Elliott Carter, 1908-2012

[Joe Barron]

Gra has been recorded five times, but not once, to my knowledge, by Roland Dury, the clarinettist who first performed it. You couldn't do better than Charles Neidich on the Bridge label.

[Mark G. Simon]

Gra has been recorded five times, but not once, to my knowledge, by Roland Dury, the clarinettist who first performed it. You couldn't do better than Charles Neidich on the Bridge label.

I heard Richard Stoltzman play it in concert. I don't know if he's recorded it, but he nailed it in the performance I heard. Of course he put his own distinctive sound in it, which is much different than Neidich or any of the other players who have played it, but he still very meticulously played what's on the page. I had just learned it myself, so I could tell.

[Joe Barron]

Stoltzman is not the artist on any of my recordings of Gra. Mark, I loved your performance of Esprit Rude/esprit doux. Could you put up Gra as an mp3, too?

[Mark G. Simon]

Stoltzman is not the artist on any of my recordings of Gra. Mark, I loved your performance of Esprit Rude/esprit doux. Could you put up Gra as an mp3, too?

Well, in order to get to that page now, I'd have to update my operating system, and if I updated the operating system I'd have to upgrade to the new version of Finale, and I'm not ready to do that yet. However, I am reminded that I still owe you an improved version of the Prausnitz Double Concerto, and I could add Gra to the playlist.

[Joe Barron]

Well, in order to get to that page now, I'd have to update my operating system, and if I updated the operating system I'd have to upgrade to the new version of Finale, and I'm not ready to do that yet. However, I am reminded that I still owe you an improved version of the Prausnitz Double Concerto, and I could add Gra to the playlist.

That works for me. 

[Cato]

With not a little trepidation,    0:)   I have decided to try Carter's Symphonia "Sum fluxae pretium spei" on my Latin II students.   

They will translate the Latin poem and then we will see if they agree with/tolerate/like Carter's musical interpretation.

[karlhenning]

Outstanding!

I should have loved that if a teacher of mine did so!

[bhodges]

That is very cool, and an interesting angle from which to approach the piece.  Truly, you never know what people will respond to, and I wouldn't be surprised if one or two emerge really liking it!  Do report back, however it turns out.

--Bruce

[Joe Barron]

With not a little trepidation,    0:)   I have decided to try Carter's Symphonia "Sum fluxae pretium spei" on my Latin II students.   

They will translate the Latin poem and then we will see if they agree with/tolerate/like Carter's musical interpretation.

One word of advice: Have them take the movments one at a time. Each may be performed alone, as well as forming part of the whole, and there's no reason to hit them with it all at once. I'd recommend starting with the last movement, the Allegro scorrevole, which is the most overtly bubble-icious. 

[Guido]

...the most overtly bubble-icious. 

Taken out of context who would ever marry this up to a description of Carter's music?! Great stuff.

[Cato]

Many thanks to all for the responses and the advice: it will be a few weeks before we can finish it, but I will report back on the reaction!   

[not edward]

One word of advice: Have them take the movments one at a time. Each may be performed alone, as well as forming part of the whole, and there's no reason to hit them with it all at once. I'd recommend starting with the last movement, the Allegro scorrevole, which is the most overtly bubble-icious. 

I'd agree: it's the most bubble-icious of the three movements and I'd also guess the most easily understood.

The central section of Symphonia by far my favorite.

I think it's my favourite too. It's one of the most overtly tragic pieces in Carter's oeuvre, and I think it's incredibly powerful.

[Joe Barron]

Taken out of context who would ever marry this up to a description of Carter's music?! Great stuff.

Guido, "Bubblicious" is a brand of chewing gum in the US. Flavors include Blue Blowout, Strawberry Splash, Watermelon Wave, and Gonzo Grape. (Gee, I wonder if this post will be moved to the Diner.)

[not edward]

Guido, "Bubblicious" is a brand of chewing gum in the US. Flavors include Blue Blowout, Strawberry Splash, Watermelon Wave, and Gonzo Grape.

I think the finale of Symphonia is more Cherry Calvino.

[karlhenning]

Wuorinen, OTOH, is more Hubba Bubba.

[Guido]

Thanks for the info Jo! With names like that, sounds like I need to get me some! (Blue blowout... is that even a flavour?!)

On a side note: Are you genuinely pissed off about that thread being moved? It seems unlikely to me that people would think that you were stupid because of it.

[Joe Barron]

found this, upcoming complete survey of the his solo piano stuff...>> Oppens plays Carter

Finally! Been waiting all year for this release..

[bhodges]

Wow, does that look great.  Nice photo of Oppens on the cover, too. 

--Bruce

[Joe Barron]

Wow, does that look great.  Nice photo of Oppens on the cover, too.  --Bruce

And it is great. I received my copy this morning and am listening to Night Fantasies at this very moment. Oppens owns this piece. Her interpretation has grown and deepened over the years, revealing ever new expressive aspects to the music. The recording is even more  more masterful than her effort from the 1990s, and it is captivating, definitive. Oppens has come far with this music in the past decade --- I would say farther than others, but I have not traced the development of other pianists in this piece. On the other hand, I have heard Oppens play the piece live several times, and she is the only artist to have recorded it twice. You also get all the newer miniature things, like Catenaires and the Matribute, that have not been recorded before, all in assured performances. (Catenaires is astonishing, but it's a stunt piece. The shorter, oddly named Matribute is more substantial, as are the Intermittances and the Diversions.)  Sound is audiophile quality, I would say: Up up close, no reverb. I cannot recommend this recording highly enough.

Oh, and Bruce, I think it's anold photo of Oppens on the cover.

Now I just have to worry whether this post is going to be moved to the recording section. I can't tell anymore. It's still a reference, people.

[Joe Barron]

BTW, Philadelphia's own Orchestra 2001 will be performing Carter's Dialogues an ASKO Concerto on the afternoon of Nov. 15. Anyone from the five-state area care to come to town make it an occasion, with lunch or dinner and drinks and such? The program also includes Piston's Divertimento and the chamber version of Copland's Appalachian Spring, so it seems like a winner. James Freeman is a fine conductor, and Orchestra 2001 is a good group, an oasis of new music in the Philadelphia cultural desert.