# Elliott Carter, Slow Movement Recommendations.



## Beethoven14 (Feb 14, 2019)

I am curious about the music of Elliott Carter (mainly upon a few partial listenings to the 2nd String Quartet and the Symphonia). But my knowledge of his work is very limited and I would appreciate any recommendations.

I'm wondering if there are any very slow movements of his which you find astonishing (especially preferable would be from chamber-sized works post-1980s). I would like to listen to these and explore further from there. With thanks,


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## Mandryka (Feb 22, 2013)

Why are you interested in this?

The one that came to mind is in the symphonia, and there’s a lovely slow section in the middle of the third quartet. 

The most beautiful is from the 1950s, in the sonata for flute, oboe, cello and harpsichord.


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## Enthusiast (Mar 5, 2016)

I'm not someone who thinks of movements out of the context of their whole pieces so it isn't easy off the top of my head to think of Carter slow movements alone. If you want to explore Carter, I think the quartets are as good as anywhere to start. And his late works often seem a little more mellow than most of his mature output. The _Sonata For Flute, Oboe, Cello & Harpsichord _of 1952 has a haunting slow movement.


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## Bwv 1080 (Dec 31, 2018)

Also the middle sections of Three Occasions for Orchestra and the Violin Concerto


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## Phil loves classical (Feb 8, 2017)

My favourite work by Carter is probably his piano sonata. Quite lyrical. Not all his stuff is the sound of buttocks slapping together to use a certain expression


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## Vasks (Dec 9, 2013)

Bwv 1080 said:


> the middle section/movement of the Violin Concerto


That's mine too


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## flamencosketches (Jan 4, 2019)

Mandryka said:


> The most beautiful is from the 1950s, in the sonata for flute, oboe, cello and harpsichord.


Good call. I'm listening now and I think Elliott Carter's music has just "clicked" with me. Great piece!


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## SONNET CLV (May 31, 2014)

Though it's an early work (1942 rev. 1954), Carter's Symphony No. 1 features a lyrical, contemplative second movement marked "Slowly, gravely" which is certainly worth hearing for one searching out Elliott Carter slow movements. This Carter piece may well deceive you as it seems quite un-Carter-like in comparison to some of the later music. More like Piston or Ives or Copland, perhaps.

The second Piano Sonata has a slowly unfolding and more Carter-like (as in "dissonant") second movement, marked "Andante", which, though "modern" in sound is still remarkably beautiful.


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## Beethoven14 (Feb 14, 2019)

Mandryka said:


> Why are you interested in this?
> 
> The one that came to mind is in the symphonia, *and there's a lovely slow section in the middle of the third quartet*.
> 
> The most beautiful is from the 1950s, in the sonata for flute, oboe, cello and harpsichord.


This slow section of the third quartet you have mentioned has been very helpful to me.


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## Beethoven14 (Feb 14, 2019)

mandryka said:


> *why are you interested in this?*
> 
> the one that came to mind is in the symphonia, and there's a lovely slow section in the middle of the third quartet.
> 
> The most beautiful is from the 1950s, in the sonata for flute, oboe, cello and harpsichord.


I don't yet have an answer to this question.


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## Mandryka (Feb 22, 2013)

Beethoven14 said:


> I don't yet have an answer to this question.


I peeked at your first answer, which I thought was very interesting and I kind of thought that some of the slow passages in the chamber music is the sort of thing you'd find helpful. The 4th quartet has a stunningly beautiful lento passage which is also very effective in context.

One piece you may well like which I forgot about completely before is _Penthode_.


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## RICK RIEKERT (Oct 9, 2017)

Carter's expressive _Fragments I and II_ for string quartet from the 1990s are certainly worth a listen.


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## flamencosketches (Jan 4, 2019)

Bump...

Now that I like a good bit of Carter's music, I want to give thanks to the OP for starting this thread. Carter's slow movements (or moments) are something special. I wouldn't have thought so a year ago, but he is capable of real beauty. It's all about wide intervals and spaciousness. But I can't put my finger on it...

Anyway, the middle section of the Clarinet Quintet is quite slow, and amazing. Then of course there is the Adagio tenebroso from Symphonia: Sum fluxae pretium spei. This is a little more challenging, but quite fascinating. 

I'm looking for a good recording of the Sonata for flute, oboe, cello & harpsichord on CD. Is the old Nonesuch the only real option?


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