Jón Leifs has been a favorite of mine for several decades with several compositions approaching near "industrial" intensity.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y4iFB5iW7ks
Some other favorites:
Krzysztof Penderecki - Threnody for the Victims of Hiroshima: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FfBVYhyXU8o
Krzysztof Penderecki- Dimensions of Time and Silence: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5UqQl0CNNCY
Krzysztof Penderecki- De Natura Sonoris No. 1: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=suuwg24QHYM
Giacinto Scelsi- Elohim: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tScH89jmcVM
Giacinto Scelsi- Uaxuctum:http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_GZgbt9sTcY
Giacinto Scelsi- Pfhat: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cnacs3kPg-I&feature=related
i agree, most everything by Scelsi is gold, especially the string pieces and the fullblown orchestral works. The 3 volumes of his collected orchestral works on Mode records are a good introduction and easy to get.
Please check out greek composer Jani Christou, it doesn't get more brutal and darker than this.
Especially "Anparastasis III (The Pianist)" is amazing:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FVKGjaTp7AA&playnext=1&list=PL493325EB8206D635&index=5
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tBuzYfymZsc&playnext=1&list=PL493325EB8206D635&index=6
The CD of Christou's collected works on Edition RZ comes highly recommended and it is the only more easily available collection of his works. He died far too young in a car accident (just like his brother). Unfortunately only a small part of his compositions were ever recorded / performed.
György Ligeti
Sofia Gubaidulina
bach's cello suite no. 2 in D minor always takes me to a very dark place for some reason.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wWrrxZJakO8&feature=related
Arvo Part is maybe the only one within a more traditional realm who gets close to the atmosphere and heaviness of Penderecki. I've only heard a few pieces, but each have impressed me. Anyone into him enough to be able to give a run-down of his work? Make some informed recommendations?
Iancu Dumitrescu is more contemporary and along remotely similar lines. I have several discs by him (and Ana-Maria Avram), and they're all high quality, interesting, powerful works. He's about as consistent as I've found. Minimalist density. One of those who gives the old hi-fi a workout. I think #1003 was my introduction to them. Reminds me of a classical composer riding the rails with David Jackman.
Agreed on Dumitrescu, "Pierres Sacres" is an amazing piece for prepared piano and metal objects with loads of overdriven contact mics/feedback etc. Also "Medium II" for solo double bass has some great sounds.
Quote from: Zeno Marx on January 10, 2011, 11:59:41 PM
Arvo Part is maybe the only one within a more traditional realm who gets close to the atmosphere and heaviness of Penderecki. I've only heard a few pieces, but each have impressed me. Anyone into him enough to be able to give a run-down of his work? Make some informed recommendations?
not a fucken chance but have you heard frates ,festina lente, summa? instect fiddles were my favourite for being so in your face.
does churchmusic count?!?
Oxford Camerata - Gesualdo - Complete Sacred Music for Five Voices choral stuff and very recomended. I listened to this with good isolating buds at a hellish mall. very surreal because the tunes are so slow and overbearing. how heavy this is compared to penderecki is up for debate im sure. ive only had time to scratch the "classical musics" surface but this is defitetly one of my favs.
if church tunes count: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VQmfHLpCQcU cant get enough of this shit. also same stuff from ireland but in gaelig or whatever it is. I guess there could be a thread for eerier side of trad /church music but im not sure how many people are into it besides me a zeno. certainly has nothing to do with noise.
Quote from: Zeno Marx on January 10, 2011, 11:59:41 PM
Arvo Part is maybe the only one within a more traditional realm who gets close to the atmosphere and heaviness of Penderecki. I've only heard a few pieces, but each have impressed me. Anyone into him enough to be able to give a run-down of his work? Make some informed recommendations?
Have loved his later, "Holy Minimalist" work for a while now, although know very little of his earlier, more experimental pieces. If darkness is what people crave, the "Miserere" album on ECM is what you seek. The main piece, "Miserere", is over thirty minutes of slow build up to orgasmic apocalyptic choral tones, then back to long periods of silence and subtle, quiet music. Superb. Also on the album is "Sarah Was Ninety Years Old", an interesting piece that I suspect is reminiscent of his earlier work; a simple percussion (no information as to which percussion instruments unfortunately) beat, slow and soft and dark and distant, broken up by lovely solemn choir and organ passages. All up, a motherfucker of an album.
I think most people would be familiar with Part through his "Cantus In Memory Of Benjamin Britten" (which can be found on the ECM album "Tabula Rasa"; ECM is pretty much the main label for Part) , an extremely sad and lovely piece of slowly descending chords on strings. It was used as backing music in Michael Moore's "Fahrenheit 911", the scene where the people are reacting to seeing the buildings collapsing. It's a wonderfully sad and moving piece of music, almost impossible not to love.
For the most part, though, I wouldn't recommend Part for people looking for the dark and heavy. His music is emotionally moving, for the most part (he repeats himself a fair bit, and some of his stuff sounds a bit going-through-the-motions), but more uplifting than depressing. He has his solemn moments, of course; I'd recommend his better work to anyone in any case.
Part brings to mind the Hilliard ensemble, a vocal group that's performed and recorded a lot of his work. Their double disc "A Hilliard Songbook" has some interesting moments; the opening track on the first disc, "Un Coup De Des", composed by Barry Guy (whom I nothing about) is a bizarre range of voice going from soft choral to all out vocal gymnastics eventually verging on concrete poetry, all the while keeping a dark tone.
It's hard to get darker or heavier than Mahler's Symphony No. 2, a meditation on death and what may lie beyond, complete with deep, untuned bells and an expanded string section including lower-tuned double basses.
I'm quite fond of Ligeti's work, as well, particularly Mysteries of the Macabre and all of his works for strings.
There is also Robert Ashley. The Wolf Man is a piece for tape, voice and feedback from 1964 and Purposeful Lady Slow Afternoon is a piece of contemporary classical music that I would argue comes very close to power electronics territory!
Chopin's "Funeral March", from Piano Sonata No. 2, and Berlioz' "March to the Scaffold" from Symphonie Fantastique should be mentioned as well.
Xenakis: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bGZyn4UiB6c
Quote from: Andrew McIntosh on January 11, 2011, 12:55:42 AMthe "Miserere" album on ECM is what you seek. The main piece, "Miserere", is over thirty minutes of slow build up to orgasmic apocalyptic choral tones, then back to long periods of silence and subtle, quiet music. Superb. Also on the album is "Sarah Was Ninety Years Old", an interesting piece that I suspect is reminiscent of his earlier work; a simple percussion (no information as to which percussion instruments unfortunately) beat, slow and soft and dark and distant, broken up by lovely solemn choir and organ passages. All up, a motherfucker of an album.
It's a nice one.
http://www.discogs.com/Hermann-Nitsch-European-Philharmonic-Orchestra-Peter-Jan-Marth%C3%A9-Sinfonie-Die-%C3%84gyptische/release/2507816 (http://www.discogs.com/Hermann-Nitsch-European-Philharmonic-Orchestra-Peter-Jan-Marth%C3%A9-Sinfonie-Die-%C3%84gyptische/release/2507816)
no ogan/harmonium-drones, no fieldrecordings of his plays but very heavy exctatic orchestrations. very good.
Quote from: WCrap on January 10, 2011, 08:11:22 PM
Please check out greek composer Jani Christou, it doesn't get more brutal and darker than this.
Especially "Anparastasis III (The Pianist)" is amazing
Very good! When you hear bands, that are labeled as "neo-classical" (in context of "industrial music", that is), most often you are nearly embarrassed about ridiculous approach they have. When you hear the actual avantgarde classical (or should it be rather described as western art music that it is, since it has already rejected most characteristics of classical period?), often you still wonder the deep rooted will to stick to "regular instruments".
Grand piano, obviously having the versatility to be both melodic and percussive, sharp and eerie,... violins, cellos, etc having very good sounds and variation to do things. Yet, when you look at the group of percussionists, you wonder, what is the nonsense of the kindergarden flashback marakassit & mini drums, hehe... I know they add certain textures, but I do wonder if the composer did state what exactly should be used and if cymbals and toms couldn't be replaced by something more "experimental" solutions. Which are not instruments per se, but could produce perhaps more interesting results in mix.
Surely, there are several composers who include electronics, tape manipulation and such among classical instruments, but I guess we may end up to another discussion. Not just "darker and heavier" classical, but contemporary art music.
With classical music, it is both easy, and extremely hard. Availability is enormous. Libraries are filled with recordings to take a look. Even in relatively small place like Lahti, I can walk to library, and check out any solo instrument or orchestras of various sizes, and there is pile of recordings to listen at well equipped listening room or borrow free of charge. The more obscure it gets, the less there seems to be interest, and some of darker and heavier material can be later purchased at the sales when they clear out shit nobody wants. Usually sold for like 1-2 euros.
Not to mention radio. Classical comes out non-stop, and I guess it is more of the night time, when in Finland some may want to check Ääniversumi or such programs which may include finnish or foreign contemporary art music, from "classical" to electro-acoustic to field recordings to electronica. There is (was?) one program in... saturdays? Which deals exclusively about classical music performed with wrong instruments. Cello sonates played with viola or violin, or some hand build ancient instrument of similar nature. When compositions done for 4 violins are transformed for 4 saxophones and so on. Every piece well introduced by guy who knows what he's talking about.
Many of the cities have some sort of music hall, also in Lahti our Sibelius House. I recall there was some Penderecki in their 2010 summer schedule, but planned visit for this.. ehm "gig" was late. About 2 weeks too late. It's not like those opportunities would be promoted within circles I usually get my information.
I guess I've mentioned this in other topics, like electro-acoustic/musique concrete, etc.. that noise & PE would probably benefit greatly from some influence of this kind of music. When you think about the setting such as Jani Christou's piece mentioned by WCrap, how much intensity they can build by the sense of space, ability go from quiet and suppressed to brutally intense. Very few of even cut-up noise artists manage do this with noise. One could perhaps think only R&G, Sudden Infant,... few others. Who have applied some of these methods.
And due the wish to hear such material, one probably just have to take measures in his own hands. During 2010 I completed album which is pretty much as close to ideal to my liking as I could reach. Now in pressing, to be announced next month :P
Fausto Romitelli , representative of so called Spectral music:
I suggest: The Nameless City
LUigi Nono's "La fabbrica illuminata", is possibly one of the creepiest and best piece of contemporary music. I have witnessed an outstanding interpretation of it during the last Ars electronica festival in Linz in an ex tobacco factory in almost complete darkness. It really moved me.
Looking forward for Mikko's interpretation.
I have been using plenty of orchestral samples in the past, but trying to dehumanize them as most possible. At the moment I am more interested into ethnical sounds from mediterranean/slavic area.
Quote from: Andrew McIntosh on January 11, 2011, 12:55:42 AM
Quote from: Zeno Marx on January 10, 2011, 11:59:41 PM
Arvo Part is maybe the only one within a more traditional realm who gets close to the atmosphere and heaviness of Penderecki. I've only heard a few pieces, but each have impressed me. Anyone into him enough to be able to give a run-down of his work? Make some informed recommendations?
Have loved his later, "Holy Minimalist" work for a while now, although know very little of his earlier, more experimental pieces. If darkness is what people crave, the "Miserere" album on ECM is what you seek. The main piece, "Miserere", is over thirty minutes of slow build up to orgasmic apocalyptic choral tones, then back to long periods of silence and subtle, quiet music. Superb. Also on the album is "Sarah Was Ninety Years Old", an interesting piece that I suspect is reminiscent of his earlier work; a simple percussion (no information as to which percussion instruments unfortunately) beat, slow and soft and dark and distant, broken up by lovely solemn choir and organ passages. All up, a motherfucker of an album.
I think most people would be familiar with Part through his "Cantus In Memory Of Benjamin Britten" (which can be found on the ECM album "Tabula Rasa"; ECM is pretty much the main label for Part) , an extremely sad and lovely piece of slowly descending chords on strings. It was used as backing music in Michael Moore's "Fahrenheit 911", the scene where the people are reacting to seeing the buildings collapsing. It's a wonderfully sad and moving piece of music, almost impossible not to love.
For the most part, though, I wouldn't recommend Part for people looking for the dark and heavy. His music is emotionally moving, for the most part (he repeats himself a fair bit, and some of his stuff sounds a bit going-through-the-motions), but more uplifting than depressing. He has his solemn moments, of course; I'd recommend his better work to anyone in any case.
Part brings to mind the Hilliard ensemble, a vocal group that's performed and recorded a lot of his work. Their double disc "A Hilliard Songbook" has some interesting moments; the opening track on the first disc, "Un Coup De Des", composed by Barry Guy (whom I nothing about) is a bizarre range of voice going from soft choral to all out vocal gymnastics eventually verging on concrete poetry, all the while keeping a dark tone.
totally agree, and I recommend also "Alina", a simple but effective piano piece
I've always found Pärt too sacred & celestial for my taste, but perhaps I've heard the wrong (=most famous & popular ie easy-listened) pieces?
Franz Schubert managed composing some really sombre & brooding Lieder, like "Doppelgänger" - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fKVnL9JvuO8 (the Pestdemon tape Doppelgänger is of course more than slightly inspired by this piece).
Chopin's prelude in C minor, which you all know from a certain Italian movie: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c97LsxyoZW0&feature=related (played by some guy, not recording)
Surprised no-one's mentioned Alfred Schnittke & his Requiem. His drifting in and out between minor and major tonality really messes with your ears, very dubious...
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GqdB3WU_CXI
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=75Dqh5PWbWo - Credo, with a nice drum beat. The deeply religious do it best.
Shostakovich, only getting bleaker and bleaker as the years progressed in Soviet until the '70s. This one is pretty classic, but still very doomy, far from uplifting..!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gSoKpCXWF0Q&feature=related
Some of his symphonies are rather heavy as well, I think no.7 ("Leningrad Symphony"), second or third movement, very war-like with this menacing snare ostinato...
Concerning terminology... no I think classical music would generally refer to pre-modern (Baroque through Classic period to Romantic period) art music, and I suppose most canonized Modernist art music... But I suppose classical music in it self reached it's peak and dissolved with Schönberg & the dissolution of tonality. And, of course, classic = canonized (by prominent German musicologists before the wars). It's hard to canonize already composers born in the 20th century. Or composers in pre-Baroque periods who worked under completely different circumstances than the supposed geniuses like Beethoven, Wagner etc.
QuoteAnd due the wish to hear such material, one probably just have to take measures in his own hands. During 2010 I completed album which is pretty much as close to ideal to my liking as I could reach. Now in pressing, to be announced next month :P
So is this actually reworking of art music or just inspiration from approaches & techniques? Have been using some... stuff... cut-up & processed on the full-length I'm nearly finished with, would be terrible to overlap with the same source material..!
Aren't there quite a few composers (with degrees) who simultaneously produce what's labelled as noise/produced within the noise/experimental scene? Any recommendations? Maja Ratjke for example - http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Maja_Ratkje
Quote from: pestdemon on January 11, 2011, 06:25:40 PM
QuoteAnd due the wish to hear such material, one probably just have to take measures in his own hands. During 2010 I completed album which is pretty much as close to ideal to my liking as I could reach. Now in pressing, to be announced next month :P
So is this actually reworking of art music or just inspiration from approaches & techniques? Have been using some... stuff... cut-up & processed on the full-length I'm nearly finished with, would be terrible to overlap with the same source material..!
Inspired. It has some classical = real instruments, but also mixed with other sources and combined with field recordings. But all is live material (without audience) with no overdubs and with no compression or editing.
Sounds interesting! Released as Grunt or under some other banner?
Alchemy of the 21st Century. Continues the old project.
I don't remember the name of the composer but the soundtrack for THE SHINING is one of my faves.
Played the first yotube link in the first post & it's excellant as is this vid of Jani Christou. The first thing I took a listen to reminded me of THE SHINING..
Definitely love dark/heavy classical music. Most of which I think I've come across due to movie soundtracks.
Ah Wendy Carlos. That's an excellent score.
The 2 Jani Christou videos are excellant. Are they available on disc? Hunted for something to download but came up empty.
Krzysztof Penderecki: This is heavy as hell & same composer for THE EXORCIST and THE SHINING:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fwaEOyOw9tk&feature=related
from THE EXORCIST soundtrack (I can't find an easy free d/l for complete sndtrk):
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kE_Y78THIS8&feature=related
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lcRYdPgthzg&feature=related
If we talk about THE SHINING... I have always been intriguing who is composer of that music: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NmOoekbK6YI&feature=related
ImpulseStetoscope: I'm pretty sure that is Penderecki, from Utrenja if I'm not mistaken (that Pole keeps coming back in this thread...!).Goddamn creepy scene. And an excellent use of percussion so traditional it makes you think of elementary school rhythm pedagogy...
And Bitewerks, when talking about The Shining, you mustn't forget the music from Bela Bartok: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WAdZr6OQZ-A&feature=related
I own THE SHINING LP but never really paid attention to who composed the music other than it was a name I could never remember. Sent those links toa friend who said he has a bunch of his rec'ings. He mentioned this:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4YrhqB88ZTY
so listening to that now...
Penderecki also did the soundtrack for the brilliant film Katyn. I don't know how it would stand up on it's own but in the film it works very well.
Here's the info on who was involved with THE SHININGmusic:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Shining_(film)#Music_and_soundtrack
Quote from: bitewerksMTB on January 11, 2011, 09:29:41 PM
The 2 Jani Christou videos are excellant. Are they available on disc? Hunted for something to download but came up empty.
this piece is included in the Jani Christou CD on Edition RZ.
Quote from: ImpulsyStetoskopu on January 11, 2011, 10:14:04 PM
If we talk about THE SHINING... I have always been intriguing who is composer of that music:
Quote from: ConcreteMascara on January 11, 2011, 09:15:42 PM
Ah Wendy Carlos. That's an excellent score.
Also did the soundtrack to Kubrick's "A Clockwork Orange", featuring some very heavy, dark synth tones and a few revisions of older, classical pieces.
Quote from: pestdemon on January 11, 2011, 06:18:01 PM
I've always found Pärt too sacred & celestial for my taste
try to play it backwards!
Morton Feldman :
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9qqzAf5Wvp8
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bb6nYCY1Gjk
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qxSt_w2ODaQ
Quote from: theotherjohn on January 12, 2011, 02:25:56 AM
Jacob Sudol's blog is excellent for finding mp3s of modern classical...
And a bit thanks to "The Other John" for this link, because I discovered
this wonderful piece of music (http://www.sequenza21.com/sudol/?p=300), Hugues Dufourt's "Saturne", for orchestra and electronics. A lengthy piece, over fifty minutes, very heavy on the percussion, lots of sonorous tones, a very good balance between the slower, softer, darker moments and the more built up heavier parts (where the percussion really comes forward). The electronics are sparsely used, or at least seem to be, mainly around the half way mark and towards the end they become more obvious. Mostly slow in pace, yet it doesn't drag for a minute in any of the four or so times I've listened to it since downloading it yesterday. A very striking, impressive piece for the darker, heavier side of orchestral. Sadly, it's supposedly out of print at the moment; there's some over-priced vynal versions on Discogs but as this is meant to be all one singular piece I don't think vynal would be the best format for this.
Quote from: m. on January 12, 2011, 11:51:57 PM
Morton Feldman :
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9qqzAf5Wvp8
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bb6nYCY1Gjk
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qxSt_w2ODaQ
huh... just checked where I could get some CD's for better sound quality... Morton Feldman - Triadic Memories CD version, discogs prices, one 45 one 80,- ! Fuck! I guess youtube just have to do for a while..
Quote from: FreakAnimalFinland on January 14, 2011, 10:24:20 AM
huh... just checked where I could get some CD's for better sound quality... Morton Feldman - Triadic Memories CD version, discogs prices, one 45 one 80,- ! Fuck! I guess youtube just have to do for a while..
They don't have the exact Takahashi performance but different ones for much cheaper prices:
http://www.mdt.co.uk (http://www.mdt.co.uk)
Search for "Triadic memories". It's a pretty good shop for classical stuff.
Morton Feldman's "For Samuel Beckett", as performed by Klangforum Wien (on Kairos, 1999, in a rather spiffy cd pack with booklet) is just under fifty five minutes of the same off-chord, minimalist difficult listening. It can be regarded as "darker and heavier" in that it is certainly dark, but not in a deep, sonorous way. It has the quality of confusion, constant acceptance of current madness, that seems appropriate for a homage to the works of Beckett. Like faces that look constantly around for something to grasp onto and never finding it, but seeking anyway, always, forever.
I've always loved his incidental music for the Rothko chapel (New Albion Records, 1991, which comes with "Why Patterns?"), although admittedly it's much more structured and has a very lovely, uplifting melody in the last movement (that he apparently wrote when he was fifteen). It has wonderful soft, rushing passages and some amazing choir vocals, particularly part three which is basically a drone of female voices. But it's more for those seeking subtlety above darkness and heaviness.
By the way, I got both these albums for reasonable prices from the classical section of a big national record chain. It pays to pay a visit to such places from time to time. Because hardly anyone cares about this kind of music you can find good albums for good prices that will be untouched by the herd, yet happen to be there.
Just remembered; Holst's Planet suite. Everyone remembers the strident, marching power of the Martian movement. A masterpiece of modern orchestal. Fuck Laibach and the rest of the "Martial Industrial" mob, this (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L0bcRCCg01I) is where the power is!
Honorary mention - Orff's Carmina Buruna.
Esp. the parts of Carminua Burana that appears after the run down O Fortuna... Again, the Salo soundtrack!
Quote from: FreakAnimalFinland on January 14, 2011, 10:24:20 AM
Quote from: m. on January 12, 2011, 11:51:57 PM
Morton Feldman :
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9qqzAf5Wvp8
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bb6nYCY1Gjk
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qxSt_w2ODaQ
huh... just checked where I could get some CD's for better sound quality... Morton Feldman - Triadic Memories CD version, discogs prices, one 45 one 80,- ! Fuck! I guess youtube just have to do for a while..
Triadic Memories was composed with no set tempo so the performer interprets it as they see fit. As such, performances of this piece can range between 60 and 100 minutes depending on tempo chosen. Listen to some other versions, you might like them more and find them more readily available for less on cd.
Bela Bartok - can get dissonant at times
Harry Partch - a lot of microtonal stuff
Henryk Gorecki - not dark at all, but if you like Arvo Part
Toru Takimitstu
Quote from: bitewerksMTB on January 11, 2011, 09:08:21 PM
I don't remember the name of the composer but the soundtrack for THE SHINING is one of my faves.
Wendy Carlos, Bela Bartok, Krzysztof Penderecki and Gorgy Ligeti are all used in the score for The Shining.
Ligeti's Lux Aeterna is possibly the darkest piece of music I know. Parts of it were used in Kubricks 2001: A Space Odyssey.
I would also recommend some Alban Berg, Bruno Maderna, Ezra Sims, although these can seem a bit more melancholy than "dark".
I would also recommend Edgard Varèse, and Karlheinz Stockhausen for the sheer brutality and relentlessness of some of thier work.
Also, a special mention for Milton Babbitt who passed away aged 94 last month. His work was consistantly challenging and intresting.
Allan Pettersson's 6 & 7th symphonies are worth mentioning (a Youtube search will at least find the 7th).
Bought Morton Feldman 2xCD of Triadic Memories. Pretty intense, when this total abstraction piano works extends over 60 minutes in first disc.. and to be continued. I have yet been listening the first couple of times, and do wonder how much it means to change disc or just re-listen the first again, hah!
theotherjohn mentioned Kairos label, and I thought why not check out something based totally on gut feeling. Hugues Dufourt "LäAfrique et LäAsie d'apres Tiepolo" CD. This is very well done and oppressive, yet beautiful. Two tracks, one 25 and other c. 20 mins. The man in questions is the one who coined term "spectral music". So I guess it was mandatory to check out something from him.
Quote from: FreakAnimalFinland on March 10, 2011, 10:54:30 AM
Bought Morton Feldman 2xCD of Triadic Memories. Pretty intense, when this total abstraction piano works extends over 60 minutes in first disc.. and to be continued. I have yet been listening the first couple of times, and do wonder how much it means to change disc or just re-listen the first again, hah!
I noticed Steffen Schleiermacher played Triadic Memories in the The Late Piano Works series. Steffen Schleiermacher makes John Cage piano pieces come alive like nobody else can. I have almost a fanatical faith in his interpretations, mindset, and playing of "difficult" piano pieces. I'm going to have to give this a try on your recommendation.
Quote from: FreakAnimalFinland on March 10, 2011, 10:54:30 AM
Bought Morton Feldman 2xCD of Triadic Memories. Pretty intense, when this total abstraction piano works extends over 60 minutes in first disc.. and to be continued. I have yet been listening the first couple of times, and do wonder how much it means to change disc or just re-listen the first again, hah!
Now that I've looked around a little, there are several versions of this. Which label? Who is the pianist?
http://www.oehmsclassics.de/cd.php?formatid=208&sprache=eng
Sabine Liebner as pianist, Oehms classics is the label.
I have been captured by this Italian guy, Salvatore Sciarrino. His violin compositions is something I have been after, but can't find the piece I'm looking for on CD. Settled for Paino Sonatas II-V - 4 Notturni cd on Cypres Records, and it is one of the more demanding piano pieces. 72 minutes of something, what often sounds as if someone would simply hammer whatever random anti-notes and throwing in hurricanes of fast high toned diarrheas. All his piano works, what I know from youtube, seems very similar. His has very unique way of using the fast high notes.
And perhaps another would be Jessica Kuhn on solo cello, on Thorofon records, doing 10 minutes Frangis Ali-Sade piece followed by 52 minutes of Giancinto Scelsi Trilogia. Brilliant use of cello, and I would guess Scelsi is known name for many, but as a guy, who is far from expert on the field, it's curious to read nice linernotes of this character. His refusal to give promotional pictures of himself, only offering drawn symbol consisting circle and line. And his method of composing. These piece from 1956-65, simply improvised by Scelsi, recorded on tape. Given to someone to write notes. Slightly altered by "composer" again, and then piece was done. No wonder they sound like utmost stream of gut feeling, rather than actual "composition". Lowest strings resonate with great sound and cd offers good dynamics and sound.
Quote from: pestdemon on January 11, 2011, 06:18:01 PM
Shostakovich, only getting bleaker and bleaker as the years progressed in Soviet until the '70s. This one is pretty classic, but still very doomy, far from uplifting..!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gSoKpCXWF0Q&feature=related
Some of his symphonies are rather heavy as well, I think no.7 ("Leningrad Symphony"), second or third movement, very war-like with this menacing snare ostinato...
I bought his complete works box set a few years ago and really enjoyed delving into his string quartets and chamber music which was much less scrutinized than his symphonies, those are particularly incredible to hear. It was a costly venture to buy that set (well I guess 33 discs for 100 dollars is pretty good) but well worth the investment.......
So far easiest the best Giacinto Scelsi CD I have come across: "Natura Renovatur" ECM NEW SERIES 1963.
3 songs are violoncello solo by Frances-Marie Uitti and 3 songs are orchestra conducted by Christoph Poppen.
This been played several times and also to some friends who appreciated it very much.
And to also recommend ECM label, since it is really good in presentation. Extensive liner-notes, good photography, good design. While majority of classical falls into category of what the fuck were they thinking, ECM actually does it so well, there is already 2 art books about their cover art.
It appears that majority of this CD is composed on method of ondiola improvisation. Electronic instrument able to only play one note at the time, so chords are not possible to play. Making it very suitable as base of violin piece. While I would think this kind of string instrument minimalism would be common and easy to find, yet I have not heard much that could compete with elegance of this recording.
Morton Feldman "string quartet" CD, 78 minutes long piece of avantgarde violin music... of course different. Basically very trademark of his style of composition, but stays so far away from magnificence of above, that I probably need to give it distance and listen at later times.
Considering starting to distribute some selected titles of classical music. Not sure if people who buy noise at FA, care much, but wouldn't hurt keeping few selected favorites in shelves....
ECM has been a true label of distinction for years now. The material they carry is broad, mainly categorised as classical or jazz but with a lot of variation. I first brought a compilation album (Selected Signs II) a few years ago which included Heiner Goebbels "Suite For Sampler And Orchestra", but for the most part music varying between folk, jazz, electronic, and so on (although not a lot of darker, heavier material in this instance - actually a lot of very richer, uplifting material). They take exceptional care with their releases, packaging often involves cardboard stock envelopes around the actual jewel case, decent booklets, and so on. They take beauty seriously which is a rare thing today.
Quote from: SKY BURIAL on January 10, 2011, 05:47:35 PM
Jón Leifs has been a favorite of mine for several decades with several compositions approaching near "industrial" intensity.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y4iFB5iW7ks
Some other favorites:
Krzysztof Penderecki - Threnody for the Victims of Hiroshima: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FfBVYhyXU8o
It's only been in the past 1.5 years that I've finally started purchasing works by Penderecki, after having known the name for so long. I've now added Leifs and Scelsi to my list of items to pick up in the near future.
A search of the forum doesn't turn up Elliott Carter, and I'd recommend his mid and later period works; often sparse, downbeat, and abstract.
Can anyone recommend an online source for buying classical and avant-garde works -- ideally something other than amazon.com?
Mentioned Allan Pettersson (a bit more traditional than some of the aforementioned composers) earlier but here's some excerpts:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Hyp5KJW7Jd0
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cr88H39QiWA
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cs9KWPqcciw
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nC7k6CF_2JA
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NPct3IxEpdg
I've been checking out a lot of the recommendations in this thread. Really great stuff.
the long trailer for the Jani Christou documentary 'Anasparastasis' is now online with english subtitles.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Pv-ZJh1ezLo
and here is the project's website
http://anaparastasis.info/
Soundtracks should get their own thread, as should Kubrick. Both culminate beautifully in the Dr Strangelove soundtrack
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w_d7wa0cxDU
Okay, not "dark" in that shitass Darth Vader B-movie concept that so many of us are suckers for (myself emphatically included), but, er, moreso, er, because of that. Fuck you.
Lynch Inland Empire soundtrack features most of the worthier Penderecki, including them shites from The Shining. Ripped the whole movie, dialog included, as a piece of "dark classical music" and still plays nice.
EDIT: seriously now. Treated as an extended "dark classical music" video, the movie just about nails it
So far, most of the artists named in the Wiki article on Spectralism have returned memorable dividends.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Spectral_music
I particularly like this line, near the top:
"More recently (2003) the Istanbul Spectral Music Conference redefined the term "spectral music" to encompass any music that foregrounds timbre as an important element of structure or musical language"
...which could be paraphrasing any number of proposed definitions for noise. I like how several artists accused of belonging to the Spectralist school have rejected the term as too "reductive". Any of this sound familiar?
Most of those currently active in the "spectral" vein - or "hyper spectral" vein whatever they call it - seem to be moving toward larger productions, which may or may not be a good thing, but at least translates into plenty of melodrama. I do rather dig the Hugues Dufourt pieces "pour piano"; which have also served time as home manipulation material: switch the piano with more "classic" industrial-strength metal percussion, let some rough feedback bleed through, drop some vocals on molesting the fetishized object of choice, and you are off...
Quote from: Bloated Slutbag on October 13, 2011, 05:47:59 PM
So far, most of the artists named in the Wiki article on Spectralism have returned... plenty of melodrama.
I was thinking actually of this:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PMGDRVx5yiQ
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZorKItzQJbE
(I admit I only looked her up because Saariaho was the most exotic sounding name in the wiki article, at least from where I sit.)
This particular performance is fairly laid back in its presentation, but there's something about layered choral/chants that serves to "darken" the proceedings. Without voice, you've basically got industrial. People like Vivenza may be held in rapt horror/awe of the "mysterieuse force humaine" (in the machine), but literalism has its attractions too. Plus of course I dig the noiseworthiness of the attendent densities cum harmonicaness.
Kaija Saariaho is regarded among most important Finnish contemporary composers.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PsI-TYNR138&feature=related
(....For string quartet and electronics....)
But like said so many times, if you see ANYWHERE, such lady with such name, it's just about as luring as buying Kaija Koo CD at random, hah. You just can't know how good it might be, unless you're deep into classical music "scene". Above mentioned piece wouldn't be out of place from record shelves of someone who appreciates even Alchemy Of The 21st Century CD, even if in reality its almost like night and day..
Been listening to Charles Ives' Universe Symphony quite a bit. The composition remains unfinished because of his constantly shifting vision for the work:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GegWx6L0AfI
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XyK7QqeF5GA
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ScwfO-aZago
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VN7Pp3IITRE
Quote from: FreakAnimalFinland on November 02, 2011, 09:41:48 AM
Kaija Saariaho is regarded among most important Finnish contemporary composers.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PsI-TYNR138&feature=related
(....For string quartet and electronics....)
But like said so many times, if you see ANYWHERE, such lady with such name, it's just about as luring as buying Kaija Koo CD at random, hah. You just can't know how good it might be, unless you're deep into classical music "scene". Above mentioned piece wouldn't be out of place from record shelves of someone who appreciates even Alchemy Of The 21st Century CD, even if in reality its almost like night and day..
Well, been listening the CD with above mentioned composition being part of it.
Finnish label ONDINE has released a lot of her works and this label is widely celebrated and awarded for it's quality releases. Nowadays this label is part of Naxos, which somehow makes it feel "cheap", though not sure if there is any real reason for it...
Of course they look pretty much as any classical music CD, but for example this Kaija Saariaho "Du Cristal... A La Fumee" / "Sept Papillons" / "Nymphea", is brilliant. It does offer extensive liner notes in Finnish, German, French and English. It's 68+ min in length.
Her work is not really melodic. It's more of just texture of instruments. There are also compositions which are based on orchestra and two lead instruments which are electronically effected/processed, meaning they operate on different level of sound style or volume compared to normal range of such instrument.
In Finland, Fuga is the place to find all classical music you may need. Prices may be around 20 euro CD range, but they do have pretty much anything you need. Store just moved in Helsinki. I did visit the old location few months ago and curious to see if new one is different?
Kaija Saariaho
Good stuff!
Heh, I was partly inspired to post here in the hope that the Finns present would have some dirt on Saariaho. No luck...?
Listening to a lot of the spectral composers, many of them associated with IRCAM and Ensemble l'Itinéraire... Gerard Grisey, Tristan Murail, Michael Levinas... Philippe Leroux, Phillippe Hurel... plug in any given name plus keyword "electronics" or "tape" and return lots of great stuff. Much of it sounds rather dramatic, in the traditional sense of the word. Very densely "layered", but fairly "straight" in its unravellilng. If this can honestly represent the "darker, heavier side" of classical one has to wonder. Are we really listening for "dark" classical music, or is "dark" code-word for "I'm tired of all this abstract shit"?
I think dark or heavy as opposed to joyful and romantic or whatever... but yes, I guess it's true that "darker and heavier" hardly words what relate into most works. I would guess one method to qualify in topic would be lack of (obvious/romantic) melody?
Sometime ago, I purchased classical music CD, that was collection of early rhythm oriented works, which was not very traditional for west. Some merely abstract hammering of piano, others more like Stravinski gone nuts. Mostly early 1900's... CD is at the moment in my car, and can't remember any names. This obscure percussion dominated avantgarde compositions are in a way dark and heavy, but in a way there is a lurking wibe of sheer joy of polyrhythmic sound adventures and madness.
Quote from: FreakAnimalFinland on November 09, 2011, 06:31:48 PM
I think dark or heavy as opposed to joyful and romantic or whatever... but yes, I guess it's true that "darker and heavier" hardly words what relate into most works. I would guess one method to qualify in topic would be lack of (obvious/romantic) melody?
Edited: "Classical (darker/heavier/obscure/less "traditional", etc.)"
Quote from: Bloated Slutbag on November 09, 2011, 05:33:57 PM
Heh, I was partly inspired to post here in the hope that the Finns present would have some dirt on Saariaho. No luck...?
I don't think there's any dirt to give away, sorry. She's very "celebrated" in Finland, appears in all sorts of magazine interviews from time to time. We Finns tend to idolise any of our own that "make" it abroad (very few do).... even if she composes strange music that few people would willingly listen to, heh... Anyway, I think she's been living in Paris for a long time, married to a frenchie etc. Maybe the dirty stuff happens in the dusky alleys of Paris, away from the nosy Finnish tabloids?
Quote from: WCrap on September 02, 2011, 12:26:04 AM
the long trailer for the Jani Christou documentary 'Anasparastasis' is now online with english subtitles.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Pv-ZJh1ezLo
and here is the project's website
http://anaparastasis.info/
great! didn't know about this. thanks for the links...
Happened to go to local library couple days ago. Had hour to spend in city before work and browsed through library's electro-acoustic CD shelves. Plenty of Kaija Saariaho to choose from, but "Private Gardens" was good choice. Each track is fairly minimalist set up. Just single instrument and effects. Soprano & electronics, flute & electronics, cello & electronic, and percussion & electronics. Cello is my favorite easily. Infact, many times I have cursed lack of classical music where effects or recording techniques are taken away from regular, and this is it. It's not going as far as I'd hope, but goes pretty far.
I library they have listening rooms. Complete with good stereos, double doors, acoustic panels on walls. Reserved 1 hour of listening time and blasted this CD.
Last time I went there, was to listen to cello music CD's I wouldn't purchase without knowing how they are. And library proves yet again to be very valuable service - at least over here. After the session, when to book section to borrow The Best of SIGNAL (Hitler's photo magazine), The Silence (good source for rwanda genocide photography - already used several times myself in old releases, but can't get bored), American Slavery, etc..
Purchased "private gardens" for myself too since it was so good.
"Lonh" seems among the best ever I have heard of "classical" which is actually treated with electronics. Live version piece:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TrXaWt0UJ5Y
CD includes nearly 16 minute version.
Visualization of another good piece "Pres"
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wRPAqEGDEO8
on cd also nearly 20 minutes piece.
Quote from: FreakAnimalFinland on May 10, 2012, 07:35:57 PM
"Lonh" seems among the best ever I have heard of "classical" which is actually treated with electronics. Live version piece:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TrXaWt0UJ5Y
That visual presentation in particular, coupled with the overall aural aesthetic, puts me in mind of some Yamaakago performances I've witnessed. Seems appropriate as the sound palate on offer definitely shares air with the Six Japanese Gardens.
On a somewhat related note, I've recently been turning attention to Octavian Nemescu. This recording of "Illuminatii" (1967) could be a direct inspiration on Pauline Oliveros "CCCC (Cistern Chapel Chance Chants)", though rather more densely realized and not quite so ethereal:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HUbS0gZlToE
Actually came across a fair bit of Nemescu which dips into this general vein of warm, richly layered, ambience. Some of it would sound derivative if the dude didn't predate all the shit from which his would seem to be derived.
Here's a more recent - EDIT "darker" - Nemescu offering entitled "Negantidiadua Pour 2 Heures Du Matin" (1995), definitely up there:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RuohRP6TGxA&feature=related
Did a search, couldn't find any threads on this topic.
Off late I have been listening to works of the Austrian composer Georg Friedrich Haas and Frenchman Gérard Grisey. I am looking for composers in similar line of work. Do anyone have recommendations here?
I combined online prowlers message to this old topic. Just purchased pile of classical stuff last week. Some more Kaija Saariaho, some Penderecki.
Quote from: FreakAnimalFinland on January 31, 2013, 05:46:51 PM
I combined online prowlers message to this old topic. Just purchased pile of classical stuff last week. Some more Kaija Saariaho, some Penderecki.
Thanx Mikko, will leaf through this thread.
There's an interesting documentary series on 20th century classical music for people in the UK -
"Series on the revolution in 20th century music looks at the fragmented, abstract and discordant sound taken up by radical composers such as Schoenberg and Webern."
http://www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/episode/b01qnp5f/The_Sound_and_the_Fury_A_Century_of_Music_Wrecking_Ball/
George Crumb
"Black Angels. 13 Images from the Dark Land"
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m5a2RXA2Jn8 (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m5a2RXA2Jn8)
"Ancient voices of children"
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g1IGaHCVZYA (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g1IGaHCVZYA)
Karl-Birger Blomdahl's Aniara (excerpts)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8DLBHLgexe0
is there any pure neoclassical out there that has bits of power electronics in its sound?
Ansgar Beste - "Pèlerinage Fantastique" (2010) for prepared string quartet
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jn2a7OPrCYc
I think this is pretty great. Nice scraping textures, appeals to my TNB predilictions.
More Beste fragments to be found here:
http://www.ansgarbeste.com/works-2/musical-compositions-2/
Random related tube trawling produces:
Juan Cruz Guevara - Homenaje Parlamento Andaluz Victimas del terrorismo
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WY1P5RkZZ0Y
...some nicely cacophonic intervals, but I think this is a plain solid piece of composition.
I listen to Galina Ustvolskaya often. Her website has a list of recordings (https://archive.is/VU2kV (https://archive.is/VU2kV)) that she preferred.