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

[Mirror Image]

I can understand the impact the Harris third had at the time! I just don't think it has worn very well. Anyway,if I had to pick one I would go for No6,which I do quite like when I'm in the right mood;but not in that awful Naxos performance! No7 conducted by Ormandy would come next,followed by No5,in the old Louisville recording.

I suppose some people might accuse Mennin of 'sameness'. Yes,his symphonies tend to be a bit grey and angry;but underneath all the steely rhetoric I feel there is a far wider range of expression,and his slow movements are very beautiful in a brooding kind of way.
Anyway,I remember hearing his Fifth symphony years ago on the radio. It was the first piece of music I had ever heard by him. I just remember thinking it was so power packed. Not a wasted note!
There are some lovely luminous sounds in some of the Harris slow movements. A bit more repose and allot less tub thumping might have helped his cause!!

Thanks for this, cilgwyn. Sounds like Mennin had gotten under your skin rather early on.

[Karl Henning]

Ah okay, Karl. You know I feel a similar experience with Barber. I remember playing an arrangement of I believe the School for Scandal Overture in junior high band and I remember that 'Wow' factor still to this day.

Aye, we played that as well

[springrite]

Karl, have you not heard the heroic cello concerto?

[Ken B]

Well you never know. I could end up liking Harris. I think the thing that irks me about him the most is he's often just declamatory and, yes, there's just not enough variety in the music itself to keep my attention.

What think you of Copland's Symphonic Ode?

[Mirror Image]

Aye, we played that as well

[Mirror Image]

What think you of Copland's Symphonic Ode?

The best I can remember I enjoyed the work, but it's been awhile.

[Karl Henning]

Karl, have you not heard the heroic cello concerto?

I have not, and I see that as an inexcusable oversight . . . .

But I also read a reviewer who complained about the sound of the CD (or, of a second-gen. CD)

[springrite]

I have not, and I see that as an inexcusable oversight . . . .

But I also read a reviewer who complained about the sound of the CD (or, of a second-gen. CD)

THe sound was not good at all. But I heard it first LIVE in Los Angeles.

[Karl Henning]

Nice!

[Ken B]

THe sound was not good at all. But I heard it first LIVE in Los Angeles.

I am listening to Starker with the Louisville Orchestra/Mester. I am wondering how much of this Mennin wrote and how much was ad libbed by the orchestra, and whether the sound engineer thought this was a solo for cello.

One movement of this recording is enough I think 

[Karl Henning]

A bad recording of a great piece, is worse than no recording, alack the day!

[Mirror Image]

Surprised Naxos hasn't recorded Mennin's Cello Concerto.

[Karl Henning]

Naxos definitely has a negative bias against Mennin. Or, that was the impression I had when I blogged this post.

Oh!  And one of the folks who left a comment was the auther of this book:

[asin]0810857480[/asin]

[Ken B]

A bad recording of a great piece, is worse than no recording, alack the day!

True. Poisons the well. Like the not very good stereo recording of Four Saints 

[ritter]

Reading you guys, I just realized I have a work by Mennin in my CD collection:

[asin]B00005Y7D6[/asin]

I got the disc for the Ginastera, and never got round to listening to Mennin's Fourth  . Should do so soon...

[cilgwyn]

I've got that one. It's generally regarded as one of his less cohesive efforts,I gather. I must admit that when I played it I was wearing cordless headphones. I got engrossed in something and I remember thinking,"I like this symphony!"......then I realised what I was listening to!!

I'll give it another go later and program out the Ginastera this time,so I can concentrate on the Mennin symphony. Having said that,I do seem to remember that my original reaction was to buy some Ginastera cds (I didn't!).
I think his purely orchestral symphonies are more successful, though.

Maybe this time?

[Karl Henning]

I cannot speak to the Mennin Fourth, which I've not heard.  But yes, you want Ginastera's Concierto para arpa, and his Variaciones concertantes!

[Ken B]

I cannot speak to the Mennin Fourth, which I've not heard.  But yes, you want Ginastera's Concierto para arpa, and his Variaciones concertantes!

I was thinking the other day, what happened to Ginastera? For a moment there he was trendy, the cat's meow.

[cilgwyn]

I cannot speak to the Mennin Fourth, which I've not heard.  But yes, you want Ginastera's Concierto para arpa, and his Variaciones concertantes!

Thanks Karl,i'll make a note of that!

I'm really enjoying Mennin's Fourth. His usual wiry,energetic writing with lots of singing!! I like it! And the performance and recording quality is a bonus. Good singing as well. I particularly like the quieter,more reflective moments. I don't know why I haven't taken this out of the box before! Well worth seeking out imho (as they say) if you can find it at a reasonable price. I would say this is one his most approachable works. I feel like joining in with that lusty chorus. But perhaps not?!!


I haven't listened to the entire symphony yet;but there's a feeling of urgency and momentum which makes me want to listen right through to the end! Howard Hanson's Seventh eat your heart out! This choral symphony has muscle and meat!!

[cilgwyn]

Thanks Karl,i'll make a note of that!

I'm really enjoying Mennin's Fourth. His usual wiry,energetic writing with lots of singing!! I like it! And the performance and recording quality is a bonus. Good singing as well. I particularly like the quieter,more reflective moments. I don't know why I haven't taken this out of the box before! Well worth seeking out imho (as they say) if you can find it at a reasonable price. I would say this is one his most approachable works. I feel like joining in with that lusty chorus. But perhaps not?!!


I haven't listened to the entire symphony yet;but there's a feeling of urgency and momentum which makes me want to listen right through to the end! Howard Hanson's Seventh eat your heart out! This choral symphony has muscle and meat!!

The Ginastera is going to have to wait! I enjoyed Mennin 4 so much I'm listening to it again!!

Actually, the quiet bits probably sap some of that energy and momentum;but I feel I'm going somewhere with this. It's not wasting my time,put it that way!!
Also,choral American symphonies don't seem to be that thick on the ground;although I expect there are quite a few,I just haven't heard them. Either way,it's allot better than Hanson's Seventh or the Harris Fourth. And I mean that in the nicest possible way.
As to the performance. If only more neglected music was performed with this level of enthusiasm.

Love the ending. Classic Mennin!

And now the Ginastera!!