Knussen conducts Birtwistle et al

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  • Bryn
    Banned
    • Mar 2007
    • 24688

    Knussen conducts Birtwistle et al

    Next Monday's Radio 3 In Concert is to be a live broadcast from the Aldeburgh Festival of an interesting-looking concert to include the premiere of Birtwistle's Keyboardurd Engine[/I]. One of the main attractions for me, however, is an all too rare chance to hear a perfromance of Debussy's Chansons de Bilitis as rescued and edited by Boulez (not the 3 Chansons but the recitations with accompaniment of two flutes, two harps, celesta (it was the celesta part which Boulez reconstructed). On this occasion the reciter is to be Claire Booth.

    Since the online Radio 3 schedule is rather short in information regarding this concert, here's an extract from the Festival brochure:

    "In his eighties Harrison Birtwistle is as uncompromising, poetic and provocative as ever, and any new work from him commands attention. This concert has two, performed by close friends and collaborators: a major two-piano work written for Tamara Stefanovich and Pierre-Laurent Aimard, and the first British performance of Three Moth Songs, settings of the poetry of the eminent American Robin Blaser. Oliver Knussen (dedicatee of one of these songs) directs a hand-picked ensemble. There’s also new music by Vassos Nicolaou (a wedding gift for the Aimard-Stefanovich duo) and two rarities; Debussy’s narrated mini-drama sets prose-poems to music of ravishing sensuality, and a rarely-heard collection of tributes compiled to mark Debussy’s death 100 years ago yields alluring piano miniatures from no less than Bartók and Stravinsky amongst others."

    Contrary to what the online schedule claims, the performing group is the Aldeburgh Festival Ensemble, not the BBC Scottish Symphony Orchestra.
    Last edited by Bryn; 11-06-18, 09:57. Reason: Corrections and additions.
  • Serial_Apologist
    Full Member
    • Dec 2010
    • 37689

    #2
    Thanks for the advanced notice, Bryn. I'm wondering what the Bartok & Stravinsky piano miniatures will be: not aware Igor wrote piano tributes to Debussy, or Bartok anything as such. Maybe they don't mean that...

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    • ferneyhoughgeliebte
      Gone fishin'
      • Sep 2011
      • 30163

      #3
      Originally posted by Serial_Apologist View Post
      ... not aware Igor wrote piano tributes to Debussy ... Maybe they don't mean that...
      Perhaps the original keyboard version of the final chorale from the Symphonies (although that was probably written with a Harmonium in mind)?

      Igor StravinskyChorale for piano (1920)Peter Hill, pianoPainting: Odoardo Borrani, Portrait of young man with a cigar, ca 1860In December 1920, the French jo...


      Oh, yes - and Bartok wrote a piece that was included in that "Tombeau de Debussy" publication:



      (See p12 for Bela's contribution)
      [FONT=Comic Sans MS][I][B]Numquam Satis![/B][/I][/FONT]

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      • Bryn
        Banned
        • Mar 2007
        • 24688

        #4
        There is a recording of all ten pieces on the Centaur label.
        Last edited by Bryn; 11-06-18, 14:57. Reason: Link added.

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        • Bryn
          Banned
          • Mar 2007
          • 24688

          #5
          Originally posted by Bryn View Post
          There is a recording of all ten pieces on the Centaur label.
          Just checked. It's only a selection of the ten, plus other related items by Debussy, Ravel and Satie. Recordings of the missing items (those not written for piano) can be found with a little web searching.

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          • Serial_Apologist
            Full Member
            • Dec 2010
            • 37689

            #6
            Originally posted by ferneyhoughgeliebte View Post
            Perhaps the original keyboard version of the final chorale from the Symphonies (although that was probably written with a Harmonium in mind)?

            Igor StravinskyChorale for piano (1920)Peter Hill, pianoPainting: Odoardo Borrani, Portrait of young man with a cigar, ca 1860In December 1920, the French jo...


            Oh, yes - and Bartok wrote a piece that was included in that "Tombeau de Debussy" publication:



            (See p12 for Bela's contribution)
            That Bartok is one of the Improvisations on Hungarian Peasant Songs. In spite of being my favourite Bartok piano music, I'd never realised he dedicated that to Debussy - though it doesn't in the least surprise me! Apart from the Schmitt, and the Satie, I knew about the rest, however, though again, I'd never realised Stravinsky originally scored the chorale for harmonium. One learns something new every day - even about works one thought one knew everything there was to know.

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            • Serial_Apologist
              Full Member
              • Dec 2010
              • 37689

              #7
              Originally posted by Bryn View Post
              Just checked. It's only a selection of the ten, plus other related items by Debussy, Ravel and Satie. Recordings of the missing items (those not written for piano) can be found with a little web searching.
              Thanks Bryn. I have the Malipiero, Roussel, Dukas and Falla pieces on cassette from a broadcast long ago. It was a live concert - at the end of which there was time to spare for one more Debussy tribute, and the pianist played Kodaly's "Meditations on a Motif of Debussy" - not part of that set, but composed in 1907.

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              • ferneyhoughgeliebte
                Gone fishin'
                • Sep 2011
                • 30163

                #8
                Originally posted by Serial_Apologist View Post
                I'd never realised Stravinsky originally scored the chorale for harmonium.
                He "probably" did - the earliest sketches of the Chorale appear with doodlings that Stravinsky was jotting down at around the time he was thinking of including a Harmonium in the score of Les Noces. (He was also a bit keen on the idea of The Chorale at this time, too.) The published homage doesn't specify which keyboard instrument is required (it requires a player with big hands, whatever instrument is intended) but the collection is for piano. The sketch books of this time include a passage that ended up in the Symphonies that originally was conceived with an ensemble including String Quartet - it sounds remarkably like the Concertino for 12 Instruments.

                A fascinating documentary on the Symphonies via youTube:

                The Finale Chorale,' concerns itself with the 'Symphonies of Wind Instruments' from 1920. 'Symphonies' was written in memory of Stravinsky's friend and colle...


                The Finale Chorale,' concerns itself with the 'Symphonies of Wind Instruments' from 1920. 'Symphonies' was written in memory of Stravinsky's friend and colle...


                The Finale Chorale,' concerns itself with the 'Symphonies of Wind Instruments' from 1920. 'Symphonies' was written in memory of Stravinsky's friend and colle...
                [FONT=Comic Sans MS][I][B]Numquam Satis![/B][/I][/FONT]

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                • ferneyhoughgeliebte
                  Gone fishin'
                  • Sep 2011
                  • 30163

                  #9
                  ... or you can buy the docu (together with and equally fascinating one on the Schönberg 5 Orchestral Pieces ) for under a tenner:

                  [FONT=Comic Sans MS][I][B]Numquam Satis![/B][/I][/FONT]

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                  • Bryn
                    Banned
                    • Mar 2007
                    • 24688

                    #10
                    Originally posted by ferneyhoughgeliebte View Post
                    ... or you can buy the docu (together with and equally fascinating one on the Schönberg 5 Orchestral Pieces ) for under a tenner:

                    https://www.amazon.co.uk/Igor-Stravi.../dp/B000AMMSQ2
                    I'd forgotten about that. Must give it a spin. I got it for the Schönberg, I must admit.

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                    • Dave2002
                      Full Member
                      • Dec 2010
                      • 18021

                      #11
                      A new composer I've not heard of before - Stravinksy. i wonder if he is/was related to the actor Igor Stravinsky.

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                      • ferneyhoughgeliebte
                        Gone fishin'
                        • Sep 2011
                        • 30163

                        #12
                        Originally posted by Dave2002 View Post
                        A new composer I've not heard of before - Stravinksy. i wonder if he is/was related to the actor Igor Stravinsky.
                        I believe he was a distant descendant from the Dutch astronomer, Typo Brahe.
                        [FONT=Comic Sans MS][I][B]Numquam Satis![/B][/I][/FONT]

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                        • Richard Barrett
                          Guest
                          • Jan 2016
                          • 6259

                          #13
                          Originally posted by ferneyhoughgeliebte View Post
                          I believe he was a distant descendant from the Dutch astronomer, Typo Brahe.
                          I believe he was Danich though.

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                          • ferneyhoughgeliebte
                            Gone fishin'
                            • Sep 2011
                            • 30163

                            #14
                            Oops! So that's why Sandi's stopped sending me Christmas cards.
                            [FONT=Comic Sans MS][I][B]Numquam Satis![/B][/I][/FONT]

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