I'm not familiar with most classical music but like a few 20C works and have "A Timeline of 20th-Century Musical Premieres" in the booklet from one of the Decca/DG 20C CDs so think I'll have a look on YouTube and archive.org and find out what they're like, make a list and hopefully discover some I'd like to follow up further.
1900 Elgar: The Dream of Gerontius. Barbirolli 1965. Wow an hour and a half religious opera, daunting but actually it was OK, somewhat unsettling but dramatic and it kept me listening all the way through although adjusting the volume at intervals to avoid being deafened in the loud bits. I could give it a second listen.
Quote from: 2dogs on August 12, 2019, 07:53:58 AM
I'm not familiar with most classical music but like a few 20C works and have "A Timeline of 20th-Century Musical Premieres" in the booklet from one of the Decca/DG 20C CDs so think I'll have a look on YouTube and archive.org and find out what they're like, make a list and hopefully discover some I'd like to follow up further.
1900 Elgar: The Dream of Gerontius. Barbirolli 1965. Wow an hour and a half religious opera, daunting but actually it was OK, somewhat unsettling but dramatic and it kept me listening all the way through although adjusting the volume at intervals to avoid being deafened in the loud bits. I could give it a second listen.
Gerontius is magnificent.
Cool idea. Will be following this topic with great interest.
(https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/7/79/The_Simpsons-Jeff_Albertson.png)
Technically, 1900 is still the 19th Century. And in spirit, Gerontius is still definitely the 19th Century.
I would at least jump to something like, say, La Mer.
https://www.youtube.com/v/1mGqLaD_zaU
Yes there are 101 years in the 20C list as the last one is for 2000. I am still hoping they picked the important compositions and will stick with it but will pay special attention to La Mer when I reach it, look for any major differences to the 9 preceding works. Thanks for the YouTube video, I'll come back to that rather than clicking one at random.
1900 Puccini: Tosca. Arena di Verona 1984.
[asin]B0009S4EJQ[/asin]
It didn't click at first but finally the very well filmed production with multiple cameras, following the action and close ups, together with beautiful sets and costumes, made me realise this was a complete audio visual spectacle rather than being just about the music, and I began to enjoy it, appreciating how the performers moved and expressed emotions through their facial expressions while still singing at such a high standard. The music supported the story in a suitably dramatic fashion and the whole thing flowed quite hypnotically through its two hours. I don't think a CD of the music alone would be much good though, it needs to be the full immersive experience.
Quote from: 2dogs on August 13, 2019, 07:48:00 AM
1900 Puccini: Tosca. Arena di Verona 1984.
(http://images.amazon.com/images/P/B0009S4EJQ.01.L.jpg)
It didn't click at first but finally the very well filmed production with multiple cameras, following the action and close ups, together with beautiful sets and costumes, made me realise this was a complete audio visual spectacle rather than being just about the music, and I began to enjoy it, appreciating how the performers moved and expressed emotions through their facial expressions while still singing at such a high standard. The music supported the story in a suitably dramatic fashion and the whole thing flowed quite hypnotically through its two hours. I don't think a CD of the music alone would be much good though, it needs to be the full immersive experience.
Good for you. Opera is indeed a stage spectacle. It's a while since I watched
Tosca, I should revisit it.
Quote from: Daverz on August 12, 2019, 04:53:11 PM
(https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/7/79/The_Simpsons-Jeff_Albertson.png)
Technically, 1900 is still the 19th Century. And in spirit, Gerontius is still definitely the 19th Century.
I would at least jump to something like, say, La Mer.
https://www.youtube.com/v/1mGqLaD_zaU
Excellent suggestion, and an excellent recording.
https://www.youtube.com/v/G3UGewCinYw
More Debussy!
In an interview (with Claude Rostand) composer Francis Poulenc remembers that at age eight he heard for the first time Debussy's Danse sacrée et danse profane for harp and strings. This music (only a bit longer than 10 minutes!) opened up a whole new world.
For me that magic happened with a (mono?)DGG recording : Nicanor Zabaleta and Ferenc Fricsay.
I think that Anneleen Lenaerts (one of the harpists at the Vienna Phil.) is just as excellent!
(https://img.discogs.com/d1HX8G5OTWW0TI-JEQ_DECDTTeY=/fit-in/600x600/filters:strip_icc():format(jpeg):mode_rgb():quality(90)/discogs-images/R-2725509-1417959592-4377.jpeg.jpg)
You ought to check out English composer Arthur "Two Sheds" Jackson--His symphonies in particular.
Thanks for that. I'll have to go through this thread again for these recommendations once I've got to the end of the list.
Quote from: XB-70 Valkyrie on August 13, 2019, 12:29:13 PM
You ought to check out English composer Arthur "Two Sheds" Jackson--His symphonies in particular.
I wanted to recommend Johann Gambolputty de von Ausfern- schplenden- schlitter- crasscrenbon- fried- digger- dingle- dangle- dongle- dungle- burstein- von- knacker- thrasher- apple- banger- horowitz- ticolensic- grander- knotty- spelltinkle- grandlich- grumblemeyer- spelterwasser- kurstlich- himbleeisen- bahnwagen- gutenabend- bitte- ein- nürnburger- bratwustle- gerspurten- mitz- weimache- luber- hundsfut- gumberaber- shönedanker- kalbsfleisch- mittler- aucher von Hautkopft of Ulm, but Johann Gambolputty de von Ausfern- schplenden- schlitter- crasscrenbon- fried- digger- dingle- dangle- dongle- dungle- burstein- von- knacker- thrasher- apple- banger- horowitz- ticolensic- grander- knotty- spelltinkle- grandlich- grumblemeyer- spelterwasser- kurstlich- himbleeisen- bahnwagen- gutenabend- bitte- ein- nürnburger- bratwustle- gerspurten- mitz- weimache- luber- hundsfut- gumberaber- shönedanker- kalbsfleisch- mittler- aucher von Hautkopft of Ulm was a Baroque composer, so wouldn't qualify.
Quote from: some guy on August 13, 2019, 10:41:16 PM
I wanted to recommend Johann Gambolputty de von Ausfern- schplenden- schlitter- crasscrenbon- fried- digger- dingle- dangle- dongle- dungle- burstein- von- knacker- thrasher- apple- banger- horowitz- ticolensic- grander- knotty- spelltinkle- grandlich- grumblemeyer- spelterwasser- kurstlich- himbleeisen- bahnwagen- gutenabend- bitte- ein- nürnburger- bratwustle- gerspurten- mitz- weimache- luber- hundsfut- gumberaber- shönedanker- kalbsfleisch- mittler- aucher von Hautkopft of Ulm, but Johann Gambolputty de von Ausfern- schplenden- schlitter- crasscrenbon- fried- digger- dingle- dangle- dongle- dungle- burstein- von- knacker- thrasher- apple- banger- horowitz- ticolensic- grander- knotty- spelltinkle- grandlich- grumblemeyer- spelterwasser- kurstlich- himbleeisen- bahnwagen- gutenabend- bitte- ein- nürnburger- bratwustle- gerspurten- mitz- weimache- luber- hundsfut- gumberaber- shönedanker- kalbsfleisch- mittler- aucher von Hautkopft of Ulm was a Baroque composer, so wouldn't qualify.
Surely though someone must have recited this into a tape recorder in the 1950s then cut the tape up, stuck it back together at random, moved it back and forth over the playback head by hand and piped the signal through a load of filters and spring reverbs 8).
1901 Dvorak: Rusalka. Petr Weigl film 1977.
Another opera! I enjoyed this Czech film made around an actual lake, forest and impressive palace, the occasional special effects and the sad fairy tale story. Not understanding a single word of Czech but having found a synopsis of the plot, I was able to concentrate on the atmosphere and feeling of each scene for as long as it lasted, soaking it up, rather than being pulled forward at great speed by the dialogue or action as with a modern non-musical film. I'd watch this again in due course.
I used to follow the libretto in translation as it was playing, I know it sounds like hard work but really it isn't, I never found just reading summaries of the action good enough somehow. I've only seen Rusalka once, it never had subtitles, I didn't enjoy it much.
1901 Mahler: Symphony No. 4. Abaddo 2009, Haitink 1992.
I found the Abaddo a bit hard to get into but thought I'd give it another go and tried Haitink. It seemed to flow a lot better and the instruments blended together more, but it may just have been due to increasing familiarity as Abaddo then sounded better. I'm not listening to it all three times though, it became quite pleasant but didn't conjure up any images or feelings. Why Mahler chose those lyrics about a ludicrous conception of Heaven is a mystery to me - one might almost think he was ridiculing the religion.
Abbado.
What seems ludicrous to you might not seem ludicrous to anyone else. (The song is a child's vision of Heaven.)
"...didn't conjure up any images or feelings." Good! (I.e., music is magical all on its own--doesn't need any conjuring. ;))
Quote from: some guy on August 13, 2019, 10:41:16 PM
I wanted to recommend Johann Gambolputty de von Ausfern- schplenden- schlitter- crasscrenbon- fried- digger- dingle- dangle- dongle- dungle- burstein- von- knacker- thrasher- apple- banger- horowitz- ticolensic- grander- knotty- spelltinkle- grandlich- grumblemeyer- spelterwasser- kurstlich- himbleeisen- bahnwagen- gutenabend- bitte- ein- nürnburger- bratwustle- gerspurten- mitz- weimache- luber- hundsfut- gumberaber- shönedanker- kalbsfleisch- mittler- aucher von Hautkopft of Ulm, but Johann Gambolputty de von Ausfern- schplenden- schlitter- crasscrenbon- fried- digger- dingle- dangle- dongle- dungle- burstein- von- knacker- thrasher- apple- banger- horowitz- ticolensic- grander- knotty- spelltinkle- grandlich- grumblemeyer- spelterwasser- kurstlich- himbleeisen- bahnwagen- gutenabend- bitte- ein- nürnburger- bratwustle- gerspurten- mitz- weimache- luber- hundsfut- gumberaber- shönedanker- kalbsfleisch- mittler- aucher von Hautkopft of Ulm was a Baroque composer, so wouldn't qualify.
He died tragically as a victim of the world's funniest joke...
Also, I recognize your avatar--from in front of the Centre Pompidou!
Quote from: XB-70 Valkyrie on August 17, 2019, 03:33:00 PM
Also, I recognize your avatar--from in front of the Centre Pompidou!
Cool, I spotted it in part of the Bosch painting on a CD I have.
Quote from: 2dogs on August 16, 2019, 08:22:28 AM
1901 Mahler: Symphony No. 4. Abaddo 2009, Haitink 1992.
I found the Abaddo a bit hard to get into but thought I'd give it another go and tried Haitink. It seemed to flow a lot better and the instruments blended together more, but it may just have been due to increasing familiarity as Abaddo then sounded better. I'm not listening to it all three times though, it became quite pleasant but didn't conjure up any images or feelings. Why Mahler chose those lyrics about a ludicrous conception of Heaven is a mystery to me - one might almost think he was ridiculing the religion.
One of my favourite Mahler's works. I associate it with the coming of spring and the light. It is very nice. Members of this board recommended me the following recording of it, which I found very enjoyable. The only drawback is a short lecture about the symphony at the end, which i found distracting when the music ends.
[asin]B0013Y0EIU[/asin]
Quote from: XB-70 Valkyrie on August 17, 2019, 03:33:00 PM
He died tragically as a victim of the world's funniest joke...
Also, I recognize your avatar--from in front of the Centre Pompidou!
Indeed. 8)
I spent many happy minutes snapping pictures of the work of Niki de Saint Phalle and Jean Tinguely. On several different occasions, as I visit the Stravinsky Fountain every time I go to Paris.
I took my youngest son there once, when he met me in Paris on his way to or from studying in Bologne. I took him by a back way, where you turn a corner and suddenly there it is--the look on his face became one of my favorite memories. Sure, I only remember about four or five things, but still....
1902 Debussy: Pelleas et Melisande. Jordan 2012.
This was unexpectedly great! A weirdly blue lit dream like performance with fascinatingly strange dialogue (in subtitles), psychological and very descriptive of the scenes. The music swelled and subsided to provide a rich background without becoming too prominent and detracting from the singing and story. It has been quite a shock to find that some operas do not include Pavarotti singing Nessun Dorma.
Quote from: 2dogs on August 18, 2019, 10:35:46 AM
1902 Debussy: Pelleas et Melisande. Jordan 2012.
This was unexpectedly great! A weirdly blue lit dream like performance with fascinatingly strange dialogue (in subtitles), psychological and very descriptive of the scenes. The music swelled and subsided to provide a rich background without becoming too prominent and detracting from the singing and story. It has been quite a shock to find that some operas do not include Pavarotti singing Nessun Dorma.
Indeed, there are one or two....
1902 Schoenberg: Verklarte Nacht. Heiss 2013.
OK I get how it accompanied the poem, as similar music was used in melodramatic black and white films of the 1940s and 50s, but the association with those does not really appeal to me.
1903 D'Albert: Tiefland.
More opera. It doesn't grab me at the moment.
To be fair though, I couldn't find a performance with subtitles, nor one with engaging visuals and the plot synopsis didn't excite me.
1904 Mahler: Symphony No. 5. Abbado 2004.
It was that Claudio "Two Bees" Abbado again ;).
A good absorbing orchestral piece, with plenty of rhythm and contrasting quiet and dramatic passages, and a bit of harp. Not at all tiring to listen to all the way through.
1904 Sibelius: Violin Concerto. Vengerov, Barenboim.
Excellent stuff - super impressive solo violin backed and contrasted by a massively powerful orchestra.
1905 Debussy: La Mer. Boulez 1992.
This conjured up images of the sea pretty well as it alternated between its calm and violent phases. No strong melodies as such, more the sections of the orchestra becoming more or less prominent. The harps swirled about well and the xylophone added a delicate top end to the sound.
I wonder what he was doing in that music, sometimes I think it's like a picture postcard of the sea. Sometimes not.
Quote from: 2dogs on August 19, 2019, 01:29:24 AM
1902 Schoenberg: Verklarte Nacht. Heiss 2013.
OK I get how it accompanied the poem, as similar music was used in melodramatic black and white films of the 1940s and 50s, but the association with those does not really appeal to me.
Or as a ballet -- ballet is a bit like old silent films, or can be
https://www.youtube.com/v/X7z7bxUDKIg
Quote from: Mandryka on August 20, 2019, 11:01:44 PM
Or as a ballet -- ballet is a bit like old silent films, or can be
https://www.youtube.com/v/X7z7bxUDKIg
Oh yes, the music and dancing work well together.