Russian modernism

jadis · 04-23-2022, 02:13 PM

Speaking of Shosta, this is him at his most fiery

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rniK...ilGilels-Topic

Ayn Marx · 05-19-2022, 06:41 PM

I wonder if the Russian term for MODERNISM triggers the suspicions of todays cultural authorities who have a long history of punishing composers who strayed from the official line.

https://www.mdc.edu/wolfson/academic..._modernism.htm

jadis · 05-20-2022, 05:50 AM

Yeah from what I can tell Zhdanovshchina is very much back in force

GD · 05-21-2022, 02:03 PM

I think Alexander Scriabin deserves a shout in this thread. Might seem strange to describe him as a "modernist" since he belonged to the pre-WW1 generation of Russian composers, but many of his works are really innovative, especially the late ones that flirt with polytonality and even atonality.

Spoiler for Prometheus: The Poem of Fire:

Spoiler for Deux Poèmes, op. 71:

Spoiler for Vers la flamme, Op. 72:

jadis · 05-22-2022, 05:42 AM

Absolutely. The late Scriabin comes closer to atonality than most of Prokofiev's or Shostakovich's works that I know. These preludes are another great example

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MApCm3UO6nQ

Ayn Marx · 05-22-2022, 03:43 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by GD

I think Alexander Scriabin deserves a shout in this thread. Might seem strange to describe him as a "modernist" since he belonged to the pre-WW1 generation of Russian composers, but many of his works are really innovative, especially the late ones that flirt with polytonality and even atonality.

Spoiler for Prometheus: The Poem of Fire:

Spoiler for Deux Poèmes, op. 71:

Spoiler for Vers la flamme, Op. 72:

Thanks for posting those links. My organ teacher made a transcription of those pieces I found almost impossible to get right. Even just reading them now is scary. Great work though (with a subtle undertow of madness?)
Not Russian but I’m reminded of Alkan whose originality, eccentricity and scary technical difficulty is too often ignored.

jadis · 05-23-2022, 03:15 AM

The only thing Alcan has in common with Scriabin is that they both feature prominently in the repertoire of Marc-André Hamelin.

GD · 05-23-2022, 09:57 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by jadis

Absolutely. The late Scriabin comes closer to atonality than most of Prokofiev's or Shostakovich's works that I know. These preludes are another great example

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MApCm3UO6nQ

Nice one! I'm also into a lot of Scriabin's earlier stuff but it's maybe not so relevant for this thread

Quote:

Originally Posted by Ayn Marx

Thanks for posting those links. My organ teacher made a transcription of those pieces I found almost impossible to get right. Even just reading them now is scary. Great work though (with a subtle undertow of madness?)
Not Russian but I’m reminded of Alkan whose originality, eccentricity and scary technical difficulty is too often ignored.

I've actually been meaning to check out more from Alkan but have heard very little so far. Feel free to start a dedicated thread for him if you would like to share some of his music, because I don't think we have an Alkan thread on MB yet.
__________________
On-topic:
One of my favourites from Shostakovich's output: Begins with a prelude in his familiarly sardonic style and then goes absolutely insane in the following fugue and it is something to behold

jadis · 05-23-2022, 01:47 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by GD

One of my favourites from Shostakovich's output: Begins with a prelude in his familiarly sardonic style and then goes absolutely insane in the following fugue and it is something to behold

Love it. This is another of my favorites (the third one of the three, at 11 min 13 sec in case the time code in the embed doesn't work)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=24febc3IBjg&t=673s

Ayn Marx · 05-23-2022, 05:34 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by jadis

The only thing Alcan has in common with Scriabin is that they both feature prominently in the repertoire of Marc-André Hamelin.

Only thing? What about originality, eccentricity and scary technical difficulty ?

05-21-2022, 02:03 PM	#24 (permalink)
GD ???pp? ??snW Join Date: Nov 2013 Location: NO Posts: 648	I think Alexander Scriabin deserves a shout in this thread. Might seem strange to describe him as a "modernist" since he belonged to the pre-WW1 generation of Russian composers, but many of his works are really innovative, especially the late ones that flirt with polytonality and even atonality. Spoiler for Prometheus: The Poem of Fire: Spoiler for Deux Poèmes, op. 71: Spoiler for Vers la flamme, Op. 72: __________________ lasty\|rate-y music-y

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04-23-2022, 02:13 PM	#21 (permalink)
jadis Music Addict Join Date: Jun 2021 Location: dont ask Posts: 1,048	Speaking of Shosta, this is him at his most fiery https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rniK...ilGilels-Topic

05-19-2022, 06:41 PM	#22 (permalink)
Ayn Marx Music Addict Join Date: May 2022 Location: Sometimes Posts: 556	I wonder if the Russian term for MODERNISM triggers the suspicions of todays cultural authorities who have a long history of punishing composers who strayed from the official line. https://www.mdc.edu/wolfson/academic..._modernism.htm

05-20-2022, 05:50 AM	#23 (permalink)
jadis Music Addict Join Date: Jun 2021 Location: dont ask Posts: 1,048	Yeah from what I can tell Zhdanovshchina is very much back in force

05-22-2022, 05:42 AM	#25 (permalink)
jadis Music Addict Join Date: Jun 2021 Location: dont ask Posts: 1,048	Absolutely. The late Scriabin comes closer to atonality than most of Prokofiev's or Shostakovich's works that I know. These preludes are another great example https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MApCm3UO6nQ

05-23-2022, 03:15 AM	#27 (permalink)
jadis Music Addict Join Date: Jun 2021 Location: dont ask Posts: 1,048	The only thing Alcan has in common with Scriabin is that they both feature prominently in the repertoire of Marc-André Hamelin.