i have no doubt that the hermetically sealed Faberian echo chamber will keep all but the most glowingly positive remarks from coming anywhere near him.
Chris L
4 years ago
Listening to Dawn now, it’s as though he thought his brief was to re-write Cantus in Memoriam Benjamin Britten in the major. I can’t quite grasp how it’s supposed to evoke dawn in any case – all those downward scales are surely more suggestive of dusk. I don’t find the sounds offensive per se, but coming from someone who can knock out the kind of mind-blowing stuff that Adès can they do represent a depressing, even insulting, lowering of the sights. Sorry, Tom – must try much harder!
Personally I really enjoyed Adès’ piece! I certainly hear the Pärt influence, but it’s still unmistakably Adèsian (to these ears at least). To me it felt naive without being immature and child-like without being childish. Sure, it’s not his most interesting or imaginative piece (not by a long shot) but I still felt it worked well overall. (That being said, as I was listening to it for the first time I remember thinking, “Dr. Cummings is going to absolutely hate this” and lo and behold I was right! I’ve read so many damn reviews on this blog by now that I can predict with a fair degree of accuracy which pieces will meet the Cummings seal of approval.)
Really enjoyed reading your review, some of the descriptions are brilliant e.g. “but this brand of dumb, simpletonian, primary coloured, recycled vacuity “.
I think classical music will eventually be reborn – soon I hope.
MMJ
4 years ago
I’m an able whistler, and can hum a tune with the best of them, yet I’ve never learned to play any instruments, nor do I understand much, if anything, of musical theory, apart from the major scale sounding more “up-beat” than the minor one; entirely discounting every other scale in existence. Even though my background in music is solely one of a unenlightened consumer, experience has taught me that complexity is a good predictor for how much I’ll enjoy any given piece of music. I doubt I can tell anyone why I like it that way, except that it gives my ears something to chew on, as it were. Not that I can’t enjoy a catchy tune, even if it isn’t in a crazy time signature, or doesn’t feature a choir of specially trained Nepalese singing goats; more is just usually more, in my case.
That said, Adès’ ‘Dawn’ is probably the only time that I feel I have been personally, purposefully, insulted by a piece of poorly strung together notes! I don’t want to call it music, because music is something that requires effort, skill, and a wish to communicate even the most basic of ideas; be it anguish, ecstasy, or an individual’s preference for large glutes. ‘Dawn’ succeeded in but one thing, to plunge deeper into the Challenger Deep of banality than anyone thought possible, prudent, or indeed proper. In the grand celebration of life that is music, ‘Dawn’ is a tepid, not quite dissolved, sugar-water served in a styrene cup in the bathroom, by an unpaid, embarrassed intern who desperately wants to be anywhere else but here. ‘Dawn’ was such an awful arrangement of drivel, that I felt an uncontrollable urge to go on the internet to vent to anyone who’d listen; thank you, 5:4, for giving me that opportunity!
So far I have listened to just 2 pieces (by composers whose compositions I usually greatly enjoy- Adès and Ayres).
I thought the Adès piece was really bland. I just don’t think he is cut out to write “deceptively simple” stuff that can be so moving in the hands of composers such as Howard Skempton, Arvo Pärt and others. And what was the whistle/flutey bit (yawn) over the last few bit at the end about?
The Ayres composition was interesting and moving and, knowing now of his hearing difficulties, a little upsetting . I need to listen to it again. Not as immediately appealing as the “The Garden” and I also love his NONconcertos.
My favourite so far is Jay Caperrauld’s piece. From about 8 minutes in at times I was reminded a little of Aaron Copland, and at other times I heard echoes of music I have encountered before but could not identify. This is definitely not a criticism; in fact I think this young composer has quite an individual voice. It just gives the music a richness and gravitas; not gimmicky at all . I like French horns coming in just before the end, mirroring the horns heard at the start. I’ve listened to this piece twice and will listen to it again. I would probably have preferred to enjoy the music without foreknowledge of it’s extra-musical inspiration.
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Does the photo in question depict Adès responding to your critique…? 😉
i have no doubt that the hermetically sealed Faberian echo chamber will keep all but the most glowingly positive remarks from coming anywhere near him.
Listening to Dawn now, it’s as though he thought his brief was to re-write Cantus in Memoriam Benjamin Britten in the major. I can’t quite grasp how it’s supposed to evoke dawn in any case – all those downward scales are surely more suggestive of dusk. I don’t find the sounds offensive per se, but coming from someone who can knock out the kind of mind-blowing stuff that Adès can they do represent a depressing, even insulting, lowering of the sights. Sorry, Tom – must try much harder!
Personally I really enjoyed Adès’ piece! I certainly hear the Pärt influence, but it’s still unmistakably Adèsian (to these ears at least). To me it felt naive without being immature and child-like without being childish. Sure, it’s not his most interesting or imaginative piece (not by a long shot) but I still felt it worked well overall. (That being said, as I was listening to it for the first time I remember thinking, “Dr. Cummings is going to absolutely hate this” and lo and behold I was right! I’ve read so many damn reviews on this blog by now that I can predict with a fair degree of accuracy which pieces will meet the Cummings seal of approval.)
Really enjoyed reading your review, some of the descriptions are brilliant e.g. “but this brand of dumb, simpletonian, primary coloured, recycled vacuity “.
I think classical music will eventually be reborn – soon I hope.
I’m an able whistler, and can hum a tune with the best of them, yet I’ve never learned to play any instruments, nor do I understand much, if anything, of musical theory, apart from the major scale sounding more “up-beat” than the minor one; entirely discounting every other scale in existence. Even though my background in music is solely one of a unenlightened consumer, experience has taught me that complexity is a good predictor for how much I’ll enjoy any given piece of music. I doubt I can tell anyone why I like it that way, except that it gives my ears something to chew on, as it were. Not that I can’t enjoy a catchy tune, even if it isn’t in a crazy time signature, or doesn’t feature a choir of specially trained Nepalese singing goats; more is just usually more, in my case.
That said, Adès’ ‘Dawn’ is probably the only time that I feel I have been personally, purposefully, insulted by a piece of poorly strung together notes! I don’t want to call it music, because music is something that requires effort, skill, and a wish to communicate even the most basic of ideas; be it anguish, ecstasy, or an individual’s preference for large glutes. ‘Dawn’ succeeded in but one thing, to plunge deeper into the Challenger Deep of banality than anyone thought possible, prudent, or indeed proper. In the grand celebration of life that is music, ‘Dawn’ is a tepid, not quite dissolved, sugar-water served in a styrene cup in the bathroom, by an unpaid, embarrassed intern who desperately wants to be anywhere else but here. ‘Dawn’ was such an awful arrangement of drivel, that I felt an uncontrollable urge to go on the internet to vent to anyone who’d listen; thank you, 5:4, for giving me that opportunity!
So far I have listened to just 2 pieces (by composers whose compositions I usually greatly enjoy- Adès and Ayres).
I thought the Adès piece was really bland. I just don’t think he is cut out to write “deceptively simple” stuff that can be so moving in the hands of composers such as Howard Skempton, Arvo Pärt and others. And what was the whistle/flutey bit (yawn) over the last few bit at the end about?
The Ayres composition was interesting and moving and, knowing now of his hearing difficulties, a little upsetting . I need to listen to it again. Not as immediately appealing as the “The Garden” and I also love his NONconcertos.
My favourite so far is Jay Caperrauld’s piece. From about 8 minutes in at times I was reminded a little of Aaron Copland, and at other times I heard echoes of music I have encountered before but could not identify. This is definitely not a criticism; in fact I think this young composer has quite an individual voice. It just gives the music a richness and gravitas; not gimmicky at all . I like French horns coming in just before the end, mirroring the horns heard at the start. I’ve listened to this piece twice and will listen to it again. I would probably have preferred to enjoy the music without foreknowledge of it’s extra-musical inspiration.