What Are You Listening To Now?

[Ed C]

Since Webern has come up and this is a Beethoven forum, I suppose it couldn't hurt to link to a little tribute I cooked up to both composers. It started out as a midi file of Beethoven's 32 Variations on an Original Theme WoO 80 and then I "messed up" some of the pitches (actually I was mapping the pitch data to drum tracks and by accident I replayed the file in the original piano sound patch and I thought...hmmmm, very Webernian). Anyways, beyond the technical stuff, it is not 12-tone in any way that is on purpose - it's just a bit of accidental fun and I'm pretty sure it would fool my mother if I told her it was by Webern

If Beethoven was Reborn as Webern

[Roehre]

The Six Pieces for Orchestra was adapted in 1928 while the Op. 5 in 1929. I am not familiar with the original, but should explore it. Webern is a composer with whom I had to come to terms. Early on I wasn't very enthusiastic about him or Schoenberg, but as time went on I found him much more palatable and ,am. more or less, reacquainting myself with his music. Any recommendations for which works to concentrate on?

I myself like Webern, but with the proviso that I am far less inclined to listen to his vocal works than his instrumental/orchestral. It pays off to read about the background of the (instrumental) works, as most of them DO have a (hidden) programme, or are depicting mountain scenes.

Starting point Beethoven:
String quartet 1905 M.78 (on a motto by Jakob Boehme)
The string quartet movement M.79 and the piano quintet (his longest work) are good places to start exploring Webern's points of departure as well.

The 5 movements op.5, bagatelles op.9, string trio opus 20 and string quartet op.28 need extensive listening, but are IMO very rewarding.

Other chamber music: his piano variations op.27 and the quartet op.22. The concerto for 9 instruments opus 24 is a kind of mini-concerto grosso, with a hidden programme btw.

orchestral music:
point of departure is Richard Strauss: Im sommerwind, and Brahms(/Mahler) Passacaglia op.1.
The pieces opus 6 are all related to the death of Webern's mother, and are programmatic in terms of the movements being titled. I prefer the Straussian sized original orchestral forces in this work. Opus 10 are real gems, very polished, 5 pieces in less than 4 minutes. These represent IMO the summit of Webern's highly expressionist style.

Another style had developed as Webern composed his Symphony opus 21. Just 2 mvts and lasting 10 minutes this is concentrated music. Interesting it is to compare the symphony's variations with the Variations for orchestra opus 30. Both are dodecaphonic, but especially in the symphony you can actually discover and after listening a couple of times hear what is happening with the (hummable!) theme.

Vocal works:
I appreciate the 8 Early songs as the logical successors to Schumann, Schubert and Brahms. But for me THE 3 important and approachable vocal works are the 3 cantatas for choir (soloists) and orchestra.
Das Augenlicht (choir + orch) op.26 in a master piece as is the Cantata no.1 op.29. I am less enthusiastic about the multi-movementCantata no.2 op.31, but this work most have been in Stravinsky's mind as he composed e.g. Threni.

[Roehre]

Today:

Hindemith:
Symphony for Concert Band in B-flat (1951)

Toch:
Spiel for Wind Orchestra op.39 (1926)

Schönberg:
Theme and Variations for Wind Orchestra op.43a (1943)

Blacher:
Divertimento for Wind Orchestra op.7 (1936)

Ton de Leeuw:
Symphonies of Winds (1963)

Keuris:
Catena – Refrains and Variations for 31 Wind instruments and Percussion (1988)

[Ed C]

Thanks for the Webern "starter-kit", Roehre - nice job. Never really "got" him but am willing to give him another try.

Just listened: Debussy, Petite Suite (Argentina's Santa Fe Guitar Quartet)

[Sorrano]

Thanks for the suggestions! I will work on those.

Today: Mozart Horn Quintet

[Peter]

A mixture of songs and galliards by Byrd, Morley and Taverner.

[Roehre]

Today:

Prokofiev:
Tales of an old grandmother op.31 (1918; orch. Alexander Radvelovitch 1993)
Divertimento opus 43
Piano sonata no.4: Andante op.29bis (orchestral version by Prokofiev)
Symphonic song op.57

Saint Saëns:
Le Carnaval des Animaux

Rodgers & Hammerstein:
South Pacific (film sound track)

Bacewicz:
Violin sonata no.4 (1949)

Paderewski:
Violin sonata in a-minor op.13 (1879)

[The Dude]

That's an eclectic mix, Roehre. I wouldn't have thought any three of those items would go together, but you've proven me wrong...

[The Dude]

"The Dudley Moore Trio" album from 1968. Just fabulous, especially the track "Amalgam".

If somebody wants to sample some of this phenomenal musicianship here's a taste, from a live concert:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VFwXR...eature=related

[Ed C]

and then there's Dudley Moore with Sir Georg Solti performing Bartok!!

Music for Strings Percussion and Celeste

[Peter]

and then there's Dudley Moore with Sir Georg Solti performing Bartok!!

Music for Strings Percussion and Celeste

Thanks for that Ed - I saw the programme when it was originally shown on tv and it was very entertaining as one would expect with the much missed Dudley Moore who was really quite an accomplished pianist. I love the Bartok piece and interesting that Solti was a pupil of his.

[Ed C]

Wagner - The Symphonic Ring (instrumental arrangement of all 4 operas in 90 minutes)



3/30 "B's Way" (Beethoven's Metronome Tempos)

[Sorrano]

Wagner - The Symphonic Ring (instrumental arrangement of all 4 operas in 90 minutes)



3/30 "B's Way" (Beethoven's Metronome Tempos)

It seems like Solti did some sort of arrangement of the Ring, whose arrangement is this?

[Ed C]

It's not the Solti, tho I have that one too. It's this one by Friedmann Dreßler.

So far I like this one a bit better, the Solti was TOO condensed.

[Sorrano]

It's not the Solti, tho I have that one too. It's this one by Friedmann Dreßler.

So far I like this one a bit better, the Solti was TOO condensed.

I had the Solti on cassette, but I'm not sure I still have it and I agree that it was quite condensed. I'll have to give this one a shot.

Thanks!