Cosi fan Busoni

[Rinaldo]

I was looking for books on Busoni and found the rather recent biography subtitled 'A Musical Ishmael'. I've yet to acquire it but I was wondering what made the author compare Busoni to Abraham's son? Most of my childhood catechism has faded away over the years so I don't recall Ishmael's particular significance, but given his larger role in the Qur'an, is there perhaps an Islamic connection to Busoni?

[North Star]

I was looking for books on Busoni and found the rather recent biography subtitled 'A Musical Ishmael'. I've yet to acquire it but I was wondering what made the author compare Busoni to Abraham's son? Most of my childhood catechism has faded away over the years so I don't recall Ishmael's particular significance, but given his larger role in the Qur'an, is there perhaps an Islamic connection to Busoni?

Perhaps it refers to the Ishmael of Moby Dick.

[Rinaldo]

Perhaps it refers to the Ishmael of Moby Dick.

Of course! Now that would make much more sense. Thanks!

[springrite]

Always loved Busoni, and my favorite recording is the Peter Rosel recording on Berlin Classics.

[ZauberdrachenNr.7]

I am about to listen - for the first time ever - to Busoni's PC (Ohlsson & Dohnány).  May whomever have mercy on my soul.  The notes to this CD, by James Oestreich, sound apologetic (curiously, in both senses of the word).  Uh, oh...it's starting...

[Karl Henning]

Party!

[Cato]

I am about to listen - for the first time ever - to Busoni's PC (Ohlsson & Dohnány).  May whomever have mercy on my soul.  The notes to this CD, by James Oestreich, sound apologetic (curiously, in both senses of the word).  Uh, oh...it's starting...

Dude!  The Busoni Piano Concerto is one of the greatest works ever created! 

  Deep breaths, and go with the flow!   

[ZauberdrachenNr.7]

Deep breaths, Cato, was a VERY helpful suggest, thank you! It's a grand and ambitious work as Busoni intended, though perhaps a grandiloquent one as well.  I found in it passages of extraordinary beauty, though its mysticism is unconvincing (unlike, say, Scriabin or Messiaen).  Many times I felt as if I were being given something and then having it taken away...  How like Busoni it seems: a PC that is not really a concerto - the composer himself, a Catholic/Atheist; a passionate follower of politics but himself politically uncommitted, I could go on.  Well, just ruminating aloud here and these are not my final impressions of the work.  Busoni's motto [Grove] was toujours recommencer, and I am a huge fan of his Doktor Faust, so I will take his advice and listen anew. 

[snyprrr]

Deep breaths, Cato, was a VERY helpful suggest, thank you! It's a grand and ambitious work as Busoni intended, though perhaps a grandiloquent one as well.  I found in it passages of extraordinary beauty, though its mysticism is unconvincing (unlike, say, Scriabin or Messiaen).  Many times I felt as if I were being given something and then having it taken away...  How like Busoni it seems: a PC that is not really a concerto - the composer himself, a Catholic/Atheist; a passionate follower of politics but himself politically uncommitted, I could go on.  Well, just ruminating aloud here and these are not my final impressions of the work.  Busoni's motto [Grove] was toujours recommencer, and I am a huge fan of his Doktor Faust, so I will take his advice and listen anew.

Pepto

[springrite]

My wife Vanessa never liked Bach. She tried.

But now she found that she loves Bach-Busoni. She has it in her car now all the time.

[Karl Henning]

Cool!

[North Star]

My wife Vanessa never liked Bach. She tried.

But now she found that she loves Bach-Busoni. She has it in her car now all the time.

Perhaps she'd also like Bach-Kurtág?

[springrite]

Perhaps she'd also like Bach-Kurtág?

I should give it a try. But I think she'd prefer the make it thicker approach of Busoni as opposed to the make it thinner approach of Kurtag.

[Karl Henning]

I should give it a try. But I think she'd prefer the make it thicker approach of Busoni as opposed to the make it thinner approach of Kurtag.

Liszt, Fantasie und Fuge über das Thema BACH, S.529

[springrite]

Liszt, Fantasie und Fuge über das Thema BACH, S.529

I tried the Godowsky which did not work so well. Liszt might!

[North Star]

I should give it a try. But I think she'd prefer the make it thicker approach of Busoni as opposed to the make it thinner approach of Kurtag.

The pf4h Kurtág is a thinner approach than Busoni's?

https://www.youtube.com/v/0wOlGJFkqic

[snyprrr]

Having the same problem with Busoni as with Finnissy. What can I do with Busoni? I just don't like Piano Music that sounds improvised, no matter how "good" it is... ugh... it's late, sleepy...

[Dax]

In which case, try this

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PHylaKASTik&nohtml5=False

Ogdon paying the Carmen Fantasy (Sonatina no 6)

[ahinton]

http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b084cpk8#play

So BBC has at last realised that Busoni was 150 on 1 April this year (it only took them 8 months, it seems). Some good things here, but the music examples were so severely truncated as to be almost an irrelevance, which is that last thing that they should be.

But the Piano Concerto at 80 minutes? Most performances and recordings are around the 70 minute mark! There was one recording that distended it to almost 90, about which the less said the better...

Any thoughts?

[Keep Going]

http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b084cpk8#play

So BBC has at last realised that Busoni was 150 on 1 April this year (it only took them 8 months, it seems). Some good things here, but the music examples were so severely truncated as to be almost an irrelevance, which is that last thing that they should be.

But the Piano Concerto at 80 minutes? Most performances and recordings are around the 70 minute mark! There was one recording that distended it to almost 90, about which the less said the better...

Any thoughts?

I see Tom Service (of Radio 3) featured Busoni on today's Music Matters. I'll need to catch up via the podcast.