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Comment on Rzewski at Zankel by Paula

Sat, 10 May 2008 09:33 GMT

Many, many thanks Keith, that cleared up a lot for me. I'm still curious, however, about the piano spacing for Winnsboro Cotton Mill Blues…

Comment on Rzewski at Zankel by Keith

Fri, 09 May 2008 14:13 GMT

Hi Dan,

Attica and Spots are both pieces that were written in “open intrumentation”, that is, Rzewski left the choice of instruments unspecified. He did this in a handful of works, and not because he doesn't typically do his own orchestration, but because he was interested in allowing the flexibility of having differing versions of these works performed by different groups. Since this flexibility allows for nearly any combination of instruments, any ensemble interested in programming these works may do so (which is of course not the case with repertoire for fixed instrumentation such as a string quartet), and the individual ensemble may use their own creativity and imagination in realizing their own version.

For Spots, Richard Adams, with input from Opus 21, decided which instrument was to play which line and in what octave. He also came up with the order of the movements since Rzewski leaves that open as well.

In Attica, the flexibility goes even further since Rzewski wrote only one single melodic line, but says that it may, for instance, be doubled a diatonic 6th lower, and that certain pitches from the melody may be sustained and held out as drones against other instruments playing the full melody. Rzewski provides a few other loose guildeines, and even allows for improvisation among the instrumentalists in Attica. Richard Adams made an arrangement of the score specific to Opus 21's instrumentation, one that plans who is in what octave, who holds what drone notes, etc. To my ears, the result was quite a beautiful arrangement that was well-balanced, blended, and logically planned out in terms of building and diminishing volume and intensity. I believe there may have also been some improvisation starting with Adams's arrangement as a basis.

Natural Things, on the other hand, was written by Rzewski specifically for Opus 21 and so was tailored to their unique instrumentation. Here the orchestration was entirely Rzewski's.

I think (though I'm not certain) Rzewski has probably written for orchestra, but not often. His focus has definitely been chamber music, and piano writing in particular.

Comment on How do you pronounce Ferneyhough? by Eli Greenzweig

Thu, 08 May 2008 07:48 GMT

I've heard that his original name was Marius Dilhaud, but Marius in a certain society has amusing connotations. Daris sounds more complex and he probably didn't want a funny name when he meant to write serious music. The origin of this piece of knowledge is the late Israeli conductor Arthur Gelbrun, who was known of his French orientation.

Comment on Take Out the Trash? by Jeffrey Quick

Wed, 07 May 2008 13:45 GMT

I'm a keeper…so Harrington's comment drove me a bit over the bend. I don't worry that anyone will play my juvenilia, given how small the chances are that they'll play my maturia without me around to push them. I guess it's that undergraduate music history degree…part of me would like to provide full employment for some grad student.

Yes, there's pre-current-catalog stuff out there on WorldCat. And nobody has ever tried to perform it. As Virgil Thomson supposedly said to Ned Rorem, “Don't worry, baby, some works just sort of withdraw themselves.”

Comment on Rzewski at Zankel by Dan

Tue, 06 May 2008 14:37 GMT

(Does anyone know if both Spots and Natural Things were both orchestrated by Richard Adams, composer and founder of Opus 21? I know they mentioned he had arranged one of the pieces)

I have no answer but find that quite interesting. I've only heard Rzewski's piano works. Has he ever written for orchestra? — or does he have someone orchestrate for him? Haven't heard of many composers that do that — not saying it is good or bad — or that he even does that. Would just be somewhat unique if he did so.

Comment on Say What? by Marcos Balter

Tue, 06 May 2008 05:28 GMT

When I first read this article, I jokingly said to a friend that, if that meant more Salvatore Sciarrino and Jurg Frey, I would be happy. But, jokes aside, I think that canceling pieces rather than continuing to look for possible logistic solutions is a mistake.