Achim Breiling <[log in to unmask]> wrote:

>I only know one work by Rochberg, the violin concerto [...].  It was
>also written after the death of Rochbergs son [...].  Its certainly a well
>crafted and nice concerto, but I would not put it amongst the greayesy of
>this century.

I hate to agree (not because of you, Achim!!!), because it is the kind of
piece I would like to appreciate unreservedly, but it almost sounds a bit
derivative from other violin concertos (Bartok,...), not very original in
instrumental terms either, and I couldn't find whether it was intentional.

However, let's make this positive -- people who did not fully enjoy
this concerto should try the 2d symphony all the same, for none of the
above-mentioned restrictions applies to this strong work.  It would be nice
to hear Rochberg's controversial (too "listener-friendly"?) 3rd symphony,
completed years before the violin concerto, or one of the later ones, e.g.
No.  5.

Best wishes,

Thanh-Tam Le
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