We went to listen to this opus in Boston Symphony this 2016 season. It was absolutely stunning experience, so we went the next day to listen to it again and it astonished even more! What a phenomenal GENIUS piece! It's an amazing interplay of dry irony and total horror, musically done on a Wagnerian level. Interestingly, Ades speaks disparagingly of Wagner however this is the composer this piece comes closest in character, admittedly 150 years later with all the other music that was written since. Amazing opus, the best modern piece in my lifetime. Bravissimo, Maestro Ades!
He dislikes who he really is Britten and Wagner are his heroes really but plays it down so we don't see how much he actually loves them! I would argue he is the new Benjamin Britten in EVERY single way!
Indeed there is much Britten in his music, I did not know Britten well back then. But I dare say he is more interesting than Britten, more bold and inventive, perhaps. In addition there is some Shostakovich here as well. Clearly those composers influenced each other and were grown on the past titans' heritage.
We heard it in Paris Philarmonie with Mark Stone, it was incredible. He was absolutely amazing as Death. Truly it was like Erlkonig lieder, throws shivers down your spine!
In fact, the end is ever Schubertian (at 32:31) or perhaps Beethovenesque, bringing to ming An die ferne Geliebte, which seems to be addressed to the departed lover. We went another time to listen to this opus, in Paris on January 30, 2019 and it was conducted by Daniel Harding, faster a bit. It is a phenomenal opus! I am not sure about Britten's influence, I do not hear it here.
4:58 - 6:06 Obsessed with this 4 piccolo soli
We went to listen to this opus in Boston Symphony this 2016 season. It was absolutely stunning experience, so we went the next day to listen to it again and it astonished even more! What a phenomenal GENIUS piece! It's an amazing interplay of dry irony and total horror, musically done on a Wagnerian level. Interestingly, Ades speaks disparagingly of Wagner however this is the composer this piece comes closest in character, admittedly 150 years later with all the other music that was written since. Amazing opus, the best modern piece in my lifetime. Bravissimo, Maestro Ades!
He dislikes who he really is Britten and Wagner are his heroes really but plays it down so we don't see how much he actually loves them! I would argue he is the new Benjamin Britten in EVERY single way!
Indeed there is much Britten in his music, I did not know Britten well back then. But I dare say he is more interesting than Britten, more bold and inventive, perhaps. In addition there is some Shostakovich here as well. Clearly those composers influenced each other and were grown on the past titans' heritage.
@@annashlimovich a masterpiece ! I wish I could share it with the world, maybe we understand finally
quite good...
15:25, drum sticks on chimes, cool!!!
One of my FAVOURITE PARTS of the piece!!!
The percussionists are playing actual bones as well!
@@pawdaw I know, met one of them in Stockholm. They said it was creepy playing on skeletons!
@@BenjaminStaern where do orchestral percussionists source bones from?!
@@pawdaw You tell me! Stone age. ;)
20:15 if you like loud music
20:15 rules!!!
32:30 death takes baby
Keenlyside is too soft in his low register
I think a bass-baritone like Jose van Dam or Bryn Terfel may better suit the piece.
I thought the same, his voice does not project enough for the lines.
We heard it in Paris Philarmonie with Mark Stone, it was incredible. He was absolutely amazing as Death. Truly it was like Erlkonig lieder, throws shivers down your spine!
Dear right. Much bigger voice needed. Especially in lower register
The new Benjamin Britten in every way!
In fact, the end is ever Schubertian (at 32:31) or perhaps Beethovenesque, bringing to ming An die ferne Geliebte, which seems to be addressed to the departed lover. We went another time to listen to this opus, in Paris on January 30, 2019 and it was conducted by Daniel Harding, faster a bit. It is a phenomenal opus! I am not sure about Britten's influence, I do not hear it here.
@@annashlimovich I think he's the new Britten in the sense that he occupies the space Britten did back in his hey day.