"Music for the film American Samoa: Paradise Lost?" (1968) for flute, horn, trumpet, trombone, harp, vibraphone, piano, cello. In the ninth session of his Johannesburg Masterclasses (July, 1983), Feldman says: "[American Samoa: Paradise Lost?] opens up and there are these canoes, and they go in the water, and it's gorgeous, and it's fantastic. And I had this kind of harp going... [Sings]. And there was two harps, actually. And [the harpists] were both brothers. And these two guys dominated the work in the New York Philharmonic. So I had these two harps going. You didn't know what it was, the orchestration, because the two harps were beautiful. And against that I had a cornet doing a very nice little tune against these two harps, just strumming along nicely, you know, against the canoes in the water and everything." Watch the opening scene
Well, this is incredible. I've never heard such direct beauty (extended passages of tonality) in a Feldman work. Sounds downright like Copland at times!! Yet still with weirdness. Deeply revealing stuff.
Know what you mean, this is really incredible! There are quite a few tonal passages in his work which are quite surprising. To name only three: For Philip Guston, that A minor section near the final pages, one specific passage in SQ2 or the orchestra tutti in The Viola in my life IV.
Morton Feldman builds his sonic architectures as a movement of sound masses that collide at blazing speeds and under so many different angles, delineated as iridescent areas of color on a map, all in graceful movements..
What a wonderful piece. I'll agree, I wouldn't have placed this as Feldman. Wish he would have done a few more in this style (hoping a few more are suggested). I did just find out that the .25 speed setting doesn't work for Music.
Time ran out at library to hear this yesterday & it sounded like a possible spoof ! I return & see it is credited as film music "Something Wild" Morton Feldman, 1960. Again there's an advert insert around 6:30 (might be variable). This is very strange ! I heard a snatch of "Madam Press died last week at 90" at 3:00 (again at 8:50). A 2nd ad @ 10:45 ! What is going on ? .....However the music is indeed likely to be Feldman in relaxed style, since he may have used part of it 10 years later in his 1970 Madam Press ensemble piece. As for the title "Samoa" that's worth checking. So it seems genuine Morty with advert subversion ! Or a fabulously good forgery. Great pleasing elements. PS: Feldman's "Durations" (1960) also containted exquisite harmonies released around 1961 on US Time LP (1-4 of 5) but his graphic score may have permitted non-Webernesque harmony.
I'm not sure, but I think this music was written for the film Something Wild (1961). In fact, Copland eventually took it on, and he then turned it into the concert suite Music for a Great City. For posters who say this music is typical of Feldman's oeuvre in general, it is not. Rhythmically and harmonically, it is nothing like the music he was writing in the early 60's. However, the orchestration would be unusual for a film, as well as the dynamic level.
Hi, I hope my question makes sense and someone will be able to answer it. Is there more work by Morton Feldman that is like this? I find this piece to be much more melodic than his other work (the popular pieces on youtube when you search his name, ie, Rothko Chapel), and less atonal but still keeps the weird vibe. I am not saying something bad about his other work, I liked pieces like For John Cage, but it just sounds a bit ominous which I don't feel as much in this piece.
+Mario Cote It is listed as by Feldman in ensemble recherche's repertoire: ensemble-recherche.de/repertoire/filter/F/ There was a film score for 'Something Wild in the City', which Feldman was hired to compose, but when they heard the music he wrote for it they asked Copeland to compose the score instead. The Cd this is on is titled after that movie but has other works as well. Feldman's comments on the above episode: www.cnvill.net/mfsomething_wild.pdf According to a footnote on the comments linked above the recherche CD is Feldman's work. www.allmusic.com/album/morton-feldman-something-wild-music-for-film-mw0001415294 The 'Samoa' pieces seem to be for a 1969 film 'American Samoa: Paradise Lost? 'listed on the cnvill.net page linked above
This is of very doubtful authenticity. I've studied Feldman's music for over 40 years and have never encountered this work anywhere, including in the exhaustive list of his compositions on Wikipedia. It is totally uncharacteristic of his music. Strange.
Upon further research, it appears this is indeed by Feldman. It was recorded on a CD by Ensemble Recherche entitled "Film Music", and it is listed by Wikipedia. Mea culpa.
Then there are six snippets of music for a documentary on Jackson Pollock, closer to the Feldman we know. But the three other film scores - Samoa (1961), The Sin of Jesus (1961) and Untitled (1960) - show a wider range than any of Feldman’s concert music: triads and a trumpet tune in Samoa (tracks 9 and 10); jazzy effects such as a pizzicato bass and swinging rhythms in Untitled (track 27); Varèse (track 22); and more than a whiff of Copland’s wide open spaces (tracks 10 and 29), especially in the tribute, For Aaron Copland (1981) for solo violin based on typical Copland leaps and using a gamut of white notes built up, as it happens, from low A and C.
Sure, this music seems to be very unlike Feldman's compositional style; here's a short excerpt of another recording proving that it is indeed a real Feldman composition: www.cnvill.net/mf-american-samoa-clip.mp4
"Music for the film American Samoa: Paradise Lost?" (1968) for flute, horn, trumpet, trombone, harp, vibraphone, piano, cello.
In the ninth session of his Johannesburg Masterclasses (July, 1983), Feldman says: "[American Samoa: Paradise Lost?] opens up and there are these canoes, and they go in the water, and it's gorgeous, and it's fantastic. And I had this kind of harp going... [Sings]. And there was two harps, actually. And [the harpists] were both brothers. And these two guys dominated the work in the New York Philharmonic. So I had these two harps going. You didn't know what it was, the orchestration, because the two harps were beautiful. And against that I had a cornet doing a very nice little tune against these two harps, just strumming along nicely, you know, against the canoes in the water and everything."
Watch the opening scene
Well, this is incredible. I've never heard such direct beauty (extended passages of tonality) in a Feldman work. Sounds downright like Copland at times!! Yet still with weirdness. Deeply revealing stuff.
Know what you mean, this is really incredible!
There are quite a few tonal passages in his work which are quite surprising.
To name only three: For Philip Guston, that A minor section near the final pages,
one specific passage in SQ2 or the orchestra tutti in The Viola in my life IV.
Morton Feldman builds his sonic architectures as a movement of sound masses that collide at blazing speeds and under so many different angles, delineated as iridescent areas of color on a map, all in graceful movements..
But what a wonderful painting by Frank Auerbach ! Charles M Schulz too ! Don't you dig the musicology...
@@rogerantonybennett5272 WHAT?
@@ginogino3551 - I don't understand the Peanuts reference myself now !
TH-cam are out to lunch.... Call back later !
We've surrounded by robots. Call Eleanor P. for help !
This is beautiful
Don't understand how anyone can doubt this is Feldman. The materials are somewhat unusual him, but the logic is classic Feldman.
The intrusion of sarcastic adverts helped the "spoof" theory ! Yes it does sound like Morty in relaxed mood.
Sorprendente nell'estetica di Morton Feldman !
Don't know how I found myself here, but I was surprised I actually enjoyed this.
Nice to have you here. More Feldman on my channel; more possibilities for enjoyment.
All roads lead to Morton Feldman.
We thank you Lucy Van Pelt !
I’m in the same boat as Mel was 6 years ago. 🌴🛶 In my quest for less conventional 20th century composers, Igor Stravinsky sent me here.
grande Morton
Thanks for posting this. By the way in the list of compositions by Morton Feldman in Wikipedia, the composition date mentioned for this work is 1968.
Thanks for the musicological boost/help....
Very nice.
What a wonderful piece. I'll agree, I wouldn't have placed this as Feldman. Wish he would have done a few more in this style (hoping a few more are suggested). I did just find out that the .25 speed setting doesn't work for Music.
Time ran out at library to hear this yesterday & it sounded like a possible spoof ! I return & see it is credited as film music "Something Wild" Morton Feldman, 1960. Again there's an advert insert around 6:30 (might be variable). This is very strange ! I heard a snatch of "Madam Press died last week at 90" at 3:00 (again at 8:50). A 2nd ad @ 10:45 ! What is going on ?
.....However the music is indeed likely to be Feldman in relaxed style, since he may have used part of it 10 years later in his 1970 Madam Press ensemble piece. As for the title "Samoa" that's worth checking. So it seems genuine Morty with advert subversion ! Or a fabulously good forgery. Great pleasing elements.
PS: Feldman's "Durations" (1960) also containted exquisite harmonies released around 1961 on US Time LP (1-4 of 5) but his graphic score may have permitted non-Webernesque harmony.
Exquisite! Gracias.
Con gusto!
LOVE THIS.
I can never grow tired of this.
@@e-cuauhtemoc- Have you heard this: th-cam.com/video/WjOwuWua_J0/w-d-xo.html ?
I'm not sure, but I think this music was written for the film Something Wild (1961). In fact, Copland eventually took it on, and he then turned it into the concert suite Music for a Great City. For posters who say this music is typical of Feldman's oeuvre in general, it is not. Rhythmically and harmonically, it is nothing like the music he was writing in the early 60's. However, the orchestration would be unusual for a film, as well as the dynamic level.
quality bumf !
Holy trombone, Batman.
Holy seventh chords, Copland.
How very dare you !
Why couldn't we hear this in 1960? With the intrusion of an advert & the unexpected mix I'm hearing, I think this might be a spoof !!
Es muy distinta por ser una banda sonora. En general, la música para el cine son un capítulo aparte en la obra de Feldman.
Hi, I hope my question makes sense and someone will be able to answer it. Is there more work by Morton Feldman that is like this? I find this piece to be much more melodic than his other work (the popular pieces on youtube when you search his name, ie, Rothko Chapel), and less atonal but still keeps the weird vibe. I am not saying something bad about his other work, I liked pieces like For John Cage, but it just sounds a bit ominous which I don't feel as much in this piece.
maybe you should check out for bunita marcus or palais de mari
this is a very early work from 1968, and was a commission for a film, that's why it is simpler and not really typical for Feldman.
Try his little piece Theme for Mary Ann from Something Wild
I have doubts about this work Feldman? What is the title? Is that: Swallows of Satangan?
There is not registration of this score.
+Mario Cote It is listed as by Feldman in ensemble recherche's repertoire: ensemble-recherche.de/repertoire/filter/F/
There was a film score for 'Something Wild in the City', which Feldman was hired to compose, but when they heard the music he wrote for it they asked Copeland to compose the score instead. The Cd this is on is titled after that movie but has other works as well.
Feldman's comments on the above episode: www.cnvill.net/mfsomething_wild.pdf
According to a footnote on the comments linked above the recherche CD is Feldman's work.
www.allmusic.com/album/morton-feldman-something-wild-music-for-film-mw0001415294
The 'Samoa' pieces seem to be for a 1969 film 'American Samoa: Paradise Lost?
'listed on the cnvill.net page linked above
This is of very doubtful authenticity. I've studied Feldman's music for over 40 years and have never encountered this work anywhere, including in the exhaustive list of his compositions on Wikipedia. It is totally uncharacteristic of his music. Strange.
Upon further research, it appears this is indeed by Feldman. It was recorded on a CD by Ensemble Recherche entitled "Film Music", and it is listed by Wikipedia. Mea culpa.
the word uncharacteristic is THE word :D
Then there are six snippets of music for a documentary on Jackson Pollock, closer to the Feldman we know. But the three other film scores - Samoa (1961), The Sin of Jesus (1961) and Untitled (1960) - show a wider range than any of Feldman’s concert music: triads and a trumpet tune in Samoa (tracks 9 and 10); jazzy effects such as a pizzicato bass and swinging rhythms in Untitled (track 27); Varèse (track 22); and more than a whiff of Copland’s wide open spaces (tracks 10 and 29), especially in the tribute, For Aaron Copland (1981) for solo violin based on typical Copland leaps and using a gamut of white notes built up, as it happens, from low A and C.
Does anyone know the context of this piece? Did he ever visit Samoa?
name of picture
Let's hear it for Monty !!!
Don't overlook the discussion below: MARIO COTE + 6 replies (hidden musicological gems!).....
who,s this paint
See video description.
Sure, this music seems to be very unlike Feldman's compositional style;
here's a short excerpt of another recording proving that it is indeed a real Feldman composition:
www.cnvill.net/mf-american-samoa-clip.mp4
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