Thread: Alban Berg, a wonderful mind

I love this composer, he learned from the very methodic Schönberg but he had his own style.

Wozzeck and Lulu are awesome operas. His violin concerto is breathtaking.

To be followed by you

Martin Pitchon

Funny you're mentioning this now, as I've just ordered a CD with Glenn Gould performing some solo piano works by Berg, Schoenberg and Krenek. I pretty much don't know what to expect, but I'm excited.

I often cite him as 'the human face of serialism', along with his Italian counterpart Luigi Dallapiccola (if you like Berg, you'll love Dallapiccola!).

I love Dallapiccola but havent yet heard much of Berg, should try some more!

Though I really like Webern and have recently discovered Schoenberg, I haven't warmed to Berg. Maybe because I made the mistake of reading Jarman's The Music of Alban Berg, where he details all the things I'll never be able to understand or hear in his music. I recently found that if I just listen and stop worrying about the arcane structural details, it isn't as confusing as I had thought.

I like Berg; he's an interesting contrast to the outright asceticism of Webern. Watching Lulu for the first time was really harrowing and disturbing. I find it somewhat difficult to "get" his orchestra music, but I love the piano sonata. There's a lot of very beautiful and also disturbing music to find in Berg.

Berg is great, just listened to him the other day his violin concerto and his concerto for piano violin and 13 wind instruments

I love Berg...I super love Dalapiccola...I have a lot by him: Volo di notte and many things not recorded...
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"Funny you're mentioning this now, as I've just ordered a CD with Glenn Gould performing some solo piano works by Berg, Schoenberg and Krenek. I pretty much don't know what to expect, but I'm excited. "


Glenn Gould/Schönberg/Berg...Expect pleasure. Glen is awesome! I have piano pieces by Schönber played by Gold...He is our Pride from Toronto.

Martin, Canada.

You can read what Adorno wrote about him....


http://www.amazon.com/Alban-Berg-Mas...1141169&sr=1-1

Very interesting. Adorno was a composer himself and describes how Alban Berg became a very different individual...and maybe...the best of the three...

You can see here a very original mise en schene by Calxto Bieito





Martin Pitchon

People who like Alban Berg (1885-1935)

should listen to:

Luigi Dallapiccola (1904-1975)

you can listen at

http://www.amazon.com/Dallapiccola-T...1153213&sr=1-2


Egon Wellesz, Vienna (1885-1974)

Both are terrific composers

Martin Pitchon

I could like Berg, Schoenberg, Webern, etc. But I'd have to get over the "don't look for a real melody" part first. :/

Melody is a detail....I like music with melody and without it...

You get used to it...You start with Transfigurated night (Schönberg), after discretely you go to Alban Berg and you istened to his violin concerto at least 7 times!!!!!! Der Wein, 7 times....After you will discover the melody where it doesn't really exist!!!!! WOW!

Martin, mad

Originally Posted by myaskovsky2002

Melody is a detail....I like music with melody and without it...

You get used to it...You start with Transfigurated night (Schönberg)

Martin, mad

Yeah, heard that, not bad at all. But it's not serialist.

That'll be the day when some person catches me in college humming some atonal piece...

I've loved the music of Berg ever since I was a teenager (I'm in my mid 30's now). Back then, I discovered Wozzeck, and connected with it immediately. In contrast, some of his other works (like the Lyric Suite) I have been grappling with for about 15 years. It's hard to make generalisations about him. Yes, he was kind of like 'the serialist with a heart,' but some of his works are just as complex as say some of those of his teacher Schoenberg. It's great that his music, as well as the other two of the Second Viennese School, are getting more live performances here in Sydney. I've seen the Chamber Concerto and String Quartet Op. 3 this year & it's great to hear those rich harmonies for real, as well as getting a better understanding of these works through the medium of live performance...

Originally Posted by myaskovsky2002

After discretely you go to Alban Berg and you istened to his violin concerto at least 7 times!!!!!!

I probably shouldn't admit it, but after several attempts, I'm still trying to hear what others love in the violin concerto. I have the recording, have seen it live, and heard the BBC Radio 3 lecture. I have the score and sometime will just have to mark it up to see what's happening, because all I do when I hear it is look forward to the chorale.