I just came across a new release with works by Paul Kletzki. I am currently listening to a Piano Concerto (I guess orchestrated by someone else at a later date), and I think it sounds pretty good. Anyone else know about this composer? Is he unsung-enough? :)
I decided to pass on Kletztki's PC, but perhaps I was wrong. Could you tell us something about it, please (I know it is being hyped by Naxos as a major work)?
I really respect Paul Kletzki the conductor. Some of his work in the Russian repertory is top-notch, such as the Tchaikovsky Manfred, cuts and all. And his recordings of Mahler's Das Lied von der Erde and the 4th symphony are easily the equal of any and better than most.
So then along comes the BIS recording of the Kletzki and it garnered some rave reviews. One critic said it is essential listening and belongs in every serious collection. So I spent my dollars and hated every minute of it. Ugly, dissonant, vile, and eventually boring. What a waste of money. I won't buy anything else by Composer Kletzki. Yuck!
This is the one that I heard. I thought it was good, and not dissonant. Perhaps this is not indicative of most of his works?
http://www.naxos.com/catalogue/item.asp?item_code=8.572190
Actually, the VC (newly out on the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra's own label) is a much more attractive piece - although right on the outer fringes of UC's remit. Nice slow movement. But the music is pretty chromatic.
For practically nothing other than one's time one can, I believe, download two string quartets (his first two of several) of his here or on YouTube, somewhat earlier works that may also provide a contrasting point of view.
By the way, I've been wondering for quite some time now. What in Murgatroyd's name does "not dissonant" mean? Avoiding dissonance entirely, like some piano etudes during the Romantic era and some frightfully boring pieces of New Age music in the modern era? (And, to be fair, for effect and for a reason, a few movements of Beethoven's 6th symphony do this, as well.) If not, then what?
Speaking of the violin concerto, I think we may have an upload of it here too. There's another new release (newer than 2010, though; March 2014, it seems) of chamber works of his (from the 1920s), I see... don't know what they sound like, though.
I guess "not dissonant" means different things for different people, and at different times. Since it's impossible to define objectively, we may as well accept the fact that these days for most people "dissonant" is more or less synonymous with "grates on the ear". In the medieval period I gather the only intervals considered "not dissonant" were the octave, the perfect fifth and the perfect fourth, although that didn't stop them using thirds and even on occasion the "devil in music", the tritone. In the 12th century Aeldred, Abbot of Rievaulx in Yorkshire, found it hard to tolerate any part-written music, particularly when it involved instruments such as the organ. Translated a few hundred years later, he apparently wrote "To what purpose, I pray you, is that terrible blowing of Belloes, expressing rather the crakes of thunder than the sweetness of a voyce?". He particularly abominated the "vile noyse of the sackbutt", citing a manuscript entitled Homunculus Vivante from the library of St Martial in Limoges. I think you can understand why.
http://www.mediafire.com/listen/6yb451sdkd1h9qu/livindol.mp3 (http://www.mediafire.com/listen/6yb451sdkd1h9qu/livindol.mp3)
Ah, the sweet sound of chaos :)
Quote from: Alan Howe on Saturday 27 March 2010, 09:03
I decided to pass on Kletztki's PC, but perhaps I was wrong. Could you tell us something about it, please (I know it is being hyped by Naxos as a major work)?
Do I detect a measure of 'forked tongue' against Naxos Alan? I believe they have done a lot of good for the recording industry. They do need to sell to survive and hype is a way.
Tom
No: hype is a bad thing - period. In this case all the hype in the world can't disguise the fact that Kletzki's PC is an over-chromatic and convoluted pain to listen to (and I did buy it!); whereas the VC is a much more attractive piece. I have nothing against Naxos - far from it. But hype (publicity which exaggerates the quality of something) is actually counter-productive and ultimately leads to disappointment and disillusionment on the part of the consumer.