Composer of the Day!

Today's Composer of the Day! is György Kurtág!

(1926- )

Kurtág is a prominent Hungarian composer.

While in Hungary as a student, he studied with composers Sándor Veress and Ferenc Farkas. He also met Ligeti, with whom he developed a long friendship.

Following the Hungarian uprising against the Soviets in 1956, he fled to Paris. There he studied with Milhaud and Messiaen, and discovered Webern. Messiaen, Webern, and Ligeti turned out to be very influential to his style.

A prolific composer, he is also an accomplished pianist. Also a pianist, his wife Márta frequently performs his works. Indeed, his excellent seven-volume piano four-hands cycle of pieces/exercises Jatekok (games) they often perform together; the link features them performing together at his 80th birthday party. (The linked excerpt is called "Quarrel")

He uses playful techniques in these pieces, and often graphic notations (recalling Cowell). Here is a score from the same set that is fun to look at (click to enlarge):

He has won several awards, and is well-known in Europe, although less so in the States. You should listen to his music. Here is some more music for you:

Composer of the Day!

Today's Composer of the Day! is Kurt Schwitters.

(1887-1948)

Schwitters was a Dadaist/Surrealist painter, sculptor, poet, and sound artist ("composer"). He experimented with, well, lots of different things, especially collage. He invented his own school of collage-based art called "Merz".

Here are some things that he made:


That is fun to look at, no? How about this one, it's called "Murder Machine":

Hm. Perhaps marginally less fun to look at, but still full of Bauhaus-y goodness!

Anyway. Here are lots more things to look at...er, at which to look.

Schwitters was a pioneer in sound art, taking advantage of emerging recording technologies to design recorded nonsense poetry. The most famous example is the Ursonate (link to score).

I know, right? How freaking cool is that? But here is a link to Schwitters performing the piece:

A Link to Schwitters Perorming Ursonate.

Awesome. You should listen to his music.

Composer of the Day!

Today's Composer of the Day! is George Antheil.

(1900-1959)

Antheil was a composer and pianist from New Jersey. (I know, right?) He was a self-styled "bad boy" and cultivated a revolutionary, avant-garde image.

His first European concert tour took him to Paris, where he successfully caused a minor riot. He had arrived as the new enfant terrible!

Rumors held that, in order to develop furious piano technique, he would play until his hands bled, soak them in ice water until they were numb, and keep practicing. Which is awesome, if true.

He got a Guggenheim grant! He studied in Paris for a while in the 1920s, and hobnobbed with people like Stravinsky, Joyce, Pound, Picasso, Satie, Dali, Hemmingway, and so forth. His reputation seemed secured.

But not so much. Later he became unpopular and forgotten. He kept playing and composing, but had many other careers. He wrote articles for Esquire magazine, studied and published on endocrinology, wrote a love-advice column in newspapers, and got a patent on a (secret!) torpedo-targeting system with actress Hedy Lamarr!

His early success was exemplified by his most famous piece, the Ballet Mécanique. (You can see it here in its entirely robotic version.) Influenced by Italian futurism, industrialism, atonal music, and jazz, the piece is scored for 16 player pianos, 2 pianos, 4 bass drums, 3 xylophones, 3 airplane propellers, and some alarm bells. And stuff. Here is a picture of the beginning of the score that is fun to look at:

It caused a riot in Paris (again). However, the New York production was a flop, and left him broke and disillusioned.

Eventually he re-invented himself in a more neo-classical style. He moved to Hollywood and was a successful film music composer. He also wrote more symphonies and piano music.

Here is another example of his music for you, this time inspired by Max Ernst. He seems to be experiencing a revival of sorts, due to a PBS documentary of the Ballet and a national tour.

He was a weird dude. You should listen to his music.

Composer of the Day!

Today's Composer of the Day is Charlemagne Palestine.

(1945- (or 1947-)?)

Charlemagne Palestine is a rather odd fellow. Musician, composer, performance artist, and eccentric, he was active in the 1970s, and is still around today.

His music explores vocal and piano timbres, drones, minimalism, electronics, tape, chant, exotica, crossover with pop, trance, ritual, and various physical elements of performance art.

The ritual elements of his performances include, but are not limited to, being surrounded by large numbers of stuffed animals, smoking copious amounts of clove cigarettes, and drinking remarkable quantities of cognac.

You can see some recent footage here.

You should listen to his music, which is very visual. What?

Composer of the Day!

Today's Composer of the Day is Karlheinz Stockhausen.

(1928-2007)

Recently deceased, Herr Stockhausen was, by turns, a well-regarded/widely-hated composer.

He pioneered total serialism with Boulez. He was an early proponent of/experimenter with electronic music. In the late 1950s-early 1960s he was, in Europe, The Shit. Later, he became a crazy improvisationist. Even later, he went even more experimental and weird. Go figure!

His music is difficult. However, he is worth checking out. He is loaded with controversy. He is all over the place. He was a crazy person. Perhaps a genius, perhaps a chameleon. Again, totally worth checking out. Trust me on this. You won't like all of it, but some of it is bad-ass.

You should listen to his music.
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