# What about Luciano Berio?



## Casebearer (Jan 19, 2016)

I've been around here a couple of months now and read a lot of posts and polls. Can't actively remember I read anything about Luciano Berio but I probably overlooked it. Nevertheless he's not really in the picture imo.

So what about him? I don't know him that well but what I know I like (e.g. Folk Songs, Sequenzas, La Vera Storia). What about you?


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## SimonNZ (Jul 12, 2012)

His "Sinfonia" got the No.1 spot in the Post-1950 Works project, so he's definitely "in the picture" here. Have you heard that?

While I love Sinfonia, I've had a more mixed reaction to some of his other works, but really I've yet to get to know him well.


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## Casebearer (Jan 19, 2016)

^^^
No I hadn't but of course I don't read all the threads. It was just a general impression reading a lot of posts and polls. But I'm glad he is in the picture anyway.


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## arpeggio (Oct 4, 2012)

Check out the similar threads below. A lot of great stuff there.

I am a fan of his ending to _Turandot_.


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## Guest (Apr 26, 2016)

The _Sinfonia_, _Sequenzas_, _Coro_, _Folk Songs_, and his transcriptions seem to have acquired some relative popularity here. Relative to the other generally neglected 20th century composers, at least.

He writes incredible concertos too. Some of my favorites would be _Points On The Curve To Find..._ (for piano and orchestra) and _SOLO_ (for trombone and orchestra). Many of his other concerti are extrapolated from his _Sequenzas_. _Visage_ is a very well regarded electronic piece by those privy to that sort of thing. _Laborintus II_ is one of his more avant-garde pieces as well, I reckon: sort of a Kagel-ish circus vibe going on there. His string quartets and piano music are both worthwhile. His _34 Duetti_ are like a violin duet version of the earlier books of Bartok's _Mikrokosmos_: sort of a musician-friendly and listener-friendly way to introduce people to the modern idiom. And of course his operas and other vocal works are not to be missed.

Enough for now?


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## sloth (Jul 12, 2013)

Plus he was the co-founder (together with Maderna) of the Studio di Fonologia della RAI in Milan, 1955. That marked the beginning of electronic music in Italy... It produced great stuff for the age!


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## joen_cph (Jan 17, 2010)

Should I mention 4 works I´ve liked by Berio, it´s the _Sinfonia_, the piano concertos "_Echoing Curves_" and "_Points on a Curve_", the _Folk Songs_, the _Schubert-paraphrase "Rendering_".

I´ve never connected much with the _Sequenzas_.


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## Casebearer (Jan 19, 2016)

Not even Sequenza III? Opinions may differ of course but I find it fascinating.


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## GioCar (Oct 30, 2013)

I find all Sequenzas quite fascinating. They go deep down the roots of sound for each instrument they were composed. It's really an amazing voyage.
It's difficult to say which one I like more, but if I have to chose I'd say Sequenza XI for guitar and Sequenza V for trombone (which is quite similar in spirit to Sequenza III)

BTW I'm looking for the only recording of _Un re in ascolto_, a CD issued by Col Legno after the Salzburg performances.










If someone bought it "by mistake" and just want to get rid of it, I'll be happy to take that burden off him/her shoulders


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## isorhythm (Jan 2, 2015)

_Coro_ is his masterpiece IMO.


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## violadude (May 2, 2011)

isorhythm said:


> _Coro_ is his masterpiece IMO.


I love that piece. Thanks for posting that. It tends to get buried beneath lots of his other works.


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## joen_cph (Jan 17, 2010)

Casebearer said:


> Not even Sequenza III? Opinions may differ of course but I find it fascinating.


It´s a superlative performance for sure. I might return to it again.


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## joen_cph (Jan 17, 2010)

Bought this CD, Songs Cathy Sang, with Linda Hirst, primarily as an alternative version of Berio´s _Folk Songs_ to the fine old LP I´ve got with Berberian/Berio.

In spite of some good reviews, I find it disappointing; Hirst doesn´t have the melodical expression of Berberian in that work (as one reviewer remarked), her voice there isn´t particularly nice, and the accompanying soloists often seem a bit absent-minded.

There is however some interesting, other repertoire on the disc, more avant-garde and very theatrical/expressionist-like, now in live performances, where Hirst is in much better form.

https://www.discogs.com/Luciano-Ber...on-Sinfonietta-Diego-Masson-S/release/2411604

But those works are probably only for a not-so-regular, occasional listening.

IMO, don´t buy this one for the _Folk Songs_.









I´ve also briefly had the Olives CD recording on the Columna Musica label of _Folk Songs_, 
https://www.columnamusica.com/en/catalogue/berio-folk-songs
but got rid of it, finding the whole disc disappointing performance-wise.









I might have to invest in a CD copy too of the old Berberian/Berio ...


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## jhwillow (Oct 3, 2018)

Sinfonia is one of my bests!


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## tortkis (Jul 13, 2013)

I have two recordings of Folk Songs, which are quite contrasting.

Luisa Castellani's vocal is rich and energetic. I think this is very good.













This is strange, maybe not for classical music fans. Mostly sung in duet, in a restrained way, like whispering, accompanied by piano, guitar or harmonium. The recording has an intimate atmosphere, sometimes including ambient noises. I like this.
Éloïse Decazes & Delphine Dora


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## Gordontrek (Jun 22, 2012)

Well, all I'll say is I just listened to his Sinfonia, and I better not ever hear anyone complain about John Williams borrowing stuff again...


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## millionrainbows (Jun 23, 2012)

"I Love Luciano." I like this recording of "differences," which has some interesting sections of musique concrete mixed in with chamber winds. The taped parts are based on the actual sounds of the clarinets and other instruments, so that makes it more effective and unified. It sounds like the instruments are suddenly being mangled and distorted. Frank Zappa would have liked this.


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## millionrainbows (Jun 23, 2012)

*Luciano Berio: The Movie*

_starring Peter Sellers as Luciano Berio
_
 

Luciano Berio..................................... Peter Sellers


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## joen_cph (Jan 17, 2010)

I wonder if there are any clips with Sellers speaking Italian ... could be fun.


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## millionrainbows (Jun 23, 2012)

Paul McCartney with...Peter Sellers or Luciano Berio?


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## millionrainbows (Jun 23, 2012)

One of my old favorites, first bought on vinyl from a cut-out bin...now available on CD.


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