What were you listening to? (CLOSED)

[Coco]

First listen to this composer, the pieces on the disc spanning a period from 1945 to 1986. Should be interesting.

[Opus106]

Re: Pettersson's 7th, the middle section (3rd/4th videos on YouTube) is completely not what I expected from this composer given his reputation as the raucous one. At first I though I was just in right mood for the music, but I think I can get used to him.

[Antoine Marchand]

Frequently I think Pierre Hantaï is like that box of chocolates of Forrest Gump... You never know what you're gonna get.

Here I have found again the best Hantaï, the same guy who plays the Goldbergs and Frescobaldi's Partitas & Toccatas:

[asin]B000059OBN[/asin]

[Lethevich]

[It's inevitable, if you think about it. ]

http://www.youtube.com/v/4bMNzqMkW3U

The gateway drug! Soon you'll be hooked on the hard stuff

Significant other wants to listen to something nicer before I go to sleep (apparently Simpson was included in this "not nice" category too):

[asin]B0000016PN[/asin]

[Brahmsian]

Usually I think Pierre Hantaï is like that box of chocolates of Forrest Gump... You never know what you're gonna get.

Here I have again found the best Hantaï, the same guy who plays the Goldbergs and Frescobaldi's Partitas & Toccatas:

[asin]B000059OBN[/asin]

You must chose, Antonio - this cover either belongs in the 'worst LP/CD cover' thread, or in the 'best of'.   

[DieNacht]

Concerning the harshness of the CPO Pettersson symphony recordings, the old CBS 6/Kamu, the old philips 9/Comissiona, the BIS 11/Segerstam and the Phono Suecia 14/Comissiona all present a more lyrical reading than the CPOs, which I tend to prefer; likewise the Caprice 2.Violin Cto/Ida Haendel which is hugely different from the CPO recording ...

[Antoine Marchand]

You must chose, Antonio - this cover either belongs in the 'worst LP/CD cover' thread, or in the 'best of'.   

Well, this CD was also included into this box set, but I don't know if it was an aesthetic improvement:

[asin]B0000CNTK6[/asin]

[SonicMan46]

A couple of new 'J' composers for me - both MP3 downloads from Classicsonline based on recent recommendations in the music periodicals:

Jadin, Hyacinthe (1776-1800) - String Quartets w/ Franz Joseph SQ.  Despite his premature death from tuberculosis, he wrote a LOT of music for his young age (check HERE - my first exposure to him! 

Jadassohn, Salomon (1831-1902) - Piano Trios w/ Syrius Trio; another new composer to me - some of his works listed HERE, including 4 symphonies, 2 piano concertos, bunch of piano chamber works, such as the trios here -

 

[Mirror Image]

Following up Pettersson 10 with 11. 10 is so relentlessly harsh and...noisy (I doubt there are more than two or three minutes of soft playing in the entire symphony), one needs 11 as balance. In fact, they were composed together and form what seems a complete work made of two parts.

Sarge

This is my general problem with Pettersson's late symphonies. They go on and on without any kind of relief. The reason why the 7th was so successful (and still is amongst listeners) is because of the dark/light aspect of the work. The symphony is 40+ minutes, but it contains some heart-wrenching moments of such poignant lyricism that keeps a proper balance of things. The same with the 6th and 8th. There is enough light in these works that I don't walk away from the listening experience feeling down and out.

[Coopmv]

Now playing CD1 from the following twofer for a first listen ...

[Brian]

This is my general problem with Pettersson's late symphonies. They go on and on without any kind of relief. The reason why the 7th was so successful (and still is amongst listeners) is because of the dark/light aspect of the work. The symphony is 40+ minutes, but it contains some heart-wrenching moments of such poignant lyricism that keeps a proper balance of things. The same with the 6th and 8th. There is enough light in these works that I don't walk away from the listening experience feeling down and out.

Sounds like you (and I) should try the 14th.

[karlhenning]

This is my general problem with Pettersson's late symphonies. They go on and on without any kind of relief.

I don't mind that as an affective scheme, necessarily. I still don't buy the musical rhetoric.  But . . . Sara's got me angling gradually to revisit the weepy Swede . . . .

[Mirror Image]

Sounds like you (and I) should try the 14th.

Perhaps we should Brian, but I made my through Pettersson's entire symphonic cycle many months ago. I'm a bit burned out on his music. He's not a composer I plan on listening to with any kind frequency, unless it's Symphonies Nos. 6-8 or the Violin Concerto No. 2. I'm just not brave anymore.

[DieNacht]

An example: Pettersson´s 9 with Comissiona lasts 85 minutes as opposed to the CPO recordings 70 minutes; this of course means slower tempi and a much more lyrical approach to the string writing, for instance.

[Mirror Image]

I don't mind that as an affective scheme, necessarily. I still don't buy the musical rhetoric.  But . . . Sara's got me angling gradually to revisit the weepy Swede . . . .

Listen to the music and judge for yourself. It really doesn't matter to me if you buy the musical rhetoric or not. Pettersson was a composer who wrote music that reflected himself and the world he lived in. He's not a composer of different personas or masks. Accept the music on its own terms or don't.

[mahler10th]

Perhaps we should Brian, but I made my through Pettersson's entire symphonic cycle many months ago. I'm a bit burned out on his music. He's not a composer I plan on listening to with any kind frequency, unless it's Symphonies Nos. 6-8 or the Violin Concerto No. 2. I'm just not brave anymore.

After putting yourself through such an ordeal, I am surprised your communication is still legible and indeed that you are alive and survived Petterssons symphonic output.  Love it.  Meanwhile...

[Mirror Image]

An example: Pettersson's 9 with Comissiona lasts 85 minutes as opposed to the CPO recording's 70 minutes; this of course means slower tempi and a much more lyrical approach to the string wirting, for instance.

Too bad the 9th just doesn't work musically for me. It could go on for 8 hours, I'm still not impressed with that symphony.

[TheGSMoeller]

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[asin]B0027YUK6G[/asin]

I'm going through a David Lang day...
Now to...

[Mirror Image]

After putting yourself through such an ordeal, I am surprised your communication is still legible and indeed that you are alive and survived Petterssons symphonic output.

Yeah, it wasn't easy. I had Jack Daniels and some Smirnoff vodka to help me through it.

[TheGSMoeller]

Yeah, it wasn't easy. I had Jack Daniels and some Smirnoff vodka to help me through it.

Sounds like my first marriage, (cymbal crash)!