Estonian Piano Orchestra - 18th June 2011

[Guest]

What a revelation! The Estonian Piano Orchestra were completely new to me as were three of the composers (Kirgul, Raats, Sisak) but what wonderful music - original, inspirational and, as Ivan Hewett said, spiritual. I'd love to explore it more deeply but unfortunately Amazon doesn't seem to have heard of them either.

I also loved the pieces by Tuur and Arvo Part. Did anyone else?

[ahinton]

What a revelation! The Estonian Piano Orchestra were completely new to me as were three of the composers (Kirgul, Raats, Sisak) but what wonderful music - original, inspirational and, as Ivan Hewett said, spiritual. I'd love to explore it more deeply but unfortunately Amazon doesn't seem to have heard of them either.

I'd only heard some Sisak before. I'm afraid that I cannot share your view; I found all that I heard of it quite incredibly dull - and I did listen to rather more of it than I could stand, actually...

I also loved the pieces by Tuur and Arvo Part. Did anyone else?[/QUOTE]
Not I, I'm afraid...

[hackneyvi]

What a revelation! The Estonian Piano Orchestra were completely new to me as were three of the composers (Kirgul, Raats, Sisak) but what wonderful music - original, inspirational and, as Ivan Hewett said, spiritual. I'd love to explore it more deeply but unfortunately Amazon doesn't seem to have heard of them either.

I also loved the pieces by Tuur and Arvo Part. Did anyone else?

Thanks for the alert, SO. I didn't get on with the Danish music on H+N 10 days ago and had intended to duck this edition.

Only listened to the first piece, so far.

Jaan Raats: Concerto for Eight Pianists on Four Pianos op.126 (2005) 10" - Listening now, I'm reminded of Gershwin and Britten; I don't know my Russians well-enough but something of Rachmaninov/Khachaturian? For a moment, Part's Cantus in memoriam for BB. I like it's heariness and humour - the pertness of those reams of trucculent dischords. Quite filmic in the middle 'soft' movement but it finds it way out the room, the door bangs open again for the the last burst of swings and cartwheels in the fresh air (where it may be raining; that may be part of its joy). A purely-pleasurable, real toe-tapper of a piece, I felt. Excellent!

[hackneyvi]

Had time for the second piece and liked this, too.

Ulo Krigul: Aquaspherics (2010) about 15" - Estonian Piano Orchestra

It's sombreness, low lit solemnity like a deep current but which one or twice shifts its weight and balance. Then, an almost xylophonic rain of bones. The thrum of a Celtic/Nordic drone; the little beats and gulps performed somewhere on/in the pianos; then the great drops which prelude a rain storm, surely, which rumbles a threat but peters past or out. Those individual drips of notes then accompanied and speeded by the 'zooms' grated from the pianos' strings by hand.

A last hammering dogma of 'music' marches on whatever this ocean is; the implication being a war for dominance.

Some mystery and drama.

[hackneyvi]

Erkki-Sven Tuur: Crystallisatio for 3 flutes, glockenspiel, strings and live electronics (1995) - 12"

Full of lovely sounds - especially those flutes; wonder how much they are augmented by the electronics underneath when they play against the string. This piece's notable feature - apart from its widespread loveliness - was a real spirit of play in the centre. Another hit from my seat, SO. Well-recommended. Whether or not this is 'music for the ages' is irrelevant; I'd call the 1st and 3rd pieces something like attractive divertimenti; the 2nd had a 'deeper' tone, for me.

Urmas Sisask: Voices of the Universe op.88 (2002) 20" plus - I cared for this piece least. It's too 'romantic' for me and I did think, "Liszt Gone Pop!" as the sales tagline. There were one or two Messiaen-ic moments but it lacked real character beyond the sound of the instrumentation (and didn't seem to make as good use of the resources as the other pieces). It begins to look as if it's finishing up with a flying saucer landing in a Russian silent movie. Then goes quite Soviet; triumphal but ... what about? Then, there's a Liberace-drama key change. Before a fizzle. A laborious listen to me which I ended up getting impatient with.

Quite liked the preceding, introductory choral work.

Overall, the first 3 were real pleasures and Ivan Hewitt's interviews with Lauri Vainmaa did a good job of gently recommending the music, I thought.

Thanks again, SO, I'd have missed these without your recommendation.

[hackneyvi]

Erkki-Sven Tuur: Crystallisatio for 3 flutes, glockenspiel, strings and live electronics (1995) - 12"

Full of lovely sounds -

... I'd call the 1st and 3rd pieces something like attractive divertimenti; the 2nd had a 'deeper' tone, for me.

Still like the first three peices but listening again tonight, the Tuur best combines variety, pleasure and interest. It starts at about 32" into the show. A lovely piece, I felt, with delightful complimentary use of electronics.

1 day left on the iPlayer, guys.