Music Chat: 4 Masterpieces for Double String Orchestra
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- Опубликовано: 15 окт 2024
- These four masterpieces, by Bartók, Tippett, Martin, and Martinu, represent some of the greatest music of the 20th century, written for a medium that is absolutely unique. The use of two equal string orchestras allows for captivating stereophonic effects, vibrant counterpoint and rich, massive "tutti" textures, all of which these four composers exploit with relish.
Musical Examples courtesy of Supraphon Records.
As a kid I was lucky enough to have played the Tippett in our school orchestra
under the direction of the composer who was our patron and regular guest conductor. Marvellous music!!
I still remember the music lesson on the Tippett piece from school back in the 1970s (when music lessons were real...). Can you image studying this as a 14 year old - we had a very 'quirky' music teacher. . That started my love of all things Tippett.
Same experience here - when the UK curriculum had proper music lessons! Got to know Walton's 1st Symphony & Bartok's Sonata for Two Pianos and Percussion. They also gave me the opportunity to get free instrument tuition (piano and cello). Such a gift
I had the exact same experience, but 40 years later than the 70s 😂
Dave, thank you thank you thank you! This Martinu has been one of my favorite works ever since it gripped me at first hearing, and those were the perfect excerpts to represent it. (I also love how the opening of the 2nd also closes the piece...OMG, I get stabbed through the heart every time.) I appreciate your tireless efforts to expose us all to so much wonderful music.
The Petite Symphonie concertante by Martin with Stokowski is stunning. A must listen. Excellent recommendation by Mr. Hurwitz. I don't know if he is aware, but he is educating a whole generation of classical music fans in terms of presenting not only great recordings but also introducing many to excellent "under the radar" pieces and composers. I've never heard of Frank Martin before.
Thank you! That's the best news you could give me!
I was briefly obsessed with the double orchestra format at school once introduced to Tippett's concerto. I went on to find Martinu's double string orchestra piano and timpani, and, bearing in mind I had only been introduced to the Peripetie in Schoenberg's 5 orchestral pieces for anything in the vein of 'modernism', I was enraptured by it. It really is a cataclysmically emotional piece. By the way, I really love the fact that this video exists. The double string orchestra has so much potential.
I love all of these and have for many decades. Thanks for the enlightened commentary too Dave; it was great to hear your enthusiasm for these tremendous works. People might be interested to know that there are two very fine videos uploaded by the Frankfurt Radio Symphony Orchestra of the Bartok and the Martinu, which are equally compelling to watch and to listen to.
Stupendous talk! I love them all. That's one of my favorite combinations of instrumental forces. That excerpt of the Martinu is absolutely terrific and terrifying! I don't have the Stokowski recording of the Martin, though.
If I had a magic wand I would.wave over ALL of Classical Music and force a period(idk. 3-5) years to ONLY play 20th Century music. Some might not be so great but some treasures will probably be discovered.
The Double Concerto recording with Mackerras you reference is included as part of a Martinu disc in the Mackerras "Life With Czech Music" box on Supraphon - 3 CDs and a DVD of Janacek, 1 CD of Martinu. I think the Martinu disc in the box is filled out quite a bit more than the single CD original release.
Thank you for alerting me to the Tippett.I dont know any Tippett,just a name to me.The Concerto was lovely.The slow movement is beautiful.
Glad you enjoyed it
My experience with Tippett is extremely limited as well. That might be a good starting point.
Dave. What a video!! Wonderful stuff. I of course have various recordings of the Bartok and I have the Barshai Tippett which I believe you reviewed on ct.com. The Stokowski Martin is insane. Actually. That whole Stokowski ICON box on EMI is fabulous. But the Martinu. How did I miss the Martinu? Wow. Holy moly. Good lord. I really do love all of this czech music!!
I saw Paul Sacher conduct both the Bartok and Martinu pieces, the latter with of all bands the London Mozart Players, both memorable occasions for historical reasons but the performances were not the most incisive. Thanks for bringing the Mackerras recording to my attention, must get hold of a copy, one of my favourite composers and in my view Martinu's masterpiece. I saw him conduct the piece at the Proms in the late 70's alongside the Dvorak Piano Concerto with Firkusny and a wonderful performance of the Kodaly Psalmus Hungaricus, Mackerras in his element.
Truly remarkable works-all 4 of them! I have Andrew Davis’s Teldec/Warner recording of the Tippett that also includes the Corelli Fantasia and Ritual Dances from The Midsummer Marriage. For the Martin Armin Jordan and the Suisse Romande, and Martinu with the Czech Phil and Belohlavek on Chandos (also Mackerras in an earlier performance with the BBC Symphony on BBC Radio Classics). Of course several of the Bartok, my favorites being Reiner and Marriner. I’m thinking of getting Mackerras’s Czech box that will duplicate a lot I already have, but hopefully take up less shelf space!
As for Bartok, I have the classic Reiner on RCA and the old Fricsay recording on Deutsche Grammophon. It's a splendid performance - too bad it's in mono!
The Stokowski recording of Frank Martin is really jaw-dropping stuff. Like Concertos for Left Hand, there’s just something innately intriguing about the double string orchestra genre. Instrumentation that isn’t obvious lends itself to new worlds of sonic possibility, and double string orchestra works are a clever solution to the tedious monotony that can set into even the best compositions for ordinary string orchestra, where I often find myself desperately missing brass and woodwinds. I’m not familiar with the Tippett piece and will give it a listen. Martinu? Knockout is exactly right!
Totally with you Dave with Tippett's underrated concerto for DSO. Even on Classic FM here in UK, I haven't heard even the slow movement for years? It needs a plug from guys in the know like yourself. Yes, I love Vaughan Williams, but the partita as you say is not one of his greats. I'll check out the Martinu. It sounds cool.
Don't know if it's applicable/doable, how about a video about sound systems for classical music? Cheers.
Definitely not doable in my opinion, although I wish it weren't so!
@@DavesClassicalGuide thanks for your reply and many thanks for sharing your sincere/enthusiastic great work
I was just thinking yesterday, if you are still contemplating a video on 'British/English String Music'.
Is there such an idea floating around, Dave? (I mean, you've got some great Naxos recordings to show as examples...)
EDIT - I looooove the Budapest string section! (Mahler 1!, 2 & 4!) / (Dvorak 7) / (Brahms 2!)
Sure.
Interesting talk. I'd add Elizabeth Maconchy's splendid Symphony for Double String Orchestra - a work that deserves more than an occasional airing. Actually that goes for a lot of her work!
@@jasonclark901 It's a fabulous recording.
I didn’t know there is such a thing as a double string orchestra!
Surprise!
Double string = double joy!
You mentioned the Vaughan Williams Partita. You know, he originally wrote it as a sextet, then fiddled with it decades later, putting it in its present form. I think the music in theory is very good, but as it is scored, it is very nearly unplayable. There's not a single recording where the ostinato second movement is not coming apart at the seams. And the loud parts throughout the work just cry out for full orchestra scoring. It's great music on paper, but bad string orchestra music.