Re: New Thread: Classical Music Influences on Us

[Dave Trenkel <improv@peak.org>]

>Richard Zvonar wrote:
>
>>Oliver Messiaen
>
>"Quatuor" is a powerful piece, particularly when one considers its 
>origin. His musical language is unique, and his influence on 
>post-WWII music profound (he was a teacher of both Boulez and 
>Stockhausen).
>
Messiaen is really important to me as well. There was a discussion 
yesterday about the early serialists, about how their techniques were 
interesting but the music not, I don't agree with this, I love Webern 
in particular, but those who feel that way may want to check out 
Messiaen. While he often gets pegged as the "bird song composer", 
transcribing bird songs was only one of the many techniques he used. 
Analyzing the Quartet for the End of Time reveals a lot of 
interesting uses of tone rows, rhythmic rows, rhythmic palindromes. 
etc. What's most interesting is that his music never comes of as dry 
or academic.

Ted Killian's list includes a lot of other composers that I love as 
well, but I'd like to include Satie and Ligeti as well. Check out a 
Ligeti score sometime, he produces mass sound effects similar to 
Penderecki, but with standard musical notation, with many many 
interlocking parts in a style he calls micropolyphony. Fascinating 
stuff.
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Dave Trenkel                                New and Improv Music
http://www.newandimprov.com         improv@peak.org
                 Now Available: Minus: Dark Lit
"This is music all-consuming in its beauty and power"
                                -Jake TenPas OSU Daily Barometer
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