[extrabigmehdi]

- moved to the more appropriate thread -

 

[SunTanScanMan]

 
Bringing together my recent listening sessions on Mozart and Savall. Been enjoying this for the past week or so. The Serenata Notturna on this recording has a pretty decent and balanced bass presence to me. Will mention it in the thread linked by @Claritas

 

[perhapss]

   
 
But I  think that when people talk of "classical" music, they have actually occidental music in mind

.

 
 
Hosokawa's music is not traditional Japanese music despite the associations made on this disk.
He works primarily in the "occidental" or western tradition and with musicians in that genre.
 
The Arditti quartet has a wonderful fairly recent recording of Hosokawa on the Wergo label for those wanting more familiar sonorities.
 
"Classical" music (born of the western tradition) exists globally these days. Hosokawa is a major contributor from Asia regardless of what "people" have "in mind".
Of course we don't want "people" limiting their perspective now do we? 

 

[extrabigmehdi]

   
 
Hosokawa's music is not traditional Japanese music despite the associations made on this disk.
He works primarily in the "occidental" or western tradition and with musicians in that genre.

 
Well perhaps Hosokawa general work is not "traditional Japanese" music, but you can't deny the connection with traditional Japanese music on this particular cd. I'm listening now to it, while I type this message, and it's clearly inspired by gagaku.
 

Of course we don't want "people" limiting their perspective now do we? 

 
I'm fine with experimenting with new genres/ styles , it's actually what I  like the most.
But you'd notice some consistency in the previous cd,  recommended  here.

 

[perhapss]

   
Well perhaps Hosokawa general work is not "traditional Japanese" music, but you can't deny the connection with traditional Japanese music on this particular cd. I'm listening now to it, while I type this message, and it's clearly inspired by gagaku.
 
 
I'm fine with experimenting with new genres/ styles , it's actually what I  like the most.
But you'd notice some consistency in the previous cd,  recommended  here.

 
Yes, Hosokawa's music is inspired by/connected to  traditional Japanese music.
 
Likewise, Stravinsky's music was inspired/informed by Russian music and Bartok's music was inspired/informed by Hungarian music(merely 2 examples of many). I would argue they were also working in the field of "western" classical music. Meaning they worked with the musicians and ensembles in that community. The same as Hosokawa is doing now. He is a contemporary composer currently working out of Germany.
 
Since I've been contributing to this thread for a long time, I am well aware of what's been posted so far. Being aware yourself of what's been posted in this thread, you've probably noticed that I often recommended contemporary music that falls outside of the greatest hits bin of classical music.The music I recommend is not just out of thin air and I wouldn't call my choices "experimenting". I am making informed suggestions based on my interests and those interests held by many in the contemporary classical community. 
 
I am happy that you like "experimenting with new genres/styles" but I would say that Hosokawa's music is not a new genre or style.This in the same way that Stravinsky or Bartok were not new genres or styles. I would say that their music functions within the genre of contemporary classical music.
 
Happy listening!

 

[LugBug1]

   
Yes, Hosokawa's music is inspired by/connected to  traditional Japanese music.
 
Likewise, Stravinsky's music was inspired/informed by Russian music and Bartok's music was inspired/informed by Hungarian music(merely 2 examples of many). I would argue they were also working in the field of "western" classical music. Meaning they worked with the musicians and ensembles in that community. The same as Hosokawa is doing now. He is a contemporary composer currently working out of Germany.
 
Since I've been contributing to this thread for a long time, I am well aware of what's been posted so far. Being aware yourself of what's been posted in this thread, you've probably noticed that I often recommended contemporary music that falls outside of the greatest hits bin of classical music.The music I recommend is not just out of thin air and I wouldn't call my choices "experimenting". I am making informed suggestions based on my interests and those interests held by many in the contemporary classical community. 
 
I am happy that you like "experimenting with new genres/styles" but I would say that Hosokawa's music is not a new genre or style.This in the same way that Stravinsky or Bartok were not new genres or styles. I would say that their music functions within the genre of contemporary classical music.
 
Happy listening!

Certainly not new genres but I would argue that they did produced new 'styles' of music in the sense of direction and originality. But this is the progressive and 'limitless' nature of classical music imo.
 
But I hate what I've just wrote because...
 
Putting to one side 'sub genres'..  John Cage, Mozart and Arvo Part are all 'classical' composers and I personally can't hear anything that relates them, apart from maybe the use of an orchestra - i.e instruments; and anything can be used/heard as an instrument as Mr Cage tried to teach us. Even a building site!
 
But still, we call this 'classical music'. I love 'classical music' I listen to hours and hours of it every day. But to me it's just music.... But it is written by very serious artists.
 
 
 
Because we can see through the not so serious ones.... ;

 

[extrabigmehdi]

  Since I've been contributing to this thread for a long time, I am well aware of what's been posted so far. Being aware yourself of what's been posted in this thread, you've probably noticed that I often recommended contemporary music that falls outside of the greatest hits bin of classical music.
 

 
My apologies then.
 

I am happy that you like "experimenting with new genres/styles" but I would say that Hosokawa's music is not a new genre or style.

 
I meant that I'm "experimenting" when I  listen  to other stuff than conventional western music. Few month ago I've never heard of gagaku, so it's relatively "new" for me. Off course gagaku music is not a "new" style, since it's pretty old traditional japanese music (used in ancient imperial courts).  Perhaps Hosokawa gave to gagaku music  a modern twist on the album you recommended , and I shouldn't make a distinction with other  modern classical works. Then fine.
 

Putting to one side 'sub genres'..  John Cage, Mozart and Arvo Part are all 'classical' composers and I personally can't hear anything that relates them, apart from maybe the use of an orchestra - i.e instruments; and anything can be used/heard as an instrument as Mr Cage tried to teach us. Even a building site!

I don't know, I try to classify artist by genre/ styles , as it helps to get a better idea of what you'd listen.
Mozart is clearly from the "classical period", while the others could be considered doing some "minimalism", or being "avant-garde".
I  alternatively classify artist by labels, as some labels seem to have a particular genre associated to them (ECM  is mostly jazz / jazz fusion).

 

[bumgardnern]

  A little special in the combination of classical Spanish and Japanese music and instruments (and voices) but if you like the restraint Japanese style flute music, then this is a first rate experience. The recording quality is breathtaking. The individual tones seem to float through the performing space, stunning ! The only critique I could think of - it only lasts 1hour

 
Hispania & Japan Dialogues
Jordi Savall

 
Samples here :
http://www.amazon.com/Hispania-Japan-Dialogues-Hesperion-XXI/dp/B0055U9LAA

This is amazing! Thanks for posting this album.

I have been on a bit of a classical kick recently and this thread has led me to some awesome music that I otherwise would not have found.

 

[LugBug1]

   
 
I don't know, I try to classify artist by genre/ styles , as it helps to get a better idea of what you'd listen.
Mozart is clearly from the "classical period", while the others could be considered doing some "minimalism", or being "avant-garde".
I  alternatively classify artist by labels, as some labels seem to have a particular genre associated to them (ECM  is mostly jazz / jazz fusion).

Genres/styles imo can be-little composers and bracket them unfairly. But yes, I hear what you are saying and of course in order to library and to search for music then genre/styles are unavoidable. Easier than searching through a sea of composers in alphabetical order.
 
What 'genre and style' would you classify Stravinsky? Saint Saens? Beethoven? Birtwistle? (just out of interest  
 
I'll do one for you, Saint Saen's.  Genre- Romantic era. Style- mid to late Romantic era.....??????  You will now listen to Saint Saen's expecting a romantic composer. But SS hated 'romantic music' and has more in relation to Mozart/Haydn and CPE Bach 'classical' (*cough*)  . He also despised the 'impressionist's' (*cough*) who were his contemporaries and were doing more what Liszt had started. Liszt, who Saint Saen's greatly admired.... I personally hear more Bach than Bruckner in Saint Saen's music. Better to classify in dates and leave it at that. 
 
Even more confusing would be to find Arvo Part and Maxwell Davies under the same genre/style - Modern Contemporary. Arvo is not much different to Medieval church music and Davies is all about Scottish folk music and Schoenberg. Completely opposite ends of the musical universe and yet sat next to each other in our small minded label. 
 
I just call it music and never preempt what a composer is trying to say. Keep an open mind at all times!  

 

[LugBug1]

Schoenberg's masterpiece. Needs no introduction. Difficult at first, but one of the greatest musical theatre works ever written in my humble opinion. This is the latest available recording and has since become my favorite. (I would also recommend Boulez DG and the Naxos one) I've listened to this opera off and on for about 10 year and It still surprises me with it's scale and invention. Shame he never got to finish it or hear it played. 
 

 

[Claritas]

When the Met put it on some years back in the 2000s, the house was pretty empty and they cut the nude scene. Disgustingly low brow instead of disgustingly high brow . . . (or effect and cause?)

 

[Mambosenior]

The MET also has half-empty houses even for Puccini.

 

[Claritas]

Yeah, but this was embarrassing.

 

[Mambosenior]

Back in the mid-seventies I heard Wozzeck at the MET--conducted by Levine with a stellar cast--and it was pretty empty as well. It was a memorable performance but dodecaphonic music, even today, falls hard on most people's ears. I never understood how we could arrive into the 21st century with "even less" aptitude for scores that are now 100-years-old. Hell, the late Beethoven Quartets (particularly the "Grosse Fuge") are as difficult to grasp in only one listening session.

(Hey, but...how about that Enya! Is it true that she is Yawnni [sic] in drag?)

Kidding here! No new-agers need get up in arms.

 

[LugBug1]

Back in the mid-seventies I heard Wozzeck at the MET--conducted by Levine with a stellar cast--and it was pretty empty as well. It was a memorable performance but dodecaphonic music, even today, falls hard on most people's ears. I never understood how we could arrive into the 21st century with "even less" aptitude for scores that are now 100-years-old. Hell, the late Beethoven Quartets (particularly the "Grosse Fuge") are as difficult to grasp in only one listening session.

(Hey, but...how about that Enya!)

True true..  Quite a bit of effort has to be put in from the listener with works such as the above and its probably a case that people can't be a**ed in this century of fast media and entertainment. Back in the day you bought a record and you played it to death. If you didn't like it first listen, you learned to like it or at least appreciate it. These days of instant entertainment and almost limitless variety at the touch of a button means you don't need to put the effort in.... You just move on to something that is easier to listen to or more pleasing for the moment. Shame... 
 
And agreed, Beethoven's late quartets and sonatas are as hard to crack as anything Berg wrote.