Giacinto Scelsi: The Piano Works, Vol. 2

Track Listings

1. Grandioso 3:33

2. Appassionato 4:24

3. Imperioso ed incisivo 4:50

4. Drammatico 4:44

5. Drammatico 3:29

6. Sostenuto 4:16

7. Incisivo 3:13

8. Maestoso 3:54

9. Imperioso 2:26

10. Sostenuto 4:36

11. Imperioso 2:07

12. Molto mosso 5:12first recording

13. Poco piu mosso, Veloce 2:07

14. Iniziando e subito accelerandoÉ 1:22

15. Lento dolce (tutto col palmo della mano) 1:16

16. Martellato 1:11

17. Violento 2:00

18. Brillante 1:48

19. Pesante 1:39

20. Veloce 1:46

See all 21 tracks on this disc

Editorial Reviews
Album Description
ModeÕs Scelsi Edition continues with the second volume devoted to his piano works, consisting of two works from different periods in ScelsiÕs oeuvre. ¥ The Suite No. 2 is one of the earliest of ScelsiÕs published piano works. ¥ A highly virtuosic and expressive work, this Suite receives its first recording here. ¥ Written in 1955, Action Music is among ScelsiÕs last piano works. ¥ Action Music was premiered by Geoffrey Douglas Madge in 1986 in Darmstadt. ¥ The title Action Music points to the high energy and physical and gestural elements of the music. The workÕs vigorous character is underscored by predominantly fast tempi and directions for playing, including violento, con fuoco, martellato, fragroso (deafening!) and come percussione. ¥ In Action Music the performers are asked to play the piano in unusual ways by using their palms parallel to the keyboard, and employing fists and forearms to perform single pitches, chords, clusters and glissandi. ¥ One of CanadaÕs leading pianists, Stephen Clarke has performed as a soloist in festivals in Europe, Canada, and the U.S. He has worked with a number of ensembles and has performed as a soloist with the Los Angeles Philharmonic New Music Group, the Toronto Symphony Orchestra and the ComposersÕ Orchestra. ¥ This audiophile quality recording was made using high-resolution 96khz/24-bit technology.

Tracks:

Grandioso 3:33
Appassionato 4:24
Imperioso ed incisivo 4:50
Drammatico 4:44
Drammatico 3:29
Sostenuto 4:16
Incisivo 3:13
Maestoso 3:54
Imperioso 2:26
Sostenuto 4:36
Imperioso 2:07
Molto mosso 5:12first recording
Poco piu mosso, Veloce 2:07
Iniziando e subito accelerando 1:22
Lento dolce (tutto col palmo della mano) 1:16
Martellato 1:11
Violento 2:00
Brillante 1:48
Pesante 1:39
Veloce 1:46
Con fuoco 1:52

Album Description

ModeÕs Scelsi Edition continues with the second volume devoted to his piano works, consisting of two works from different periods in ScelsiÕs oeuvre. ¥ The Suite No. 2 is one of the earliest of ScelsiÕs published piano works. ¥ A highly virtuosic and expressive work, this Suite receives its first recording here. ¥ Written in 1955, Action Music is among ScelsiÕs last piano works. ¥ Action Music was premiered by Geoffrey Douglas Madge in 1986 in Darmstadt. ¥ The title Action Music points to the high energy and physical and gestural elements of the music. The workÕs vigorous character is underscored by predominantly fast tempi and directions for playing, including violento, con fuoco, martellato, fragroso (deafening!) and come percussione. ¥ In Action Music the performers are asked to play the piano in unusual ways by using their palms parallel to the keyboard, and employing fists and forearms to perform single pitches, chords, clusters and glissandi. ¥ One of CanadaÕs leading pianists, Stephen Clarke has performed as a soloist in festivals in Europe, Canada, and the U.S. He has worked with a number of ensembles and has performed as a soloist with the Los Angeles Philharmonic New Music Group, the Toronto Symphony Orchestra and the ComposersÕ Orchestra. ¥ This audiophile quality recording was made using high-resolution 96khz/24-bit technology.

Customer Reviews:

The Prehistory of Scelsi.......2006-01-22

This disc, the latest in Mode's series of recordings devoted to the music of the eccentric Italian composer Giacinto Scelsi, scores heavily in terms of rarity value--featuring, as it does, only the second recording of the 1955 Action Music, and the first recording of the 1930 Second Suite, the earliest of Scelsi's works to make it to CD thus far.

The Second Suite (subtitled "The Twelve Minor Prophets") comes from long before Scelsi was to develop his own remarkable "on one note" style, yet even at the age of 25 his music had certain similarities to his mature work. The twelve pieces in the suite have a strongly improvisational feel, and a rather obsessive nature, though they lack the distinctiveness and drive that makes Scelsi's later music so memorable. The inlay notes compare this music to Scriabin, but I felt more of a similarity to some of the Futurists, or to the less subtle disciples of Stravinsky.

Action Music, transcribed from the composer's own improvisations in 1955, is altogether a more interesting work. Extremely aggressive, with much use of fortissimo note-clusters, it contains as dynamic piano writing as anywhere in Scelsi's oeuvre. Occasionally, more reposeful moments break through the often relentless toccata-like textures, fortissimo repeated notes and passages played with fists, arms and elbows, but the overall impression is one of vibrant rhythmic energy.

Neither of these works is really major Scelsi--though I wouldn't want to be without Action Music--and thus this disc is most likely to be attractive to Scelsi completists. Nonetheless, with good inlay notes and Mode's usual high production values, it may be interesting to those who want to know how the composer reached his distinctive style. Stephen Clarke's performances are solid and accomplished--this is definitely his sort of music--though I wished for a little more wild abandon in Action Music's more frenetic moments.

Worth considering.

Music Track:

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1. Grandioso 3:33
2. Appassionato 4:24
3. Imperioso ed incisivo 4:50
4. Drammatico 4:44
5. Drammatico 3:29
6. Sostenuto 4:16
7. Incisivo 3:13
8. Maestoso 3:54
9. Imperioso 2:26
10. Sostenuto 4:36
11. Imperioso 2:07
12. Molto mosso 5:12first recording
13. Poco piu mosso, Veloce 2:07
14. Iniziando e subito accelerandoÉ 1:22
15. Lento dolce (tutto col palmo della mano) 1:16
16. Martellato 1:11
17. Violento 2:00
18. Brillante 1:48
19. Pesante 1:39
20. Veloce 1:46