What are you listening to right now?

[ahinton]

Yes, bar everything, including those two. Busoni PC does not have enough interesting material to justify its length

Not interesting to you, that is...

and the Szymanowski VC is a cats chorus.

What on earth is that supposed to mean (if anything)?...

Best,

Alistair

[thalbergmad]

Not interesting to you, that is...

Indeed, when posting here, I am only ever referring to my own preferences.

Thal

[ahinton]

Indeed, when posting here, I am only ever referring to my own preferences.

Well, that's fair enough, of course - although, that said, to contend that the Busoni Piano Concerto "does not have enough interesting material to justify its length" is a criticism of it that I've never previously encountered and one that I find very difficult to grasp, given that the work is teeming with ideas; I have to admit to some surprise at your viewpoint here, especially as so much of the heritage of the 19th century piano concerto (about which you care so much) seems to be woven into the fabric of this monumental work, yet at no cost to its individuality. The main criticism that I've heard of it is that some pianists prefer to give it a wide berth because it not only offers relatively few opportunities to display their prowess at the instrument but also (allegedly) contains too many passages that, whilst no easy task to bring off, sound as though the piano is meant to be accompanying the orchestra. The orchestration itself is a joy - and a good deal more skilled and imaginative than quite a few of its piano concerto predecessors. The composer participated in most of the performances of it that took place during his lifetime, split more or less evenly, I think, between those in which he appeared as soloist and those that he conducted; if only he could have played it under the baton of Mahler (as Rachmaninov did with his Third Concerto) or Richard Strauss!...

Best,

Alistair

[thalbergmad]

Well, that's fair enough, of course - although, that said, to contend that the Busoni Piano Concerto "does not have enough interesting material to justify its length" is a criticism of it that I've never previously encountered and one that I find very difficult to grasp, given that the work is teeming with ideas..

I would be amazed if I am the only person that thinks this. For those of us with a limited attention span, or even a reasonable attention span, this ginormous  work probably lies outside of what is acceptable.

Althought over the years I have gradually warmed to the more heavily orchestrated piano concertos, I am still more comfortable with those to which the piano is more prominent.

I much prefer works like the Melcer than the Busoni.

Thal

[m1469]

Performing this in November, I'll be Norma.  Some classic, exemplary singing by Joan Sutherland and Marilyn Horne:  

[ted]

Still my favourite jazz pianist. The swing section starting at about 2:20 is beautifully executed.

[rachmaninoff_forever]

Still my favourite jazz pianist. The swing section starting at about 2:20 is beautifully executed.

This is the first time I've ever seen a black female pianist.

I still have yet to see a female and or a black conductor.

[j_menz]

I still have yet to see a female and or a black conductor.

Margaret Harris (d 2000, so your chance of actually seeing her is limited).

Kay George Roberts (New England Orchestra) is still working, as is Jeri Lynne Johnson (Black Pearl Chamber Orchestra).

No doubt plenty of others.

[rachmaninoff_forever]

Margaret Harris (d 2000, so your chance of actually seeing her is limited).

Kay George Roberts (New England Orchestra) is still working, as is Jeri Lynne Johnson (Black Pearl Chamber Orchestra).

No doubt plenty of others.

What the heck?!  You freaking know everything!

[j_menz]

What the heck?!  You freaking know everything!

LOL. I keep telling you that. 

Incidentally, if you want to see a male black conductor closer to home, check out a concert by the Chicago Sinfonietta, though I think they've recently changed conductors so may not still be valid.

[49410enrique]

Wow!!!

I Con moto largamente (0:00)
II Interludium, Allegro, molto sostenuto, misterioso (15:23)
III Finale, Allegro molto, Svegliando, eroico (17:02)

[rachmaninoff_forever]

Beautiful piece.  Listen all the way to the end.  There's a surprise for you!

[qpalqpal]

I almost cried

[ahinton]

Wow!!!

I Con moto largamente (0:00)
II Interludium, Allegro, molto sostenuto, misterioso (15:23)
III Finale, Allegro molto, Svegliando, eroico (17:02)

"Wow" indeed! Arguably the finest of Medtner's three immensely fine piano concertos, its world première was given in the composer's adopted city of London during WWII by Medtner himself as soloist with Adrian Boult as conductor; as it happens, the pianist who gave a memorial performance of it shortly following the composer's death (and at Medtner's widow Anna's invitation), the New Zealand born Colin Horsley, died around four weeks ago at the age of 92.

I cannot say that I care much for the sometimes rather hard-nosed account of it by Demidenko, I'm afraid; have you heard Medtner's own performance of it? (it's around on YouTube too, like almost everything else these days)...

Some years ago, I was commissioned to compose a cadenza for this work for is Italian première (which in the end did not take place) and completed it with some understandable reluctance on account of a sore feeling that the piece needed no cadenza at all and, had it done so, no one could possibly have written a better one in any case than Medtner himself; ah, well...

Best,

Alistair

[49410enrique]

"Wow" indeed! Arguably the finest of Medtner's three immensely fine piano concertos, its world première was given in the composer's adopted city of London during WWII by Medtner himself as soloist with Adrian Boult as conductor; as it happens, the pianist who gave a memorial performance of it shortly following the composer's death (and at Medtner's widow Anna's invitation), the New Zealand born Colin Horsley, died around four weeks ago at the age of 92.

I cannot say that I care much for the sometimes rather hard-nosed account of it by Demidenko, I'm afraid; have you heard Medtner's own performance of it? (it's around on YouTube too, like almost everything else these days)...Some years ago, I was commissioned to compose a cadenza for this work for is Italian première (which in the end did not take place) and completed it with some understandable reluctance on account of a sore feeling that the piece needed no cadenza at all and, had it done so, no one could possibly have written a better one in any case than Medtner himself; ah, well...

Best,

Alistair

i will look it up! would love to have heard that cadenza of yours though!
thank you.

i'm sorry to hear about that pianist that passed.

we also just got some bad news about Van Cliburn yesterday, poor guy....

https://www.latimes.com/entertainment/arts/culture/la-et-cm-van-cliburn-bone-cancer-20120828,0,5181689.story

[thalbergmad]

I still have yet to see a female and or a black conductor.

One of my facebook friends is John Mclaughlin Williams who is a black conductor. He is also a superb violinist, a font of knowledge on American Composers and an all round decent chap.

Check out his production of Flagello Piano Concerto No.1. Ball bustingly good.

Thal

[thalbergmad]

I cannot say that I care much for the sometimes rather hard-nosed account of it by Demidenko.

Not an outstanding performance, but not as bad as Madge, who put me off the work for a few years.

Thal

[49410enrique]

One of my facebook friends is John Mclaughlin Williams who is a black conductor. He is also a superb violinist, a font of knowledge on American Composers and an all round decent chap.

Check out his production of Flagello Piano Concerto No.1. Ball bustingly good.

Thal

im a flagello fan. i will look this up!

[m1469]

[goldentone]

So what did you think of A Faust Symphony?  Fantastic piece, huh?

[outin]

Margaret Harris (d 2000, so your chance of actually seeing her is limited).

Kay George Roberts (New England Orchestra) is still working, as is Jeri Lynne Johnson (Black Pearl Chamber Orchestra).

No doubt plenty of others.

More female conductors:

Susanna Mälkki
https://www.harrisonparrott.com/artist/profile/susanna-malkki


Eva Ollikainen
https://www.evaollikainen.com/index.php?lang=en

[Bob]

Several versions of the same song (yes, song), but... I keep hearing this one line in my mind, sung a certain way.  I can't find the darn thing on any version of the song recording I've got.  It's starting to drive me nuts.

[m1469]

So what did you think of A Faust Symphony?  Fantastic piece, huh?

I liked it a lot!  I was able to listen to about the first hour in one sitting, then I had a student and finished the last bit after I taught.  The last part was choir and solo tenor, and I have to say I became mesmerized by the singing to the point where it's difficult for me to remember almost anything else in a specific way from it right now.  I know it's in my subconscious though and it will seep up with time.  I'll want to listen again sometime in the not too distant future.

[williampiano]

Right now I'm listening to Bamboula by Louis Moreau Gottschalk. It's kinda repetitive, but I don't really mind that as it sounds nice.

[chopin2015]

[49410enrique]

i love this!

omg i am such a big freakin mega nerd....

[chopin2015]

Love of my life..

[49410enrique]

Baines - The Lone Wreck

The Lone Wreck" from Tides (1920)

William Baines (1899-1922) was not quite the "English Stanchinsky," but certainly died too young before making a lasting impression on music history. A self-taught pianist and composer, Baines made ends meet by working as a cinema pianist; in his free time, he composed (mostly for himself) music that embraced the Romanticism of Chopin, Rachmaninov, and early Scriabin. Throughout his teenage years he produced an astounding 200 plus compositions. Although he wrote a gigantic symphony and a vast output of chamber, vocal, and piano music, much of it has been dismissed by scholars as trivial.

However, one musicologist notes that "His music can verge on banality and then as effortlessly touch the sublime with a candour some contemporaries found hard to accept: nobody save perhaps Alkan, could have written such disparate pieces..." Due to his precocious talent, some have argued that he was a genius while others lambaste the notion. English composer Joseph Holbrooke asks, "Why quibble over the use of the word 'genius'? Is it not enough that he has written a wealth of beautiful music?"

[jollisg]

I was just listening to Brahms fantasies op 116. They're so awesome, especially the first three (I think).

[marygreen]

Right now I’m listening to new records of Beethoven’s compositions which I found at onyxclassics about a month ago… It’s performed by Maxim Rysanov (viola), Kristina Blaumane (cello) and Jacob Katsnelson   (piano). And it’s great as for me!

[m1469]

Richter, Playing Bach WTC BWV 846-893 (plus a bonus Fantasia and Fugue, BWV 944)

Well, I'm listening only to one prelude and fugue right now, but I don't think I've ever listened to Richter playing Bach, and you know what?  I really like it!  He has a very different feel than Gould and some others I've listened to this morning (not that Gould and the others are the same as each other), but Ricther's has a whole different flow to it.

[49410enrique]

yeah buddy!
so the mvmnts are very short but so well done!
the last two minutes of this is pure energy!

[49410enrique]

[m1469]

Paul Badura-Skoda - Mozart, Sonata in C Major K. 330 (mov. III)

[patrickd]

[49410enrique]

outstanding!

[outin]

outstanding!

This one is on my wish list...I usually like Hough's recordings a lot.
I have the complete sonatas by Constance Greene.

[Bob]

[Bob]

Thematic transformation.

[williampiano]

Gavotte et Six Doubles by Jean-Philippe Rameau:

A gorgeous piece of music that I've been obsessed with ever since I first heard it on the radio about a week or so ago.

[Bob]

[ted]

Some symphonies of Havergal Brian I had not heard before, number two at this moment. Quite a few of them have appeared on youtube recently and the sound quality is good, good enough to listen to on the hi-fi anyway. It is funny how I am attracted to his music because classical, and other popular  orchestral music holds little interest for me these days. I enjoy his late symphonies most, especially number thirty-two.

[49410enrique]

the first etude from book ii of my 2nd favorite set of jazz etudes (kapustin's op 40 are my no 1 but these two volumes by milan dvorak are also great, less technically virtuosic but still full of such fun character and jazzy goodness, these two are on  my 'short stack' of pieces to begin reading sometime in the next 3 months....)

no 6 book ii

[Bob]

Where can you get those?

[49410enrique]

Where can you get those?

my editions are scans of the old out of print czech ones that i got so i could preview them before investing in the new books. i want and have plans  to buy these updated 'english' ones really soon.
https://www.prestoclassical.co.uk/sm/composer%7C29039-b

they really are super fun pieces.  and they go over different styles, i.e. here's a bluesy one

here's a 'jazz ballad' style one

another cool one

[furtwaengler]

A tremendous performance of Debussy's Fantasie for Piano and Orchestra. I'm having one of these experiences of pleasant surprise and discovery that occur every so often in which some music I've never cared for in the past instantly bursts onto the scene as one of the greatest things ever. I have a feeling with this new light I can go back to every other performance of Debussy's Fantasie I've heard in the past and be able to enjoy it with fervor.

NEVER GIVE UP!

[49410enrique]

my editions are scans of the old out of print czech ones that i got so i could preview them before investing in the new books. i want and have plans  to buy these updated 'english' ones really soon.
https://www.prestoclassical.co.uk/sm/composer%7C29039-b

...

i have a message out to customer service at SMP since they are making a big marketing broo ha ha over their annual Berenreiter editions sale, these are not officially listed but my reasoning is if you're going to plaster you site with the discounts for this publihser and send me multiple emails about it you should be able to order them for me at give me the discount, so if i hear back from them before the sale ends i'll update so others interested can order also if they want to.

[49410enrique]

i have a message out to customer service at SMP since they are making a big marketing broo ha ha over their annual Berenreiter editions sale, these are not officially listed but my reasoning is if you're going to plaster you site with the discounts for this publihser and send me multiple emails about it you should be able to order them for me at give me the discount, so if i hear back from them before the sale ends i'll update so others interested can order also if they want to.

so they got back to me, they have it incorrectly listed on their website so no wonder i could not find it by doing something so silly as typing the name of the actual composer. i have tried to let them know of their blunder, i do not know that they will listen but i now have a domestic 'big name' retailer to order these from

https://www.sheetmusicplus.com/title/Jazz-Studies-fur-piano-Volume-1/7486288

https://www.sheetmusicplus.com/title/Jazz-Studies-fur-piano-Volume-2/7489640

again to emphasize, do not pay mind to the 'composer' listing here, Antonin Dvorak did not compose modern jazz etudes

[49410enrique]

listening to the Epic of Zektbach Piano collection (playlist below). I have been searching for the scores for a VERY long time but it is exceedingly rare, i saw recently a used copy fetch about 180 dollars and it was incomplete (originally came with 2 CD's and a DVD). i am waiting for someone in japan to get back to me with a possible lead on one i hope i can get it....

the music piano music rocks though

[Bob]

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