With this post I've assembled some rarer compositions by mostly quite famous 20th century composers'.
With 'rare' I mean pieces not readily available and OOP - culled from CD compilations - in this case from two releases.
The title by Grisey is taken from a CD dedicated to the conductor Sylvain Campreling which I've bought only because of my excitement upon discovering this to me unknown (and recorded) piece by him.
All other music was previously released on a five CD box-set which celebrated the fiftieth anniversary of the 'Holland Festival'. At least two or three of these pieces were issued on vinyl before the box-set was available.
Vivier's composition "Glaubst du an die Unsterblichkeit der Seele" (Do you believe in the immortality of the soul?) was his last composition, though not completed as he was murdered before he could finish it.
His killer was a male
prostitute Vivier had met in a bar earlier that evening. On the
worktable was the manuscript of Vivier's final, uncompleted work, "Crois-tu en l‘immortalité de l‘âme?", a dramatised monologue in which Vivier
describes a journey on the metro during which he becomes attracted to a
young man. The music breaks off abruptly following the line: "Then he
removed a dagger from his jacket and stabbed me through the heart." (On a personal note I would like to add that I didn't know this backgroud mentioned above upon first hearing. The impact of this composition wasn't diminished by my ignorance.)
"Sara Dolce Tacere" by Nono was - to my knowledge - released for the first time on a Wergo 7" sometime during the 1960s.
Xenakis' "Anemoessa" has been recorded and released - a.f.a.i.k. - only once on a commercial recording.
At least "Calmo" and "Composition No.3" have been and still are available in various interpretations.
1. Luigi Nono - Sara Dolce Tacere (1960) 7:20
John Alldis Choir conducted by John Alldis
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2. Luciano Berio - Calmo ('A Bruno, In Memoriam') (1973) 4:14
Cathy Berberian, soprano
Luciano Berio, conductor
Members of The Rotterdam Philharmonic Orchestra
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3. Galina Ustvolskaya - Composition No.3 "Benedictus Qui Venit" For Four Flutes, Four Bassons And Piano (1975) 6:50
Heinz Friesen, conductor
Amsterdam Wind Orchestra
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4. Iannis Xenakis - Anemoessa (1979) 13:06
Ricardo Dufallo, conductor
Groot Omroepkoor (The Netherlands Radio Choir)
Radio Filharmonisch Orkest
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5. Claude Vivier - Glaubst Du An Die Unsterblichkeit Der Seele (1983) 8:25
Irene Maessen, Susan Narucki, Tannie Willemstijn, soprano
Nine Van Strien, Yvonne Benschop, mezzo-soprano
Bruce Sellars, Marcel Beekman, Peter Hall, tenor
Helena Rasker, contra-alto
David Barick, James Ottaway, baritone
Harry Van Der Kamp, bass
Johan Leijsen, speaking voice
Reinbert De Leeuw, conductor
Asko Ensemble & Schönberg Ensemble
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6. Gérard Grisey - L'icône paradoxale (Hommage à Piero della Francesca), for 2 female voices and 2 orchestral groups (1992–94) 24:41
Catherine Dubosc, soprano
Lani Poulson, mezzo-soprano
Sylvain Cambreling, conductor
SWR Sinfonieorchester Baden-Baden Und Freiburg
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Recorded...
Track 1: Waalse Kerk Amsterdam, 06/06/1979
Track 2: De Doelen Rotterdam, 28/06/1974
Track 3: Paradiso Amsterdam, 17/06/1989
Track 4: Concertgebouw Amsterdam, 16/06/1979
Track 5: Beurs van Berlage, 03/06/1995
Track 6: 30.11.-2.12.1999 Konzerthaus Freiburg, SWR
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