Luciano Berio - Sequenza XI (for guitar) (perf Eliot Fisk)

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is the most visceral piece of music I've listened to in a long time.

― sundar subramanian, Sunday, 11 August 2002 00:00 (twenty-two years ago)

Izzat on the big box of complete Sequenzas, or elsewhere?

― Lee G, Monday, 12 August 2002 00:00 (twenty-two years ago)

the word 'guitar' makes it a must I think. hopefully i'll find a copy.

― Julio Desouza, Monday, 12 August 2002 00:00 (twenty-two years ago)

I have it on Fisk's Sequenza!. If it's also on a compilation that includes the other sequenzas, I'd recommend picking that up instead. Cathy Berberian's performance of the sequenza for voice is amazing. The rest of the Fisk disc is pretty standard repertoire: Scarlatti, two short Berio pieces, then Mendelssohn and a lot of Paganini. I haven't heard anyone else's performance of this piece. Berio did write Sequenza XI for Fisk though.

The piece is incredible. I think Berio's aim with the sequenzas was to incorporate and exploit pretty much every available technique on the instrument. It contrasts beautiful delicate passages with moments of utter brutality. The precision and control it demands, and that Fisk achieves in performing it, are phenomenal. I made a guitar student listen to it. He found it totally absorbing and emotional as well as inspiring.

― sundar subramanian, Tuesday, 13 August 2002 00:00 (twenty-two years ago)

This is a wonderful piece. My brother performed it for his senior recital (he studied classical guitar in college). Berio exploits the possibilities of the guitar so skillfully, it's a shame that he didn't compose more for the instrument. I've never heard any of the other Sequenzas (each of which was composed for a different solo instrument), and I wonder if they are as idiomatic and successful for their respective instruments.

― o. nate, Tuesday, 13 August 2002 00:00 (twenty-two years ago)

Sorry, Sundar, I didn't read your post carefully enough. I overlooked your recommendation for the Sequenza for voice. I see that there is a 3-CD set of the complete Sequenzas available, and Fisk performs on XI, so that's one I'll keep an eye out for.

― o. nate, Tuesday, 13 August 2002 00:00 (twenty-two years ago)

five years pass...

all of the Sequenzas are murder. this is a great investment:

http://www.cdguide.nm.ru/images/20-21/4570382.jpg

this clarinet one is... ARGHGH my SENSES!!!

― poortheatre, Monday, 17 September 2007 13:04 (seventeen years ago)

Yeah its gd - my fave would be the one for trombone, though that's purely cuz I heard it first. There is probably a good strong compilation to be made of solo works from the last 20 years in composition. I'm thinking this would be an ideal introduction to anyone. Nothing than hearing instrumental agility being pushed to a limit (or what 'being pushed' actually means at all). Just the right side of demanding, but not too demanding, as its a solo.

Sundar (or anyone else) you should check out Richard Barrett disc on NMC of mostly solo works on it -- there is this terrific work for electric gtr w/ electronics on it. Although I'm probably too ready to be easy on this as its probably the only work for the gtr I've heard which employs lots of pedal-type effects.

― xyzzzz__, Monday, 17 September 2007 21:07 (seventeen years ago)

Do you mean transmission? That's unbelievably good. I have Seth Josel's performance of it. I was listening to it a lot over the last week. (I should post to the rolling classical thread some time. I have a lot to say.)

― Sundar, Monday, 17 September 2007 21:15 (seventeen years ago)

Yup. I gotta hit that thread a lot more as well.

This is the CD:

http://nmc.greedbag.com/buy/richard-barrett-transmission-0/

My favourite of all of them is "Interference", mostly bcz I saw Carl Rosman do a performance of it in one of my favourite concerts ever in terms of fantastic compositions, sequencing and organization.

― xyzzzz__, Wednesday, 19 September 2007 06:28 (seventeen years ago)

I'm thinking this would be an ideal introduction to anyone. Nothing than hearing instrumental agility being pushed to a limit

This is a great call. I saw a performance of Haydn's 6th last night and I felt like I had had raunchy sex with all the instruments the night before and now they were trying to act respectable in public. Like, "Yeah right, I know what you're capable of!"

― poortheatre, Wednesday, 19 September 2007 10:48 (seventeen years ago)

Instrumental ability pushed to the limit is hot I agree.

― xyzzzz__, Thursday, 20 September 2007 06:58 (seventeen years ago)

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