Salvatore Sciarrino

The Alter Ego guys told me that they did a concert of Sciarrino's music with Jim O'Rourke helping out; I think Alter Ego are coming to Stanford this fall to play a concert of Sciarrino stuff so West Coast peeps should check that out.

absolutely glorious. i have a difficult time describing it, as i have never heard anything quite like it.

also piano works perf. (and dedicated to) massimiliano damerini. along with ustvolskaya's, the piano sonatas are among the best of the last century.

I wuv how jim o'rouke seems to be everywhere. just love it.

thanks y'all.

the word 'ecology' was used in the liner notes to the solo flute disc and that is something running through much of his music, i guess. on 'studi' the lines from the reeds come across like karate chops. Present, all there, but karate is only to be used when defending yourself. the over-dramatic tone of the singing is made even funnier given this background.

the sonatas are a magical world on its own.

anyone like franco donatoni - sounds like a v different composer though I'm gonna use this thread for other italian composers now. 'mari II' for marimba quartet is terrific and I'd love a recommendation or two.

I should refresh my memory w/another browse through my CDs at home before I make Donatoni recommendations.

Feria for 11 instruments, including a slightly incongruous pipe organ (on ADDA 581143) -- typically blocky and brash

Cadeau for 11 instruments (on Erato 2292-45366-2) -- the cut from low brass to high metallic percussion partway through is a favorite moment

Fili for flute and piano -- maybe my single favorite piece by Donatoni; exuberant cascades of notes; the recording by Starreveld and Eckhardt (on Etcetera KTC 1053) is vastly better than that by Artaud and Mefano (ADDA 581143)

Spiri for 10 instruments -- best recording is Etcetera (KTC 1053)

Ave for piccolo, glockenspiel, and celeste (on ADDA 581133) is as sparkling as the instrumention would lead you to suspect, and charming in the way it's always on the verge of morphing into a Schubert tune

I think L'Ultima Sera is maybe the best of the pieces with voice; several recordings available (or unavailable now that they've surely gone out of print).

And I once heard a live performance of a piece called "Hot", by some Italian ensemble on tour. So spectacular, and popular with the audience (I remember Elliott Carter was one of the first on his feet), that they played it again.

By "blocky" I mean two things: (1) he tends to group instruments into sub-ensembles, each moving in a rhythmic unison, to produce a music of thick layers rather than thin lines; and (2) he tends to build larger forms by juxtaposing blocks of different ideas without transition or overlap -- he does this with an excellent sense of timing, I think.

The Etcetera disc I've mentioned a couple of times is probably the one I'd recommend most. The Nieuw Ensemble keeps these pieces moving along. Their recording of Spiri clocks in at 9:20 (compared to 10:31 from Ensemble Alternance on Harmonic CD8616); their Fili is 11:30 (versus a sluggish 12:58 from 2e2m on ADDA).

I'm a total novice w/scotch but that could be good too.

thanks - i'll have a look.

http://www.musicaltimes.co.uk/archive/0004/donatoni.html

Also gave a listen to Dallapiccola's 'Quaderno musicale di annalibera' for piano and its proving to be an excellent set of miniatures. Where to go next?

Bruno Mantovani's 'con leggerezza' (ensemble) seemed ok but I'm probably (finally) getting quite tired of this kind of improv-like ensemble writing.

http://www.southbankcentre.co.uk/music/productions/philharmonia-music-of-today-41868

Thanks for reminding me Tom - will most likely make it now. See you there?