# Alban Berg, a wonderful mind



## myaskovsky2002 (Oct 3, 2010)

I love this composer, he learned from the very methodic Schönberg but he had his own style.

Wozzeck and Lulu are awesome operas. His violin concerto is breathtaking.

To be followed by you

Martin Pitchon


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## Lipatti (Oct 9, 2010)

Funny you're mentioning this now, as I've just ordered a CD with Glenn Gould performing some solo piano works by Berg, Schoenberg and Krenek. I pretty much don't know what to expect, but I'm excited.


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## Delicious Manager (Jul 16, 2008)

I often cite him as 'the human face of serialism', along with his Italian counterpart Luigi Dallapiccola (if you like Berg, you'll love Dallapiccola!).


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## emiellucifuge (May 26, 2009)

I love Dallapiccola but havent yet heard much of Berg, should try some more!


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## Manxfeeder (Oct 19, 2010)

Though I really like Webern and have recently discovered Schoenberg, I haven't warmed to Berg. Maybe because I made the mistake of reading Jarman's _The Music of Alban Berg_, where he details all the things I'll never be able to understand or hear in his music. I recently found that if I just listen and stop worrying about the arcane structural details, it isn't as confusing as I had thought.


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## World Violist (May 31, 2007)

I like Berg; he's an interesting contrast to the outright asceticism of Webern. Watching Lulu for the first time was really harrowing and disturbing. I find it somewhat difficult to "get" his orchestra music, but I love the piano sonata. There's a lot of very beautiful and also disturbing music to find in Berg.


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## Sarabande (Nov 26, 2010)

Berg is great, just listened to him the other day his violin concerto and his concerto for piano violin and 13 wind instruments


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## myaskovsky2002 (Oct 3, 2010)

I love Berg...I super love Dalapiccola...I have a lot by him: Volo di notte and many things not recorded...
==============================

"Funny you're mentioning this now, as I've just ordered a CD with Glenn Gould performing some solo piano works by Berg, Schoenberg and Krenek. I pretty much don't know what to expect, but I'm excited. "


Glenn Gould/Schönberg/Berg...Expect pleasure. Glen is awesome! I have piano pieces by Schönber played by Gold...He is our Pride from Toronto.

Martin, Canada.


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## myaskovsky2002 (Oct 3, 2010)

*Reading*

You can read what Adorno wrote about him....

http://www.amazon.com/Alban-Berg-Ma...=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1291141169&sr=1-1

Very interesting. Adorno was a composer himself and describes how Alban Berg became a very different individual...and maybe...the best of the three...

You can see here a very original mise en schene by Calxto Bieito






Martin Pitchon


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## myaskovsky2002 (Oct 3, 2010)

People who like Alban Berg (1885-1935)

should listen to:

Luigi Dallapiccola (1904-1975)

you can listen at

http://www.amazon.com/Dallapiccola-...=sr_1_2?s=music&ie=UTF8&qid=1291153213&sr=1-2

Egon Wellesz, Vienna (1885-1974)

Both are terrific composers

Martin Pitchon


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## Huilunsoittaja (Apr 6, 2010)

I _could_ like Berg, Schoenberg, Webern, etc. But I'd have to get over the "don't look for a real melody" part first. :/


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## myaskovsky2002 (Oct 3, 2010)

*«melody....*

Melody is a detail....I like music with melody and without it...

You get used to it...You start with Transfigurated night (Schönberg), after discretely you go to Alban Berg and you istened to his violin concerto at least 7 times!!!!!! Der Wein, 7 times....After you will discover the melody where it doesn't really exist!!!!! WOW!

Martin, mad


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## Huilunsoittaja (Apr 6, 2010)

myaskovsky2002 said:


> Melody is a detail....I like music with melody and without it...
> 
> You get used to it...You start with Transfigurated night (Schönberg)
> 
> Martin, mad


Yeah, heard that, not bad at all. But it's not serialist.

That'll be the day when some person catches me in college humming some atonal piece...


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## Sid James (Feb 7, 2009)

I've loved the music of Berg ever since I was a teenager (I'm in my mid 30's now). Back then, I discovered _Wozzeck_, and connected with it immediately. In contrast, some of his other works (like the _Lyric Suite_) I have been grappling with for about 15 years. It's hard to make generalisations about him. Yes, he was kind of like 'the serialist with a heart,' but some of his works are just as complex as say some of those of his teacher Schoenberg. It's great that his music, as well as the other two of the Second Viennese School, are getting more live performances here in Sydney. I've seen the _Chamber Concerto_ and _String Quartet Op. 3_ this year & it's great to hear those rich harmonies for real, as well as getting a better understanding of these works through the medium of live performance...


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## Manxfeeder (Oct 19, 2010)

myaskovsky2002 said:


> After discretely you go to Alban Berg and you istened to his violin concerto at least 7 times!!!!!!


I probably shouldn't admit it, but after several attempts, I'm still trying to hear what others love in the violin concerto. I have the recording, have seen it live, and heard the BBC Radio 3 lecture. I have the score and sometime will just have to mark it up to see what's happening, because all I do when I hear it is look forward to the chorale.


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## myaskovsky2002 (Oct 3, 2010)

Yeah, heard that, not bad at all. But it's not serialist.

That'll be the day when some person catches me in college humming some atonal piece... 
==============================================================
You won't believe this...But I remember when Schönberg with pride said once...They won't hum my works...I did it!!!!!! LOL I can sing parts from LULU, Wozzeck and Shönberg's violin concerto. Schönberg would be very angry....LOL.

Serial music is a second nature...You have to relax, concentrate and let it penetrate you...At first it could sound weird...Listen several times the same little bit, again and again...The magic will arrive...You'll be transported...and more aeasily you will GET into it...It's part of your mind...maybe the dark side?

Martin


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## myaskovsky2002 (Oct 3, 2010)

*Berg's violin concerto*

dedicated to an Angel (Alma Mahler's daughter was diying)...it is a very romantic piece...you have to listen to it at least 10 times...The first time sounds "cacophonic", the second...less worse....the fifth, not that bad...the 9th it sounds romantic, melodic, wonderful....

I love this concerto, it is one of the best of the XXth century (in my opinion).

Martin Pitchon


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## jdavid (Oct 4, 2011)

the production looks German - or certainly 'Northern'. Stunning. The gas/oxygen mask (?)...breath taking?


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## clavichorder (May 2, 2011)

I have heard my teacher say that 12 tone stuff that he consistently has warm feelings about is Alban Berg. I'll have to check out his music.


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## schigolch (Jun 26, 2011)

jdavid said:


> the production looks German - or certainly 'Northern'. Stunning. The gas/oxygen mask (?)...breath taking?


This production was staged in Barcelona (at Liceu) and Madrid (at Teatro Real). It's in my view the finest achievement of Mr. Bieito so far. It was really disturbing, with a superb scenography. At the end of the opera, there was an hiatus of half a minute before the audience started the applause, many people were entranced.


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## Rapide (Oct 11, 2011)

I think Berg's Wozzeck is pretty cool. Berg was probably one of the finest composers during the early 12-tone to realise its potential and worked it outwards to many genres and was so damn good at it with Wozzeck and Lulu.


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## myaskovsky2002 (Oct 3, 2010)

Manxfeeder said:


> I probably shouldn't admit it, but after several attempts, I'm still trying to hear what others love in the violin concerto. I have the recording, have seen it live, and heard the BBC Radio 3 lecture. I have the score and sometime will just have to mark it up to see what's happening, because all I do when I hear it is look forward to the chorale.


The question is do you HAVE a good version? This is essential to enjoy this concerto.

This is a good one:






Enjoy.

Martin


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## Andreas (Apr 27, 2012)

I love Berg, the piano sonata, the pieces for clarinet and piano, of course the violin concerto, the string quartet and the lyric suite. I haven't seen his operas yet, as I abhor operas, but I probably will someday anyway.

He's different from Schoenberg, less strict, less academic, it seems. I'd still choose Schoenberg over Berg, but Berg's unique style is wonderful.


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## myaskovsky2002 (Oct 3, 2010)

Andreas said:


> I love Berg, the piano sonata, the pieces for clarinet and piano, of course the violin concerto, the string quartet and the lyric suite. I haven't seen his operas yet, as I abhor operas, but I probably will someday anyway.
> 
> He's different from Schoenberg, less strict, less academic, it seems. I'd still choose Schoenberg over Berg, but Berg's unique style is wonderful.


I agree with you. But voice is for Alban Berg a very important "instrument", other his two major operas he has the lieder. A big part of his output. I guess you are missing something really important of his production. You cannot judge entirely his works if you neglect his vocal music.






Here you have the awesome Altenberg lieder written from postal cards. I love Renée Fleming's voice. Claudio Abbado is also terrific.

Listen to it several times. It is sooooo good.


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## Manxfeeder (Oct 19, 2010)

myaskovsky2002 said:


> The question is do you HAVE a good version? This is essential to enjoy this concerto.
> 
> This is a good one:


Thanks. You can't argue with Ivry Gitlis. I have the Naxos recording with Rebecca Hirsch. I don't know how it stands up on the good/bad list.


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## myaskovsky2002 (Oct 3, 2010)

Manxfeeder said:


> Thanks. You can't argue with Ivry Gitlis. I have the Naxos recording with Rebecca Hirsch. I don't know how it stands up on the good/bad list.


Naxos??????!!!!!!! I had Naxos before. As my son says, buy cheap, buy twice. I changed almost all my Naxos. Naxos in uneven (just to be polite) sometimes you get lucky, but more often yo don't. Alas.

Martin


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