Dolce Suono Trio Plays George Crumb's Vox Balaenae Part 1 of 2

[tubbytalisman]

I would also wear a mask if made "music" that sounded like that!

[efserra]

It's not even that odd sounding, really - it just sounds like folk music in new settings mostly as far as the tonality of it goes. I think there's a better performance though on other youtube videos. I was really enjoying this one..

/watch?v=fsXrXpeBbxc&feature=r­elated

[FancySushi]

The person recording does such a bad job of catching the right players at the right time. :(

[Scriabin28]

@emprerzorg -- This gets awfully philosophical, but all those words and expressions you've used -- "otherworldly allure", "bizarre" and "hostile" -- all describe things that are part and parcel of the human experience: You wouldn't have those words to describe them with if they weren't. The idea that a tonal centre is somehow more inherently human than these things is really very odd to me.

[Zillacello]

One of the great 20thc. masterpieces of Art Music. It's a shame it wasn't performed in the proper setting. The hall is to be totally darkened, with the performers illuminated by blue lighting. Crumb suggests that it takes the human element from the performance, allowing the audience to be focused on the sounds only.

I performed this piece 20 years ago- it was a transcendental experience.

[TheTimeTraveler100]

WOW.

[kevinm4435]

this is some of the best music i've ever heard.

[PleaseGoAway1000]

Just when I thought I couldnt get any more bored.

Thanks!

[AWhiteFlame]

I love what this forces out of the musicians! I imagine it would be difficult to fake emotion while playing this piece.

[KBMKBMKBMKBM]

was it difficult not to laugh while playing hahahahahah its pretty cool though

[edwynbooner]

Fantastic piece of music. And a really sound rendition. Thanks for posting this.

[jackmandood2]

ive seen the score and its possibly the weidest music ive ever seen

[jackmandood2]

its supposed to be dark on the stage with a blue light

[senoritafutbol]

love the cello part

[boomgungun]

freaky! first word comes to mind, rather than some impersonal forces of nature. so weird... dunno if i have the gift to learn to like this stuff.

[Johnismyhero]

I studied with George Crumb at Cal Arts. What a joke. The world needs less modern music like this and more actual composition.

[S4sando]

if you really studied with him you'd understand his standpoint on modern and classical music. You obviously just dont grasp the concept of art through expression. He's telling a story here through this piece and it has a lot to say. Why is that so difficult?

[Hesperell]

I agree. Read "Les Fondements de la musique dans la conscience humaine"/"The fundamentals of music in human consciousness." Ernest Ansermet basically argues that atonal music is a mistake, attempting to look at music outside of the patterns recognized by the human consciousness, which dehumanizes it, removes its musical qualities, and regresses it to the point before music was recognized, when it was just noise and dissonance. I am going to get a few thumbs down here, too. I'm used to it.

[ligetispaghetti]

@Hesperell. Yeah, interesting and tough call. If by atonal you you mean the microtanal and natural harmonic rendering that this type of music uses, I tend to agree. However if you are including the music of Bartok, Ligeti and Messiaen, under the umbrella of atonal, then I have to disagree. In the case of Crumb, he's like one of those guys whose music I don't generally dig but I'm glad he's around doing it. Same goes for Babbitt and Stockhausen.

[Scriabin28]

If Mr. Ansermet believed that music becomes dehumanised when a tonal centre is removed from it, he was, perhaps, the most ignorant commentator on music ever to have drawn breath.Human consciousness is capable of recognising patterns in so many ways, in so many situations, and in so many of the myriad elements that make up music. This Mr. Ansermet was obviously a sad bastard who knew nothing about music, human consciousness or anything much... What a breathtakingly ignorant statement!

[NevinJarek]

@Scriabin28 well, in a way, we can still interpret cadences, timbres, etc, but not in the classical "emotional dynamic between the interrelation of pitches" that was established as being the 'music' that we know, because modern music can do a lot of things and we can make feelings in many ways but not like tonal music. I think we shouldnt argue if it is or not, categorical problems suck, a new labeled is called for.

[laschull]

Yes, the piece calls for the masks. From the performance notes: "The masks, by effacing a sense of human projection, will symbolize the powerful impersonal forces of nature"

[founderofhobbits]

Really wonderful piece, and great job performing! Stunning!

[madd926]

so the piece calls for the masks?

[lauguslv]

Vox Balaenae (Voice of the Whale)

[nicanor79]

This piece is more evocative (must be a little misterious) played with blue lights, as the original score.. anyway, very difficult for the performers, especially the flautist

[synesthesia17]

BRILLIANT!!!

[ItalianPolka]

A wonderful interpretation, awesome!