Christine wrote:

>Contrast is there for those who seek it, forward momentum indeed is not.
>Through pulsation rather than rhythm, vertical textures, harmonic clusters,
>and complex chords unfold and develop in arcs, bringing sound to dwell and
>fade, and break up to give way to new surges of sound.  Multi-levelled
>textures become increasingly dense before moving to transparency.  Sound
>ripples across the orchestra, which is sometimes spaced out in distinct
>instrumental groups, 'antiphony' being written into the music.

Christine, I'll humbly stand up beside you for Takemitsu's music.  The
above phrases are excellently put.  Amongst other things, it is precisely
this "denial" of anything like traditional formal "progression" which
makes e.g.  Takemitsu, Messiaen, Ligeti, Oestvolskaja and Lutoslavski so
fascinating.  Some time ago, I put one of my friends to the test who is not
yet so experienced in classical music with a little bit of Messiaen, and
guess what her reaction was:  "Gee, that's interesting:  I like it, and yet
it's going nowhere".

Some months ago, I asked myself about "structural integrity" in Messiaen,
now I've come to believe that the question is irrelevant.  It comes down
to accepting that music can evolve like a book, revolve around centres or
just be like a crystal that stands and will not move but certainly reveals
itself differently from all sides depending on how you shed light on it.

I think that perhaps Varese and Ligeti should also be listed as neighbours
to Takemitsu.  The latter's instrumentation techniques IMHO often have a
"steel" quality with a glitter like ice melting in the sun.  This usually
befits the musical ideas perfectly.  The earliest compositions I ever came
across that have this are all Varese's.  I think that Takemitsu will stand
up as one of the great of the century.

May I add one CD recommendation? Especially since there are so many Ozawa
bashers around.  His DG Takemitsu recordings are excellent.

greetings,
Jos
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