Coming back to this thread dedicated to Milton Babbitt, a musician that I really love and admire, to give a piece of information and a memory.
The piece of information is to let you guys know about the web site of the New Yorker pianist
Augustus ArnoneIt is called
The complete Babbitt ProjectDuring the spring of 2008, Augustus Arnone performed the complete piano works of Milton Babbitt in 2 concerts
Concert I — March 6, 2008
Allegro Penseroso(1999)
It Takes 12 to Tango (1984)
Partitions (1957), Post-Partitions(1966)
Tableaux(1974)
Preludes, Interludes, and Postlude (1991)
Semi-Simple Variations(1956), Minute Waltz (1977)
Tutte Le Corde (1994)
Concert II — June 10, 2008
The Old Order Changeth (1998)
Emblems (Ars Emblematica) (1989)
The ‘Time Series’
Playing For Time (1977)
About Time (1982)
Overtime (1987)
Lagniappe (1985)
My Complements to Roger (1978), Duet (1956)
Canonical Form (1983)
3 Compositions For Piano (1947)
Mr. Arnone accepted that these concerts be recorded and - today - one can freely download the content of these 2 programs on his web site for individual listening or for sharing. The pianist is just requesting one thing from the listener: to mention his name with the downloaded renditions.
This is a very generous initiative, even more so than these renditions are top notch (listen and compare: it is different, but often better than Taub).
I give you the link with both concerts:
June 10, 2008March 6, 2008The memory is still fresh. Last fall 2008, on November 5, at the Miller Theatre inside Columbia University campus, the excellent
Zukofsky Quartet played the complete work for String Quartet by
Milton Babbitt. The old man was in attendance and was greeted by
Jimmy LevineHow much Jimmy loved Babbitt was so obvious and contagious. How great these quartets are was so evident to me. How sharp the mind of the old affable man still was, although the body was tired!
It was an unbelievable concert!!
I just hope the Zukofsky Quartet will now record these pieces.
Last piece of information, I saw a thread dedicated to the
Avant Garde Project: this initiative is both a treasure and a gold mine, and I just want to mention
AGP 72 dedicated to Babbitt piano work before 1983 played by
Robert Taub. It features the content of the old Harmonia Mundi disc that has been out of print for a long while.
A great opportunity to compare renditions by
Augustus Arnone and by
Robert Taub free of charge

and to realize how inspired and mercurial this music is!