The Classical Music Guide Forums

IcedNote

diegobueno wrote:Are you considering writing a sax quartet?

I've had a few quartets approach me over the past year, but I'm not sold on the idea. It'd be a challenge for sure, and I think I'm still too timid after fighting my way through my recent brass quintet + soprano piece.

-G

IcedNote

John F wrote:No, since you ask.

Didn't we talk about this before?

Haha, maybe? Can't remember.

-G

IcedNote

So...the saxophone. Are you all sold on its place in classical music? Tons and tons of new music calls upon it, not to mention its integral place in the band world. And from where I sit, I'd say that sax quartet is the fastest growing ensemble in contemporary music.

What say you?

-G

IcedNote

Just a quick shout-out for Iberia also being arguably the most successful of all guitar transcriptions thanks to Segovia.

-G

IcedNote

To get the answer I think you're going for, we won't have any way of really knowing until orchestras start routinely programming concerts of only contemporary music. We all know that most concerts go "short contemporary piece, old concerto, intermission, old symphony." This is due, of course, to orc...

IcedNote

My pleasure!

Here's the playlist (updated in real-time): http://www.wqxr.org/#!/playlist-daily/2 ... Station=q2

-G

IcedNote

http://www.wqxr.org/#!/story/symphomania-redux-24-hours-21st-century-orchestra/ Join Q2 Music on Sunday, April 24 (with an encore presentation Tuesday, April 26) for our second annual Symphomania, a 24-hour marathon stream of music that offers a vision of orchestral repertoire composed in or after t...

IcedNote

I do, however, Garrett's condensation ( :lol: sorry--couldn't resist) notwithstanding, enjoy listening to music. Yeah. And there's a sweet festival coming up here in Barcelona in just a couple of days, followed immediately (actually a bit of overlap) by a festival in Prague, where among other thing...

IcedNote

Then perhaps they do belong. Who are some of the composers influenced by Boulez and Ligeti? Obviously I don't know who they are. Well, even if I listed all the composers I know who said such things upon Boulez's passing, it's still a very small sampling of who's "in the know." I think in these case...

IcedNote

... Haha, oh, come on now, M! Whether we like it or not, the mass audiences have a say about The Canon, regardless of what the hell the definition is. So as much as even someone like Varese is known to us "insiders," there's very very very very very very little chance he'll be canonized. I do like ...

IcedNote

Many, many, many contemporary composers I know cite the two as primary influences, so I wonder if that'll sustain through to the next generation. I'd say Boulez has a better chance given his other roles (e.g. conductor), and, at least in my circles, he's recognized as The Giant in classical music ov...

IcedNote

Is it just curiosity, or do you have something more definite in mind? Something triggered the thought this morning, but I can't remember what it was. Maybe just a thought experiment? In any case, I just took a very scientific look at this: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Template:Timeline_Classical_C...

IcedNote

"Lulu" brings up an interesting thought -- is Berg in The Canon? From an academic side, sure. But among general audiences and standard rep? Much, much more difficult to determine.

-G

IcedNote

Hm, good point.

With a bit of thought, I'd tackle it from two angles: composers becoming staples of Western repertoire and composers forever mentioned in textbooks.

Fairly boring criteria, but I think it fairly sums it up.

-G

IcedNote

The trick here is, of course, time is an essential element of determining who's in the canon. So someone like John Adams -- is he there already? Or do 100 years need to pass before we can say? If the latter, then who really is the last composer to enter it? Stravinsky? Thoughts?

Curious,

-G

IcedNote

Hmm, well I am not presenting myself as an expert on this, but let's see. For starters, that way of launching a piece into existence, considering the rhythm, repeated notes, and leap downward, is one HELL of a distinctive feature. The rhythm alone is distinctive, but it functions as a very special ...

IcedNote

jbuck919 wrote:Unfortunately, you have chosen the all-time classic example of a great composition being built upon the possibilities of a simple motif.

You write as though my choice wasn't intentional. Sheesh, give me at least a little bit of credit...

-G

IcedNote

I'm feeling a bit feisty today, so let me play devil's advocate

:

Are there three distinctive features of the famous motif in Beethoven 5? If so, what?

-G

IcedNote

This thread makes my head hurt. :? :( :) :D Definitely a conversation over beers, not the internet, for me! I'd suggest thinking about the difference(s) between a motif and a theme. Also, a fugue subject is something else entirely. BUT...! Whatever gets the creative juices flowing for you is what's ...

IcedNote

Have a great one, JF! May music continue to reward you...and may CMGers continue nitpicking and being unruly.

-G

IcedNote

http://www.thevinylfactory.com/vinyl-factory-news/radio-france-record-collection-sale/ Radio France is to auction part of its enormous 1.5 million-record collection this summer. Accumulated since the station was founded over forty years ago, the collection has assumed mythic status as one of the mos...

IcedNote

maestrob wrote:Congratulations! I would have been happy to work with you on my Vocal Competition back in the day......

I think I would have been thrilled to work with you! Of course, I'd also get to meet all sorts of wonderful singers that I could eventually collaborate with.

-G

IcedNote

Very proud of this news -- not bad for my second month on the job! :mrgreen: :P 8) :roll: :wink: http://hosted-p0.vresp.com/579936/d8523d771f/ARCHIVE AMERICAN BACH SOLOISTS RECEIVE $1 MILLION GIFT February 25, 2016—SAN FRANCISCO, CA—American Bach Soloists (ABS) have received a $1 million gift from a...

IcedNote

Thanks, CMGers! These preludes are actually some of my first "serious" works (written in 2006; one revised in 2011), so it's nice to see them have a good shelf-life.

Onward!

-G

IcedNote

http://s14.postimg.org/h6gve6z1t/20160218_192939.jpg http://s14.postimg.org/6v4ilj7ch/20160218_192953.jpg :D The performance/recording of my preludes is truly top-notch! Jai did a killer job, and I'm very thankful that he chose my work for inclusion. You can still pre-order at PledgeMusic , and it'...

IcedNote

I've never met him, but I have *many* colleagues who'd studied with him, and to a person they say he was an unbelievably generous, kind, and wonderful teacher/man. I very much like his music; supremely talented fellow and truly one of our American giants.

-G

IcedNote

http://www.latimes.com/entertainment/mu ... story.html

'I met Beyonce': Tears, cheers and hummus as YOLA returns from playing the Super Bowl with Coldplay

-G

IcedNote

Was it good for classical music? Not in the slightest.

Was it a memory those kids will have for many, many years? You betcha.

-G

IcedNote

They were mighty fine props, yes they were!

-G

IcedNote

In case you've somehow missed this via your other channels...

Pretty damn cool!

-G

IcedNote

So I was thinking... We all know that music education is in the gutter for the foreseeable future because it keeps getting cut from public schools. And yes, this is very troubling when we think about the future of classical music audiences. However... Do you think this will also affect the number of...

IcedNote

Oh, c'mon, folks... This isn't an indication that he doesn't like/support classical music or something. Hell, 97.551% of playlists that I would put together for occasions of all kinds wouldn't include classical, either!

-G

IcedNote

https://www.facebook.com/TwoSetViolin/v ... 626036441/

(That link should take you to a video even if you're not signed into Facebook.)

-G

IcedNote

Sad to see this! Long, great career, though, so how sad can one be for him?

Also...less competition for my new gig now.

-G

IcedNote

Congratulations! I hope you find your new job fulfilling. Have they done any recordings? Is finding a way for them to make recordings part of your mandate? Quite a collection actually! http://americanbach.org/Discography.htm You can also listen for free here: http://americanbach.org/player/index.ht...

IcedNote

Listened through the other day. Lots of good ideas in there! Wasn't always a fan of the text-setting, but he had some remarkable colors. No composerly complaints here.

-G

IcedNote

Thanks, y'all! Couldn't be happier. I know it's strange for an artist of any kind to admit this, but I love having a day job. And to be fortunate enough to have a great day job in the arts!? Yeah...

-G

IcedNote

Come January 1, I'll be the Development Director for the American Bach Soloists, a HIPP group based in San Francisco. This is going to be a lot of fun! You can read a little press release about it here: http://americanbach.org/blog/?p=1820

Now, go buy their albums!

Onward!

-G

IcedNote

You could do worse than give this a shot:

(This coming from someone who, in general, doesn't care for the serialist movement.)

-G

IcedNote

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/art/what-to-see/the-turner-prize-opens-its-doors-to-music/ Are there any barriers left for the Turner Prize to break? The answer, surprisingly, is yes. None of the short-listed artists in previous years has ever offered a piece of music. This year, Janice Kerbel, a Canadia...

IcedNote

The symphony I work for is launching a new series next week called "Lost Romantics" to explore forgotten "masterpieces" from the era. First up -- Victor Bendix's Symphony No. 3. I admittedly had never heard of him. Former student of Liszt apparently. Should be interesting...maybe...hopefully... :D -G

IcedNote

http://www.theverge.com/2015/11/3/9663230/sennheisers-new-orpheus-headphones-will-cost-you-55000 If you're tired of those Apple EarPods, I have a treat for you. Sennheiser is attempting to make the world's best headphones. Again. Back in 1991, Sennheiser created the Orpheus HE90, which became widely...

IcedNote

Good work, piston! Always interesting to see such things. I'm truly surprised Mason outdid Jennifer last season. No surprise to see Adams number one. It's only a matter of time before his son, Sam Adams, rises up the ranks -- he's just begun his new gig as composer-in-residence with the Chicago Symp...

IcedNote

Thank you much! Nothing really spankin' new in my musical life. Have works coming out on two different albums this season, so that's fun. Also getting my commission schedule in order for 2017 and 2018...mostly determining what kind/type of performers I want to work with. Nice to have some options! A...

IcedNote

Auntie Lynn wrote:Old family collectible - an absolutely gorgeous recording of Proch's Air and Variations by Amelita Galli-Curci...each note is a golden pearl...

Because everything is on the tubes now!

-G

IcedNote

Seriously. http://www.gramophone.co.uk/classical-music-news/new-handbag-plays-contemporary-classical-music The dbCHRONICLE is a wearable accessory that plays David Lang's optimism, performed by So Percussion Composer David Lang's optimism, performed by So Percussion, has found a new lease of life by...

IcedNote

You see, all of them (and many more) were at least once in Buenos Aires, and played probably at the Colon Theatre. I studied in Buenos Aires for a month and had a piece performed at Teatro Colon....back in...2007 I think. Wonderful place! Not sure if that was before or after the invasion, though. ;...

IcedNote

Yes, yes...most of you have (or had!) incredible recording collections. But how about memorabilia, collectibles, etc? Signed poster by Yo Yo Ma? Autographed score by Prokofiev? A baton that Bernstein threw into the audience after a Mahler performance? :mrgreen: I, for one, have none. But I'm curious...

IcedNote

karlhenning wrote:Yes; I cannot imagine not liking the piece, having played it.

Cheers,
~k.

You should try imagining harder.

-G

IcedNote

karlhenning wrote:Well, you taught a course, so you've probably heard everything . . . which forestalls my suggesting any specific pieces ; )

Cheers,
~k.

I do enjoy his Passacaglia. Not sure if that's mentioned above. Points!

-G

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