Re: New Thread: Classical Music Influences on Us

[roberto <roberto@nomade.worldonline.co.uk>]

Talking about Bartok, the Microkosmos set of short pieces for keyboard that
Bartok composed for his young son were what introduced me to a "different"
kind of classical music when I was 14, it opened a whole new sonic world.
They are a perfect example of balanced miniatures and mixed influences.

If you like Bartok's string quartets (I love them all) you may even like
those by Janacek, Enescu, Martinu, Glazunov and Szymanowsky, although less
known they all share a very special, deep and moving intensity.

For those who mentioned Beethoven, what about the incredible pieces he
composed for the fortepiano when he was given a first prototype to test?
It is fascinating to hear what he did with an instrument that was expanding
the colour palette available to musicians.
There is an interesting recording by Malcom Binns on a Broadwood 1814
fortepiano.

And for those who mentioned Charles Ives, I love the composition (can't
remember the title right now!) that simulates the effect of four bands
playing separate pieces approaching the town square from four different
directions. The gradual overlapping and then merging of the four pieces is
quite unique!

Roberto