I was surprised to see there was no thread dedicated to this often-neglected section of the repertoire.
At the moment, I am more curious about piano and percussion concertos from American composers. Suggestions welcomed.
Feel free to discuss about your favorites!
Quote from: lordlance on February 02, 2025, 08:24:53 PMI was surprised to see there was no thread dedicated to this often-neglected section of the repertoire.
At the moment, I am more curious about piano and percussion concertos from American composers. Suggestions welcomed.
Feel free to discuss about your favorites!
Maybe 2 threads, "American Piano Concertos" and "American Percussion Concertos".
I quite enjoyed this new album of American music (maybe technically music of the Americas) such as George Walker, George Crumb and Revueltas. The Crumb was quite interesting and the first time I heard this work. I enjoyed it so much I'm seeking out more of his music.
(https://limelight-arts.com.au/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/AmericanOpus.jpg)
Quote from: lordlance on February 02, 2025, 08:24:53 PMI was surprised to see there was no thread dedicated to this often-neglected section of the repertoire.
At the moment, I am more curious about piano and percussion concertos from American composers. Suggestions welcomed.
Feel free to discuss about your favorites!
Love the
Mennin:
Wuorinen's Third and Fourth. I got to hear
Peter Serkin give the première of the
Fourth here in Boston.
I listen to American (USA) composers probably more often than those from any other region. Whenever I list my favorite ten composers, more than half will be from the USA.
Here's some names:
Bernstein
Ives
Cage
Carter
Feldman
John Luther Adams
Gershwin
Duke Ellington
Ross Lee Finney
Scott Joplin
Peter Lieberson
Donald Martino
Meredith Monk
Nico Muhly
Wynton Marsalis
Frank Zappa
John Zorn
Stephen Sondheim
Roger Sessions
James Tenney
I enjoy the one by Howard Hanson:
https://www.bing.com/videos/riverview/relatedvideo?&q=howard+hanson+piano+concerto&qpvt=howard+hanson+piano+concerto&mid=9DD658828480966A2F319DD658828480966A2F31&&FORM=VRDGAR
Quote from: San Antone on February 03, 2025, 11:47:07 AMBernstein
With both
Lenny and the request for beloved piano concerti in mind, the
Age of Anxiety Symphony features an essential concertante piano.
Also relevant here...
https://www.good-music-guide.com/community/index.php/topic,24174.0.html
Quote from: Karl Henning on February 04, 2025, 08:39:26 AMWith both Lenny and the request for beloved piano concerti in mind, the Age of Anxiety Symphony features an essential concertante piano.
The ending really is Magic!
Another undersung concerto is
Copland's:
For piano concertos, I can't come up with much more than the Gershwin works for piano and orchestra and the Barber Concerto. That has more to do with my own relationship to the piano as a listener than anything about the music.
Here's a great disc:
Not an obscure work, but damn this is great writing. Copland's Appalachian Spring.
Quote from: relm1 on February 05, 2025, 06:32:55 AMNot an obscure work, but damn this is great writing. Copland's Appalachian Spring.
I fault classical radio not for liking the piece, but for resorting to it with ear-numbing frequency.
Quote from: relm1 on February 05, 2025, 06:32:55 AMNot an obscure work, but damn this is great writing. Copland's Appalachian Spring.
I really prefer the original orchestration for chamber group.
Not for the faint hearted....rachmanimossolov..?
Moderato assai
Andante
Finale. Allegro
Orchestra: piccolo, 4 flutes (4th also piccolo), 4 oboes, English horn, 4 clarinets,
bass clarinet, 4 bassoons, contrabassoon
8 horns, 4 trumpets, 3 trombones, tuba, 2 timpani (2 sets), strings
Very fond of Roger Sessions's 1st String Quartet and the String Quintet, as played by the Group for Contemporary Music on Naxos. The Quartet is tonal but very chromatic, with utterly gorgeous contrapuntal writing in the first two movements in which long, sometimes sinuous lines interact in complex ways - and a delightful, bouncy finale with lots of syncopation and trotting and galloping rhythms, about which Sessions wrote that it was inspired by riding horseback in Nevada. The Quintet is 12-tone but very accessible, and reminds me in places of Schoenberg's 4th String Quartet. Highly recommended.
Quote from: San Antone on February 05, 2025, 07:04:27 AMI really prefer the original orchestration for chamber group.
I agree, but the "big band" scoring has grown on me.
Quote from: krummholz on February 05, 2025, 07:40:06 AMVery fond of Roger Sessions's 1st String Quartet and the String Quintet, as played by the Group for Contemporary Music on Naxos. The Quartet is tonal but very chromatic, with utterly gorgeous contrapuntal writing in the first two movements in which long, sometimes sinuous lines interact in complex ways - and a delightful, bouncy finale with lots of syncopation and trotting and galloping rhythms, about which Sessions wrote that it was inspired by riding horseback in Nevada. The Quintet is 12-tone but very accessible, and reminds me in places of Schoenberg's 4th String Quartet. Highly recommended.
Nice! Thanks for the recommendation!
Quote from: krummholz on February 05, 2025, 07:40:06 AMVery fond of Roger Sessions's 1st String Quartet and the String Quintet, as played by the Group for Contemporary Music on Naxos. The Quartet is tonal but very chromatic, with utterly gorgeous contrapuntal writing in the first two movements in which long, sometimes sinuous lines interact in complex ways - and a delightful, bouncy finale with lots of syncopation and trotting and galloping rhythms, about which Sessions wrote that it was inspired by riding horseback in Nevada. The Quintet is 12-tone but very accessible, and reminds me in places of Schoenberg's 4th String Quartet. Highly recommended.
Sessions also wrote a Piano Concerto.
I have performed the chamber version of Appalachian Spring.
Quote from: arpeggio on February 05, 2025, 10:02:11 AMI have performed the chamber version of Appalachian Spring.
Likewise.
Quote from: Daverz on February 05, 2025, 09:00:17 AMSessions also wrote a Piano Concerto.
I enjoyed that. First time I've heard it, I must look into Sessions, Krummholz's post you quote seems a good a place as any to start.
Quote from: krummholz on February 05, 2025, 07:40:06 AMVery fond of Roger Sessions's 1st String Quartet and the String Quintet, as played by the Group for Contemporary Music on Naxos. The Quartet is tonal but very chromatic, with utterly gorgeous contrapuntal writing in the first two movements in which long, sometimes sinuous lines interact in complex ways - and a delightful, bouncy finale with lots of syncopation and trotting and galloping rhythms, about which Sessions wrote that it was inspired by riding horseback in Nevada. The Quintet is 12-tone but very accessible, and reminds me in places of Schoenberg's 4th String Quartet. Highly recommended.
Agree 100%.
Sessions and Carter are the only composers I listen to from among the early 20th century group (I think of "academic" composers) that would include Babbitt, Piston, Hanson, Harris, and Schuman.
I can't say I'm interested in Sessions, but I do like some of Carter's music. I'm more into Ives, Ruggles and Crawford Seeger. Barber is also just a brilliant composer, IMHO. Copland, Diamond, (William) Schuman and others from this period I have cooled on, although, curiously, I'm actually finding myself more and more drawn to Piston.
I haven't listened to his music in decades, but in the 1980s I was a fan of John Corigliano.
Listening right now to this one:
(https://i.postimg.cc/nzTfjh3N/Screenshot-2025-02-05-at-3-32-01-PM.png)
I can't help but feel this that
Steven Stucky died prematurely in 2016 at the age of 66. Composer of a number of fine works.
American Muse.
(https://i.postimg.cc/Y0WcXzrB/Screenshot-2025-02-05-at-3-56-15-PM.png)
Quote from: San Antone on February 05, 2025, 12:32:49 PMI haven't listened to his music in decades, but in the 1980s I was a fan of John Corigliano.
Listening right now to this one:
(https://i.postimg.cc/nzTfjh3N/Screenshot-2025-02-05-at-3-32-01-PM.png)
I haven't listened to that in an age. I ought. It made a big splash back in the day.
A couple more of the generation of composers after the Copland/Sessons/Piston generation:
Joseph Schwantner and
Richard Danielpour American Mosaic performed by Simone Dinnerstein (performance begins at the 2 minute mark)
This forum always delivers with the recommendations. Thanks for all the pieces, fellas!
I would like to mention some American composers who have created some great works for concert band:
Morton Gould
Vincent Persichetti
Norman Dello Joio
Victorio Gianini
David Maslanka
Steven Mackey
Donald Grantham
Frank Ticheli
Cindy McTee
Gunther Schuller
Karel Husa
Robert Russell Bennett
Mark Camphouse
Paul Creston
Michael Daugherty
Alan Hovhaness
John Barnes Chance
Clifton Williams
Some composers sadly wrote only one work for band. For example, Peter Mennin, Canzona. It is a great work that I have performed many times.
Quote from: arpeggio on February 05, 2025, 05:43:41 PMI would like to mention some American composers who have created some great works for concert band:
Morton Gould
Vincent Persichetti
Norman Dello Joio
Victorio Gianini
David Maslanka
Steven Mackey
Donald Grantham
Frank Ticheli
Cindy McTee
Gunther Schuller
Karel Husa
Robert Russell Bennett
Mark Camphouse
Paul Creston
Michael Daugherty
Alan Hovhaness
John Barnes Chance
Clifton Williams
Some composers sadly wrote only one work for band. For example, Peter Mennin, Canzona. It is a great work that I have performed many times.
Yes, the
Canzona is terrific!
Quote from: San Antone on February 05, 2025, 12:57:12 PMI can't help but feel this that Steven Stucky died prematurely in 2016 at the age of 66. Composer of a number of fine works.
American Muse.
(https://i.postimg.cc/Y0WcXzrB/Screenshot-2025-02-05-at-3-56-15-PM.png)
Love this piece, but I also admit I'd listen to Sanford Sylvan sing the phone book.
In 2005, composer
Peter Lieberson wrote a song cycle for his wife, the celebrated mezzo-soprano Lorraine Hunt Lieberson. The words were poems by Pablo Neruda, tracing the arc of love's joy and loss.
This week (March 2010) at Boston's Symphony Hall, a long-awaited companion piece to that song cycle received its world premiere.
Songs of Love and Sorrow is a window into the composer's real-life experiences with true love, heartbreak and death. (NPR (https://www.npr.org/2010/03/30/125194412/liebersons-songs-of-love-and-sorrow-and-new-life))
Quote from: krummholz on February 05, 2025, 07:40:06 AMVery fond of Roger Sessions's 1st String Quartet and the String Quintet, as played by the Group for Contemporary Music on Naxos. The Quartet is tonal but very chromatic, with utterly gorgeous contrapuntal writing in the first two movements in which long, sometimes sinuous lines interact in complex ways - and a delightful, bouncy finale with lots of syncopation and trotting and galloping rhythms, about which Sessions wrote that it was inspired by riding horseback in Nevada. The Quintet is 12-tone but very accessible, and reminds me in places of Schoenberg's 4th String Quartet. Highly recommended.
Thanks very much indeed for these recommendations. I had a listen to the String Quartet No.1 in the Group for Contemporary Music recording and liked it very much. It's funny, the last movement with its boundless energy strongly evoked a puppy dashing round here, there and everywhere, so when I returned to your post it was amusing to see it was inspired by horse riding in Nevada, which is far more American! The slow movement was very involving too, but I enjoyed the whole piece.
Both the Piano Concerto and the quartet seem very concentrated, and always busy (internally if not always superficially) which in his hands I've found a very engaging quality. Am looking forward to the String Quintet. : )
12 tone - craggy....I used to have this on a long forgotten LP; Strangely, the organ soloist was never mentioned?...Bizarre!
Surely there must be more Riegger that is worthwhile....
Dudes! We have forgotten...
...
Peter Schickele!Composed under his own name,
Peter Schickele has a good number of excellent works, filled with surprises.
e.g.
and...
Paul Creston (born Giuseppe Guttoveggio; October 10, 1906 – August 24, 1985) was an Italian American composer of classical music. He composed six symphonies and several concertante works for violin, piano, akkordion, marimba, and saxophone.
Quote from: San Antone on February 06, 2025, 03:55:01 AMPaul Creston (born Giuseppe Guttoveggio; October 10, 1906 – August 24, 1985) was an Italian American composer of classical music. He composed six symphonies and several concertante works for violin, piano, akkordion, marimba, and saxophone.
Oh yes! Another one whom I had forgotten! My brother (somewhat younger than I am) became interested in him, after I brought home some
Creston recordings from the library.
Creston's Third Symphony is a religious work: "
Three Mysteries"
Quote from: pjme on February 06, 2025, 03:16:27 AM
12 tone - craggy....I used to have this on a long forgotten LP; Strangely, the organ soloist was never mentioned?...Bizarre!
Surely there must be more Riegger that is worthwhile....
Riegger has fallen out of favor.
The works you mentioned I am not familiar with.
He composed tonal works as well as atonal works. His
Dance Rhythms is an example of his tonal works.
Attached is a list of the Riegger recordings in my library. One can find samples of these on You Tube.
Quote from: San Antone on February 05, 2025, 07:04:27 AMI really prefer the original orchestration for chamber group.
Agreed. But I also prefer it as conceived with Martha Graham choreography. ;D
Quote from: lordlance on February 05, 2025, 02:49:12 PMThis forum always delivers with the recommendations. Thanks for all the pieces, fellas!
You're welcome (though some of us aren't "fellas" ;))!
Quote from: krummholz on February 06, 2025, 08:16:30 AMYou're welcome (though some of us aren't "fellas" ;))!
(* chortle *)
Another man whose works we have not yet mentioned or remembered:
Henry Cowell!e.g.
Hadley's Lucifer deserves a state of the art recording ! I'm sure many will love this
bombastic :) epic score :P - reminiscent of Liszt, Bax and -maybe -some Respighi.
from Musicweb:
The Conductor, John McLaughlin Williams, adds a personal note:-Doing Hadley was fascinating from the beginning. I had, of course, heard what little was available of Hadley on LP and CD. The Krueger 2nd symphony is a valiant effort but not well-played (if you've got a score), and has sound which does Hadley an extreme disservice. Hadley's magic is in the sound. I looked at about twenty scores. The program I arrived at was not my original choice, though the present program does not suffer at all for that. My original choice was the tone poem Lucifer and the 5th symphony, but their requirement for an organ put them out of the picture. (No organ at the Grand Hall!)
Richard Yardumian - re listening after several years of oblivion - and really enjoying this big boned, serious music.