Sorabji - In the Hothouse

[ctrastevere]

A beautiful nocturne by Sorabji...

[go12_3]

Say, I like the Toccata piece better, ctrastevere.  Yet again, you play very nicely in this piece. 

best wishes,

go12_3

[pies]

a

[pianowolfi]

Why should the toccata be better? In what sense? As a composition or as ctrastevere's interpretation?

I like both, they are played on a very high level, and they work very well together in the same program as contrasting pieces.

[scottmcc]

hmm...while I admit I don't know much about sorabji's music, I can say I liked this.  which is weird, because I don't like any of the other pieces of his that I've heard.  good job--sounds like it would be very challenging to learn and play, and it's very well executed.

[ctrastevere]

Thank you everyone for commenting.

hmm...while I admit I don't know much about sorabji's music, I can say I liked this.  which is weird, because I don't like any of the other pieces of his that I've heard. 

I would recommend checking out his earlier stuff as well as the nocturnes (Le Jardin Parfume, Gullistan, Djami, etc.). He wrote some really wonderful music that I believe most anyone would be able to appreciate.

[lostinidlewonder]

Not too bad but it should sound a little lighter in sound in places not so harsh and loud and some melodic lines need a little more clarity. Aim for a humid stuffy atmosphere in your playing Great work.

[ctrastevere]

Not too bad but it should sound a little lighter in sound in places not so harsh and loud and some melodic lines need a little more clarity. Aim for a humid stuffy atmosphere in your playing Great work.

Thanks a lot lostinidlewonder. Do you also play this piece? I hope to play a larger scale Sorabji piece at some point (not necessarily something like OC... perhaps the first sonata).  It's a shame more people don't give some of these easier pieces of a chance -- they're wonderful. 

[lostinidlewonder]

Hi ctrastevere, yes I have played a few Sorabji pieces, The Hothouse (but I don't do as well of a job as you in your recording) and Toccata which is a wonderful rhythmic workout, Pastiche on Korsakov's Hindu Merchant’s Song which I think is like a cousin to the Hothouse for some unknown reason, selection of his 100 Etudes and fragments of his OC. Because most of his music is so demanding I really can manage small parts or shorter pieces, if there was infinite time in my life I would do them all for sure!

I really like to sight read his works because its like swinging 5 baseball bats at the same time When you go back to more standard repertoire they seem easier to read! I find it really encouraging that more people are playing Sorabji, I really believe that the internet has been very important to make his music known, some of which should creep into standard repertoire in my lifetime I am sure!

[lontano]

Thank you everyone for commenting.

I would recommend checking out his earlier stuff as well as the nocturnes (Le Jardin Parfume, Gullistan, Djami, etc.). He wrote some really wonderful music that I believe most anyone would be able to appreciate.

[Please forgive my misunderstanding of the line of thought in the precedeing messages and just focus on the content of my message.  ]

Really?!? "In the Hothouse" dates from 1918, and was one of his earliest ventures into the Nocturne style. The other luxurious works mentioned were written in 1923 (Le jardin parfume), 1928 "Nocturne: Djami, and (my favorite) 1940 "Gulistan".

These are some of the most accessible, relatively speaking for the listener, but not necessarily for the performer. I think your reading of "In the hothouse" is a great shot at working with this early example of Sorabji's nocturne idiom. Keep at it.

If anyone wants to take on another early KSS masterpeice, try the "Prelude, Interlude and Fugue" from 1920-22. This one of the most startling and intense works of his early years. Michael Habermann's stunning live performance MHS/MusicMasters from the late 1980's is jaw dropping in its execution. The score is not at all expensive and available from the Sorabji Archive. When you see what's flowing under the fingers (especially in the prelude) there's nothing in the entire piano literature that compares (IMHO). 

Keep working at it. Sorabji may be a strange taste to many, but the deeper you look, the more you (might) see.

Lontano