Piano Forum

Topic: obscure short modern pieces  (Read 2556 times)

Offline Skeptopotamus

  • PS Silver Member
  • Sr. Member
  • ***
  • Posts: 832
obscure short modern pieces
on: July 29, 2005, 02:05:02 AM
hi again ^^  I was wondering if you guys could recommend some shorter (as in no longer than 8 minutes and preferably less) modern works.  They don't have to be easy and they can be of any genre; avante-garde, serialism, neo-romanticism etc.... so anything like that.  Please don't recommend anything by Lowell Liebermann though because I hate him XD

Offline Skeptopotamus

  • PS Silver Member
  • Sr. Member
  • ***
  • Posts: 832
Re: obscure short modern pieces
Reply #1 on: July 29, 2005, 02:13:30 AM
So far I'm looking at:

Berio Brin-Leaf
Boulez Douze Notations
Carter 90+
Kellogg Impetus
Messiaen Amen to the Stars, to the Ringed Planet
Nancarrow Sonatina
Rzewski North American Ballad No. 2
Schoenberg Six Little Pieces
Stockhausen Klavierstucke I-IV
Xenakis ar.  (it's actually not too bad)

any other suggestions along these lines?  And don't suggest a ligeti etude btw.  just dont XD

Offline pianonut

  • PS Silver Member
  • Sr. Member
  • ***
  • Posts: 1618
Re: obscure short modern pieces
Reply #2 on: July 29, 2005, 02:17:15 AM
messian, 'amen to the stars' sounds like it might fit in after the ravel.?  i don't really know.  (goes to listen)  does gaspard de la nuit mean 'wonders of night?' 
do you know why benches fall apart?  it is because they have lids with little tiny hinges so you can store music inside them.  hint:  buy a bench that does not hinge.  buy it for sturdiness.

Offline pita bread

  • PS Silver Member
  • Sr. Member
  • ***
  • Posts: 1136
Re: obscure short modern pieces
Reply #3 on: July 29, 2005, 02:19:51 AM
Since when did you need help finding obscure repertoire?

Anyways, I think all this stuff is post-1950:

Sciarrino - Anamorfosi (this is part of Ravel's Jeux d'eau, moved down a whole step, and mixed with the melody "singin' in the rain")
Sciarrino - de la Nuit (collage of parts of Gaspard... not nearly as cool as the Anamorfosi)
Kernis - Superstar Etude
Morel - Etude #2
del Tredici - Virtuoso Alice
Messiaen - Quatre Etudes


Offline amanfang

  • PS Silver Member
  • Sr. Member
  • ***
  • Posts: 841
Re: obscure short modern pieces
Reply #4 on: July 29, 2005, 02:22:44 AM
Try Three Preludes by Kent Kennan.  Or there's also his Retrospectives, but that may be longer than 8 minutes.  The preludes total around 5 minutes or so and are a nice set.
When you earnestly believe you can compensate for a lack of skill by doubling your efforts, there's no end to what you can't do.

Offline Skeptopotamus

  • PS Silver Member
  • Sr. Member
  • ***
  • Posts: 832
Re: obscure short modern pieces
Reply #5 on: July 29, 2005, 02:24:20 AM
messian, 'amen to the stars' sounds like it might fit in after the ravel.?  i don't really know.  (goes to listen)  does gaspard de la nuit mean 'wonders of night?' 

as far as i know.  But I think Xenakis's ar. would go better after Gespard, since it was a homage to ravel.  But then what would I play after the xenakis?  I don't think I'm up for learning a homage to Xenakis cause it was probably written by Finnissy and I'm not that good.  I'll Just make sure to play ar. last.  Thanks for that.  Otherwise I might not have thought of it.

Offline Nightscape

  • PS Silver Member
  • Sr. Member
  • ***
  • Posts: 784
Re: obscure short modern pieces
Reply #6 on: July 29, 2005, 02:36:15 AM
What about something from Danielpour's "The Enchanted Garden"?

Libby Larsen's "Mephisto Rag" is 8 minutes, written in 2000 and could be interesting.

Offline Skeptopotamus

  • PS Silver Member
  • Sr. Member
  • ***
  • Posts: 832
Re: obscure short modern pieces
Reply #7 on: July 29, 2005, 02:37:20 AM
HAHAHA I already play Mardi Gras XD

Offline pianonut

  • PS Silver Member
  • Sr. Member
  • ***
  • Posts: 1618
Re: obscure short modern pieces
Reply #8 on: July 29, 2005, 02:43:25 AM
good thinking.  i would have said that myself, if i knew that about xenaxis.  you are helping me, most kind fellow.  maybe i will print your list and ask my teacher the question adn then pop out the handy list.  of course, he will probably be like pita bread, amanfang, and nightscape and actually come up with some.  i just had the benefit of picking from a list.

i like it when one thing leads to another.  you, know, then you have something to say to the audience if you choose to say something. 
do you know why benches fall apart?  it is because they have lids with little tiny hinges so you can store music inside them.  hint:  buy a bench that does not hinge.  buy it for sturdiness.

Offline pita bread

  • PS Silver Member
  • Sr. Member
  • ***
  • Posts: 1136
Re: obscure short modern pieces
Reply #9 on: July 29, 2005, 02:50:00 AM
Why don't you finish your Enchanted Garden?

Offline ted

  • PS Silver Member
  • Sr. Member
  • ***
  • Posts: 4014
Re: obscure short modern pieces
Reply #10 on: July 29, 2005, 03:14:32 AM
Something by David Thomas Roberts.
"Mistakes are the portals of discovery." - James Joyce

Offline thierry13

  • PS Silver Member
  • Sr. Member
  • ***
  • Posts: 2292
Re: obscure short modern pieces
Reply #11 on: July 29, 2005, 04:02:13 AM
messian, 'amen to the stars' sounds like it might fit in after the ravel.?  i don't really know.  (goes to listen)  does gaspard de la nuit mean 'wonders of night?' 

Gaspard is a french name for someone. So it means Gaspard of the night. So a nocturne dude.

Offline pita bread

  • PS Silver Member
  • Sr. Member
  • ***
  • Posts: 1136
Re: obscure short modern pieces
Reply #12 on: July 29, 2005, 06:52:04 AM
Gaspard de la Nuit roughly translates to "Devil of the night."

I've seen other things like "artful dodger of the night" but that pretty much means the same thing.

Offline pianonut

  • PS Silver Member
  • Sr. Member
  • ***
  • Posts: 1618
Re: obscure short modern pieces
Reply #13 on: July 29, 2005, 07:31:01 AM
thanks!  btw, theirry, i am not a dude.  but that's ok. you won't offend me because i follow the crowd around like the last bicycle in the tour de france.  (why aren't there any women?  what is this?)  ok.  i may not have much repertoire compared to these guys, and my french is atrocious, but this is how mayla, bob, and i work.  late at night, we sit at the computer (speaking for myself) and catch up.  i've found the classical station on tv to be most helpful, too.  they put on the music, tell you the title, and then put little blip facts about the composer or performer.  these are all stored in mayla, bob's and pianonuts heads and come out in mixed conversation during the day (having been dreamed about).
do you know why benches fall apart?  it is because they have lids with little tiny hinges so you can store music inside them.  hint:  buy a bench that does not hinge.  buy it for sturdiness.

Offline pianote

  • PS Silver Member
  • Full Member
  • ***
  • Posts: 197
Re: obscure short modern pieces
Reply #14 on: July 29, 2005, 07:59:26 AM
Bellafronte's segmenti is very obscure but very interesting.

Offline Skeptopotamus

  • PS Silver Member
  • Sr. Member
  • ***
  • Posts: 832
Re: obscure short modern pieces
Reply #15 on: July 29, 2005, 10:00:47 AM
bellafronte?  that sounds just like bellafonte, the name of the boat from Life Aquatic with Steve Zissou.  I think Gwyneth Paltrow was hot in the Royal Tenenbaums with that makeup like that.

Offline Skeptopotamus

  • PS Silver Member
  • Sr. Member
  • ***
  • Posts: 832
Re: obscure short modern pieces
Reply #16 on: July 29, 2005, 10:05:59 AM
Rautavaara Preludes Op. 7

Offline thierry13

  • PS Silver Member
  • Sr. Member
  • ***
  • Posts: 2292
Re: obscure short modern pieces
Reply #17 on: July 29, 2005, 12:08:49 PM
thanks!  btw, theirry, i am not a dude.  but that's ok. you won't offend me because i follow the crowd around like the last bicycle in the tour de france.
By dude, I was speaking of Gaspard  ;) A nocturne dude, Gaspard is a nocturne guy.

Gaspard de la Nuit roughly translates to "Devil of the night."
Not at all. Gaspard = a first name, wich can not be translated into anything else. And "de la nuit" means of the night, so on that part you were right. So, "Gaspard of the night". It can't be anything other than that, except if there is a story that Gaspard is THE devil  ;D

Offline dlu

  • PS Silver Member
  • Sr. Member
  • ***
  • Posts: 404
Re: obscure short modern pieces
Reply #18 on: July 29, 2005, 06:56:35 PM
By dude, I was speaking of Gaspard  ;) A nocturne dude, Gaspard is a nocturne guy.
Not at all. Gaspard = a first name, wich can not be translated into anything else. And "de la nuit" means of the night, so on that part you were right. So, "Gaspard of the night". It can't be anything other than that, except if there is a story that Gaspard is THE devil  ;D

I've seen Gaspard de la Nuit translated as "Artful Dodger of the Night"...although this is, of course, not a literal translation...

DLu

Offline tater_tot

  • PS Silver Member
  • Newbie
  • ***
  • Posts: 14
Re: obscure short modern pieces
Reply #19 on: July 29, 2005, 07:11:02 PM
A recording that might be worth your while is Guy Livingston's "Don't Panic! 60 Seconds for Piano." Livingston comissioned 60 composers to each write a piece that was 1 minute or less in length. My personal favorite would be Bolcom's "A 60-second Ballet for Chickens." Just a suggestion.

Offline fred smalls

  • PS Silver Member
  • Sr. Member
  • ***
  • Posts: 332
Re: obscure short modern pieces
Reply #20 on: July 30, 2005, 01:57:51 AM
I've got one.

Messiaen: Prelude No.8 - Un reflet dans le vent - 5:45 (approx)

You have to learn it.  I am going to in a year, when I'm good enough....

Best piece ever!

Peace
Fred Smalls
Medtner is my god.

Offline Skeptopotamus

  • PS Silver Member
  • Sr. Member
  • ***
  • Posts: 832
Re: obscure short modern pieces
Reply #21 on: July 30, 2005, 03:27:10 AM
I just gave it a listen and i'd probably learn Canteyodjaya or Amen for the Stars, for the Ringed Planet over that.  sowwie.  I'm combing through the Catalogue right now.

Offline pita bread

  • PS Silver Member
  • Sr. Member
  • ***
  • Posts: 1136
Re: obscure short modern pieces
Reply #22 on: July 30, 2005, 06:54:52 AM
Wasn't Amen for the Stars originally a 2 piano work?

Offline thierry13

  • PS Silver Member
  • Sr. Member
  • ***
  • Posts: 2292
Re: obscure short modern pieces
Reply #23 on: July 30, 2005, 06:57:26 AM
He has four hands  ;D

Offline Skeptopotamus

  • PS Silver Member
  • Sr. Member
  • ***
  • Posts: 832
Re: obscure short modern pieces
Reply #24 on: July 30, 2005, 07:23:42 AM
crap Visions de l'Amen is a four-handed piece!  damn i didn't know that =(

Offline thierry13

  • PS Silver Member
  • Sr. Member
  • ***
  • Posts: 2292
Re: obscure short modern pieces
Reply #25 on: July 30, 2005, 07:33:14 AM
crap Visions de l'Amen is a four-handed piece!  *** i didn't know that =(

No I was kidding ! He said it was for 2 pianos, so i said no prob, he has 4 hands  ;D (kidding)

Offline Skeptopotamus

  • PS Silver Member
  • Sr. Member
  • ***
  • Posts: 832
Re: obscure short modern pieces
Reply #26 on: July 30, 2005, 08:27:00 AM
no it is a piece for 4 hands.  i didnt know -.-  I couldnt tell from listening.

Offline Bouter Boogie

  • PS Silver Member
  • Sr. Member
  • ***
  • Posts: 703
Re: obscure short modern pieces
Reply #27 on: July 30, 2005, 02:25:40 PM
Suggestion Diabolique - Prokofiev
A La Albéniz - Shchedrin

I'll come up with some more later :)
"The only love affair I have ever had was with music." - Maurice Ravel
For more information about this topic, click search below!
 

Logo light pianostreet.com - the website for classical pianists, piano teachers, students and piano music enthusiasts.

Subscribe for unlimited access

Sign up

Follow us

Piano Street Digicert