Babbitt: String Quartet No 6 (1993), w/ score [Part 1/2]

I'll never forget the time I first came to really appreciate Babbitt's music, a few years ago at a concert of his complete music for string quartet given by the Zukovsky quartet. Prior to that I'd had a lot of strange prejudices about his music (as "dry and academic," etc), prejudices which I hadn't bothered to compare against the actual music (as often tends to be the case with such things). Anyway, I went into the concert quite skeptically -- mostly just going out of a sense of obligation since I figured it was an opportunity that wasn't likely to come up again -- but left absolutely absolutely blown away by what I'd heard: the subtle, often playful relationships between the instruments, the complex but perfectly balanced rhythms, and the incredible expressivity of it all. The next day I went to the music library and starting checking out all the Babbitt I could find. Although I never had the opportunity to meet him, listening to his music and reading/hearing his words have made me feel as though I in some sense really got to know a unique and amazing musical mind. I hope more people will have opportunities to do the same.

RIP Milton Babbitt (1916-2011)

Category:

Music

Tags:

• milton
• babbitt
• string
• quartet
• sherry
• score
• sheet
• music
• serialism
• modern
• classical

[smharb1]

there really are different universes out there, and I don't wish to be in this one!

[aculturemind]

@MrBeethovenfan

Just listen to it, yo. If you're compelled to read it, then pay attention to the phrasing, generally the indicator of why it's scored the way it is. (I can't even read, and I know this much.)

[edwardvivaldi]

Thanks so much for posting this. :)

[lovesGenet]

wow.This will grow on me. That e flat major chord is shocking .And the gesture keeps coming back never as clear or as tonal.The beginning highs are special.This might repay listening but it seems no repetition and Schoenbergian harmony isnt about humanist values .but is sound event that cannot be remembered or be relevant. Ultimately if it doesnt stay with u what valueere.REading Levitan and finished bio on Boulez and Ive's memos.I need to go back to school desperately.I used this quartet .

[japanesesweet]

@MrBeethovenfan try out his piano music-it's more approachable.

[MrBeethovenfan]

2/4 then 3/4 then 2/4 then 3/4. I was thinking "why didn't he just make it 5/4 and be done with it? Then I got to the 3/4+1/16 . . .7/16 . . .3/8 then every time signature in the book and many that aren't. I hereby dub this piece "L'impossibilité." Thanks for the post.

[stanchinsky]

Babbitt was an amazing thinker and composer. He leaves us with outstanding works such as this! Thanks for sharing...

[karoloandria]

tabs plz

no seriously, listening to it with the score really makes you stop and think about it