BaL 23.03.19 - The music of György Kurtág

[Eine Alpensinfonie]

09.30
Building a Library: Gillian Moore introduces and surveys the music of György Kurtág and recommends the essential recordings. Still active in his tenth decade, Hungarian-born Kurtág is one of the most highly regarded composers of our times, as well as a remarkable pianist, whose often fragmentary and brief works paradoxically pack and an intensely emotional punch.


No list this week, but Presto has a good selection to browse:

https://www.prestomusic.com/classical/search?search_query=Gy%C3%B6rgy+Kurt%C3%A1g+&size=20&page=1&view=large&sort=relevance

Recordings featured:-

Játékok (excerpts)
Márta Kurtág (piano)
György Kurtág (piano)
ECM 4535112

Complete Works for Ensemble and Choir
Natalia Zagorinskaya (soprano)
Gerrie de Vries (mezzo-soprano)
Yves Saelens (tenor)
Harry van der Kamp (bass)
Jean-Guihen Queyras (cello)
Elliott Simpson (guitar)
Tamara Stefanovich (piano)
Netherlands Radio Choir (chorus)
Schoenberg chamber orchestra
Reinbert de Leeuw (conductor)
Others
ECM 4812883

Signs, Games and Messages for strings & Hommage to R. Schumann
Hélène Desaint (viola)
Louis Lortie (piano)
Ronald Van Spaendonck (clarinet)
Louis Lortie (piano)
Nathanaël Gouin
Fuga Libera FUG611

Kafka Fragments
Caroline Melzer (soprano)
Nurit Stark (violin)
BIS BIS2175

Grabstein für Stephan
Jurgen Ruck (guitar)
Berliner Philharmoniker
Claudio Abbado (conductor)

[Richard Barrett]

This might be interesting. I've never really connected with Kurtág's music, despite years of efforts to convince me on the part of our late friend Simon Howard, and I dutifully listened through an entire broadcast of his recent (& first) opera Fin de partie, concluding that, as I strongly suspected, making an opera out of a Beckett play is probably not a good idea for anyone, and certainly not for Kurtág. Having said that I do think his Kafke-Fragmente is a masterpiece.

[Pulcinella]

This might be interesting. I've never really connected with Kurtág's music, despite years of efforts to convince me on the part of our late friend Simon Howard, and I dutifully listened through an entire broadcast of his recent (& first) opera Fin de partie, concluding that, as I strongly suspected, making an opera out of a Beckett play is probably not a good idea for anyone, and certainly not for Kurtág. Having said that I do think his Kafke-Fragmente is a masterpiece.

I wonder if forum member Conchis knows it?

[HighlandDougie]

I wonder if forum member Conchis knows it?

That is what is known chez moi as, "méchanterie" - tsk! Anyway, in the hope that you don't rouse Norman Lebrecht, aka "Conchis", to further provocations - and, also, that we haven't all o'ded on his take on Brahms PC2, here is TS:

https://www.theguardian.com/music/tomserviceblog/2013/mar/12/contemporary-music-guide-gyorgy-kurtag

'Stele' is up there in my pantheon of great pieces of orchestral music composed in the 20th century (along with 'Coptic Light', 'Lontano', 'Grüppen', 'Quadrivium' - and pretty much anything by Xenakis - etc, etc). So I hope that the occasionally irritating Gillian Moore (her BaL on the Berg VC sticks in my mind, albeit with no complaint about her recommendation) does his music justice.

[silvestrione]

That is what is known chez moi as, "méchanterie" - tsk! Anyway, in the hope that you don't rouse Norman Lebrecht, aka "Conchis", to further provocations - and, also, that we haven't all o'ded on his take on Brahms PC2, here is TS:

https://www.theguardian.com/music/tomserviceblog/2013/mar/12/contemporary-music-guide-gyorgy-kurtag

'Stele' is up there in my pantheon of great pieces of orchestral music composed in the 20th century (along with 'Coptic Light', 'Lontano', 'Grüppen', 'Quadrivium' - and pretty much anything by Xenakis - etc, etc). So I hope that the occasionally irritating Gillian Moore (her BaL on the Berg VC sticks in my mind, albeit with no complaint about her recommendation) does his music justice.

Excuse my ignorance, Dougie, (and this is off thread too!), but I was intrigued by your list, but had not heard of, and don't seem to be able to trace so far, 'Coptic Light', and 'Quadrivium'. I have had for many years the Abbado/BPO disc of 'Gruppen' and 'Stele'.

[Bryn]

Coptic Light is a work by Morton Feldman. There is a particularly fine recording of it, conducted by Michael Gielen (with Bruckner's 8th as its make-weight).

Here's an alternative recording:

I think Quadrivium may have been mentioned here by jlw a few months ago in connection with this disc:

[Serial_Apologist]

Excuse my ignorance, Dougie, (and this is off thread too!), but I was intrigued by your list, but had not heard of, and don't seem to be able to trace so far, 'Coptic Light', and 'Quadrivium'. I have had for many years the Abbado/BPO disc of 'Gruppen' and 'Stele'.

"Quadrivium" is an orchestral piece by Bruno Maderna - one of his finest works, imv.

[silvestrione]

Thanks for replies, I am now exploring these works.

[sidneyfox]

Coptic Light is a work by Morton Feldman. There is a particularly fine recording of it, conducted by Michael Gielen (with Bruckner's 8th as its make-weight).

Here's an alternative recording:

I think Quadrivium may have been mentioned here by jlw a few months ago in connection with this disc:

I'm intrigued as to how Bruckner's magnificent symphony could be described as a make-weight for the Feldman piece.

[Richard Barrett]

I'm intrigued as to how Bruckner's magnificent symphony could be described as a make-weight for the Feldman piece.

I believe Bryn's tongue was in his cheek there. Although Gielen isn't my favourite Bruckner conductor and if I'd obtained that recording it would principally have been for the Feldman. I presume that the latter will be resurfacing in the (by me) much-anticipated modern music box in the ongoing Gielen edition.

[jayne lee wilson]

"Quadrivium" is an orchestral piece by Bruno Maderna - one of his finest works, imv.

Wonderful, visionary creation ....of the three extant recordings, this seems to me to be the most cogent, virtuosic and compelling....

https://www.qobuz.com/gb-en/album/maderna-complete-works-for-orchestra-vol-4-arturo-tamayo/4260063109362

Certainly the best-recorded. And the whole 5-volume NEOS edition is the Maderna grand reference...

[Pulcinella]

Oh no: another chat show session with Andrew hosting.
Why didn't he just do the BaL himself, as clearly his own thoughts and opinions matter so much?

[Nick Armstrong]

Oh no: another chat show session with Andrew hosting.
Why didn't he just do the BaL himself, as clearly his own thoughts and opinions matter so much?

Yes but it works a bit better with these composer surveys. I do like Gillian Moore, too - great voice for radio.

I've explored Játékok over the years (I even have the piano score) and have the ECM recording by Mr & Mrs Kurtág

Absolutely love that Bach "Gottes Zeit" BWV106 arrangement that was played on the programme this morning.

[Pulcinella]

Yes but it works a bit better with these composer surveys. I do like Gillian Moore, too - great voice for radio.

I've explored Játékok over the years (I even have the piano score) and have the ECM recording by Mr & Mrs Kurtág

Absolutely love that Bach "Gottes Zeit" BWV106 arrangement that was played on the programme this morning.

I'll grant you that.
But I'd still prefer Andrew merely to steer the discussion than to opine quite so much!
The 'set-up' always seems/sounds too contrived, I fear.

[zola]

But I'd still prefer Andrew merely to steer the discussion than to opine quite so much!
The 'set-up' always seems/sounds too contrived, I fear.

Presumably it is another 'twofer' next week, in the 'pop up studio' at the Sage. I thought I detected an edge to the later conversation with M F-W ( pronunciation, Melodiya sound quality, ghetto-isation of Russian music ) I hope that doesn't mean she won't be asked back in future.