Malipiero's mausoleum

[snyprrr]

And we have passed 10,000 Views in the Thread! Woo Hoo!!

And 100 Posts!

[ZauberdrachenNr.7]

I hope this amuses you as much as it does me:

http://www.youtube.com/v/sWuJ235s1l4

It did, thank you, but I'm left wondering what led him to purchase the SQs.  His casualness and insouciance (the tilting scenery almost caused me to fall off my chair, whether from laughter or vertigo I've yet to determine) runs counter to our culture and so in some ways was surprisingly refreshing!  He seems not to have given a moment's forethought to the filming, so you have to admire his courage!  He should be encouraged.

[Karl Henning]

Aye, agreed.

[pjme]

Concerto per pianoforte e orchestra n. 3:

1. Allegro (00:00)
2. Lento (03:30)
3. Allegro agitato (10:05)

Aldo Ciccolini, piano
Orchestra Sinfonica di Roma della RAI
Günther Neuhold, direttore

Roma, Auditorium del Foro Italico, 12 Dicembre 1987


http://www.youtube.com/v/SSWluDg85_U

[pjme]

http://www.youtube.com/v/vSpx3EMp9NA

Haunting!

Fabio Biondi and Luigi di Ilio.

[ZauberdrachenNr.7]

http://www.youtube.com/v/vSpx3EMp9NA

Haunting!

Fabio Biondi and Luigi di Ilio.

Thanks, PJME, the more I hear the more I like from Malipiero.

[snyprrr]

http://www.youtube.com/v/vSpx3EMp9NA

Haunting!

Fabio Biondi and Luigi di Ilio.

Yes, though he only wrote four pieces (the Biondi disc boasts: 'The Complete Music for Violin'!), that one in particular have quite a nice individualism. Still, there's only four works, and they go by quickly. However, I believe this piece is also transposed for the cello disc (with three pieces- also called 'The Complete Music for Cello'!! haha).

That used to be such a hard disc to find; didn't they re-release it recently?




Yes, I'm firmly in a CDCDCD/ Malipiero binge,... I just hope I survive... one choice left... must... hit... 'Enter'..... ahhhh.... gasp!

[pjme]

Is it this one, on the Tactus label?
Works:
1. Sonata for Cello and Piano in D minor by Gian-Francesco Malipiero

2. Canto nell'infinito  (cello version)

3. Sonatina for Cello and Piano 

4. Hortus conclusus by Gian-Francesco Malipiero

5. Il tarlo

6. Bizzarrie luminose dell'alba, del meriggio, della notte 

The Naive/Biondi disc is only available as download.


Peter

[snyprrr]

Is it this one, on the Tactus label?
Works:
1. Sonata for Cello and Piano in D minor by Gian-Francesco Malipiero

2. Canto nell'infinito  (cello version)

3. Sonatina for Cello and Piano 

4. Hortus conclusus by Gian-Francesco Malipiero

5. Il tarlo

6. Bizzarrie luminose dell'alba, del meriggio, della notte 

The Naive/Biondi disc is only available as download.


Peter

yea, I believe the whole album is on YT. Frankly, I'd skip it and get the Strad disc with the Sonatina (along with the very cool Sonata a Tre). 

eh, can't one make their own album from both of these?

[snyprrr]

Here is the little motto that occurs throughout GFM. In the Key of C it would go like this:

A G E F G

Perhaps we have a (G)ian (F)rancesco situation going on? Anyhow, this is like GFM's "Martinu" bit.

[snyprrr]

I went to Grove's to get the skinny on GFM:

1) Except for all the Operas, and other Vocal Music, it appears that we have most of GFM on available record, so that there really isn't much at all that hasn't been considered. Only some ChamberMusic trifles, and some various, minor looking, OrchestralWorks remain unrecorded.

Here are GFM's 'Periods':

A- juvinile, including Early Symphonies, up to 'Le Sacre', and WWI.

B- 1914-1917: the War Years produce the Imprssionist Masterpieces (Naxos) and most of the Piano Music.

C- 1917-1921-1929: Transition to the 'Panel' Method. Bright, sunny works like SQ1 become the norm. Much Experimentalism- indeed, GFM isn't totally without an Avant bone. Period worth studying...

D- 1932/8-1948/9- he begins writing the Symphonies, and gets somewhat conventional during the War Years. Chamber output vanishes in '38. Some would say this is the low point of his Inspiration- though, most of us here, myself included, greatly enjoy his brand of Neo-Classicism (in that manner that all (Mid Century Masters), from Hindemith, to Vaughn Williams to Martinu, reached a 'Perfection' of their own style during this period).

E- 1950-1971: And then, around 1949-50, he embarked on his Late Style, with all the bluff cragginess, the first major fruit of which was the 'Sinfonia in un tempo', which, certainly, is a lot more brooding than anything since the Impressionist Years. The very final phase would begin around 1962-64, which yielded many of our favourite works, including the Brianesque, quirky, Symphonies 8-11, and the wonderful Chamber Music on the 'Endecatode' cd (Stradivarius).

So, really, GFM is like most other Composers of his generation, initially bowled over by 'Le Sacre'. If I wanted to be completely wrong and simplistic, I'd simply say he was an amalgam of Hindemith, Martinu, Milhaud, and Villa-Lobos, but, of course, Italian. I mean, you get my drift? All these Composers (Bloch too) went through the same events, and likewise all ended up a little more 'brittle' in the '50s and beyond (Hindemith's Octet, Organ Symphony). Anyhow, I think it's safe to say, in this Thread at least, that GFM has that certain "something" that pricks our ears- an Individual by any account!




2) GFM was friendly with Mussolini, writing his Caesar Opera for him. He did get a scolding over another Opera..

[snyprrr]

After seeing your video review of the quartets, snypsss . . . you're right, I need to check out the piano concerti, and it is high time.

Piano Concerti 1-6; Variazoni senza tema (CPO)

Just enjoyed the 'Variazoni', and 6 minute piece that really comes across a bit like Janacek. Very nice stuff there. Now I'm listening to the "weakest" (Bartoli's liner notes), No.2 from 1937, which has a very nice slow movement, flute and lugubrious piano, very pale- wondering recording!

No.3 is the longest at 18 minutes and might be considered the 'Hit'. Anyhow, I'm going to try to milk the unvealing, so I'm going to play No.6 "delle macchine", from the grittier '60s, and then I'm going to have to set up a Malipiero Retrospective.

btw- this No.2 slow movement is very nice indeed. GFM eschewed "virtuosity" completely in all his works, and the piano writing is always in keeping with what's going on. Very much like Janacek and Martinu- yes, I'm going to enjoy these- they really do sound exactly like the cover art, haha!! Milhaud without all the extra stuff? The verve of Villa-Lobos? The finale of No/2 is very 'travelogue'- Honegger? The piano writing is still very un-virtuoso. Poof!, and then it stops. Very much like a Piano Concertino. Nice.

Just don't digest 2 discs in one sitting and you'll be fine.

[snyprrr]

Piano Concerti 1-6; Variazoni senza tema (CPO)

Just enjoyed the 'Variazoni', and 6 minute piece that really comes across a bit like Janacek. Very nice stuff there. Now I'm listening to the "weakest" (Bartoli's liner notes), No.2 from 1937, which has a very nice slow movement, flute and lugubrious piano, very pale- wondering recording!

No.3 is the longest at 18 minutes and might be considered the 'Hit'. Anyhow, I'm going to try to milk the unvealing, so I'm going to play No.6 "delle macchine", from the grittier '60s, and then I'm going to have to set up a Malipiero Retrospective.

btw- this No.2 slow movement is very nice indeed. GFM eschewed "virtuosity" completely in all his works, and the piano writing is always in keeping with what's going on. Very much like Janacek and Martinu- yes, I'm going to enjoy these- they really do sound exactly like the cover art, haha!! Milhaud without all the extra stuff? The verve of Villa-Lobos? The finale of No/2 is very 'travelogue'- Honegger? The piano writing is still very un-virtuoso. Poof!, and then it stops. Very much like a Piano Concertino. Nice.

Just don't digest 2 discs in one sitting and you'll be fine.

No.1 opens reminding one of Roussel. Yes, it just a Neo-Classical delight! The slow movement almost sounds like the 'Exorcist' theme- awesome! haha

Yes, they are nothing like Prokofiev, haha! Very cinematic, very Mediterranio. So unassuming- very Martinu-esque, but totally his own sound world, a sense of Italian castles and someone by themselves looking out over the balcony whilst the party goes on inside. The flick of the lighter... very pittoreque. Honegger, Roussel, Martinu, Janacek, Milhaud...

[Karl Henning]

Piano Concerti 1-6; Variazoni senza tema (CPO)

Just enjoyed the 'Variazoni', and 6 minute piece that really comes across a bit like Janacek. Very nice stuff there. Now I'm listening to the "weakest" (Bartoli's liner notes), No.2 from 1937, which has a very nice slow movement, flute and lugubrious piano, very pale- wondering recording!

No.3 is the longest at 18 minutes and might be considered the 'Hit'. Anyhow, I'm going to try to milk the unvealing, so I'm going to play No.6 "delle macchine", from the grittier '60s, and then I'm going to have to set up a Malipiero Retrospective.

btw- this No.2 slow movement is very nice indeed. GFM eschewed "virtuosity" completely in all his works, and the piano writing is always in keeping with what's going on. Very much like Janacek and Martinu- yes, I'm going to enjoy these- they really do sound exactly like the cover art, haha!! Milhaud without all the extra stuff? The verve of Villa-Lobos? The finale of No/2 is very 'travelogue'- Honegger? The piano writing is still very un-virtuoso. Poof!, and then it stops. Very much like a Piano Concertino. Nice.

Just don't digest 2 discs in one sitting and you'll be fine.

Thanks! Mine hasn't landed just yet.

[snyprrr]

I suspect that I fetched in the disc of Symphonies n^os. 5, 6, 8 & 11 specifically to get my feet wet with a broad sampling, pieces written from 1947 to 1969.  I find each of the symphonies has its own profile, and they all strike me as both capably written, and musically engaging.  My quick take-aways are: (a) I certainly want more of the symphonies-plus, and (b) I probably won't trouble to get all the symphonies, not just yet . . . possibly taking too close to heart a moderately negative review of the earliest symphonies.[/font]

Symphonies 5,6,8,11 (Naxos/Marco Polo)

I've held off on No.5 until this arrived today. I like the 2 Piano Symphony. It's somewhat different than its mates, starting out in cacophony, the pianos and orchestra engaged in a Stravinskian motor rhythm that settles into angularity. The rest of the Symphony gets progressively more 'normal' sounding; the pianos never let the proceedings get far from a twinkling travelogue. In context, this is a nice tonic- and a nice supplement to the PCs.

The rest of the album has been discussed (get the Denon for 6). I am reminded here of the woolen Marco Polo sound, which does sometimes seem a bit opaque- listen to the noisy intro of No.5 to hear (or not) detail that could be brought out in a better recording. Of course, all the Marco Polos are serviceable, and unless CPO is in love with GFM, we probably will get no more Cycles, so, at least these recordings are good enough to listen to repeatedly, Actually, the wan sound fits a lot of GFM's moody moods quite well.

[Karl Henning]

The piano concerti have landed!  Will tuck in this weekend.

[snyprrr]

The piano concerti have landed!  Will tuck in this weekend.

Delicious!

Please,... DO start with the last Track on Disc2, the 'Varizioni senza tema', and then go straight to PC1 or 2, and then the other one- THEN, take a rest. I just listened to the "Hit", No.3, the longest, and I liked the first two just a little better, so, save No.3 perhaps. Still, all three of the first have absolutely startlingly austere, Mozartean slow movements- just 5:30 in the morning peace and beauty that really, for me, blow similar moods from Frank Martin out of the water... Malipiero is really Neo-CLASSICAL rather than Neo-BAROQUE.

Anyhow, I still have Nos. 4 (1950) and 5 (1958) left (don't think that will last the day). No.6 (1964) example of his Late Style- if you have the 'Sinfonia delle Antigenida' (1960) or the 8th (1964), this would be the place to compare. The 6th was inspired by the ensemble piece 'Macchine' (1963), though the quoting is thankfully minimal.

I can hardly wait to hear your "totally charmed" gushing!


btw- I finally heard Symphony No.5 'Concertante in eco', with 2 Pianos, and I love how out-of-place it is in the '40s, very angular and much like his later work. However, the Marco Polo sonics very much diminish the beauty of No.6 'Degli archi'. ABSOLUTELY get the Denon whilst it is still a cheapie. The drab sound fits the later stuff to-a-T, though.

Any, it's the caffeine talkin', nevermind!


I now have most all of the rare Malipeiro recordings that are needed for a decent study, and he's just becoming one of my favourites, always joyously melancholy. You know what?- I hear a lot of Finzi and Satie in these PCs!! Yes, they're that good!!

Woo hoo!!

[snyprrr]

Finished up PC5 (1958) earlier, and  boy!, it is by far the gruffest of the bunch. I'm calling it the 'Jaws' Concerto! I mean, it's just a'clunkin' away in a very primitive fashion, - it's somewhat jarring, and I didn't quite like it that much. I'd relate it to the 'Dialoghi', much of which I didn't really care for (though, a splendid 'Pseudo-Concerto' for Viola). No.6, though in GFM's Late Style, seems to take a step back from the outright bold rudeness of No.5. I think GFM was really pissed off here in the late '50s.

So, now, I'm listening to the last in line, No.4 (1950). I was wondering how much of his 'breaking' (with his old ways) was going to show here (meaning, was it going to be angular, or linear?), and, I think this is the 'Hit' that No.3 has the reputation for. It opens in joy, and the slow movement is my favourite from the last four. Every note is where it should be here (all the more contrast to  No.5), and it leaves me with a satisfying end to this traversal.

So, if you get this set, may I recommend this order?:

1) Variazoni senza tema
2) PC1
3) PC4
4) PC2
5) PC5
6) PC6
7) PC3

[Karl Henning]

Recommendation noted!

[Mirror Image]

I need to seriously to revisit Malipiero's symphonies and PCs. I believe I will start on this after I finish Scriabin's Symphony No. 3. It's just been too long since I've heard any of his music.