What are you listening to now?

[Peter]

Thank you for the reply and information Peter. So the etudes are something of a set of studies, correct?

That must be a great enjoyment, to sit down and play the piano- good. How long have you been playing? I hope to be able to do that one day.

I read some on Godowsky. I had never heard of him- "the pianist of pianists". He must have been great. I found an image on Wikipedia of one of his arrangements of a Chopin etude (Op. 25 #1)- a lot of notes for both hands, at a very fast speed!

Also, I have read that when Beethoven was in his prime as a pianist, that it would be hard to match him- concerning pianist past, present, and future. Is this true?

I've been playing around 40 years since I was 6. Yes there are two sets of Chopin studies. Beethoven was undoubtedly an outstanding virtuoso but as to anyone matching him since, well who knows- there have been and are some amazing pianists, how about Liszt!! From what I gather about Beethoven as a pianist he was at his best when improvising and in this he probably is unsurpassed.

[Preston]

That is unbelievable that he was best when- improvising! Now, that would be challenging. I have read several times that, Beethoven would make people start crying even bawling when he would improvise.

[Marek Krukowski]

Bela Bartok Complete Edition. I think Bethoven had no real followers in his musical style (I mean especially the complicated facture of his music), but Bartok seems to me to be the one who is the closest.

[atserriotserri]

I've been playing around 40 years since I was 6. Yes there are two sets of Chopin studies. Beethoven was undoubtedly an outstanding virtuoso but as to anyone matching him since, well who knows- there have been and are some amazing pianists, how about Liszt!! From what I gather about Beethoven as a pianist he was at his best when improvising and in this he probably is unsurpassed.

Regarding Godowsky, I reccommend the following links: www.godowsky.com (where you may see that he recorded LvB's 8th piano sonata, and a link to the label that publishes reeditions of Godowsky's recordings in 78rpm) and http://www.hyperion-records.co.uk/al.asp?al=CDA67411/2 the link to the recording by Marc André Hamelin, which I own and, believe me, one gets exhausted only listening!! You can read the booklet of the cd which provides etude-by-etude comments. If you look for Hamelin on youtube.com you'll be able to see videos of him playing the studies, I guess.

I came across Godowsky finding out that he was a controversial figure. The fact that he finished the studies over Chopin's studies being only 23 (!!!!) dragged his reputation to the level of being be only a freak looking for complication and despite having composed other works he could not get rid of such image in some circles.

[Preston]

THE MOTHERLOAD!

Been looking through the Brilliant Classics Complete Beethoven. I have found many works that I had absolutely know idea even existed. Massive amounts of piano material. So many other works such as Arias for orchestra, songs, etc., the list goes on and on, .

Listening to Opus 77, Fantasia for Piano in G-minor.

[Megan]

From the Early Music Show, BBC radio 3


Playlist:

Johan Helmich Roman: Sinfonia No 6 in E minor
Helsinki Baroque Orchestra
Aapo Hakkinen (conductor)


Johan Joachim Agrell: Violin Concerto in D
Sirkka-Liisa Kaakinen (violin)
Helsinki Baroque Orchestra
Aapo Hakkinen (conductor)



Jan Vaclav Stamitz: Symphony in A, Op 3 No 5
Helsinki Baroque Orchestra
Aapo Hakkinen (conductor)


Palestrina: Tu es Petrus
Philippe Rogier: Agnus Dei (Missa Philippus Secundus Rex Hispaniae)
Pierre de Manchicourt: Gaudeamus et exultemus
The Marian Consort

[Preston]

looking way, way, back...

Looking at the different periods of music, I decided to listen to some of the more ancient composers. First, to my understanding, there are 6 major movements in Classical music- starting with Medieval, then Renaissance, Baroque, Classical, Romantic, and 20th+ century. What shocked me was that medieval lasted around 1400 years, before that was ancient, and before that was prehistoric (more tribal based music).

It seems, that throughout the Medieval is where Classical music really got its grounding. During the Medieval they started using all of these forms and techniques never before practiced.

Anyway, to make a long story short I have been listening to some Medieval music. No I do not get it but I like listening to it, . I would have to understand a lot more about music to understand.

Here is an example:
Perotin- http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EJxRDhejtwo

There is so much to study about this, and so many terms to understand- back to reading.

[Preston]

Listening to Schubert's Piano Trio Op. 100, 2nd movement. Does anyone have any information on this piece? Such as what Schubert had in mind writing this- love, tragedy, etc.? The reason I ask is because I have read different things about this piece and was wondering if Schubert had a specific motif.

Now, it is almost time for sleep. It has been a late night with too much alcohol, and, too much reading about Transmission Control Protocols, .

[Sorrano]

Yesterday, the local radio station featured Elgar's Dream of Gerontius. I picked up on part of it and enjoyed that.

[Quijote]

By popular request (hah!), I post here two recent concerts which I attended as part of the Strasbourg "Musica" Contemporary Music Festival. First off, the opening (inauguration) concert, with the SWR Sinfonieorchester Baden-Baden und Freibourg (a bit like the BBC radio orchestra, if you like). On the programme :

a) Elliott Carter : Three Illusions for Orchestra (2004);
b) Luca Francesconi : Rest (2003-04), for solo 'cello and orchestra;
c) Luciano Berio : SOLO (1999 - 2000), for solo trombone and orchestra;
d) Luca Francesconi : Cobalt, Scarlet. Two Colours of Dawn (2000), for orchestra.

After the concert there was a little "pot" (in French this means free wine, other drinks and a buffet) for invited guests, and it must be said that the French love a "freebie", though the turnout was good, with nearly 900 in the audience! I know, Peter, were they there for the music, or the free food and drink? Both, in my case, anyhow.

The Elliott Carter left me cold (I admit it was a first hearing), as I couldn't help thinking throughout the piece : "Webern did this 60+ years ago..."

The Francesconi 'cello and orchestra work was exciting and very well scored : I felt it worked as a sort of "pastiche" of the romantic concerto principle, in its gestures and so on. I was even convinced there was a distorted quote from the Schumann 'cello concerto : I asked the composer during the "pot", but he denied it! In any case I think he was too overwhelmed by the proceedings to answer coherently.

The Berio trombone and orchestra piece was masterful for its orchestration too, though it left me unmoved; I simply don't respond to brass instruments well enough. The trombonist (young guy) played his part from memory (impressive enough), but I feel Berio did better with one of his "Sequenzas" that featured just a solo trombone, in which he exploits the instrument to a far greater degree than in the work I heard that evening. I was also particularly struck by the fact that the trombonist kept his legs firmly together throughout the 19" piece, as if on parade!

For the fourth piece mentioned above, I have a confession : it was very warm in the concert hall, so I left before hearing it, had a beer (and a fag) in a bar nearby, and returned for the "pot". Sorry.

Anyway, during the post-concert "pot" I also got talking to one of the violinists about the concert. He said he (and his colleagues) did not particularly enjoy playing the music as he, quote, "did not understand what the composers were trying to say". This is not the first time I have heard professional (orchestral) musicians say this about contemporary music. And I must also say that I noticed a certain "apathy" in their playing (the violinists, that is; the 'cellists seemed more "committed").

Come on Peter, I bet you're itching to say something about that!!

[Quijote]

The second concert was last Sunday, at the Strasbourg Conservatory. On the programme was :
Luc FERRARI, Bonjour, Comment Ca Va? (1972-79) for bass clarinet, 'cello and harp;
Sarah NEMTSOV, Moon at Noon (2009), for soprano, flute, clarinet, harp, percussion, violin and 'cello, based on poems by Emily Dickinson.

Both works were performed by the Strasbourg ensemble "Accroche Note". Superbly played (and always with a touch of theatre: this ensemble often commissions new works with a strong visual aspect).

The Ferrari (unknown to me, I admit) was superbly written, but then it featured a 'cello (my instrument) and a bass clarinet, an instrument I find fascinating to hear.
The Nemstov (also new to me, but it was a recent commission) struck me as well thought through, but with strong echoes of Schoenberg.

In all, a pleasant way to pass a Sunday afternoon.
The turnout (in a smallish concert room) was around 200. Also not bad.

[Peter]

By popular request (hah!), I post here two recent concerts which I attended as part of the Strasbourg "Musica" Contemporary Music Festival. First off, the opening (inauguration) concert, with the SWR Sinfonieorchester Baden-Baden und Freibourg (a bit like the BBC radio orchestra, if you like). On the programme :

a) Elliott Carter : Three Illusions for Orchestra (2004);
b) Luca Francesconi : Rest (2003-04), for solo 'cello and orchestra;
c) Luciano Berio : SOLO (1999 - 2000), for solo trombone and orchestra;
d) Luca Francesconi : Cobalt, Scarlet. Two Colours of Dawn (2000), for orchestra.

After the concert there was a little "pot" (in French this means free wine, other drinks and a buffet) for invited guests, and it must be said that the French love a "freebie", though the turnout was good, with nearly 900 in the audience! I know, Peter, were they there for the music, or the free food and drink? Both, in my case, anyhow.

The Elliott Carter left me cold (I admit it was a first hearing), as I couldn't help thinking throughout the piece : "Webern did this 60+ years ago..."

The Francesconi 'cello and orchestra work was exciting and very well scored : I felt it worked as a sort of "pastiche" of the romantic concerto principle, in its gestures and so on. I was even convinced there was a distorted quote from the Schumann 'cello concerto : I asked the composer during the "pot", but he denied it! In any case I think he was too overwhelmed by the proceedings to answer coherently.

The Berio trombone and orchestra piece was masterful for its orchestration too, though it left me unmoved; I simply don't respond to brass instruments well enough. The trombonist (young guy) played his part from memory (impressive enough), but I feel Berio did better with one of his "Sequenzas" that featured just a solo trombone, in which he exploits the instrument to a far greater degree than in the work I heard that evening. I was also particularly struck by the fact that the trombonist kept his legs firmly together throughout the 19" piece, as if on parade!

For the fourth piece mentioned above, I have a confession : it was very warm in the concert hall, so I left before hearing it, had a beer (and a fag) in a bar nearby, and returned for the "pot". Sorry.

Anyway, during the post-concert "pot" I also got talking to one of the violinists about the concert. He said he (and his colleagues) did not particularly enjoy playing the music as he, quote, "did not understand what the composers were trying to say". This is not the first time I have heard professional (orchestral) musicians say this about contemporary music. And I must also say that I noticed a certain "apathy" in their playing (the violinists, that is; the 'cellists seemed more "committed").

Come on Peter, I bet you're itching to say something about that!!

Well I'm also not partial to the trombone as a solo instrument so I doubt the Berio would have appealed. I think it refreshing to hear professional musicians expressing such views - why should they pretend to enjoy or understand something if they don't? I think the most shocking thing is that you still smoke - mind you after that programme line up I'd have been out there with you and back to my bad old ways in no time!

[Quijote]

I think the most shocking thing is that you still smoke - mind you after that programme line up I'd have been out there with you and back to my bad old ways in no time!

Allow a man his pleasures, Peter ! I feel sure that if we were to "time warp" Beethoven to the late 1950s/60s we'd see him relaxing in some dingy jazz bar in down town Berlin (why not Soho?) at the piano, fag dangling in his mouth, half a glass of whiskey on the piano, improvising away ...

[Quijote]

Lord help us if it were a Bechstein.

[Preston]

I think the most shocking thing is that you still smoke - mind you after that programme line up I'd have been out there with you and back to my bad old ways in no time!

LOL!

Although I cannot say much, unfortunately, I smoke pretty heavily.

Philip, have you ever heard of contemporary composer David Stock? I heard a percussion concerto of his before the orchestra played Beethoven's 9th this year. There was a lecture he gave before the concert, where, he was pretty much insisting that his music and music alike was the new Beethoven, Mozart, etc.

I do not think that it is. This is what I do not understand, if someone claims they can write as good as the masters of music then why not write as the masters of music did? The music of his performed was a percussion concerto, using primarily non-pitched instruments? It had no intimacy, real feeling, etc.- the violins would play gracefully for a moment and then BAM the timpani and rock drums would start being slammed completely off beat. Then the girl who was the percussion soloist (who was quite talented) would walk over to the marimba and play it then back to the timpani and rock drums, etc.? Yes, I know there is much more to it than that general description, but, why not write as the masters?

I am not saying I am against contemporary music, I do not know enough about it or classical theory. I was really wondering if you had heard of David Stock and if you thought his music was the new Beethoven?