# Sorabji's Archmagicum



## Lukecash12 (Sep 21, 2009)

If you are familiar with the piece, than you know it's the holy grail of pianism. Incredible writing, very expressive.

And, for the first time, this masterwork is being recorded.  Just look up Altarusrecords.com It might be in it's news section by now.


----------



## Tapkaara (Apr 18, 2006)

Isn't this the 6 hour piece?


----------



## Lukecash12 (Sep 21, 2009)

Indeed. Many agree it's the most difficult piano piece ever written. But it certainly wasn't written just for difficulty (Sorabji would never commit such a no-no). It is pure genius, I can't describe it well enough for you, so you would probably learn more from this excerpt from Tellef Johnson's (my hero's!) recording: 




Edit: I looked back over your post, and I forgot something. The Archmagicum isn't a six hour piece (you were probably thinking of a sonata or symphony of his). It's still pretty hefty though, as it's a movement or two larger than the Clavicembalisticum.


----------



## Tapkaara (Apr 18, 2006)

Clavicembalisticum was the one I was thining about. Yup, 6 hours.

I have not heard this work, but I would be skeptical of it. 6 hours? Seems like it's mostly famous for its outrageous length. Seems like a peculiar stunt in order to get people talking about your music artificially.

Again, I have not heard it, so perhaps the music is great! But 6 hours of it? Why? Doesn't seem to make practical sense to me.

Brevity is a virtue.


----------



## nimmysnv (Oct 1, 2009)

Hi,

Do you not think this is a long enough piece!!!!!!! 

6 hours is a long time period.


----------



## Lukecash12 (Sep 21, 2009)

Tapkaara said:


> Clavicembalisticum was the one I was thining about. Yup, 6 hours.
> 
> I have not heard this work, but I would be skeptical of it. 6 hours? Seems like it's mostly famous for its outrageous length. Seems like a peculiar stunt in order to get people talking about your music artificially.
> 
> ...


Actually, people normally play only a movement of it at a time. It's not very often that someone will attempt the whole thing. It's kind of like a Suite of music. Why do you think he calls it an entire _Opus_?

Trust me, Sorabji is the furthest thing from superficial. He was just a work horse of a composer, that's all. He wrote 100 transcendental etudes, I think 3-4 several hour symphonies, a monstrous index of random short pieces (Fantasie Espagnole, Quasi Habanera, Desir Eperdu, etc.), and contemporary variations on tons of Mozart, Wagner, Bizet, basically everyone. He also wrote a massive amount of preludes, interludes, and fugues modeled after Bach.

On top of all that, he also wrote several 1 1/2 hour sonatas, some Piano Concertos, a heap of pieces for voice and piano, nocturnes, and the Opus works to crown it all.


----------



## Alkanian (Dec 31, 2009)

Lukecash12 said:


> Actually, people normally play only a movement of it at a time. It's not very often that someone will attempt the whole thing. It's kind of like a Suite of music. Why do you think he calls it an entire _Opus_?
> 
> Trust me, Sorabji is the furthest thing from superficial. He was just a work horse of a composer, that's all. He wrote 100 transcendental etudes, I think 3-4 several hour symphonies, a monstrous index of random short pieces (Fantasie Espagnole, Quasi Habanera, Desir Eperdu, etc.), and contemporary variations on tons of Mozart, Wagner, Bizet, basically everyone. He also wrote a massive amount of preludes, interludes, and fugues modeled after Bach.
> 
> On top of all that, he also wrote several 1 1/2 hour sonatas, some Piano Concertos, a heap of pieces for voice and piano, nocturnes, and the Opus works to crown it all.


Certainly he wasted a great deal of time considering his works are pretty much unknown.
And for the OP, I don't really like Sorabji. I listened to several of his pieces, several times in order to get used to them and I always end up getting bored.


----------



## Lukecash12 (Sep 21, 2009)

Alkanian said:


> Certainly he wasted a great deal of time considering his works are pretty much unknown.
> And for the OP, I don't really like Sorabji. I listened to several of his pieces, several times in order to get used to them and I always end up getting bored.


I'm sorry you can't enjoy him, then. But I'd like to state the contention that any good composer is worthy of being enjoyed. It feels better pandering to the composer, rather than having him/her pander to you.


----------



## anacrusis (Mar 21, 2010)

I personally love Sorabji, and I can NOT wait for it to be recorded!


----------

