Favorite Sorabji Piano Piece

[ryguillian]

What is your favorite Sorabji Piano Piece?

[stevie]

Three Pastiches for Piano (1922): "The Song of the Hindu Merchant", from Sadko (Rimsky-Korsakov)

[pita bread]

Sonata #1, duh, followed by St. Bertrand.

[I Love Xenakis]

Opus Archimagicum --> Sonata No. 1 --> Solo Concerto

[thalbergmad]

From what I have heard thus far, it would be le Jardin Parfume.

[ahinton]

Any particular reason for exclusion from the list of
Rapsodie espagnole [de] Maurice Ravel - Transcription de concert pour piano: version 1 (1923
Fragment: Prelude & Fugue (1926)
Symphony (complete piano part of work originally intended for piano/orch./soli./chorus but abandoned as such) (1931)?
(Strictly speaking, it might be more accurate and less misleading to describe the last-named of these as "never begun as such", since no evidence is know to exist to support Sorabji's ever having so much as set up any orchestral score paper for this piece).
Just curious, since every other known piano work by Sorabji is included on it...

Best,

Alistair

[georgecziffra]

Gulistan, but also the first and fourth sonatas, Djami, le Jardin Parfume, OC, the Solo Piano Concerto

Sorry to revive an old topic...

[simonjp90]

where can i listen to opus clavicembalisticum so i can make my mind up?

[retrouvailles]

where can i listen to opus clavicembalisticum so i can make my mind up?

Well, the only in print CD seems to be Madge's, and his version is atrocious. I would suggest dropping by a library or something to hear Ogdon's. If you want to hear it for free, well, I can't help you with that (well, I can, but I shouldn't).

[minor9th]

Well, the only in print CD seems to be Madge's, and his version is atrocious. I would suggest dropping by a library or something to hear Ogdon's. If you want to hear it for free, well, I can't help you with that (well, I can, but I shouldn't).

You can listen to some excerpts on Jonathan Powell's site:
https://jonathanpowell.wordpress.com/recordings/

(scroll down to Live Recordings)

[john11inc]

Tantrik Symphony, Sonata No. 3, Opus Archimagicum, Djami, in that order.

[retrouvailles]

You can listen to some excerpts on Jonathan Powell's site:
https://jonathanpowell.wordpress.com/recordings/

(scroll down to Live Recordings)

Yes, I have heard those, and they are all pretty mindblowing.

[minor9th]

Yes, I have heard those, and they are all pretty mindblowing.

I was at the concert...talk about mindblowing!

[ahinton]

Well, the only in print CD seems to be Madge's, and his version is atrocious. I would suggest dropping by a library or something to hear Ogdon's. If you want to hear it for free, well, I can't help you with that (well, I can, but I shouldn't).

Not true - at least in terms of availability; Ogdon's is available on Altarus AIR-CD-9075(5) at 5 CDs for the price of 4. You can listen to part of the work on Jonathan Powell's wordpress site and Jonathan will eventually record the entire work once he has had an opportunity to re-prepare it for the new corrected typeset edition that is currently in preparation (although I regret that I can give no idea as to when that will be).

Best,

Alistair

[gep]

An impossible choice, since any piece picked leaves out all the others!

A few notes then...

Already available treasures:
1) Everything Jonathan Powell so far has recorded (jncluding the things on his website)
2) Opus Clavicembalisticum by John Ogdon
3) Organ Symphony 1
4) Gulistan by Charles Hopkins

Upcoming goodies greatly anticipated:
1) Sonata V Opus Archimagicum; due to appear in recording this year
2) Organ Symphony II; due to receive it's world premiere performance this year, followed by a 2nd performance in The Netherlands I hope to attend.

Hopefully upcoming goodies, and/or desired goodies:
1) The anticipated recording by Jonathan Powell of Opus Clavicembalisticum. The parts as yet available on Jonathan's website are mouthwatering... But then:
2) Anything Sorabji as played by Jonathan Powell; I've heard some bits taken from radio broadcasts, such as Gallino d'Oro, that make me greedy.
3) Hopefully Reinier van Houdt will one day be able to record the 4th Symphony for Piano, until then the recorded radio broadcast I have of the WPP will be one of my treasures...
4) Any performance/recording of any of the (other) Symphonies for Piano, such as the Tantrik, or Donna Amato's performance of the 5th.
5) Most notably on 2): Sequentia Cyclica; what I've heard from it makes me think this may be one of the very best Sorabji pieces, containing in essence everything Sorabji was as composer.

Sweet dreams:
1) Jami Symphony performed by a dedicated orchestra and conductor.
2) Symphonic Variations (Orchestral version) performed by same.

And furthermore: everything else....

all best,
gep

[ahinton]

4) Gulistan by John Hopkins

4) Gulistan played by Charles Hopkins!

Otherwise, your list is surely beyond argument!

Best,

Alistair

[gep]

4) Gulistan played by Charles Hopkins!

Otherwise, your list is surely beyond argument!

Best,

Alistair

Aarghhh, how could I make that stupid mistake!!?? Rectified!

[georgecziffra]

Indeed, Charles Hopkins' recording of Gulistan is some of the most exquisitely beautiful piano playing I've yet encountered.

[lontano]

Well, the only in print CD seems to be Madge's, and his version is atrocious. I would suggest dropping by a library or something to hear Ogdon's. If you want to hear it for free, well, I can't help you with that (well, I can, but I shouldn't).

We all have our opinions, and I for one find Madge's "live" performance far more exciting to listen to than Ogden's studio job. Ogden may have more "correct notes in the right places", but to hear someone pulling this battleship up on stage and blowing it up for 5 hours is pretty intense! I know someone who has a video tape of the performance on the CD, but he is reticent to loan it out (we live a considerable distance apart ).

I eagerly await Telif Johnson's release of Opus Archimagicum sometime this year. I'm quite curious what he will charge for (I'm thinking is a 7-CD set). It appears he's doing the whole shebang himself, including distribution (last time I looked at his web site). He's one motivated and talented young man...

And as for my favorite Sorabji piano works (so far, and played well):
Transcendental study #36 for the Left Hand alone
Le jardin parfume
Gulistan
Nocturne (Djami)
Prelude, Interlude & Fugue (Habermann's live performance of the Prelude is awsomeness!)
St. Bertrand (but not sure which performance suites me best and never saw the score)

Bye

[lontano]

Indeed, Charles Hopkins' recording of Gulistan is some of the most exquisitely beautiful piano playing I've yet encountered.

Indeed it is, and oddly (to me) it is the only recording I know of that he ever made, and alas, he has passed away.

[djealnla]

I like the Toccata terza. 

[ahinton]

I like the Toccata terza. 

Care to share it with us? - or at the very least with me?(!)...

Best,

Alistair

[djealnla]

Care to share it with us? - or at the very least with me?(!)...

Best,

Alistair

Yes, but only after the bidding is finished. 

[thalbergmad]

His Bach transcription.

Genius.

Thal

[ahinton]

Yes, but only after the bidding is finished. 

OK, well mine's in already, as are quite a few others, in case you'd not noticed - and only a matter of days after Il Tessuto d'Arabeschi's ms. fell under the hammer, too; such is life - as the composer himself observed to me shortly before his death when I told him about recent discoveries of scores of early piano concertos that he'd composed, "I don't remember how many bl**dy piano concertos I wrote - and I dont care!"...

Best,

Alistair

[thalbergmad]

Sounds interesting.

Where is this auction???

Thal

[ahinton]

Sounds interesting.

Where is this auction???

The one in which Tessuto was sold took place in Sotheby's London office on the first of this month.

Best,

Alistair

[thalbergmad]

And what about this Toccata, has that been sold yet???

Thal

[ahinton]

And what about this Toccata, has that been sold yet???

You'll need to put that question to the poster who first mentioned earlier on this thread that he/she likes the work.

Best,

Alistair

[djealnla]

And what about this Toccata, has that been sold yet???

Thal

Oh yes, the bidding was very calm and short. The score was acquired my Maestro Pierre Boulez, who will soon write a dissertation on it. Once he has finished it he will donate the score to IMSLP.

Hope this helps. 

[ahinton]

Oh yes, the bidding was very calm and short. The score was acquired my Maestro Pierre Boulez, who will soon write a dissertation on it. Once he has finished it he will donate the score to IMSLP.

Hope this helps. 

Even were the rest true or at least half true, that last bit's the giveaway, is it not? No one, Boulez or otherwise, could successfuly "donate" something to IMSLP that is in copyright, since IMSLP would not accept it for distribution. Never mind; nice try otherwise...

Best,

Alistair

[djealnla]

Even were the rest true or at least half true, that last bit's the giveaway, is it not? No one, Boulez or otherwise, could successfuly "donate" something to IMSLP that is in copyright, since IMSLP would not accept it for distribution. Never mind; nice try otherwise...

Best,

Alistair

Ooups, my joke has been unmasked. 

Never mind, I will soon by releasing a new Urtext edition of Chopin's 5th Ballade. The world premiere will be given in Carnegie Hall under masterful hands of Lang Lang. Everyone is invited.

[thalbergmad]

So is there or is there not an auction for this missing toccata???

Thal

[djealnla]

So is there or is there not an auction for this missing toccata???

Thal

Sadly, no, Sorabji destroyed the manuscript. At least we can look forward to Chopin's 5th Ballade.

[ahinton]

Sadly, no, Sorabji destroyed the manuscript.

And your evidence for this unfounded statment is?...

At least we can look forward to Chopin's 5th Ballade.

If only!

Best,

Alistair

[thalbergmad]

I hope it does turn up somewhere.

It is wonderful when something thought lost is found.

Just imagine the Tausig PC and Litolff 1.

Thal

[retrouvailles]

Litolff 1

Unfortunately, I can't imagine that one turning up, considering his life in prison and such. It was probably destroyed during his lifetime. Shame, though, for his 4 extant concertos are better than a good bit of standard repertoire concertos. Honestly, I can't imagine Tausig's concerto being anywhere near as good as these.

On topic, my favorite Sorabji pieces are the 4 pastiches and the nocturnes.

[djealnla]

I'm still waiting for The Art of the Fugue to pop up somewhere. Oh well.

Anyway, I like the Solo Concerto.

[ahinton]

I'm still waiting for The Art of the Fugue to pop up somewhere. Oh well.

Anyway, I like the Solo Concerto.

Several Sorabji manuscripts, some previously documented and others not, have turned up over the past couple of decades or so, so the emergence of Toccata Terza is not entirely impossible...

Best,

Alistair

[gep]

Returning to the topic of the topic, I'd say (choosing between those pieces I actually know) a hard choice between Sequentia Cyclica and Piano Symphony 4. Why? Ah, both display the full with and breath of Sorabji's inventive genius, and at length. That said, experiencing Organ Symphony II at the hands and feet (each of which he seemed to have at least three of) of Kevin Bowyer this summer was a staggering and overwhelming experience like I rarely if ever experienced.

If Toccata Terza does turn up, it would be wonderful indeed!

All best,
gep

[ahinton]

Returning to the topic of the topic, I'd say (choosing between those pieces I actually know) a hard choice between Sequentia Cyclica and Piano Symphony 4. Why? Ah, both display the full with and breath of Sorabji's inventive genius, and at length. That said, experiencing Organ Symphony II at the hands and feet (each of which he seemed to have at least three of) of Kevin Bowyer this summer was a staggering and overwhelming experience like I rarely if ever experienced.

I could not agree more with this last statement, but choosing a single "favourite" Sorabji piano piece isn't all that difficult - it's merely impossible; of those that have so far been performed and/or recorded, some high points for candidacy for me would be Le Jardin Parfumé, Piano Sonata No. 4, Gulistan, Concerto per suonare da me solo, Sequentia Cyclica and the fourth and fifth piano symphonies but, whilst it is indeed most gratifying that there is already so much from which to choose, there remains a great deal more that has yet to be heard, so who knows what one might choose once Sorabji's entire output for the piano has been aired in public?

If Toccata Terza does turn up, it would be wonderful indeed!

Indeed so! - so will all those interested start looking? The actual known history of the fate of this ms. is that it was - er, shall we say, appropriated without consent from the Estate of Sorabji's friend the Anglo-American music critic Clinton Gray-Fisk in the early 1960s along with several other mss. of his which Sorabji had gifted to CG-F over the years; it appears that all of the other items have subsequently turned up after quite some years, so - as I wrote earlier - the eventually emergence of this Toccata is not entirely impossible...

Best,

Alistair

[djealnla]

Deleted

[djealnla]

I could not agree more with this last statement, but choosing a single "favourite" Sorabji piano piece isn't all that difficult - it's merely impossible; of those that have so far been performed and/or recorded, some high points for candidacy for me would be Le Jardin Parfumé, Piano Sonata No. 4, Gulistan, Concerto per suonare da me solo, Sequentia Cyclica and the fourth and fifth piano symphonies but, whilst it is indeed most gratifying that there is already so much from which to choose, there remains a great deal more that has yet to be heard, so who knows what one might choose once Sorabji's entire output for the piano has been aired in public?

No OC? 

[djealnla]

You'll need to put that question to the poster who first mentioned earlier on this thread that he/she likes the work.

Best,

Alistair

She, please. 

[ahinton]

She, please. 

OK, fine; I would not have known your gender had you not admitted to it!

Best,

Alistair

[ahinton]

No OC? 

Yes, OC, of course, but is it right up there with the very finest of Sorabji's many piano works?  It's very much a nodal point in his output, of course and a work of immense significance, but there is just so much more Sorabji that, as I've already stated, it is impossible to come down in favour of just one piece! One may as well ask for someone's "favourite" Beethoven quartet, Chopin étude, Bach Cantata...

Best,

Alistair

[djealnla]

Yes, OC, of course, but is it right up there with the very finest of Sorabji's many piano works?

Well, as I pointed out elsewhere, Sorabji did think so.

[minor9th]

Has anyone heard any further info about Tellef Johnson's upcoming Opus Archimagicum recording? He never updates his site--nor has he sent any emails in a while.

[djealnla]

Has anyone heard any further info about Tellef Johnson's upcoming Opus Archimagicum recording? He never updates his site--nor has he sent any emails in a while.

Have you tried contacting him? Perhaps this is a case of biting off more than one can chew.

[minor9th]

Have you tried contacting him? Perhaps this is a case of biting off more than one can chew.

His website only has a mailing list form, no contact info.