I haven’t been able to listen to said piece fully more than once for that very reason. Well, that reason plus its more general sledgehammer awfulness, anyway.
Oh goodness, i forgot about that piece. i wrote about it for Bachtrack a couple of years ago (link); listening to that Symphony was one of the most infuriating experiences of my life. To be fair, it’s a posthumous completion, so it’s impossible to know how to distribute the blame between Górecki senior and junior.
David Breeze
5 years ago
I think you underestimate Kidane’s piece. A lively and accessible start to the concert perfectly judged for the occasion. Rhythmic and harmonic interest was maintained throughout and it was not predictable. Classical Source’s review seems to agree.
Thanks for your comment, David. It’s not about underestimating, i believe i’ve simply sized it up for what it is: a perfunctory bit of party froth for the Last Night of the Proms. i didn’t claim it was unsuitable for that occasion (indeed, quite the opposite), simply that it’s pretty deplorable that Kidane should have given something so clichéd and predictable a title like ‘woke’, to imply it’s more than what it appears to be. Because it blatantly isn’t.
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Pfft! That’s nothing! Try this for size…
https://youtu.be/3UQpE1EhQ24
I haven’t been able to listen to said piece fully more than once for that very reason. Well, that reason plus its more general sledgehammer awfulness, anyway.
Oh goodness, i forgot about that piece. i wrote about it for Bachtrack a couple of years ago (link); listening to that Symphony was one of the most infuriating experiences of my life. To be fair, it’s a posthumous completion, so it’s impossible to know how to distribute the blame between Górecki senior and junior.
I think you underestimate Kidane’s piece. A lively and accessible start to the concert perfectly judged for the occasion. Rhythmic and harmonic interest was maintained throughout and it was not predictable. Classical Source’s review seems to agree.
Thanks for your comment, David. It’s not about underestimating, i believe i’ve simply sized it up for what it is: a perfunctory bit of party froth for the Last Night of the Proms. i didn’t claim it was unsuitable for that occasion (indeed, quite the opposite), simply that it’s pretty deplorable that Kidane should have given something so clichéd and predictable a title like ‘woke’, to imply it’s more than what it appears to be. Because it blatantly isn’t.