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George Garnett
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« Reply #60 on: 08:59:41, 27-06-2008 » |
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I enjoyed it hugely too, Rauschwerk. It was my first live Turangalila and live really does make all the difference. Where were you sitting, just out of curiosity? From where I was (front of circle, 'piano side') I couldn't always hear the ondes martenot as clearly as I was expecting. In movement 9, for example, its line got rather lost, at least from up there, under the sound of J-Y T's piano. Were you in the stalls where the speakers seemed to pointing? I did enjoy the rude noises in movement 1 though.  |
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Ian Pace
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« Reply #61 on: 12:03:04, 27-06-2008 » |
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From where I was (front of circle, 'piano side') I couldn't always hear the ondes martenot as clearly as I was expecting. In movement 9, for example, its line got rather lost, at least from up there, under the sound of J-Y T's piano. Were you in the stalls where the speakers seemed to pointing? I did enjoy the rude noises in movement 1 though. In the past, the ondes martenot was usually turned up to a very high level during that piece; in performances I've heard in the last 10-15 years, I think the fashion has become to turn it down more, so it contributes to the whole textures rather than always cutting right through them. I prefer the latter option myself. |
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'These acts of keeping politics out of music, however, do not prevent musicology from being a political act . . .they assure that every apolitical act assumes a greater political immediacy' - Philip Bohlman, 'Musicology as a Political Act'
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rauschwerk
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« Reply #62 on: 13:49:10, 27-06-2008 » |
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Where were you sitting, just out of curiosity?
Near back of stalls (row Q), just on the 'ondes side' of centre. Pricey seats (I booked late) but worth every penny! It was my first live Turangalila too. |
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trained-pianist
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« Reply #63 on: 20:05:04, 27-06-2008 » |
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While you people have such a good time listening to big orchestral works of Messien i discovered Messien's Preludes (eight of them). They are difficult of course, but a few are less difficult and what is important a few of them short. That means that some not so good pianists can try their hands playing Messien.
Are these preludes well known?
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martle
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« Reply #64 on: 21:44:46, 27-06-2008 » |
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Hi t-p!
I love those preludes. Yes, I suppose they are easier because they are pretty early pieces in M's output, dating from before he had developed his mature and rather more complex musical style. But they are lovely, although not performed that often.
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Green. Always green.
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Turfan Fragment
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« Reply #65 on: 21:48:23, 27-06-2008 » |
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t-p there are Nine of them, I think (?)
EDIT: nope, it's eight after all.
While played fairly often, they are rather early works and are heftily overshadowed by his later piano music, especially the Quatre Etudes de Rhythme, Canteyodjaya, Vingt Regards sur l'Enfant Jesus, and the Catalogue d'Oiseaux.
EDIT: martle says they're NOT performed often, but that's probably a regional thing. I work at a school where lots of enthusiasm for Messiaen is expressed by people who can't won't put in the heavy lifting required by the abovementioned more mature works.
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martle
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« Reply #66 on: 21:58:24, 27-06-2008 » |
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That's interesting, Turfers. One doesn't see them performed at all often here - quite a rarity in fact. Maybe Ian will be along soon to counter this, but I'm sure this is true. I had a couple of students orchestrate two of them this year, but as if for a later (1960s) Messiaen orchestra. Mucho cool.
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Green. Always green.
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trained-pianist
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« Reply #67 on: 22:43:06, 27-06-2008 » |
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martle and Turfan Fragment,j
Thank you for introduction to Preludes. I have them here at home now and played through two or three.
Even they are early works they sound like Messien.
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martle
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« Reply #68 on: 22:51:03, 27-06-2008 » |
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t-p, yes they are Messiaen through and through despite their early vintage. He's one of those composers (rare-ish for the C20th) who seems to have had the rudiments of his mature style there from the start, and he stuck with the important stuff, like harmonic vocabulary and gestural freedom, well into his later work. Even the tendency to rhythmic cycles is there in the Preludes.
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Green. Always green.
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trained-pianist
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« Reply #69 on: 21:02:07, 29-06-2008 » |
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Thank you, martle. I am so glad that I can understand what you say about Messien from my experience.
I am still looking at Preludes. Now I have to ask some one to help me translate names of preludes.
The first one is called La colombe.
I am also playing Plainte calme.
These two are the shortest. I hope to play it for some of the students. I hope to help them on their way of musical discoveries (may be the seed will blossom later in their lives).
I also liked the one called Les sons impalpables du reve...
I don't know French at all.
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Bryn
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« Reply #70 on: 21:08:30, 29-06-2008 » |
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Thank you, martle. I am so glad that I can understand what you say about Messiaen from my experience.
I am still looking at Preludes. Now I have to ask some one to help me translate names of preludes.
The first one is called La colombe. The Dove
I am also playing Plainte calme. Calm plaint
These two are the shortest. I hope to play it for some of the students. I hope to help them on their way of musical discoveries (may be the seed will blossom later in their lives).
I also liked the one called Les sons impalpables du reve... The impalpable sounds of a dream
I don't know French at all.
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trained-pianist
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« Reply #71 on: 21:22:13, 29-06-2008 » |
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Hi, Bryn. Thank you for your help.
I looked at music of Messiaen for violin and piano and discovered that he has at least two short pieces.
One is Fantasie and another piece. Fantasie looks like to be an early piece.
Do you know anything about these pieces. I wonder if I should try to play through with my violinist (even just for the purpose of knowing at least one of the them).
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time_is_now
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« Reply #72 on: 21:30:10, 29-06-2008 » |
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I am also playing Plainte calme. Calm plaint Or, in more everyday English, something like Gentle lament. Les sons impalpables du reve... The impalpable sounds of a dream . |
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« Last Edit: 22:04:36, 29-06-2008 by time_is_now »
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The city is a process which always veers away from the form envisaged and desired, ... whose revenge upon its architects and planners undoes every dream of mastery. It is [also] one of the sites where Dasein is assigned the impossible task of putting right what can never be put right. - Rob Lapsley
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Bryn
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« Reply #73 on: 21:38:29, 29-06-2008 » |
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Hi t-p, The Theme and Variations is also a fairly early work, (1932). I am neither a pianist nor a violinist, so can't comment on the level of skill involved, but it's a very pleasant work to listen to. I have a couple of recordings on CD, including one on "original instruments"*.  *The piano used is a 1920s Erard. Hi t_i_n, Oops, yes, the dream. Oh, and t_i_n, t-p is based in Ireland. "Plaint" is surely a term she is likely to be familiar with, don't you think? |
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« Last Edit: 21:41:08, 29-06-2008 by Bryn »
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trained-pianist
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« Reply #74 on: 21:49:23, 29-06-2008 » |
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Thank you, Bryn. You are not violinist or pianist, but to me you are fontain of knowledge (more than Niagara Falls, than fountain).
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