23.10.1923 - 18.11.2022
RIP
RIP
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How very strange: I was wondering only the other day (when I played the Naxos CD of his three symphonies) if he was still alive.Originally posted by ahinton View Post
RIP -
The little of his music I have heard reminded me of a number of British composers of earlier generations, but seemed closest to Samuel Barber to my ears.Comment
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The Art song was forte. I liked his music, but I loved his writing. R.I.P.Originally posted by Serial_Apologist View PostComment
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Sad to see this, but I have to admit I thought he'd already gone.
Ned Rorem, RIP
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There is a Naxos collection with Carole Farley singing and the composer at the piano:Originally posted by richardfinegold View Post
Unfortunately, I'm one of those with reservations over her voice, as mentioned in this review:
Farley is married to conductor José Serebrier, who conducts the three symphonies on another recommendable Naxos CD (mentioned above):Seventeen of these 32 songs aren't otherwise available on disc, and they include some of Rorem's finest and most haunting. The utter simplicity that weaves a magic spell in Nantucket, the beautiful paralleling of Gerard Manley Hopkins's ecstatic imagery in Spring, the bare but deeply eloquent Such beauty as hurts to behold, the amiable contemplation of old age and possible immortality in Full of life now – all these are warmly welcome, and it's good to have for the first time a complete recording of Rorem's nine settings of Theodore Roethke. Carole Farley's diction is so immaculate that you'll hardly need the booklet of texts, and her acute response to words must be one reason why Rorem so willingly collaborated with her on this recording. About the voice itself some might have a reservation. Although Farley fines her tone down for the most part effectively her sound is basically operatic. But rejecting this disc on that account would mean foregoing the infectious lilt of The Nightingale, the amply lyrical, movingly expressive Love in a life, the beautiful long lines of Ask me no more and all the others mentioned. No, admirers of Rorem's unique talent will simply have to have this collection. His piano-playing is beautifully supportive.
(Hosts: Worth retitling and moving to the Composers section of the Forum?)Comment
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I can't recall hearing any of his music; certainly it doesn't seem to be broadcast often here. Yet he is often mentioned in books, as he knew so many people. I ddin't even know he'd written symphonies, only songs.Comment
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The Naxos symphonies CD claimed to be their first release (on CD) but the third had already appeared (reissued) in a Vox collection, in a performance by the Utah Symphony Orchestra under Maurice Abravanel, which is how I got to know it.Originally posted by smittims View Post
When I informed Naxos, Serebrier kindly wrote back, saying that both he and Rorem were unaware of the re-release: I hope that Rorem subsequently got some more royalties from it.Comment
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Interesting. I’ll have to see if Apple carries the Naxos disc.Originally posted by Pulcinella View Post
Our local Classical FM station has played a fair amount of Rorem songs. I think a few of the program hosts held him in high regard.
So I have heard the occasional song or two here and there but never a sustained recital or album listen. I have seen excerpts of his books in publications such as The New York Review of Books and I once picked up one of his Diaries in a library and sat for an extended time reading it. He was in Paris some time after WWII. He wrote in the style of a diarist who is aware that he is aiming at a reading public instead of personal intimacy. He was quite frank about his homosexuality which of course wasn’t that common in that era, although I imagine that living in Paris he may of felt more free to be open. His writing style is engagingComment
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If you're a fan of Susan Graham, you could try this CD of Rorem songs:Originally posted by richardfinegold View Post
The only writing I have read of his is Knowing when to stop (though as one wag put it, he didn't seem to!):
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I've had that Naxos CD almost 10 years - perhaps now time to take off the shrink-wrap! To date I know only his attractive orchestral reverie Lions (A Dream).Originally posted by Pulcinella View PostComment
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A fine disc and something of a classic, which makes it surprising that, as the Presto link shows, it is only available as a download - without the booklet, which does have full texts. So far it is the only music of his which I have got to know. His passing may nudge me into remedying that.Originally posted by Pulcinella View PostIf you're a fan of Susan Graham, you could try this CD of Rorem songs:
The only writing I have read of his is Knowing when to stop (though as one wag put it, he didn't seem to!):
https://www.amazon.co.uk/Knowing-Whe...s%2C63&sr=1-18
Re 'knowing when to stop': the comment does apply to the songs, at least to those on the Susan Graham disc, where all are under three minutes, and most are under two. The shortest is 27 seconds.Comment
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Yes a lovely record and one to play this afternoon - RIPOriginally posted by gurnemanz View Post
PS Not sure why anyone would not be a fan of Susan Graham's voice ...Comment
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