# Luigi Nono (1924 - 1990)



## Vaneyes

Bio:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Luigi_Nono

Recent article:

http://www.guardian.co.uk/music/musicblog/2012/apr/23/luigi-nono-future-creative-utopia

From personal experience, avant-gardist Luigi Nono has been a tough nut to crack. 

Perhaps those who have succeeded with this composer, could share their knowledge via stories, printed material, suggested CDs, DVDs, etc. Enjoy!:tiphat:


----------



## violadude

Nono is a composer I have been dying to explore, but haven't gotten around to it yet.


----------



## Prodromides

I agree, as well, that Luigi Nono is tough to get into.

I've procured some albums of Nono music off-and-on since the mid-1990s, but have only gotten into Nono's early 1950s serial works. The one I listen to most is his "Variazioni canoniche" (1950) for chamber orchestra.

Don't have much interest in Nono's politcal stage works, I'm afraid.

Nono's mature style is characterized by passages of lengthy silences and/or "pianissimo". The one later piece by Nono with which I connect is "No hay caminos, hay que caminar...", his 1987 hommage to Russian film director Andrei Tarkovsky, who died in 1986.

Nono himself passed away not long after this.

Both of the above works appeared on the French Auvidis label Astree in the early 1990s ...










... the program of which has been re-issued in Y2K on Disques Montaigne:


----------



## Vaneyes

violadude said:


> Nono is a composer I have been dying to explore, but haven't gotten around to it yet.


Apparently, more than a few "have been dying to explore, but haven't...." No previous Composer Guestbook for.

I dabbled with this Arditti SQ, but culled it soon after. To date, the only Arditti I've culled.

View attachment 4652
View attachment 4653


----------



## violadude

Vaneyes said:


> Apparently, more than a few "have been dying to explore, but haven't...." No previous Composer Guestbook for.
> 
> I dabbled with this Arditti SQ, but culled it soon after. To date, the only Arditti I've culled.
> 
> View attachment 4652
> View attachment 4653


Hmm that is really interesting Vaneyes, considering you are one of the members of the forum that _is_ very open to contemporary music.

hmm I'll have to try my luck with Luigi Nono soon.


----------



## violadude

Alright, so I listened to this piece first.






There were elements of it that I really liked but I wasn't sure how I felt about the piece as a whole.

After that I listened to about half of this piece.






and...I really liked it! I would have to listen to it more to really judge it from a musical point of view, but just from a emotional reactionary point of view it was really neat! It sounded like I was in some sacred place with voices of ancient people calling out to me.


----------



## neoshredder

One of his pieces woke me up with his wild dynamics. It was a 30 minute piece. I had to skip to the next piece on Schnittke Custom Radio station.


----------



## Vaneyes

violadude said:


> Alright, so I listened to this piece first.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> There were elements of it that I really liked but I wasn't sure how I felt about the piece as a whole.
> 
> After that I listened to about half of this piece.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> and...I really liked it! I would have to listen to it more to really judge it from a musical point of view, but just from a emotional reactionary point of view it was really neat! It sounded like I was in some sacred place with voices of ancient people calling out to me.


I wasn't impressed by Hinterhauser with, "Sofferte onde serene....for piano and magnetic tape". And, how dare he have a score! LOL Pollini's better, but I culled him, too. 

I agree about, "La Lontananza Nostalgica Utopica Futura". The trigger could be pulled on that. And, "Prometeo".

Brilliant Classics needs to get involved, to make Nono better value (or gamble).

Related:

http://www.lafolia.com/archive/covell/covell200403nono.html


----------



## violadude

Wait, what does the phrase "The trigger could be pulled on that" mean?


----------



## Cnote11

I have this disc


----------



## violadude

Cnote11 said:


> I have this disc


And?...what do you think?


----------



## Cnote11

It all depends on whether or not you love great music. If you do then it comes recommended.


----------



## neoshredder

Cnote11 said:


> It all depends on whether or not you love great music. If you do then it comes recommended.


Is there any music you don't like?


----------



## Cnote11

Yes, there is music I don't like. Katy Perry, Ke$ha, P!nk, Kenny G, Souja Boy, etc.


----------



## Vaneyes

violadude said:


> Wait, what does the phrase "The trigger could be pulled on that" mean?


The act of purchase.

But let me add, I'm usually a patient man regarding buys. Meaning, I can wait until a market improves.

The Nono market is largely in a state of disarray...not unlike some of his music. Many many OOPs, often requesting unreasonable sums on Amazon Marketplace. Even fairly new releases can be priced well above the norm.

I extensively sampled Nono CDs yesterday. The result is that I'm in a holding pattern, as far as buys are concerned.

The CDs I'm interested in (excepting one) are not financially attractive at the moment. This may or not change, so Nono's a waiting game...free of anxiety.

"Pilgrim, there is no pathway, there is only travelling itself."


----------



## Andreas

I learned about Nono when Austrian playwright and novelist Thomas Bernhard (famous among music lovers perhaps for his Glenn Gould novel) mentioned him in an interview, saying Nono would be the only one he'd be interested in collaborating with (on an opera, I guess). This was some time during the seventies, I think.

Thanks to YouTube, I've recently been listening to some Nono. He's intruiging to say the least. So far I've listened to ...sofferte onde serene..., No hay caminos, Cori di Didone and Contrappunto dialettico alla mente.

In a way, this is perhaps the only music that still made sense in a post World War II Europe, where god had died and Auschwitz was real.

By the way, there is an hour-long documentary up on Youtube called Abbado . Nono . Pollini


----------



## myaskovsky2002

I can't understand Nono's operas very well.

Martin


----------



## Noak

Genius, one of my favorites.


----------



## starthrower

The No hay Caminos... recording on the first page is highly captivating! I like music that raises the eyebrows.


----------



## myaskovsky2002

starthrower said:


> The No hay Caminos... recording on the first page is highly captivating! I like music that raises the eyebrows.


Smoke comes out of my head listening to Luigi Nono.

Martin, not so smart


----------



## neoshredder

Das atmende Klarsein was too loud for my speakers in that piece on last.fm. Extreme dynamics.


----------



## starthrower

starthrower said:


> The No hay Caminos... recording on the first page is highly captivating! I like music that raises the eyebrows.


Can anyone identify this recording? I'd like to pick up a CD, thanks!


----------



## starthrower

Well, I'm going with the Col Legno CD. I like the other pieces as well.
http://www.amazon.com/Luigi-Nono-Va...=sr_1_6?s=music&ie=UTF8&qid=1346077538&sr=1-6


----------



## quack

I think it must be this one http://rateyourmusic.com/release/al...__sinfonieorchester_des_sudwestfunks_gielen_/ by Michael Gielen and Sinfonieorchester des Südwestfunks Baden-Baden based on the track length.









I thought I already had it but I was mixing up _No hay caminos, hay que caminar_ and _"Hay que caminar" soñando_, silly modern composers, what's wrong with concerto No. 1, concerto No. 2 etc.


----------



## cjvinthechair

Nono - sorry, truly well named as far as I'm concerned !
Is there anything members can recommend that might give me a chance with him ?


----------



## quack

This is quite calming, beautiful and mystical, only part of it though and recorded rather harshly I think but you might like it.


----------



## aleazk

I'm listening the second piece suggested by violadude, seems pretty nice, so far I like it pretty much.


----------



## cjvinthechair

quack said:


> This is quite calming, beautiful and mystical, only part of it though and recorded rather harshly I think but you might like it.
> Ah, many thanks for trying - this started so promisingly with the singing; thought I was going to love it, but....despite being called 'The breathing being' or something similar, I can't see the point, or the beauty, in minutes of breathy flute playing.
> Never mind, my loss I'm sure ! Thanks all the same


----------



## Vaneyes

A September release heads-up for *Nono "La Lontananza Nostalgica Utopica Futura"* in Blu-ray audio. I have not sampled this recording.

Note: If interested, check whether this format is for you, and check playback capability before purchasing.

http://www.mdt.co.uk/nono-la-lontananza-nostalgica-cuckson-burns-urlicht-cd-audio-blu-ray.html


----------



## Pantheon

I had to once work on Il Canto Sospeso as part of my analyses... I was so moved by it that I just listened to it over and over again


----------



## Vaneyes

A 2008 interview with *Nuria Schoenberg-Nono*.

http://www.artenotempo.pt/en/ant-talks/nuria-schoenberg-nono

View attachment 25448


----------



## Itullian

Any relation to Yoko Nono?


----------



## Vaneyes

Some good *Nono* reading, recs and history.

http://www.lafolia.com/?s=nono


----------



## Blake

Great composer. Quite enjoying his piece _La Lontananza Nostalgica Utopica Futura_ right now.


----------



## SimonNZ

I see its been mentioned on this thread already, but I'm going to give another shout-out to the documentary "Abbado-Nono-Pollini: A Trail On The Water":


----------



## Guest

I decided today that it was time I investigate this man's works, now that I like Berio, Boulez, and the like as well. 

Upon investigation, I immediately read that Luigi used a funny-looking row for the cantata "Il Canto Sospeso". What I noticed: it was an exact permutation of the very first tone row I ever "created" (or so I thought) about 6 months ago. The all-interval row that looks something like a spiral on the page (though mine was in retrograde, I suppose - mine spiraled inward, his outward).

Now the question is: did Luigi Nono have time travel technology, or has he just infected my subconscious all along? Either way, I am eager to get listening.


----------



## science

View attachment 43903


This is another great Nono recording. What phenomenal music this guy composed! He may be becoming my favorite 20th century composer.


----------



## Mandryka

I thought this was wonderful, somehow the church ambience helps. Hay que caminar sonando, for two violins.

Can anyone let me have an English or French libretto for Prometeo?


----------



## Andreas

I just missed a performance of his string quartet Fragmente - Stille, an Diotima. Saw an advertisement poster for it the day after it was played. Great pity.


----------



## Blake

Glad this popped back up. Reminding me how brilliant Nono was.

Enjoying this little disc:


----------



## Mandryka

If you are a member of the yahoo-group concertarchive, there's some wonderful unpublished Nono concert recordings there - an amazing La Lontenanza Nostalgica for example. Also on the google group symphonyshare there's a recording of Bruno Maderna conducting Nono. 

I too found out about a concert just too late - a Prometeo in Amsterdam a few weeks ago (I'm looking for an excuse to go to Amsterdam, I haven't been for years.) There will be some Nono in London and Paris this year, but no Prometeo as far as I can see.


----------



## Morimur

Nono's music SHOULD be better known. I don't think most TC members appreciate this man's art. He is one of my very favorite composers.

Your loss.


----------



## proclo

for me this is his master piece


----------



## science

Cnote11 said:


>


I came here just to repeat how much I love this disk. Impeccable (to the best of my knowledge) recordings of three wonderful works.


----------



## Guest

Nono and Berio should certainly be better known. But all too often we forget about Mr. Maderna!

And yes, I'll echo science's echo. That DG disc was actually my first Nono and in spite of his operas, extensive chamber works (often with tape), etc... I can't say it's not still a favorite of mine.


----------



## Albert7

Morimur said:


> Nono's music SHOULD be better known. I don't think most TC members appreciate this man's art. He is one of my very favorite composers.
> 
> Your loss.


I agree with you entirely there in fact.


----------



## OldFashionedGirl

I listened Nono music for the first time just a few days ago. The music was challenging, but worth hearing. A great experience. I'll listen more music from this composer.


----------



## LHB

Sofferte onde serene is so beautiful.


----------



## science

I have just converted by sister-in-law to Nono. 

+1


----------



## ComposerOfAvantGarde

science said:


> I have just converted by sister-in-law to Nono.
> 
> +1


:clap:

Nice job!


----------



## science

ComposerOfAvantGarde said:


> :clap:
> 
> Nice job!


I know. Thank you.

I'm willing to share up to half of the credit with Nono and Gidon Kremer.


----------



## Guest

science said:


> I know. Thank you.
> 
> I'm willing to share up to half of the credit with Nono and Gidon Kremer.


Don't worry! Nono's socialist leanings would never allow him to hoard all the credit  Just write Gidon out of the will and you're set in Luigi's book!


----------



## Janspe

I'm almost completely unfamiliar with Nono's music - that being said, I've listened to _Como una ola de fuerza y luz_ two times now and I've grown very fond of it immediately. What an awesome piece! Funnily enough, a lot of people at Amazon seemed to think that the piece is difficult to get (at first, at least), whereas I found it very accessible already on my first listen. I wish I could hear it live one day.


----------



## musicguy247

*A conversation with his wife Nuria*

Here's an interview with Nuria Schoenberg Nono I conducted a few weeks ago.

http://musicguy247.typepad.com/my-b...-tone-classical-music-avant-garde-atonal.html



Vaneyes said:


> Bio:
> 
> http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Luigi_Nono
> 
> Recent article:
> 
> http://www.guardian.co.uk/music/musicblog/2012/apr/23/luigi-nono-future-creative-utopia
> 
> From personal experience, avant-gardist Luigi Nono has been a tough nut to crack.
> 
> Perhaps those who have succeeded with this composer, could share their knowledge via stories, printed material, suggested CDs, DVDs, etc. Enjoy!:tiphat:


----------



## Xenakiboy

Nono is really awesome, unfortunately I haven't spent enough time with his music yet. :tiphat:


----------

