Terry Riley's Organ Concerto

[ardcarp]

Afternoon on 3 today:

Katie Derham presents an afternoon of music from the BBC Singers and BBC Concert Orchestra, including the UK premiere of Terry Riley's organ concerto 'At the Grand Majestic', with Cameron Carpenter at the refurbished organ of the Royal Festival Hall in London. Afternoon on 3's Nordic and Baltic series continues with choral music from Sweden and Estonia.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b04t992k

[french frank]

Did you listen, arders? I noticed the premiere when it was announced a couple of months ago. It seems to have been an 'all-American' concert, with performances by the Singers woven in for this programme.

[french frank]

Not very well received here.

[Bryn]

Not very well received here.

Nor here. The arrangement of Ives's "The Alcotts" also failed to impress. I've yet to listen to the JLA.

[teamsaint]

Hmmm. The Riley left me feeling very indifferent, although not as indifferent as the Glass piece.

Rather enjoyed the John Luther Adams work though.(on car radio though, sounded like it would seriously benefit from a decent system).

here is a youtube performance from the Chicago SO.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uhTusoemAdI

[ardcarp]

Did you listen, arders? I noticed the premiere when it was announced a couple of months ago. It seems to have been an 'all-American' concert, with performances by the Singers woven in for this programme.

Yes I heard it. A messy collage of a piece....but somehow apt when you see the organ for which it was originally written (Disney Concert Hall):

http://www.kcet.org/arts/artbound/counties/los-angeles/walt-disney-concert-hall-organ-hurricane-mama.html

Looks as if Dumbo the Elephant landed in it from a great height.

[mercia]

I thought the Riley was an OK piece once I got used to the musical language - at least it didn't have the brain-numbing repetitions of the Glass. Quite a marathon for the soloist playing almost continuously at a fast pace for 30 minutes or more. It occured to me that Carpenter might be the only person up to playing it - we'll see. Amazing-looking instrument at Disney Hall - pipes obviously don't have to be straight to function - perhaps they never have had to be.