The Sound and the Fury: a Century of Music.

[aeolium]

I thought this was much better than HG's series (at least what I saw of that) and mostly for the archive material and the examples provided of the actual music, not so much for the talking heads or the narrative. I too was very surprised at the omission of Britten (and IIRC Ligeti and Elliott Carter). Perhaps he just didn't fit the narrative.

[Ian]

The impression I got of the last two installments was that it was a bit like a drama-documentary about two opposing forces (represented/personified by ‘modernism and minimalism) that have a history of a bit of argy bargy - good television.

[ahinton]

I thought this was much better than HG's series (at least what I saw of that) and mostly for the archive material and the examples provided of the actual music, not so much for the talking heads or the narrative. I too was very surprised at the omission of Britten (and IIRC Ligeti and Elliott Carter). Perhaps he just didn't fit the narrative.

I've not seen every programme in either series but, from what I have seen, I would find it hard to determine which of the two is the worse.

[Serial_Apologist]

the part of the book read before sprog nicked it for her studies leaves me disenchanted with much of the dogmatism involved in the Darmstadt tradition; and wondering how such a nice chap as Benjamin appeared, could tolerate that didact Boulez [now my black beast in chief]

His music is rather good, however...

[Serial_Apologist]

I've not seen every programme in either series but, from what I have seen, I would find it hard to determine which of the two is the worse.

[Quarky]

I've not seen every programme in either series but, from what I have seen, I would find it hard to determine which of the two is the worse.

I have not seen any episode of either series, for which I am very grateful, since I have been able to continue serenely in my yoga practices uninterrupted.

I thank however the contributors to the various threads on this subject; it has had the positive effect of causing me to dig out my CD collection of Arnie's stuff, and causing me to order Gould playing AS's piano music on Sony - cost a small fortune when I last looked!

[MrGongGong]

How on earth can you have a programme that partly focusses on "minimalism" without even mentioning La Monte ??????

and is John Adams really the "saviour" of music ????

I loved some of this journey but this last bit was like a broken down night bus

[ahinton]

and is John Adams really the "saviour" of music ????

Was Chopin a Bolivian?

[Quarky]

Overall I found the series to be of pretty low standard, plumbing the depths of inanity in its final throes. Adams rotated 180 degrees from the position he took but a few weeks ago on Radio 4 re. Schoenberg, (where he proclaimed his love for Arny's music). The series was simply too shallow to get in a fury over, however.

This is now being repeated on BBC 4.

[Barbirollians]

I was unimpressed. It struck me as poorly researched . For example Schoenberg and Webern were presented as if they decided to take up atonality out of sheer perversity . There was no discussion of how they thought tonality could go no further e.g post Mahler or for Schoenberg after his own earlier works . The entire analysis was one glib extract from Eric Whitacre of all people .

I could not believe how Mahler was completely left out !

[MrGongGong]

The entire analysis was one glib extract from Eric Whitacre of all people .
!

Absolutely spot on
and what a poor choice
(I think you will get the "wonderful" JLW talking about Darmstadt in the next episode )

[ahinton]

Absolutely spot on
and what a poor choice
(I think you will get the "wonderful" JLW talking about Darmstadt in the next episode )

FOr the sake and benefoit of the unwary, might I recommend sparing and careful use of the expression "JLW" on here in case of the risk of a most unfortunate misunderstanding?(!)...