(http://losslessclub.com/attachs/artist_12883_12123.jpg)
Choose your favorite Barber works. One stipulation here is you can only choose one concerto. Have fun! 8)
My own list (in no particular order):
Cello Concerto
Knoxville: Summer of 1915
Essay for Orchestra No. 1
Music for a Scene from Shelley
Cello Sonata
Vanessa
Piano concerto
Mélodies passagères
3 songs op.45
Toccata Festiva
Symphony #1
Violin Concerto
Knoxville, summer of 1915
The Lovers
String Quartet (yes, containing THAT movement)
My wife Vanessa would like me to add an opera... so... that makes six.
Symphony No.1
Medea Suite
Essay No.2
Knoxville
Cello Concerto
Symphony
Two Essays
Violin Concerto
Cello Concerto
(I followed John's rule by choosing one concerto for 4th spot and one concerto for 5th spot. Nowhere did I pick two concertos for the same spot.)
Essay for Orchestra No. 2
Music for a Scene from Shelley / Medea's Meditation and Dance of Vengeance
Knoxville: Summer of 1915
Violin Concerto / Cello Concerto
Symphony No. 2
Quote from: Ken B on June 10, 2015, 12:22:40 PM
Symphony
Two Essays
Violin Concerto
Cello Concerto
(I followed John's rule by choosing one concerto for 4th spot and one concerto for 5th spot. Nowhere did I pick two concertos for the same spot.)
::) Cheater! I said you can only choose
one concerto. :)
Quote from: Christo on June 10, 2015, 01:23:38 PM
Essay for Orchestra No. 2
Music for a Scene from Shelley / Medea's Meditation and Dance of Vengeance
Knoxville: Summer of 1915
Violin Concerto / Cello Concerto
Symphony No. 2
Interesting that you chose Symphony 2 rather than No. 1.
Quote from: vandermolen on June 10, 2015, 11:00:48 PMInteresting that you chose Symphony 2 rather than No. 1.
They're both fine, but yes, I have a special liking for the
Second. For more than a decade, I only knew 'Night Flight' in de Measham performance, an intriguing dreamlike piece and the slow movement that Barber turned into a seperate composition after having the parts of the whole symphony destroyed. But the first movement, if performed with enough inspiration, is a remarkable piece of music as well, recalling those thrilling days during the 'war years' when Barber was at the air force. Well, I love it. :)
Um...
Hermit Songs
3 Songs, Op.45
Adagio for Strings
First and Second Essays for Orchestra?
Barber is that very rare thing for me, a composer where I know the songs better than I know anything else. Some years ago I picked up the magnificent set sung by Thomas Hampson and Cheryl Studer with John Browning accompanying, and it's made a very strong impression.
I do have discs of orchestral and chamber music, and I know I like them, but when put on the spot I would find it difficult to pick specific instrumental pieces as favourites.
Quote from: Christo on June 10, 2015, 11:10:56 PM
They're both fine, but yes, I have a special liking for the Second. For more than a decade, I only knew 'Night Flight' in de Measham performance, an intriguing dreamlike piece and the slow movement that Barber turned into a seperate composition after having the parts of the whole symphony destroyed. But the first movement, if performed with enough inspiration, is a remarkable piece of music as well, recalling those thrilling days during the 'war years' when Barber was at the air force. Well, I love it. :)
Me too Johan. I also had that Measham disc and got to know 'Night Flight' through it. It has a link to Antoine de Saint Exupery, one of my favourite authors - so it is doubly meaningful to me. Like Andrew Schenk, another fine Barber conductor Measham died too young. His LP of Miaskovsky Symphony 21 was my introduction to that great work too.
Why did I place a stipulation on this thread? I'm crazy to have enforced any stipulation on any thread. Anyway, my list has changed...
(In no particular order)
Piano Sonata, Op. 26
Knoxville: Summer of 1915, Op. 24
Cello Concerto, Op. 22
Hermit Songs, Op. 29
Despite and Still, Op. 41
Quote from: Mirror Image on June 10, 2015, 06:16:07 PM
::) Cheater! I said you can only choose one concerto. :)
Also, there are 3 essays. I assume Ken means the first two.
My 5 selections
Violin Concerto
Medea's yadda yadda yadda
1st and 2nd Essays
Adagio for Strings
I might swap out one of the essays for The School for Scandal Overture.
For me, "Knoxville" is the special one.
I'm assuming the works will not be ranked through a poll or game.
Summer Music
Knoxville Summer 1915
Prayers of Kierkegaard
Piano concerto Op.38
String Quartet in B minor
Honorable Mention: Sonata for Piano, op. 26
Quote from: San Antone on May 01, 2018, 03:47:47 PM
Summer Music
Knoxville Summer 1915
Prayers of Kierkegaard
Piano concerto Op.38
String Quartet in B minor
Honorable Mention: Sonata for Piano, op. 26
A fine list.
Prayers of Kierkegaard, in particular, is quite underrated. Have you heard
The Lover? This is another work I had thought adding to my favorites, but I can't include
everything of course. ;)
Also, I appreciate everyone participating, but no love for the songs? After I heard the DG set (w/ Studer/Hampson/Browning), I realized how incredible these works are. Of course, Barber was a vocalist himself and there's this vocal quality in all of his works, even the orchestral music. Perhaps there's just not many here who are into songs/lieder/mélodies? I could be quite wrong of course (nothing new there). :)
Edit: I see orfeo and Mr. Bloom voted for some of the songs. Sorry, guys! :-[
Quote from: Daverz on May 01, 2018, 02:19:47 PM
Also, there are 3 essays. I assume Ken means the first two.
My 5 selections
Violin Concerto
Medea's yadda yadda yadda
1st and 2nd Essays
Adagio for Strings
I might swap out one of the essays for The School for Scandal Overture.
Have you heard the ballet suite to
Medea? I wonder what the original is like,
Cave of the Heart?
Quote from: springrite on June 10, 2015, 06:47:47 AM
Symphony #1
Violin Concerto
Knoxville, summer of 1915
The Lovers
String Quartet (yes, containing THAT movement)
My wife Vanessa would like me to add an opera... so... that makes six.
The Lovers is a fantastic work, Paul. Good to see it's on your list. 8)
Quote from: Mirror Image on May 01, 2018, 05:07:26 PM
Have you heard the ballet suite to Medea? I wonder what the original is like, Cave of the Heart?
I have the Hanson recording of the suite, so I probably have, but will have to refresh my memory.
I see this recording of Cave of the Heart on Tidal:
(https://images-na.ssl-images-amazon.com/images/I/51zfSluYazL.jpg)
https://tidal.com/album/44316010
Quote from: Mirror Image on May 01, 2018, 01:23:05 PM
Why did I place a stipulation on this poll?
Where is this poll? So far, all you've done is make comments on the lists of others.
Barber is one of my favorite American composers. Possibly, my list is something like this:
Essay No. 2 (majestic)
Symphony No. 1
Cello concerto
Knoxville (or Toccata Festiva)
Prayers of Kierkegaard (a recent discovery)
Quote from: Sammy on May 01, 2018, 05:20:28 PM
Where is this poll? So far, all you've done is make comments on the lists of others.
I meant thread. Not poll. Sorry.
Quote from: Mirror Image on May 01, 2018, 05:06:27 PM
Edit: I see orfeo and Mr. Bloom voted for some of the songs. Sorry, guys! :-[
Yes, and of course that was on the basis of the set that has now bowled you over. The irony now is that I have all these orchestral works I didn't previously own and would have to reconsider my list.
Quote from: Madiel on May 02, 2018, 04:19:12 AM
Yes, and of course that was on the basis of the set that has now bowled you over. The irony now is that I have all these orchestral works I didn't previously own and would have to reconsider my list.
:) Ironic, indeed. I would certainly like to know which orchestral works have made a strong impression on you.
Quote from: Mirror Image on May 02, 2018, 05:37:13 AM
:) Ironic, indeed. I would certainly like to know which orchestral works have made a strong impression on you.
Off the top of my head,
Knoxville and the
Medea suite were things previously unknown that I definitely responded to.
Quote from: Madiel on May 02, 2018, 05:55:43 AM
Off the top of my head, Knoxville and the Medea suite were things previously unknown that I definitely responded to.
Very fine works, indeed. I still believe that whatever criticism it continues to have that his
Symphony No. 2 is a fine work. It's an uneven work for sure, but the first and second movements are outstanding.
Quote from: SymphonicAddict on May 01, 2018, 05:20:35 PM
Barber is one of my favorite American composers. Possibly, my list is something like this:
Essay No. 2 (majestic)
Symphony No. 1
Cello concerto
Knoxville (or Toccata Festiva)
Prayers of Kierkegaard (a recent discovery)
Don't know the last work but otherwise totally agree.
Quote from: vandermolen on May 03, 2018, 08:01:13 AM
Don't know the last work but otherwise totally agree.
Prayers of Kierkegaard is a very fine work and it's worth listening to, without reservations.
Classics
- Knoxville: Summer of 1915
- Adagio for Strings - or its choral version, « Agnus Dei »
- violin concerto
- scenes from Anthony and Cleopatra sung by Leontyne Price.
- symphony no 1
Quote from: vandermolen on May 03, 2018, 08:01:13 AM
Don't know the last work but otherwise totally agree.
Jeffrey, I whole-heartedly recommend Barber's songs. I know you're an orchestral fan, but there's an intimacy in these settings that an orchestra simply can never capture. Check out
Hermit Songs,
3 Songs, and
4 Songs. Of course,
Dover Beach is a masterpiece IMHO. Also, the piano music is of very high quality like the
Piano Sonata and
Excursions. Do you know the cantata,
The Lovers? Another notch in an already long history of stellar works.
Quote from: SymphonicAddict on May 03, 2018, 10:11:24 AM
Prayers of Kierkegaard is a very fine work and it's worth listening to, without reservations.
Thanks Caesar - will do.
Quote from: Mirror Image on May 03, 2018, 06:53:34 PM
Jeffrey, I whole-heartedly recommend Barber's songs. I know you're an orchestral fan, but there's an intimacy in these settings that an orchestra simply can never capture. Check out Hermit Songs, 3 Songs, and 4 Songs. Of course, Dover Beach is a masterpiece IMHO. Also, the piano music is of very high quality like the Piano Sonata and Excursions. Do you know the cantata, The Lovers? Another notch in an already long history of stellar works.
Dover Beach is great (VW told the young Barber that he preferred Barber's setting to his own). Knoxville is one of my favourite Barber works and I like Copland's 'Old American Songs'. As I've got older I've learned to appreciate more chamber and vocal works, probably via works like VW's 'On Wenlock Edge' and 'Five Mystical Songs' which I loved from my early LP collecting days. Only opera and country and western music still remain blind spots for me.
8)
Quote from: vandermolen on May 05, 2018, 12:14:06 AM
Dover Beach is great (VW told the young Barber that he preferred Barber's setting to his own). Knoxville is one of my favourite Barber works and I like Copland's 'Old American Songs'. As I've got older I've learned to appreciate more chamber and vocal works, probably via works like VW's 'On Wenlock Edge' and 'Five Mystical Songs' which I loved from my early LP collecting days. Only opera and country and western music still remain blind spots for me.
8)
Yes, Vaughan Williams actually told Barber,
"I've tried to set 'Dover Beach' many times, but I think you got it!". Barber later revealed in an interview that this was the first compliment he ever received from another composer.
Knoxville is amazing. I need to revisit Copland's
Old American Songs, but I still believe it's his
12 Poems of Emily Dickinson that is the finer work.
Violin Concerto
Symphony no. 1
Essay no. 3 (underrated)
Cello Sonata
Knoxville: Summer of 1915
Honorable mention: Music for a Scene from Shelley
Knoxville: Summer of 1915
Vanessa.
Hermit Songs.
Medea Suite
Adagio for string
In that order.
Quote from: Daverz on May 01, 2018, 05:16:49 PM
I have the Hanson recording of the suite, so I probably have, but will have to refresh my memory.
I see this recording of Cave of the Heart on Tidal:
(https://images-na.ssl-images-amazon.com/images/I/51zfSluYazL.jpg)
https://tidal.com/album/44316010
Following up to my own post, the full ballet is interesting to hear once, but in the end I prefer the focus of "Meditation and Dance".
One that I may be able to answer:
First Symphony
Commando March
Piano Concerto
Medea Meditation and Dance of Vengeance
Adagio for Strings