Elliott Carter, 1908-2012

[Spotswood]

Mr. Carter's birthday (his 101st!) is Friday. I mailed him a greeting this morning, and I included a printout of an e-mail from our friend Cato relating some of the reactions to his (Carter's) Symphonia from his (Cato's) eighth-grade Latin students. I'm hoping Mr. carter finds the students' comments both amusing and heartening. I particularly liked the student who called the music "the sound of human consciousness."

Things seem oddly quiet on the Carter front these days. There haven't been many concerts (certainly not compared to this time last year), and I haven't heard anything lately about any new work. Last I heard, he was working on a wind quintet, but that was a while ago, and I don't know if the piece has been completed. Bridge Records was shooting  to release the Music of Elliott Carter Vol. 8 in time for his birthday, but it doesn't look as thought that's going to happen.

Hooray! I'm a full member again.

[bhodges]

That is a lovely birthday greeting, and I'm sure he will enjoy knowing his work has touched young listeners.

There really is a seeming lack of Carter-iana around this time, compared to last year.  James Levine and the MET Chamber Ensemble are doing Syringa on January 10 at Carnegie (Zankel), but I can't find anything else, anywhere.

--Bruce

[Spotswood]

There really is a seeming lack of Carter-iana around this time, compared to last year.

On the other hand, I just learned that Ursula Oppens has received a Grammy nomination for her recording of Carter's piano music.

I told you it's a great CD.

Oh, gee, I see what everyone means about the new board themes: It is hard to spot highlighted text. But I do not want to get back into that ... 

[karlhenning]

Well, but, lads . . . it is to be expected that for an occasion such as a centenary, there would be a spike of activity whose volume would probably not be replicated the next year, right?

You're not really surprised, are you?

[Spotswood]

Well, but, lads . . . it is to be expected that for an occasion such as a centenary, there would be a spike of activity whose volume would probably not be replicated the next year, right?

You're not really surprised, are you?

Well, no, of course not, but when you stop and think about it, 101 is rather more impressive than 100 ...

[Spotswood]

...listened to the 1st Qrt (Juilliard/Sony) last night before bed.

And?

[bhodges]

Well, no, of course not, but when you stop and think about it, 101 is rather more impressive than 100 ...

Yes, and as I've heard from several people, it really is unprecedented, to have a composer reach this age and still be working.

No biggie, and I do recognize the power and mystique of "the centennial"; I'm just surprised that there hasn't been much of his music programmed around his birthday.

--Bruce

[Spotswood]

I feel asleep. 

Impossible. 

[bhodges]

Hard to believe Elliott Carter turns 101 today, but there you go!  Later I'm planning on playing:

String Quartet No. 5 (Pacifica Quartet)
Variations for Orchestra (Levine/Chicago)
Symphonia: Sum Fluxae Pretium Spei (Knussen/BBCSO)

--Bruce

[springrite]

I have been busy for the whole week promoting my book (shooting up the bestseller's list...well, up to #22 now) and won't have time to listen to music in an attentive way. But I will make amend and listen to lots of Carter next week to belatedly celebrate the birthday of my favorite living composer!

[Spotswood]

Last night, on Carter Eve, I listened to Oboe Quartet, perhaps my favortie of Mr. Carter's late chamber pieces; two short works, HBHH for solo oboe and Figment IV for solo viola; and the String Quartet No. 4 in the Pacifica's Naxos recording. I hadn't listened to much Carter in a while --- indeed, I haven't been listening to much music at all --- and it all seemed fresh and exciting to me.

The more I hear of the Pacifica's quartet cycle, the more I like it: they have a warm tone, and there's something relaxed about they way they approach this famously nervy music. Not that the performances are in any way lackadaisical, but there's a luxuriance here, a way of reveling in the richness of the sonorities, that I do not find to the same degree in other versions. What this says to me is that the music, like all great music, supports an  array of interpretations, and we'll be hearing more of them as younger performers grow up with it.

I have a coupe bootleg performances of the Horn Concerto and Mad Regales I will listen to today.

Every day Mr. Carter goes on living makes me feel a little better about the world.

Paul, a book? Do tell.

[Spotswood]

The latest from David Starobin:

Bridge Records wishes Elliott Carter the happiest of birthdays today--101 years young!
BRIDGE RECORDS celebrates with the release of Elliott Carter, Vol. 8; 15 compositions (2002-2009)

On February 1, 2010, Bridge Records will release its Elliott Carter, Vol. 8, a two disc set that focuses on Carter's most recent work. The works to be released include solo, chamber, vocal and orchestral music, all premiere recordings. Bridge's Elliott Carter Edition is the largest ongoing recording project devoted to the music of Elliott Carter.

Volume 8's compositions and performers are:

Horn Concerto (2006) Martin Owen, horn, BBC Symphony Orchestra, Oliver Knussen, conductor; Sound Fields (2007) for string orchestra, BBC Symphony Orchestra, Oliver Knussen, conductor; Wind Rose (2008) for wind ensemble, BBC Symphony Orchestra, Oliver Knussen, conductor; On Conversing with Paradise (2008), for baritone and chamber ensemble, Leigh Melrose, baritone, Birmingham Contemporary Music Group, Oliver Knussen, conductor; Mad Regales (2007) for six solo voices, The BBC Singers; Due Duetti (2009) for Violin & Cello, Rolf Schulte, violin; Fred Sherry, cello; Retracing II (2009) for horn, William Purvis, horn; Retracing (2002) for bassoon, Peter Kolkay, bassoon; Retracing III (2009) for trumpet, Jon Nelson, trumpet; Figment III (2007) for contrabass, Donald Palma, contrabass; Figment IV (2007) for viola, Hsin-Yun Huang viola; Figment V (2009) for marimba, Simon Boyar, marimba; Clarinet Quintet (2007) for clarinet and string quartet, Charles Neidich, clarinet, Juilliard String Quartet; Poems of Louis Zukofsky (2008), for soprano and clarinet, Lucy Shelton, soprano; Charles Neidich, clarinet; La Musique (2007) for solo voice, Lucy Shelton, soprano.

[karlhenning]

I have been busy for the whole week promoting my book (shooting up the bestseller's list...well, up to #22 now)

Title?  How have I missed this, Paul?

[springrite]

Title?  How have I missed this, Paul?

Good Life Starts with a Good Mental Attitude

Book signing this afternoon. I may have pictures...

[karlhenning]

Molto bene!

And we want pics of Kimi, Queen of the Good Attitude!

[Spotswood]

Bridge Records has announced that it has just added the percussion piece Tintinnabulation to The Music of Elliott Carter, Vol. 8, scheduled for release in February. I'm thrilled. I've heard the piece on youtube and was longing for a good studio recording.

The two-disk set now consists of sixteen pieces.

[karlhenning]

Bridge Records has announced that it has just added the percussion piece Tintinnabulation to The Music of Elliott Carter, Vol. 8, scehduled for release in February. I'm thrilled. I've heard the piece on youtube and was longing for a good studio recording.

The two-disk set now consists of sixteen pieces.

Give me a list! I want to check it twice!

[Spotswood]

Give me a list! I want to check it twice!

The full list appears on the previous page.

You never did tell us about the premiere you attended, you know. 

[Spotswood]

The picture is of the Harvard Glee Club, taken in 1927.

Where's Elliott?

[Spotswood]

No, see, it's like Where's Waldo? You're supposed to try to find him ...