Twentieth Century Chamber Music
Posted by: herm on 13 October 2002
Darius Milhaud
Complete String Quartets
For the past few weeks I have been listening to Milhaud's String Quartets, and I have to say they have been growing upon me in a way I had not expected.
Darius Milhaud (1892 - 1974) was one of the Groupe des Six composers (like Francis Poulenc and Eric Satie) and an unusually prolific one, with a catalogue comprising 450 pieces. He wrote 18 string quartets, which now have been recorded by the Paris Quartet (Quator Parisii) for the indispensable Naïve label. The booklet says this ensemble played the Milhaud Fourth Quartet for the first time in 1984, with Milhaud's widow Madeleine in the audience, and they made a vow to her to record the entire oeuvre one day.
I'm glad they did. This box contains five CDs with excellent booklets each, and from the Fifth quartet (1920) onwards this music is very special, and by the time the war years have arrived (Milhaud spent the war in the Americas), this is uniquely beautiful music.
Milhaud doesn't wear his heart on his sleeve the way Shostakovich does. It's modern music, so it doesn't necessarily have the clearly delineated vocal phrases of classical writing (though sometimes it does). It's French music (with a distinct Latin / Mediterreanean slant: Milhaud grew up in the Provence) so there's a cerebral element. The 14th and 15th quartet were composed in such a way (1948-49) that they can be played as quartets, but they can be played simultaneously, too, as an octet. Spectacular, of course, but actually I prefer the 15th as a quartet.
I really prefer his wartime quartets, say, nr 9 (1935, admittedly), through 13 (1946). Quartet nr 11, (1942) with a great, tragic slow movement, and 18 (1950) with an extraordinary slow opening movement are perhaps the best ways to begin.
It's great music to chill out to. Many of these movements, particularly the slow movements ask for a repeat to let the discourse seep into your mind one more time. The finales are invariably fun, festive, 'Latin' pieces.
OK, so this isn't Beethoven, Mozart or Shostakovich. But it is definitely in the next tier. It's just very interesting music. A couple of times I have thought, let's post about it, and then I felt, no, I want to listen some more. It's mysterious music in exactly the right way. One's intrigued, and one will never find out exactly why. And if you're really interested in twentieth century string quartets, I feel this ought to be in your collection.
I'm opening a new thread, too, to invite contributions on modern chamber music, please. StephenJohn. Jack Rubinson, Ross Blackman, Todd Arola, Nick Lees, JarrettH, what have you been up to in this department?
I'm curious
Herman
Posted on: 18 November 2002 by herm
quote:
Originally posted by stephenjohn:
As someone who listens to some music who does not have a musical education my question is: is there any consensus of opinion about any individual that he or she may be great in the sense of their music being enjoyable?
Well, in the context of this thread that would have to be Stravinsky. Perhaps that's a little further back than you'd want, but a lot of his best work is actually pretty close in time to us.
'Agon' is from 1957, 'Orpheus' from 1947 and 'Movements' from 1959, and they are all chamber works for symphony orchestra, in that it hardly ever happens all forces play at the same time. Musically they're hugely enjoyable and completely
sui generis.
We're drifting a bit out of chamber music, but never mind. I'd also recommend you check out Luciano Berio's post 1975 work. He's a great one for medium-sized symphonic works with a distinct metallic-yet-mellifluous sound.
Herman
Posted on: 18 November 2002 by Todd A
quote:
Originally posted by herm:
If I had to name one absolute standard of string quartet composing, that would have to be Mozarts string quartets from K 387 onwards - the Celebrated Ten.
Herman
Oh, Herman, you know deep down that you are wrong. Haydn is the Supreme Master of the string quartet; not even Beethoven or Bartok can quite match the dutiful house composer here. His Opp 54 and forward quartets, taken together, are pretty much as good as it gets. Throw in his Opp 20, 33, and 50 quartets and how can you possibly make such a ludicrous claim as Mozart is the best. Terrible.
And why has poor old Janacek been so relatively negelected in this thread. His quartets alone stand near the summit of the genre. (
Near, not
at the summit.) Then there's his violin sonata and the Pohadka (
sic?) . . .
Posted on: 18 November 2002 by herm
Yes, but...
Well, it depends, Todd. The problem is not I don't sufficiently care for Haydn. That's hardly possible. I love his string quartets, piano trios, keyboard sonatas and symphonies, and what's more, I have been listening to some of these works on a fairly regular basis for the past twentyfive years, notwithstanding the überwhelming mass of them.
Haydn's mature string quartets are surely the standard, they are just so doggone liveable-with. But Mozart's mature string quartets go beyond the standard. These are truly sublime works. And perhaps the problem is you (and many with you) are not aware of this? I'm really puzzled why. For me it was love at first sight.
I listened to Milhaud's tenth and eleventh quartet again today, and I'm happy to say I still like them, especially the latter.
Herman
Posted on: 22 November 2002 by DJH
The more I listen to 20th century music, the more I am fascinated by it, the more I enjoy pieces that at one time I would have found eery, or weird, to use two of the descriptions above, and the less I enjoy 19th century orchestral music. I think it was Charles Ives who said beauty in music is too often confused with something that lets the ears lie back in an easy chair.
Posted on: 23 November 2002 by stephenjohn
After excursions to some of the less well known composers written about in this thread I have been listening to Bartok's third SQ [Takacs]. I have become captivated by it, listening to it over again several times. It is a magnificent. vibrant, eerie, and wierd piece of music. No one's ears could possibly lie back and relax. Wonderful pleasure!
Posted on: 23 November 2002 by herm
after reading your post I popped in Bartok 3 (Tokyo Quartet) and played it twice.
Usually I do 2 or 6 - and I play Bartok rarely.
That's what's so good about these threads. I got to listen to a wonderful piece I wouldn't have thought of myself.
Herman
Posted on: 24 November 2002 by stephenjohn
I've just boought a Naxos CD which containd his Sonata for Viola and Piano. It sounds good. Energetic and interesting. I'd recommend risking the £4.99 [or equivalent in other currency]
[This message was edited by stephenjohn on MONDAY 25 November 2002 at 07:25.]
Posted on: 24 November 2002 by Wolf
SJ: Glad you like the Bartok SQ, I have them on LP and they are wonderfully wierd and a pleasure.
Posted on: 24 November 2002 by herm
There's also a disc with Martinu's two String Quartets on Naxos, performed by the very able Ad Libitum Quartet.
Posted on: 24 November 2002 by stephenjohn
quote:
There's also a disc with Martinu's two String Quartets on Naxos, performed by the very able Ad Libitum Quartet.
What are they like?
Posted on: 25 November 2002 by herm
Well, I checked to see what they are like, and I can say they are totally different from the rest of Martinu's output, and the reason why is these two string quartets are by Enescu.
Go figure.
Petitions to ban me from the Music Forum will be received from 11:00 am till 5:30 pm today.
Is that violin sonata with Isabelle van Keulen? She's hot.
Herman
Posted on: 25 November 2002 by herm
Posted on: 25 November 2002 by stephenjohn
quote:
Is that violin sonata with Isabelle van Keulen? She's hot.
It's a viola sonata. Rainer Moog is the violist
Posted on: 25 November 2002 by Todd A
quote:
Originally posted by stephenjohn:
quote:
There's also a disc with Martinu's two [early] String Quartets on Naxos [.]
What are they like?
Quite fine, actually. The Martinu Quartet plays them on Naxos and the performances are, well, committed. (They should be!) The music on Volume 1 is generally youthful and energetic, and is well worth hearing. Volumes 2 and 3 of the complete cycle are both out in Europe now, and I will be snapping them as soon as they hit the states. The Panocha Quartet did a cycle for Supraphon that may be worth getting.
Posted on: 26 November 2002 by herm
Messiaen
Well, it's piano solo, but surely there's nothing wrong with noting that Messiaen's "Vingt Regards sur l'Enfant Jésus" is arguably the central work in Messiaen's huge catalogue. Håkan Austbø's recording was one of the first top notch Naxos issues, and, more recently, Jean-Laurent Aimard on Teldec is even better.
The Hagens are pretty good in this repertoire; their Janaçek is very exciting too (and I could of course add Veronica Hagen is one hot blonde / person, but why keep lowering the tone on my own thread?)
This weekend I saw a documentary about pianist Zoltan Kocsis teaching Bartok and Kodaly at the Liszt Academy in Budapest. If there's one thing to be said for living in Europe - just one - it's these great arts documentaries on public tv, usually international coproductions.
Kocsis, who appears to have suffered a heart attack, the way one half of his face has gotten out of whack, kept stressing the vocal nature of all this music, and talked about his admiration for Annie Fisher. He also gave an interesting illustration of Brahms's Hungarian influences, in pieces as spare as the late intermezzos - K. filling in the Hungarian band bits.
So if we're talking about small scale Bartok I'd add the Mikrokosmos piano pieces, the solo for solo violin, and the 44 duos for two violins. These do not have the complex depth of the string quartets, but they are part of the same musical world. Admittedly I saw / heard these duos performed last summer by Isabelle van Keulen with last year's Queen Elizabeth winner Baiba Skride. (Babe + cutie. Sorry folks. Can't help reality.)
Herman
Posted on: 30 November 2002 by stephenjohn
These finally arrived yesterday. I started at the beginning and listened to No 1, three times. I liked it immediately. Interesting, exciting at times, thoughtful and accessible. One of the best recommendations that I've taken up from this thread. I've not graduateted to the later, post breakdown, works yet; just listened to the odd sample to get an idea of what people are talking about. They sound like an interesting direction to try.
Crumb not arrived yet.
Messian quartet arrived earlier in the week. I enjoyed that too. I'll try the other recommendations when I've digested my recent acqisitions.
Posted on: 30 November 2002 by DJH
It's in the last few months that I've begun to enjoy Messiaen ; I think it was Herman who described his music as "too gloopy" somewhere else on this forum, and six months ago I would have concurred with that. Then I started listening to Saint Francois d'Assise, which just "clicked", with some of the tableaux (5th and 8th in particular), being just fantastic. This has led me to the Vingt Regards which must be some of the most profound piano music of the mid-twentieth century. I can't find words to describe how this music moves me.
What I still don't get, however, is all the pretentious verbiage that seems to go with the music - it's just not necessary, surely. You get the same thing with photographers - why do most fine art photographers need some puerile mission statement adorning their books or websites?
Britten's Cello Suites are also worth exploring. He moves from the influence of Bach in the first and second suites, to a very modern language - similar to that of Shostakovich's late quartets - in the third. I recommend the version of Rohan de Saram on Naive.
Posted on: 01 December 2002 by herm
Hi DJH,
I agree with every word you say. If you have Messiaen's St Francois opera and the Vingt Regards for piano you have both his largest work and his most elementary piece. You have it all.
I'd say one thing that makes Messiaen's such powerful music is those "simple" birdsong episodes juxtaposed with massive harmonically complicated pieces.
I wonder if Todd has given the St Francois a stab yet, now that he's our intrepid opera explorer.
Herman
Posted on: 02 December 2002 by Wolf
I used to have M's Tarangula (sp?) but traded that CD in, it was too confusing for me. I do like my Boulez Repons. Last June at the Ojai Music Festival here in So California, Salonen conducted M's Canyons to the Stars and it was really amazing. Forget traditional melody but about three times he came to orchestral climax and it was incredibly beautiful. Turns out Boulez is conducting the next Ojai Festival next year and I'm really looking forward to it as Sat. night will be 4 pieces of his. Anthemes2, Dialogue de l'Ombre Double, Notations and Sur Incises. Has anyone heard them?
Posted on: 08 December 2002 by DJH
Thanks SteveC ; been listening to the Rabinovitch/Argerich version over the weekend ; this is in the same idiom as Vingt Regards and, to my ears at least, is equally powerful.
Posted on: 09 December 2002 by herm
Steve,
the current hot choice for the Turangalila (not a favorite of mine btw) would be Kent Nagano and the Berlin Philharmonic on Teldec, issued about a year ago. Aimard takes the piano part, again, and Nagano is the one who recorded the St Francois opera twice. So these guys know what they're doing. I'll add a link to Amazon France with some samples, though lord knows that doesn't mean a lot with complicated sound structures like these.
http://www.amazon.fr/exec/obidos/ASIN/B000056NA1/qid=1039443663/sr=1-3/ref=sr_1_0_3/402-0224733-2547349Herman
Posted on: 09 December 2002 by jayd
but I picked up a cd of "Te Deum" by Estonian composer Arvo Part (on the ECM label). I think it's stunning; makes me eager to look for some of his chamber works.
Is anyone familiar with this composer?
Posted on: 09 December 2002 by stephenjohn
Naxos do a disk with a number of arrangements of Fratres. Some of which are for chamber combinations. It is very enjoyable: well recorded and atmospheric.
Posted on: 10 December 2002 by Keith Mattox
quote:
Originally posted by stephenjohn:
Naxos do a disk with a number of arrangements of Fratres. Some of which are for chamber combinations. It is very enjoyable: well recorded and atmospheric.
Telarc also has a disk of Pärt's Fratres and is well worth getting.
I too learned about Pärt through "Te Deum", which is still a favorite of mine. Also highly recommended are "Alina" (about as minimal as one can get), and "De Profundis" with Paul Hillier's Theatre of Voices.
Cheers
Keith.
