... but, he's starting to become one of my go-tos for various moods.

I think the jazzy side is his best. And these works are greatest hits for a reason, right?


The 6 Little Symphonies are quite bizarre, and the rest of that VoxBox2CD has a wide smattering of various quality.

Agreed.


And, frankly, if we're talking Masterpieces, how about String Quartets 14-15, which, when played together, become the Octet?
The Chroeoephers(lol) , probably a Masterpiece, is just too much for me to handle....
and the list goes on....
Piano Concerto No.4, the uber pastoral Cello Concerto,... not so much the Violin Concerto (No.2?)...
And the Piano Trio, one of his last works, from the 70s, is quite nice...


I'm sure these are all pleasant, but at some point you have to draw a line - it's not like we call all 32 of Beethoven's sonatas masterpieces (do we??)

I will definitely do some more digging. You've clearly devoted a lot of time to Milhaud which I haven't.

calyptorhynchus

I prefer his later music, the later SQs and chamber works, later symphonies. One very powerful work is Musique pour Nouvelle Orleans, which isn't in th least jazzy.  :D
'Many men are melancholy by hearing music, but it is a pleasing melancholy that it causeth.' Robert Burton


snyprrr

String Quartet No.16

One of the very nicest, on a par with 6-7, and 12, No.16 stands as a 25th anniversary gift to his wife. The final two String Quartets, written shortly after this one, share its dense polyphony, though, they are ever more wrought. This one is notable for having some gorgeous harmonics in the slow movement. The finale has a jaunty, though melting, chromatic theme that I did find slightly jarring- which makes me wonder what another performance might sound like (I have Parisii, generally quite lovely in Milhaud, sometimes perhaps a bit thin in places requiring lushness (Nos.1-2)).

calyptorhynchus

Quote from: snyprrr on November 26, 2017, 07:33:47 AM
Sonatina Op.354

I am loving Milhaud's most perfectly realized piano music. It's less than 10 minutes, and perfectly anonymous in the way only Milhaud can be. I detect the influence of Satie very strongly here, suffused with Milhaud's all encompassing technique of all-at-once. Ultimately, I find it very beautiful.

The actual Piano Sonata No.2, of a few years previous, is very similar, but the Sonatina in pretty much Milhaud's final word on the subject, and, as such, is a masterpiece of summation. Beauty, with complexity.

I agree, I got hold of that disk, the Francoise Choveaux one, and was blown away by all the pieces, but especially the Sonatina.
'Many men are melancholy by hearing music, but it is a pleasing melancholy that it causeth.' Robert Burton

snyprrr

Quote from: calyptorhynchus on March 27, 2018, 12:21:44 PM
I agree, I got hold of that disk, the Francoise Choveaux one, and was blown away by all the pieces, but especially the Sonatina.

Yaaay!!! Yes, it just makes you want to play it!!

The other recording, also on KochDiscover (Billy Eidi), though played well and recorded well, just doesn't have the MAGIC the the Chov. is imbued with. It could just be a lucky day in the studio, but, the Amazon Reviewer claims Chov. uses another piano in this Vol.3, which, apparently sounds much better than the other two volumes. Read the reviews...


It seems we ALL are diggin' this Sonatina, eh,... oh happy day!!