Composers out of their comfort zone

[aeolium]

And talking of piano concertos, does Dvorak's come into the category of works outside the composer's comfort zone? He admitted he could not write a virtuoso concerto, more one in which the piano was primus inter pares. It is still quite rarely performed, though Richter recorded it.

[Eine Alpensinfonie]

...how about McCartney's Liverpool Oratorio? Or the Billy Joel piano pieces which were recorded a few years ago (don't recall who by)?

It's fairly dire - a bit like Celebrity Maestro. But McCartney's "Standing Stone" has a certain merit.

[french frank]

Has no one mentioned Brahms's first symphony? He might have got into his symphonic stride thereafter, but according to him it was over twenty years from initial ideas to venturing to present the finished work.

[JFLL]

Perhaps citing Elgar's Piano Concerto is a little unfair,as the composer only left a handful of sketches amd Mr Walker's completion is not in the same league as Anthony Payne's realisations. Ditto for The Spanish Lady, made into a performing version by Dr Percy Young, who, for all his knowledge of Elgar's music, had little orchestral technique (in my opinion).

Maybe, but I'll shift my ground and say that the fact that they weren't finished proves they were outside Elgar's comfort zone! But I think on reflection you're right -- should one perhaps ban completed sketches and arrangements from this thread? DublinJimbo?

[Pabmusic]

Maybe, but I'll shift my ground and say that the fact that they weren't finished proves they were outside Elgar's comfort zone! But I think on reflection you're right -- should one perhaps ban completed sketches and arrangements from this thread? DublinJimbo?

The opera wasn't finished because Elgar died. If he hadn't spent such a long time on the opera (there's much more than Percy Young's realisation) he might have been able to complete the symphony.

[Rolmill]

don't go there

Apologies MrGG, just seemed like a good example of someone way outside his comfort zone....though it may not make DJ too popular with his group

[MrGongGong]

Apologies MrGG, just seemed like a good example of someone way outside his comfort zone....though it may not make DJ too popular with his group

Having to actually work with musicians is more than a little outside macca's comfort zone IMV rather than getting someone much more musically adept to do it for him ..............

[Pabmusic]

Saturday Symphony, Saxophone Concerto or Festival Te Deum by Ronald Binge. The symphony and concerto are available on CD, the Te Deum might still be obtainable on vinyl.

[Serial_Apologist]

Having to actually work with musicians is more than a little outside macca's comfort zone IMV rather than getting someone much more musically adept to do it for him ..............

Am I not right in thinking that the composer Wretched Rodney Bin-It had a considerable fist in both McCartney works?

Speaking of Richard Rodney Bennett, , in a Radio 3 interview at the time of his 70th birthday celebrations, he $apologised$ to the listeners for basing part of his Third Symphony on a 12-tone row. I much prefer the earlier RRB, eg the 1964 Aubade, to the later, which to me comes across as pale facsimiles of late Walton. A composer who, imo, is perhaps at his best when out of his comfort zone (and maybe also the regular Breakfast afficionado's)?

[Roehre]

Sullivan's Irish symphony, his Cello concerto and the Overture In Memoriam might fall in this category too, though IIRC all of these were composed before any of his works in collaboration with Gilbert.

[Roehre]

Liszt's (youth) opera Don Sanche, or his violin+piano and cello+piano works?

[Eine Alpensinfonie]

Am I not right in thinking that the composer Wretched Rodney Bin-It had a considerable fist in both McCartney works?

I think RRB was an adviser in Standing Stone, but Carl Davis did most of the support (and the orchestration) for Liverpool Oratorio.

[mercia]

would Sibelius's piano music be considered in discomfortland ?

[Roehre]

would Sibelius's piano music be considered in discomfortland ?

I don't think so - his piano output is quite massive. But: only 3 piano sonatinas and one piano sonata, the rest being nearly all character pieces.

[LeMartinPecheur]

would Sibelius's piano music be considered in discomfortland ?

Sibelius's piano music does at least get recordings. Glenn Gould, no less, devoted an LP to him.

Surely much further into the frozen wastes of discomfortland is Elgar's piano music. I have a few bits played by John Ogdon as fillers to his LP of the piano quintet: all utterly forgettable IMO - I speak in sorrow as an Elgar-lover. Has anyone ever bothered to record a complete cycle? I guess by now somebody must have, in which case the key question is: Did anyone buy it?