Favourite American composer?

Also, Ives! At least in my view. Fredrik

quote:

Originally posted by Basil:
My top three would be Bernstein, Copland and Glass.

Basil,

My favourite American composer is Morton Feldman. Lately I heard music of and conducted by John Adams at Northwestern University which I found quite interesting.

Regards,

Haim

Dear Fredrik,

Of course Ives, challenging to say the least but well worth the effort. I think it's safe to say his forth symphony is unique!

I mention Copland in my original post, have you heard his Clarinet concerto with Benny Goodman and the Columbia symphony strings conducted by Copland?

HR, I'm embarrassed to admit I've never heard of Morton Feldman.

Dear Basil,

I like a challenge! I have no Ives on record, but cannot forget the broadcasts on Radio Three from thirty odd years ago! At the time they broadcast alsorts of stuff like 'music concrete' and I don't underatnd that, but I listened, agog, to it all. When I get over Bach (probably never), there is a lot to go further with. I still have ideas to write down, but so far I have never wanted to show any one the stuff. Maybe one day I'll do it!

Jeez, I am tired. Fredrik

Adams, Copeland and Gershwin, and dare I mention Stravinsky and Bernard Hermann as we have so many expatriots here in sunny Southern California. It's the climate and hollywood bucks they came for, but stayed for the comraderie and climate.

quote:

Originally posted by Basil:
Dear Fredrik,

Of course Ives, challenging to say the least but well worth the effort. I think it's safe to say his forth symphony is unique!

I mention Copland in my original post, have you heard his Clarinet concerto with Benny Goodman and the Columbia symphony strings conducted by Copland?

HR, I'm embarrassed to admit I've never heard of Morton Feldman.

Basil,

Don't feel bad. Morton Feldman (1926-1987) is not that well known and his music is not what we call mainstream.
You can read about him here:

http://www.cnvill.demon.co.uk/mftexts.htm

Here is one of my favourite Feldman's discs:

Piano and String Quartet / Akai Takahashi, Koronos Quartet / Nonesuch

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B000005J27/qid=1142046...usic&v=glance&n=5174

Regards,

Haim

I'd probably have to choose Duke Ellington or Thelonius Monk. Sticking with "classical" music, I'm inclined to say Piston or Ives.

--

Frank Zappa.

quote:

Originally posted by Todd Arola:
Sticking with "classical" music I'm inclined to say Piston

You know, I used Walter Piston's textbooks a lot when I was young, especially his Theory of Harmony, and yet I don't think I've ever heard one of his compositions!

EW

Sticking with the classical theme (and therefore ignoring Ellington or Monk, at Todd mentions, or even Cole Porter), Bernstein is probably my favourite. I'm a big fan of his Mass in particular, but also works like the Chicheseter Psalms and Candide.

Adams has also been mentioned and I think some of his stuff is wonderful (Death of Klinghoffer, for example and also his 9/11 piece), however other things are less fine (shaker loops).

I'm also pretty fond of Ives, Gershwin (in particular Porgy and Bess - especially the Gil Evans/Miles Davis arrangement - I know, straying a little from classical here ) and Copland. And I have a soft spot for John Cage's 4'33.

Anyone wanting a good sampler of American classical music could do a lot worse than pick up 'The Americans' box in DG's series of Bernstein's recordings. It's arguably one of the finest in the series and has a pretty good range of stuff.

regards, Tam

Thanks HR,

The Piano and String Quartet will be on my next Amazon order and I have to say I'm intrigued by String Quartet II!

Tam,

I much prefer Bernstein as a composer rather than Bernstein as a conductor.


I'm not sure why I omitted Stephen Sondheim from my initial post.

Sondheim certainly has a certain something doesn't he - there was a wonderful production of Sweeny Todd at the ROH a few Christmases ago.

As to Bernstein's merits as a conductor, I can understand why many people don't care for a lot of his output (though I disagree with them), however, I think his readings of American composers are harder to argue with.

regards, Tam

quote:

Originally posted by Malky:
Frank Zappa.

You beat me to it - FZ would be my choice.

mr bacharach,maybe??

Well, when you think of the large number of great masterpieces in classical music , I'm afraid there isn't much to write home about in American music. Maybe a few pieces by Copland, Barber, and Ives and that's about it in my opinion. Now Charlie Parker, Monk, Ellington, and Mingus, that's another matter entirely......