WAYLTL--Magnus Lindberg
Ed Presson
and irrelevant to those who find modern music an anathema. I thought,
however, a few readers might find my experience interesting.
I was introduced to Lindberg's music several years ago with the purchase of
two CDs of his music conducted by Salonen (Sony) and Knussen (DG),
respectively. At first, the music on these CDs seemed too "modern" for me
and clad in drab industrial gray. Though not immediately attractive, I found
myself returning to them again and again, finding something that engaged me.
The works seemed slow moving, monolithic, but built of incredibly complex
surface activity.
The experience reminded me of getting acquainted with the music of Hindemith
more than four decades ago. I started with his popular "Symphonic
Metamorphoses on Themes of Carl Maria von Weber" -which posed no problems
for a novice listener like me. From there, I ventured to the Mathis der
Mahler Symphony and the Concert Music for Strings and Brass. I liked parts
of each, but I soon realized that I got much greater satisfaction when I
played them through rather than just playing the parts I liked. Eventually,
of course, I learned to listen to, and enjoy, much of Hindemith's music.
So, with Lindberg's music I followed the same course, listening occasionally
and gradually my enjoyment increased. I bought additional works and noticed
that either he was changing and becoming more direct, or I was getting more
used to his style. Works composed more recently seemed easier to understand
and had more surface beauty. Indeed, he seemed more willing to ravish the
ear than to pummel it.
The latest Lindberg CD in my small collection is the Ondine recording of
Sculpture, Concerto for Orchestra, and a horn concerto. Sculpture was
written for the opening of the Walt Disney Concert Hall in LA, and I can't
help wonder if that's why it is written in a more accessible version of his
style (no offence meant to the LA concert goers), or if it's the influence
of Salonen's recent works that are much more immediately attractive.
Are there any particular works you'd recommend to seek out or to avoid?
Since I'm asking, I should mention the CDs I've heard:
Sony89810 Cantigas; Cello Concerto; Parada; Fresco (a good starting point)
DG 463 184 Aura; Engine
Ondine 1038 Clarinet Concerto; Gran Duo; Chorale
Ondine 784 Kinetics; Marea; Joy
Ondine 1124 Sculpture; Campana in aria; Concerto for Orchestra
Regards and thanks for suggestions,
Ed Presson
CharlesSmith
To your recommendations I would add:
Ondine 1017-2 Piano Concerto; Kraft
The concerto is a sound-scape style of writing, like Rautavaara
concertos but more dense - immediately attractive.
Kraft is more industrial, written before his style became more
accessible - has little in the way of the ear ravishing of his later
works
Ed Presson
"CharlesSmith" <sigma....@ntlworld.com> wrote in message
news:3eb72674-0483-4525...@r41g2000prr.googlegroups.com...
________________
Thanks for your recommendations. I'll admit I've avoided Kraft because the
descriptions I read were so--well--unpleasant if respectful. After reading
your note, I found a few clips of the work on the web, and I think I'll give
it a try.
Thanks,
Ed Presson
CharlesSmith
> "CharlesSmith" <sigma.onl...@ntlworld.com> wrote in message
I recommended the CD because of the piano concerto, but I'll give
Kraft an outing tonight and see whether I can find anything
encouraging to say about it.
Toby Winston
There is a recent disc of his piano works on Naxos. Classics Today had
a favorable review of it, athough I have yet to hear it. I have heard
the Ondine discs, and your thoughts are very similar to my own. My
favorite Finn these days is Saariaho.
CharlesSmith
I've listened to Kraft again - twice. The first time through I got
very little from it - appeared chaotic. I then listened to the PC
again, which is easy to enjoy, and let the CD run on through Kraft
again, and I have to say I'm now getting some sense from it: the
progression from simple long notes to complex sound fields, and from
chaotic clanking noises to synchronised percussion. So I now have this
worthy feeling that I'm getting the measure of it, but the basic lack
of anything you could describe as pleasant still prevents me from
saying that I 'like' it. Perhaps we're not meant to like it.
My inclination with Lindberg is to relax and enjoy the 'easy
listening' (relatively speaking) pieces.
mmaroney
> Are there any particular works you'd recommend to seek out or to avoid?
I find his mid-period music more attractive than his most recent
works. I liked the Clarinet Concerto a lot, but the Horn Concerto
doesn't do much for me.
Two major chamber works that you should get to know are his Clarinet
Quintet, which was released on the Arditti Quartet's "From
Scandinavia" collection, a CD that contains phenomenal works by
Saariaho and Sorensen as well. The Jukka Tiensuu work on the disc
isn't quite as interesting as some of the other pieces of his that
I've heard. "Related Rocks" for two pianos and percussion with
electronics is stunning; it has been recorded by Ictus. It looks like
they're together via mp3 download on Amazon, assuming the megadisc
recording of the Quintet is the Arditti performance.
I was mostly disappointed with the recent Naxos release of "Complete
Piano Music", though "Twine" is an interesting work - perhaps you
could try downloading just that track and see what you think.
Best,
MkM
CharlesSmith
> On Feb 2, 4:37 pm, "Ed Presson" <pe...@comcast.net> wrote:
>
> > Are there any particular works you'd recommend to seek out or to avoid?
>
> I find his mid-period music more attractive than his most recent
> works. I liked the Clarinet Concerto a lot, but the Horn Concerto
> doesn't do much for me.
>
> Two major chamber works that you should get to know are his Clarinet
> Quintet, which was released on the Arditti Quartet's "From
> Scandinavia" collection, a CD that contains phenomenal works by
> Saariaho and Sorensen as well. The Jukka Tiensuu work on the disc
> isn't quite as interesting as some of the other pieces of his that
> I've heard.
It's Avanti! (rather than Arditti), a Finnish ensemble which I think
is connected to Sakari Oramo.
> "Related Rocks" for two pianos and percussion with
> electronics is stunning; it has been recorded by Ictus. It looks like
> they're together via mp3 download on Amazon, assuming the megadisc
> recording of the Quintet is the Arditti performance.
>
The Megadisc CD is on Amazon UK, with both works performed by the
Ictus ensemble who are based in Brussels. There's a sample at:
http://www.ictus.be/home2.html
Sounds pretty good!
Ed Presson
______________________
Thanks to you all for your help and comments.
Charles, your successful rehearing of Kraft is especially encouraging. I
think I'll add this and the Sony recording of the Violin Concerto to my
list.
Regards,
Ed Presson
mmaroney
> > Two major chamber works that you should get to know are his Clarinet
> > Quintet, which was released on the Arditti Quartet's "From
> > Scandinavia" collection, a CD that contains phenomenal works by
> > Saariaho and Sorensen as well. The Jukka Tiensuu work on the disc
> > isn't quite as interesting as some of the other pieces of his that
> > I've heard.
>
> It's Avanti! (rather than Arditti), a Finnish ensemble which I think
> is connected to Sakari Oramo.
No, it's not. The recording I referred to was the Arditti quartet's
"From Scandinavia" collection:
MkM
CharlesSmith
>
> MkM
My apologies! I was looking at item 24 on this Finnish collection:
http://www.amazon.co.uk/Century-Finnish-Chamber-Works/dp/B00006J479
Kari Kriikku appears in both.
So there appear to be at least 3 recordings of the Lindberg Clarinet
Quintet: Arditti, Avanti! and Ictus