Ornstein - Three Moods

Three Moods (1914)

I. Anger
II. Grief
III. Joy

Leo Ornstein (1893-2002) was once a celebrated American composer in the early 20th-century, often regarded as the "poster boy" for the avant-garde in American music. Music textbooks are quick to cite Henry Cowell as the progenitor of the tone cluster in art-music, but credit should be given to Ornstein, who made innovative applications of tone clusters in his early piano pieces of the 1910s. Although considered an American composer, Ornstein was born in Ukraine and studied at the St. Petersburg Conservatory.

He established a controversial but famous repuation in America both as a pianist and as a radically modern composer. But after 1920, Ornstein slowly abandoned his efforts in the avant-garde and his idiom became relaxed and more conservative, angering many of the modernist cohorts who admired his music. In the 1930's Ornstein and his wife founded a music school in Philadelphia and he devoted his time to teaching until the 1950's. Throughout these decades Ornstein's music and his very name became marginalized and he seemed to vanish from the music world entirely until the 1970's.

After turning his back on the avant-garde, Ornstein composed music in an accessible style reminiscent of Rachmaninov with occasional forays into biting dissonance. His last composition, the Eighth Piano Sonata, was finished at the age of 97, but it is his early experimental works that show the indelible stamp of genius.

Category:

Music

Tags:

• ornstein
• cowell
• ives
• stravinsky
• avant-garde
• debussy

[3cplantin]

Thanks for posting! Great to see these. Funny, but a lot of musicians I know, to say nothing of the general public, would think that "Three Moods" is avant garde today. But it's almost 100 years old! Keep posting, Hex!

[askthemailman]

these are great:)

[MATTDUNCAN1]

i have not been so excited by the piano since hearing messiaens rhythmic etudes...this is,,,,i dont know,,,gorgeous

[AlC92575]

Expressionism at its finest.

[Composerland]

Honest and fresh for 1914 [and for 2010]. I wonder if anyone would think, "that sounds like the "teens" from the 20th century."

[IanTanYeeEn]

I always get exited when i see something new by Leo Ornstein posted. He never intentionally tried to be avant-garde, he just wrote what was in his head. The music in his head became less extreme when he got older, he couldnt help it.

[araujomateus]

long life to Ornstein!

[scriabinwasmydad]

as always, nice stuff!

[John11inch]

Great upload. I love these :O