Listening

This page lists the recordings, plus a few videos, of works assigned for each class session. When this course was taught during the Fall 2006 term, some recordings were different; the recordings below aim for a balance between being of the highest quality and being in print for purchase today.

LEC # TOPICS LISTENING SCORES

Part 1: European Music Before WWII

(Composers and ideas which gained in importance before 1939 or at least 1945. Some works studied will be from as late as 1956 but in "older" styles.)

1

Introduction

Antecedents and the State of Music, 1899. The "Long Nineteenth Century." 1900-1960: the big questions.

Listening done in class - this week only:

Buy at Amazon Dvořák, A. Symphony No. 9 in E-minor, Op. 95 ("From the New World") (1893), mvmt. 1. New York Philharmonic, Bernstein. Sony Classical, 1992.

Buy at Amazon Strauss, R. Don Quixote, Op. 35 (1897). Themes and variations 1-2. Boston Symphony, Ma, Ozawa. Sony, 1990.

Buy at Amazon Wagner, R. Tristan Und Isolde (1859). "Prelude." Bayreuther Festspiele Orchester. Deutsche Grammophon, 1997.

Buy at Amazon Joplin, Scott. "Maple Leaf Rag." (1899). Joshua Rifkin, piano. Ragtime: Music of Scott Joplin. Angel, 2005.

Dvořák: Symphony No. 9 in E minor ("From the New World")

Strauss: Don Quixote

Wagner: Tristan und Isolde

Joplin: Maple Leaf Rag
2 Stravinsky Throws Down the Gauntlet

Buy at Amazon Stravinsky, Igor. Petrushka (1911); Le Sacre du Printemps (The Rite of Spring) (1913). New York Philharmonic, Bernstein. Sony Classical, 1993.
[Notes: In Petrushka, focus on Tableaux 1-2: esp. The Shrovetide Fair and Petrushka's Room (~14'). In Le Sacre du Printemps, listen to the complete work (~ 30'); focus especially on the introduction and Augurs of Spring (2nd section; a.k.a. "Dance of the Young Girls").]

3 Bartok

Buy at Amazon Bartók, Béla. Mikrokosmos, Book 2, no. 50 (Minuetto), (1926, 1932-1939). György Sándor. Bela Bartok: Mikrokosmos. Sony Classical, 1993.

Buy at Amazon ———. String Quartet No. 4 (1928). Mvmt. 1. Juilliard Quartet. Bartok: The Six String Quartets. Sony Classical, 1997.

Buy at Amazon ———. Music for Strings, Percussion, and Celesta (1936). Mvmt. 3. Chicago Symphony Orchestra, Solti. Bartok: The Orchestral Masterpieces. Decca, 2002.

Buy at Amazon Ravel, Maurice. Ma mère l'oye (1911-12): "Laideronnette, Impératrice des Pagodes," and "Les entretiens de la Belle et de la Bête." Orchestre symphonique de Montréal, Dutoit. Ravel: Bolero [et al]. Decca, 1999.

Ravel: Ma mère l'oye

4 German Music between the Wars (And a Little Before and After...)

Buy at Amazon Hindemith, Paul. Symphony in B-flat for Band (1956). Cincinnati Wind Symphony, Eugene Corporon. Klavier, 1995.
[Focus on mvmt. 1 but listen to all three at least once to see how they use material from mvmt. 1.]

Buy at Amazon Weill, Kurt, and Bertolt Brecht. Kölner Rundfunkorchester, Latham-König. Aufstieg und Fall der Stadt Mahagonny (The Rise and Fall of the City of Mahagonny) (1929 based on material from 1927). Capriccio CD, 1988. Opening scenes (1-6) and "God Comes to Mahagonny" (scene 19).

Buy at Amazon DVD: ———. Aufstieg und Fall der Stadt Mahagonny (The Rise and Fall of the City of Mahagonny). From the Salzburg Festival, 1998. Radio Symphony Orchestra Vienna/Davies and Konzertvereinigung Wiener Staatsopernchor/Maczewski. Kultur Video, 2001.

5 The Second Viennese School: Tonality and Atonality

Late modern Schoenberg:

Buy at Amazon Schoenberg, A. Verklärte Nacht (1899). New York Philharmonic, Boulez. Die glückliche Hand [et al.] Sony, 1993.

Atonality without process:

Buy at Amazon ———. Six little piano pieces, Op. 19, nos. 2 and 6 (1911). Mitsuko Uchida, piano. Schoenberg: Piano Concerto. Phillips, 2001.

Buy at Amazon ———. "Nacht." (no. 8) from Pierrot Lunaire, Op. 21 (1912). Lucy Shelton, soprano. Schoenberg: Pierrot Lunaire. Bridge, 1992.

Buy at Amazon Webern, Anton. Fünf Sätze (Five Movements) for String Quartet, Op. 5, movements 1 & 4. (1909). Juilliard Quartet. Webern: Complete Works. Sony, 1991.

Buy at Amazon Berg, Alban. Wozzeck, Act I, first scene, and Act III, scene 3. (1917-1922). Hamburg State Philharmonic Orchestra; Ingo Metzmacher, conductor. EMI/Angel, 2002.

Buy at Amazon DVD: ———. Wozzeck. Frankfurt Opera. Kultur Video, 2003.

Schoenberg: Six Little Piano Pieces

Webern: Five Movements for String Quartet, Op. 5
6 The Second Viennese School: Twelve-Tone Tonality

Buy at Amazon Schoenberg, Arnold. String Quartet No. 4, Op. 37 (1936), 1st mvmt. Arnold Schoenberg 2: String Quartets 1-4. Disques Montaigne, 1994.

Buy at Amazon Webern, Anton. Symphonie, Op. 21 (1929) (for nine instruments). Members of London Symphony Orchestra, Boulez. Webern: Complete Works. Sony, 1991.

7

Neoclassicism and Stravinsky (ca. 1920-1952)

First Unit Ttest

Buy at Amazon Prokofiev, Sergei. Symphony no. 1 ("Classical"), Op. 25 (1917). Mvmt. 1. New York Philharmonic, Bernstein. Prokofiev: Symphonies Nos. 1 & 5. Sony Classical, 1993.

Buy at Amazon Stravinsky, Igor. Symphony of Psalms (1930). Mvmt 1. Berliner Philharmoniker, Boulez. Stravinsky: Symphony of Psalms; Symphony in Three Movements. Deutsche Grammophon, 1999.

Stravinsky, Igor. The Rake's Progress (1951). Act II scene 1. Royal Philharmonic, Stravinsky. Sony Classical SM2K 46299, 1991.

Buy at Amazon DVD: ———. The Rake's Progress. Glyndebourne Opera. Arthaus Musik, 2005.

Part 2: American Music Before WWII
8 Introduction; Antecedents

Buy at Amazon Sousa, John Philip. Washington Post March (1889). Sousa Marches played by the Sousa Band. Crystal Records, 2000.

Buy at Amazon Beach, Amy. Grand Mass in E-flat major, Op. 5 (1890). "Gloria." Barbara Schramm, Daniel Beckwith, Paul Rogers. Newport Classical, 1989.

Buy at Amazon Chadwick, George. Symphonic Sketches (1895-1904). Mvmts. 2 ("Noël") and 4 ("A vagrom ballad"). National Radio Symphony Orchestra of Ukraine, Kuchar. Naxos, 2005.

Beach: Mass in E-Flat
9 Charles Ives

Buy at Amazon Ives, Charles. "General William Booth Enters Heaven." (Song 1914, rev. 1933). Steven Blier, piano, and William Sharp, baritone. Charles Ives: Songs, vol. 3. Albany Records, 1995.

Buy at Amazon ———. Three Places in New England (1929, from movements dating as far back as 1915). Mvmts. I and II. Cleveland Orchestra, von Dohnányi. Ives: Three Places in New England; Ruggles: Sun-treader. London/Decca, 1995.

Buy at Amazon ———. Second Piano Sonata ("Concord, Mass. 1840-60") (1916-19; rev. from 1920-40). Mvmt. 3 "The Alcotts" and mvmt. 4 "Thoreau." Pierre-Laurent Aimard, piano. Ives: Concord Sonata; Songs. Warner Classical, 2004.

10 Ruth Crawford Seeger and Other American Modernists

Buy at Amazon Seeger, Ruth Crawford. String Quartet (1931); Ricercare 2: "Chinaman, laundryman" (1932); Piano Study in Mixed Accents (1930). Schoenberg Ensemble, Lucy Shelton. Ruth Crawford Seeger: Portrait. Deutsche Grammophon, 1997.

Buy at Amazon Ruggles, Carl. Sun-Treader (1926-1931). Cleveland Orchestra, von Dohnányi. Ives: Three Places in New England; Ruggles: Sun-treader. London/Decca, 1995.

11 The "Art-Scientists": Cowell, Antheil, Varese

Buy at Amazon Cowell, Henry. Piano works (mostly 1917-1925): "The Tides of Manaunaun," "The Aeolian Harp," "The Banshee," and "Fabric." Chris Brown, Sorrel Hays, piano. New Music - Piano Compositions By Henry Cowell. New Albion, 1999.

Antheil, George. Ballet Mécanique (1925).
Buy at Amazon Version 1 : Ballet mécanique and other works for player pianos, percussion, and electronics. University of Massaschusetts Lowell Percussion Ensemble. EMF, 2000. [A newer recording with Disklaviers etc.]
Buy at Amazon Version 2 : Ballet Mécanique: Digital recreation of the Carnegie Hall Concert of 1927. Music Masters Classics, 1995. [A more traditional recording.]

Buy at Amazon Varèse, Edgard. Ionisation (1931). ASKO Ensemble. Varese: The Complete Works. London/Decca, 1998.

12 Still, Gershwin (And Bernstein)

Buy at Amazon Still, William Grant. Afro-American Symphony (1930). Mvmts. 1 and 3. Chicago Sinfonietta, Freeman. African Heritage Symphonic Series, Vol. 1. Cedille Records, 2000.

Gershwin, George. Rhapsody in Blue (1924):
Buy at Amazon Version 1: Los Angeles Philharmonic, Bernstein. Leonard Bernstein: The Americans. Deutsche Grammophon, 2004. [Orchestral/Grofé.]
Buy at Amazon Version 2: Netherlands Wind Ensemble, Louis Lortie, piano. Bernstein: West Side Story; Gershwin: Rhapsody in Blue. Chandos, 1993. [Original small band arrangement.]

Buy at Amazon Bernstein, Leonard. West Side Story. MGM DVD, 1961.

13 Aaron Copland (Guest Lecture)

Buy at Amazon Copland, Aaron. Piano Variations (1930). Gil Kalish, piano. Copland: Sextet; Piano variations; Piano quartet. Elektra/Nonesuch, 1987.

———. Appalachian Spring (1944).
Buy at Amazon Version 1 (chamber): Columbia Chamber Ensemble, Copland. A Copland Celebration, Vol. 1: Famous orchestral and chamber works. Sony, 2000.
Buy at Amazon Version 2 (orchestral): Los Angeles Philharmonic, Bernstein. Gershwin: Rhapsody in Blue; Copland: Appalachian Spring; Barber: Adagio. Deutsche Grammophon, 1985.

14

Virgil Thomson

Second Unit Test

Buy at Amazon Thomson, Virgil, and Gertrude Stein. "Pigeons on the Grass, Alas." Orchestra of Our Time. Four Saints in Three Acts (1928; orch, 1933; fp. 1934), excerpts: Act I, Scene 1; Act 2, Elektra/Nonesuch, 1982.
Part 3: Music During and After WWII
15 The Continued Tonal Tradition I: Britten and Barber

Buy at Amazon Britten, Benjamin. Peter Grimes (1945). Act III. Chorus and Orchestra of the Royal Opera House, Covent Garden; Colin Davis. Philips Classics, 1999.

Buy at Amazon DVD: ———. Peter Grimes, Chorus and Orchestra of the Royal Opera House, Covent Garden; Colin Davis. Kultur Video, 2003.

Buy at Amazon Barber, Samuel. Knoxville: Summer of 1915 (1947). Dawn Upshaw, Orchestra of St. Luke's. Elektra/Nonesuch, 1990.

16 The Continued Tonal Tradition II: Shostakovich

Buy at Amazon Shostakovich, Dmitri. Symphony No. 7 in C major ("Leningrad"), Op. 60 (1941). Mvmt 1. Chicago Symphony, Bernstein. Shostakovich: Symphonies 1 & 7. Deutsche Grammophon, 1989.

Buy at Amazon ———. String Quartet No. 8 in C minor, Op. 110 (1960). Kronos Quartet. Black Angels. Elektra/Nonesuch, 1990.

17 Oliver Messiaen

Buy at Amazon Messiaen, Oliver. Quartet for the End of Time (1942), mvmts. 1, 3, 6, and 8. Yordanoff, Tetard, Desurmont, and Barenboim. Deutsche Grammophon, 1999.

Buy at Amazon ———. Quatre études de rhythme (1949). Mvmt. 2: Mode de valeurs et d'intensités. Gloria Cheng, piano. Messiaen: Petites Esquisses d'Oiseaux [etc.]. Koch International, 1994.

Buy at Amazon ———. Oiseaux exotiques (1959). Peter Donohoe, piano; Netherlands Wind Ensemble. Messiaen: Et Exspecto Resurrectionem Mortuorum [etc.]. Chandos, 1994.

18 Total Serialism 1: Babbitt and Stockhausen

Buy at Amazon Babbitt, Milton. Three Compositions for Piano (1947). Robert Taub, piano. Babbit: Piano Works. Harmonia Mundi, 1986

———. Composition for Four Instruments (1948). 33 1/3 rpm LP. Composers Recording CRI 138, 195.

Stockhausen, Kreuzspiel (1951, rev. 1959). Stockhausen-Verlag CD, 1991.

19 Serialism 2: Nono and Stravinsky

Buy at Amazon Nono, Luigi. Il canto sospeso (1956). Mvmts. 2, 6, 7, and 9. Berlin Philharmonic Orchestra, Abbado. Sony Classical, 1993.

Buy at Amazon Stravinsky, Igor. Agon (1957). London Symphony Orchestra, Thomas. Stravinsky In America. RCA Red Seal, 1997.

Buy at Amazon ———. Elegy for J.F.K. (1964). Cathy Berberian, mezzo-soprano. Igor Stravinsky: The Recorded Legacy. Sony Classical, 1991.

20 Boulez, Carter and the Legacy of Serial Aesthetic

Buy at Amazon Boulez, Pierre. Le Marteau sans maître (pour voix d'alto et 6 instruments) (1958). Mvmts. 1-3. Hillary Summers, mezzo-soprano; Ensemble intercontemporain. Boulez Conducts Boulez. Deutsche Grammophon, 2005.

Buy at Amazon Carter, Elliot. String Quartet No. 2 (1959). Juilliard String Quartet. The Four String Quartets. Sony Classical, 1991.

Buy at Amazon ———. Contemporary Chamber Ensemble, Kalish, Jacobs. Double Concerto for Harpsichord and Piano (1961). Elektra/Nonesuch, 1992.

21 Electronic Music

Stockhausen, Karlheinz. Gesang der Jünglinge (1956). Stockhausen-Verlag CD 3.

Buy at Amazon Varèse, Edgard. Poeme électronique (1958). OHM: the early gurus of electronic music, 1948-1980. Ellipsis Arts, 2000.

Buy at Amazon Babbitt, Milton. Philomel (1964). Bethany Beardslee, soprano. New World Records, 1995.

22 Cage and Aleatory

Mozart, W. A. (1756-1791), Musikalisches Würfelspiel (Musical Dice game).

Buy at Amazon Cage, John. In a landscape (for piano) (1948). Works for piano & prepared piano, Vol. . Wergo, 1993.

Buy at Amazon ———. Sonatas and Interludes for Prepared Piano (1948). Sonatas 1-4, Interlude 1. Maro Ajemian, piano. CRI, 1995.

Buy at Amazon ———. TV Köln (for piano) (1958). Works for piano & prepared piano, Vol. 2. Wergo, 1993.

Buy at Amazon ———. Music of Changes book 1 (piano) (1951). Martine Joste, piano.The Works for Piano, Vol. 6. Mode, 2005.

Buy at Amazon ———. Imaginary Landscape No. 4 for 12 radios (1951). Will You Give Me to Tell You? Norway Music, 2003.

Buy at Amazon ———. 4'33" (1956). Amalinda Percussion Group. Hungaroton, 1993.

23

Aleatory 2: Open Form, New York School and Fluxus

Bring Instruments Today!

Buy at Amazon Stockhausen, K. "Klavierstück XI." Herbert Henck, piano. Klavierstück I-XI. (1956). Wergo, 1993.

Buy at Amazon Wolff, Christian. Burdocks (1971). Other Minds Ensemble. Tzadik, 2001.

Feldman, Morton. Straits of Magellan (1961). Music Before Revolution. Ensemble Musica Negativa. 33 1/3 rpm LP. Odeon, 1972. [Although this recording is out of print, multiple versions are available on iTunes®.]

Buy at Amazon ———. De Kooning (1963). Feldman: For Frank O'Hara; Bass Clarinet & Percussion; De Kooning (1963). New Millenium Ensemble. Koch International, 2000.

[For further listening: Fluxus composers: La Monte Young (Compositions 1960); Nam June Paik, Allison Knowles, Dick Higgins, Yoko Ono]

24 Nancarrow and Partch: Two American Originals

Buy at Amazon Nancarrow, Conlon. Studies for Player Piano. Nos. 4, 14, 21 (Canon X), 25 (1950s and early 60s). Wergo, 2000.

Buy at Amazon Partch, Harry. The Wayward: IV. Barstow (1941 rev. 1954/1968). Gate 5 Ensemble of the World. The Harry Partch Collection, Vol. 2. New World Records, 2004.

———. Delusion of the Fury (1969). VHS videocassette. American Composers Forum/Innova Recordings 404, 1997.

Third Unit Test