Hetu Variations

[viking]

Banff recording.  Please comment!

[rachfan]

Hi viking,

I must admit that I'm not an enthusiast of 12-tone music, but having said that, I believe that your rendition of these variations is brilliant.  Exellent playing!

[furtwaengler]

I had not heard the Hetu Variations, but am confident in this introduction for the obvious great care you give to all you play. It reminds me a lot of Dutilleux. I'm currently on a trip, so I'll post more later.

You post more too! Your playing is a tremendous delight. Congratulations on your success. What hope you to do in the future?

[viking]

I really appreciate the comments.

Furtwaengler, your connection with Dutilleux is correct, as Hetu was his student for some a few years before composing the Variations.

Its really a shame that for the most part his music stops at the Canadian border, as it's truly worth a listen.

Best,

Sam

[lontano]

Hi viking,

I must admit that I'm not an enthusiast of 12-tone music, but having said that, I believe that your rendition of these variations is brilliant.  Exellent playing!

I like 12-tone music when it's written and performed well, and the performance here sounds excellent, yet I am unfamiliar with the work or the composer! But just in the past few days I've seen the title in several places outside PS. So who wrote this work, and how did you learn to play it so well?!?

Lontano

[retrouvailles]

I know Jacques Hétu's music fairly well (and I'm not Canadian!), and it is indeed interesting to hear the work which, ironically, is one of his most popular, due in part to Gould's recording of it (and a live Hamelin recording which circled the internet). Hétu usually composes in a rather neo-romantic style which doesn't always appeal to me. However, I absolutely love this work, for it is an example of just how emotional and visceral 12 tone music can be when written and played well (contrary to the rampant misconceptions that 12 tone music is always noisy, dissonant, boring, and unemotional). I personally think that Hétu shouldn't have discontinued using the 12 tone language in his later music. It would make his later works more interesting, heh.

On to the criticism of the performance: This is played extremely well, and there isn't much I can point out that is wrong. However, it does sound like the Hamelin recording was a huge source of inspiration for your interpretation of the work. He isn't a bad pianist to take after, though! Both his and your decisions make this work interesting enough to even the most novice listener. I even noticed that rachfan, who usually shuns "atonal" 20th/21st century music, even commented on your playing, which rather surprised me, but it probably comes more from the fact that it is played so well. This is actually a piece I plan to learn in the future, and this recording has helped motivate me toward playing it. It seems really straightforward musically compared to a lot of 12 tone music because of how visceral the music is.

[lontano]

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[viking]

I know Jacques Hétu's music fairly well (and I'm not Canadian!), and it is indeed interesting to hear the work which, ironically, is one of his most popular, due in part to Gould's recording of it (and a live Hamelin recording which circled the internet). Hétu usually composes in a rather neo-romantic style which doesn't always appeal to me. However, I absolutely love this work, for it is an example of just how emotional and visceral 12 tone music can be when written and played well (contrary to the rampant misconceptions that 12 tone music is always noisy, dissonant, boring, and unemotional). I personally think that Hétu shouldn't have discontinued using the 12 tone language in his later music. It would make his later works more interesting, heh.

On to the criticism of the performance: This is played extremely well, and there isn't much I can point out that is wrong. However, it does sound like the Hamelin recording was a huge source of inspiration for your interpretation of the work. He isn't a bad pianist to take after, though! Both his and your decisions make this work interesting enough to even the most novice listener. I even noticed that rachfan, who usually shuns "atonal" 20th/21st century music, even commented on your playing, which rather surprised me, but it probably comes more from the fact that it is played so well. This is actually a piece I plan to learn in the future, and this recording has helped motivate me toward playing it. It seems really straightforward musically compared to a lot of 12 tone music because of how visceral the music is.

Hey Retro,
I appreciate your interest and extensive knowledge of the composer. 
I completely agree on your assertation of most of his new music being neo-romantic.  This is apparent in his Organ Concerto, and Fantasie pour piano.  However, many neo-romantic aspects can also be found in the variations, mostly in the case of form.  My teacher who has close connections with Hetu has coined him "Brahms of the 20th Century."

My performance was definitely inspired by the live Hamelin recording, as I was at the performance myself!
I doubt I come close to many of the nuances MAH achieved - his ear and capacity for this type of music is ridiculous.

You should really give the piece a go.  In terms of form, the variations do make it a rather straightforward piece to learn.  Let me know when you do!

Best,

Sam