Peter Mennin(1923-83)-a Great American Symphonic Composer

Started by Dundonnell, July 14, 2008, 01:30:46 PM

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karlhenning

Quote from: Dundonnell on December 12, 2008, 06:34:55 AM
Nor do they wallow in self-pitying bleakness like some composers of the time(no names, no pack drill ;D)

A.

P.

?

;D

Dundonnell


karlhenning


Dundonnell


karlhenning

You would risk the wrath of the Estonians?  They'll cut off your lamprey supply!  ;D

Dundonnell


vandermolen

Quote from: Dundonnell on December 12, 2008, 06:34:55 AM
Fricker is one of the most disgracefully neglected of all British composers! Not only does the 2nd symphony deserve revival, so too does the rest of his music :) A thread beckons ;D

Your reference to Robin Orr is interesting, Jeffrey, but I assume that you are referring to the Symphony in One Movement, which is Orr's 1st Symphony, rather than the 2nd? It is the 1st which shares the same disc with Fricker's 2nd in its elderly EMI reincarnation.

As for your "gross generalisations" ;D I can 'see where you are coming from'(to use that hideous phrase!) in regard to "a relentless quality" although, as I said before, the slow movements are free of that. I suppose that there is a "melodic anonymity" but the "uncompromising integrity" of the music appeals to me. These were contemporary composers working within established forms and, to a considerable extent, against the grain of musical fashion at that time. They were before the current revival of neo-romanticism or the minimalist vogue. They were attempting to work with the traditions of the past rather than to ignore or to despise such traditions.
I admire that in both Mennin and Fricker. Nor do they wallow in self-pitying bleakness like some composers of the time(no names, no pack drill ;D)

Points taken Colin and, of course your quite right it was Orr's Symphony in One Movement which I was referring to - a fine work (a bit like Chavez's No 4 in its epic, granitic quality). I liked Mennin's Third Symphony, especially the slow movement and will be returning to it.
"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).

Guido

I remember the cello concerto as stilted and dull, which means that I have not actively looked into anything else by the composer. Will have to revisit the cello concerto I guess, but I remember being surprised before when someone professed their adoration for the piece a while a go on this forum.
Geologist.

The large print giveth, and the small print taketh away

schweitzeralan

Quote from: pjme on July 15, 2008, 11:13:08 AM
thanks for this message Dundonnell. There's little that I can add - and I've tried before to praise the qualities of Mennin's music.
I have most of the recordings you mention - symphonies 3 and 7 and the pianoconcerto are favorite works.

Peter


Your review of Mennin is a very good one.  Many years ago I was "into" the American scene, as it were, which included, among others: Barber, Hanson, Creston, Riegger, (or is it Reiger?), Piston, Pershicati (sp.?), Donovan, Ward, Schuman, Carter, Ives, plus so many others.  I was then absorbed by the neo-classical rythmic pulse which informed many of these works.  I consider Mennin, whose symphonies I still listen to, as exemplary of America's finest composer.  How busy he must have been assuming all those administrative duties at Juliard as well as composing his detailed, tigtly controlled, dramatic works.


Dundonnell

Funny you should mention Persichetti :)

A cd arrived this morning from Arkiv in the USA of the only Persichetti symphony which had not previously been in my collection-the Sinfonia Janiculum(Symphony No.9). It is a Japanese copy of a RCA recording so the insert booklet is not much use to me ;D

The coupling is Part I-The Entombment of Christ' of Penderecki's Oratorio 'Utrenja'. At first i thought that this was a rather odd coupling until I discovered that Penderecki dedicated this piece to Ormandy(although he did not conduct the premiere).

Haven't listened to the cd yet but will report back in due course.

schweitzeralan

Quote from: karlhenning on January 14, 2009, 11:39:49 AM
Riegger, Persichetti

Right.  Thanks; and it is the conservatory spelled with two L's.  I tend to post too hastily.  I'll check out spellings before posting.

karlhenning

Quote from: schweitzeralan on January 14, 2009, 02:34:27 PM
Right.  Thanks; and it is the conservatory spelled with two L's.  I tend to post too hastily.  I'll check out spellings before posting.

No worries; glad to be of some service.

snyprrr

i have all the cds we've been talking about

symphonically, wouldn't mennin vs sessions be more apt? but i think it is sessions who sounds more like pettersson (sym on the argo disc 6, 7, 9)
though mennin vs piston would be  anitalian run off. but i have a dry academic problem with piston's late ouvre (notice how ALL these symphoists get more bitter during the 60s!).

the cri disc, the albany 5/6 cd, and the new world 8/9...that's it.....i got rid of 5/6....but the piano concerto with ogdon is mighty...yes, holmboe and simpson and such...

nothing wrong with mennin
btw- EVERY american symphony is a "No.3"!!!     kiddin....

i also have the string quartet on voxbox...more of the same which is fine by me...very propulsive mennin is, exciting.

and such a handsome man, haha

Elnimio

This guy is currently my favorite composer. His piano concerto is mesmerizing.

karlhenning

Nice av! : )

Yes, the piano concerto is fine (oops, it's been a while since I've listened).

And Mennin is one composer whose entire symphony cycle I wish were available, and recorded anew.

Elnimio


violinconcerto

I was a bit puzzled today that wikipedia and some other sources don't mention the violin concerto by Peter Mennin, and on the other hand several other sources do so (for example the Encyclopaedia Britannica http://www.britannica.com/EBchecked/topic/375135/Peter-Mennin).
I am now questioning myself if there really was or is a violin concerto by Peter Mennin? Maybe he wrote such a ork and withdrew it? Or its lost or whatever. Can anyone here give a serious and responsible answer to this question?

Best,
Tobias
www.violinconcerto.de

Karl Henning

Incidentally, I think highly of both Mennin and Schuman. Their music, I mean;  I have no opinion about their respective personalities.
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

Elnimio

Mennin's gift for contrapuntal writing is mind-blowing. It was completely second nature to him. It's so intrinsic in his music that it's difficult to confuse his sound with any other American composer, besides latter Diamond.