Elliott Carter, 1908-2012

[bwv 1080]

Carter's technique is fascinating and an important component of his art.   It is worth discussing. 

[Lethevich]

I made some changes to the Carter entry on the Wikipedia page, adding some information on Carter's musical style.  I would appreciate any feedback or edits.

*cheer*

Composers are notorious for having either self-serving, poor, or non-existent websites, so Wikipedia is many peoples first port of call when investigating new names - which IMO makes it an important resource to contribute to

[Joe Barron]

Checked out the wikipedia article, and have added Interventions for piano and orchestra to the work list--0that is, my own work list on page three of this thread. We're back to 116. 

BWV, I like your attempt to "humanize" Mr. Carter's aesthetic, as it were. The point about fluidity and drama is especially important. Mr. Carter has also talked about his desire to portray a "different form of motion," in which players are not locked in step with the downbeat of every measure. He has said that such steady pulses remind him of soldiers marching or horses trotting, sounds that we in the late 20th century do not hear at all anymore. He said he wants his music to capture the sort of continuous acceleration of deceleration we feel in an automobile or an aeroplane --- his own and ironically old-fashioned sounding word.   

[bwv 1080]

Checked out the wikipedia article, and have added Interventions for piano and orchestra to the work list. There are now 116 works.

BWV, I like your attempt to "humanize" Mr. Carter's aesthetic, as it were. The point about fluidity and drama are especially important. He has also talked about his desire to portray is "different form of motion," in which players are not locked in step with the downbeat of every measure. He has said that such steady pulses remind him of soldiers marching or horses trotting, sounds that we in the late 20th century do not hear at all anymore. He said he wants his music to capture the sort of continuous acceleration of deceleration we feel in an automobile or an aeroplane --- his own and ironically old-fashioned sounding word.   

I stole your words there and wrote them into the article

[Joe Barron]

I stole your words there and wrote them into the article

Well, thanks! 

I've also added a list of recommended recordings. Only seven, but I think they represent a range of Carter's mature music. I could have listed a lot more, but I didn't want to overwhelm potential consumers. These pieces provide the best introduction, IMO.

Any better now, James? 

[Joe Barron]

A bit of Carterian trivia: In addition to beng Independenc Day, tomorrow, July 4, 2007, is the 100th birthday of Mr. Carter's wife, who was born Helen Frost Jones. Mrs. Carter died in 2003 at age 95. Some of the couple's friends credit her with being the motive force behind her husband's career. In the early 40s, for example, she was the one who insisted he take the job teaching at St. John's College, Annapolis, to get away from New York and out from under the influence of Aaron Copland.  One friend of the family described her as "the bad cop" who kept visitors and curiosity seekers at bay so her husband could concentrate on his music.

[bhodges]

And everybody, big news: I have just heard from an inside source that What Next? is scheduled for a full staging at the Miller Theater, NYC, in December.

Oh.
Happy.
Days.

You are correct!  I just got Miller Theatre's schedule for next season, and What Next? will be performed four nights, Dec. 7, 8, 9 and 11, by AXIOM (a contemporary music ensemble at Juilliard), conducted by Jeffrey Milarsky and directed by Christopher Alden, with scenic design by Andrew Holland.  Sounds absolutely great.  (May have to go more than once!  )

--Bruce

[Joe Barron]

You are correct!  I just got Miller Theatre's schedule for next season, and What Next? will be performed four nights, Dec. 7, 8, 9 and 11, by AXIOM (a contemporary music ensemble at Juilliard), conducted by Jeffrey Milarsky and directed by Christopher Alden, with scenic design by Andrew Holland.  Sounds absolutely great.  (May have to go more than once!  )

--Bruce

Let's shoot at least for the 11th, which is Mr. Carter's 99th birthday.

Scheduled performances of Carter's music are proliferating. Boosey and Hawkes' website lists 93 so far, and that's just the post 1983 stuff. Even the Delaware Symphony has scheduled to play Partita in Wilmington next year. Wilmington, for heaven's sake. Since it's only about an hour drive,I think I might go.  (Though there's always a chance they might cancel, of course.)

[bhodges]

Scheduled performances of Carter's music are proliferating. Boosey and Hawkes' website lists 93 so far, and that's just the post 1983 stuff. Even the Delaware Symphony has scheduled to play Partita in Wilmington next year. Wilmington, for heaven's sake. Since it's only about an hour drive,I think I might go.  (Though there's always a chance they might cancel, of course.)

Wow, "go Delaware!"  For an hour's drive, it would definitely be worth it.  I'd be very curious to hear how they did with it.

--Bruce

[Joe Barron]

More exciting news:

From the Pacifica Quartet's Web site:

Carter CD Coming

The Pacifica Quartet is currently recording its signature performances of Elliott Carter's string quartets. Issued on the Naxos label, the first disc will offer Quartet No. 1 and Quartet No. 5. Check www.pacificaquartet.com for release date and availability.

Only one thing could be better: a goddam Sixth Quartet.

[karlhenning]

Beauty!

[Joe Barron]

Beauty!

This from a man who's never actually heard the quartets. 

[not edward]

This from a man who's never acually heard the quartets. 

Well, now he will have even less reason not to hear them!

Fantastic news, btw. I can't wait for more Carter quartets on disc, particularly at that price and with that ensemble. It's always been a slight disappointment to me that I emigrated from Scotland about a month before the Pacifica played all five at the Edinburgh festival...talk about a missed chance!

[Joe Barron]

Scheduled performances of Carter's music are proliferating. Boosey and Hawkes' website lists 93 so far, and that's just the post 1983 stuff.

You know, I just realized that except for the String Quartets and the piano pieces, I haven't heard anything about performances of Mr. Carter's pre-Boosey orchestral work. Who's playing the Variations? The Symphony of Three Orchestras? The Piano and Double concertos? And the Concerto for Orchestra, which is the only one of these works I've never heard live? Orchestral programmers seem fixated on the late period.

[Joe Barron]

It's always been a slight disappointment to me that I emigrated from Scotland about a month before the Pacifica played all five at the Edinburgh festival...talk about a missed chance!

I've heard all of them in concert at one point or another, and most of them more than once, but I've never heard all five together. Closest I came was back in the early 1990s, before the Fifth Quartet appeared, when the Juilliard played the first four at the Free Library of Philadelphia. That was a memorable night.

[karlhenning]

This from a man who's never actually heard the quartets. 

Your information is out of date :-)

[Joe Barron]

Your information is out of date :-)

Well, out with it, man. Number? Circumstances? Impressions?

[karlhenning]

First and Second Quartets, the Composers Quartet on Nonesuch, probably 3-4 listens so far, highly favorable impression.  Like much of Carter's music, I need to listen many times more to get a better sense of both profile and detail;  but I'll get there, and these quartets well incline me to seek the other quartets out.

[karlhenning]

The Second Quartet has a cadenza for everybody! -- except the second violin.

What's up widdat, Joe? 

[Joe Barron]

The Second Quartet has a cadenza for everybody! -- except the second violin.

What's up widdat, Joe? 

Well, the second violin is the prodigal son's brother, the good sibling who stays at home and keeps things running, or in this case, counts time, while everyone else runs off to express himself.