Daniel Beland asks:
>Do you know Vermeulen, another great Deutch composer?
Only the Third Symphony. I'm hearing it again as I write ...and find
maybe I hadn't really listened as closely as it deserves. What would
you recommend?
I'd compared Marcel Landowski's aversion to flashiness with Stevens',
and DB replied:
>I don't know this composer... Do you have any specific work or recording
>in mind?
Several (I envy you the discovery): Bernard Stevens {1916-1983}: Cello
Concerto {w.Alexander Baillie}; A Symphony of Liberation (BBC Phil./E.Downes)
MERIDIAN CDE 84124. Also his Violin Concerto {w.Ernst Kovacic}; Symphony
#2, Op 35 (BBC Phil./E.Downes) MERIDIAN CDE 84174. SQ works: Theme &
Variations for String Quartet Op.11; String Quartet #2; Lyric Suite for
String Trio. (Delme Quartet) (Unicorn DKPCD 9097). And, not least: Piano
Concerto Op.26 {w.Martin Roscoe}; Dance Suite Op.28; Variations Op.36.
National Symphony Orch.of Ireland/ Leaper (MARCO POLO 8.223480) I think
there's a choral CD as well.
See reviews by Steve Schwartz of at least two of these CDs, maybe all 3
orchestral ones, via: http://www.classical.net/
I've been meaning to thank him for the tip (-- Gracias, Esteban!).
Also to raise a question related to a point raised below: the Stevens
PC sounds to me lightly peppered, here and there, with bouncy Constant
Lambertish seasoning. ...not worthy of mention in the review? Maybe
not significant, tho' I found it refreshing.
>>- Elisabetta Brusa (1954-): Extraordinary: tuneful yet strong, fiercely
>>dissonant, superbly orchestrated works of a very high order. Review to
>>come of both Naxos CDs, time permitting.
>
>Good, tuneful and colorful music indeed! But from my perspective it's too
>derivative to be extraordinary:-)
Ah, debt. Well, to me, if her music were redolent with any single
composer, or two, if it was a considerable, obvious debt, I'd have to
agree. Luckily, perhaps out of ignorance, I'm spared this: I only hear
lessons learned from Stravinsky and no one else specifically. But even
then, I perceive no vulgar pastiche nor clumsy homage done unpoetically.
So I'm not nagged by echoes of any others.
OTOH, I'd agree that her compositions are not hugely original -- say,
in the league of Schnittke or Ustvolskaya. But I can live with that.
First, no-one is sui generis original: S. or U. without DSCH would be
hard for me to imagine. And yet Rautavaara, for instance, who probably
sounds like a handful of his predecessors, is in possession of a sound-world
that's still fresh and marvellous to my ear. In short, yes: I guess I'd
want to stick with 'extraordinary.'
>>- Ahmet Adnan Saygun (1907-1991): Turkish composer...
>
>I especially like his Third Symphony, which sometimes reminds me of
>Bartok without being derivative. Truly extraordinary music indeed:-)
I was listening to his First this afternoon. He seems to have been born
fully formed!
>... But my top recommendation is certainly Radulescu's Piano Concerto
>(The Quest)... This music is so original, colorful and exciting that you
>won't believe your ears:-)
Now _this_ is why I wrote my list ...to hear others' recommendations.
Thanks: I'll look into it.
Bert B.
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