Most Underrated, Forgotten, and Neglected Masterpieces
Mon, Nov 21 2011, 4:00AM
I am always on the lookout for some unknown but extraordinary music. I decided to post this topic in hopes of seeing what the others might mention. Knowledge is meant for sharing and if you know of any obscure gems, now is the time to share it.
Here’s my list:
1. György Ligeti: Double Concerto for Flute and Oboe (1972) [‘Clear or Cloudy: Complete Recordings on Deutsche Grammophon’ / Claudio Abbado / Chamber Orchestra of Europe / Deutsche Grammophon / 00289 477 6443]
2. Witold Lutosławski: Symphony No. 3 (1983) [‘Lutoslawski: Symphonies 3 & 4’ / Esa-Pekka Salonen / Los Angeles Philharmonic Orchestra / Sony / 66280]
I’m not sure if this work is underrated, but I’m mentioning it anyways.
3. Dmitri Shostakovich: Symphony No. 15 in A Major (1971) [‘Shostakovich: Symphony No. 15; Sonata No. 2’ / Eugene Ormandy / The Philadelphia Orchestra / BMG Classics / 09026-63587-2]
Probably not his most underrated work, but I still think it deserves greater recognition.
4. Osvaldas Balakauskas: Ostrobothnian Symphony (1989) [‘Stimmen and Other Baltic Works for String Orchestra Vol. 1’ / Juha Kangas / Ostrobothnian Chamber Orchestra / Finlandia / 4059-97892-2]
5. Ljubica Marić: Byzantine Concerto (1959) [‘Ljubica Marić: Songs of Space; Byzantine Concerto; Threshold of Dream; Ostinato super Thema Octoïcha’ / 1964 performance / Oskar Danon / Olga Jovanovic with Belgrade Philharmonic Orchestra / Chandos / 10267]
6. Meredith Monk: Dolmen Music (1979) [‘Dolmen Music’ / Paul Langland, Julius Eastman, Robert Een, Monica Solem, Andrea Goodman, Meredith Monk, Julius Eastman, Robert Een / ECM / 825459]
7. Claude Debussy: En Blanc et Noir (1915) [‘Debussy: The Complete Music for Two Pianos’ / Stephen Coombs & Christopher Scott / Hyperion UK / 55014]
This work easily joins the ranks of his Images, Etudes, and Preludes as some of the finest piano music around. It’s a pity that so few people have heard of it.
Mon, Nov 21 2011, 10:19PM
#2
RE: Most Underrated, Forgotten, and Neglected Masterpieces
I think you put to many thinks in one basket. We need three separate threads for the "underrated", "forgotten" and "neglected" masterpieces.
So, for me it's an impossible and futile task. I have to write a thesis on the different categories and combinations (underrated and forgotten, underrated and neglected and so on). Much worse we have to make sure we always talking about "Masterpieces", which is not such a frequent thing in any artform. For example, out of the 7 works you mention, only Shostakovich's 15th is an undiputed masterwork. Debussy's En Blanc et Noir is a very fine piece of music.
On the other hand, Shostakovich's 15th is none of the above: underrated, forgotten or neglected. The same applies to Debussy's piece.
If you wish a great work of music, which is somehow a bit of all three, try the Piano Quartet No.1 in g minor of Mozart. A true masterpiece!
Parla
Mon, Nov 21 2011, 10:31PM
#3
RE: Most Underrated, Forgotten, and Neglected Masterpieces
Oh come on Parla, "underrated", "forgotten" and "neglected" are all sides of the same coin (more or less) and you know it. It takes you 4 paragraphs of grumbling about the "impossible and futile task" before you finally sneak out your Mozart suggestion, which we all know you had in mind all along.
Mon, Nov 21 2011, 10:31PM
#4
RE: Most Underrated, Forgotten, and Neglected Masterpieces
I can think of a lot more works that should be forgotten and neglected.
Mon, Nov 21 2011, 10:42PM
#5
RE: Most Underrated, Forgotten, and Neglected Masterpieces
Busoni - Piano Concerto. I really do feel Busoni is very underrated as a composer, if only because so much of his piano music is quietly gathering dust. The Piano Concerto is a huge, strange work of brilliance and silliness, but if you allow it to grow on you it is also great fun.
Liszt - Bagatelle without tonality. The title says it all; Liszt deserves more credit than he will ever be given. Easy to call him second rate - but how many second rate composers left this much first rate music?
Martinu - Field Mass. With limited forces a work of great beauty. But you could add almost anything but Martinu to the list. He just needs a good advocate.
Hindemith - Kammermusik. Another composer who has suffered probably because he was prolific, and we usually don't like that. But these works are really wonderful.
Tue, Nov 22 2011, 5:15AM
#6
RE: Most Underrated, Forgotten, and Neglected Masterpieces
Parla "I think you put to many thinks in one basket. We need three separate threads for the "underrated", "forgotten" and "neglected" masterpieces."
I honestly didn’t see how all these slightly different categories would necessitate separate forum topics.
Parla “So, for me it's an impossible and futile task. I have to write a thesis on the different categories and combinations (underrated and forgotten, underrated and neglected and so on).”
It can be a work that was once famous and then faded into obscurity over the years - do to the neglect of society. It can be a work that was never noticed to begin with. It can even be a popular work that is relatively disregarded by critics and that you feel it ought to be re-examined (Orff’s Carmina Burana). For crying out loud, it doesn't need to be a combination of all of these things.
Parla “Much worse we have to make sure we always talking about "Masterpieces", which is not such a frequent thing in any artform. For example, out of the 7 works you mention, only Shostakovich's 15th is an undiputed masterwork. Debussy's En Blanc et Noir is a very fine piece of music.”
As you mention the word "Masterpieces", you assume that I meant a work that has received a good amount of critical acclaim from the classical establishment. No, I simply meant a work that is extraordinary in your opinion and that you feel more people ought to take a closer look at. That’s it. I am not asking you to go in front of panel of classical critics and get their stamped approval of a certain work to be certified as a “masterpiece”. This is the whole point of this topic – that the work is underrated to you and that the establishment has not noticed it yet.
Parla “On the other hand, Shostakovich's 15th is none of the above: underrated, forgotten or neglected. The same applies to Debussy's piece.”
I have never known those works to be that popular. Perhaps I’m just not piped into the classical music society enough to realize what’s popular and what isn’t.
Parla “If you wish a great work of music, which is somehow a bit of all three, try the Piano Quartet No.1 in g minor of Mozart. A true masterpiece!”
Awe, see, that wasn’t so hard, was it Parla?!
Tue, Nov 22 2011, 12:24PM
#7
RE: Most Underrated, Forgotten, and Neglected Masterpieces
Thank you very much for your detailed reply, fw. From your analytical reply, you may realize that, at least to address the matter, you have to deal with it in a more focused way.
The three categories are not slightly different, but simply different. In quite a few cases, we may found works who may fall in all three categories, but there are plenty who might be simply one or a combination of the two. If we consider that we have an amazing number of composers throughout the ages of Classical Music and each one of them has normally some hundreds, in some cases thousands of works, then, you may comprehend the need of a "thesis".
To state some cases: Mozart's "Eine kleine Nachtmusic" is somehow underrated, but never forgotten or neglected.
Rossini's "Semiramide" is mostly neglected (it's a difficult work to be performed, anyway), but not the case of the other two, while Vivaldi's "Teuzzone" is only forgotten (now a new recording with Savall is expected, but is it going to revive the work?).
For me, it would be quite interesting if we could have different threads on specific subjects, but, anyway, it's your thread. Good "hunting".
Parla
P.S. : The Mozart piece I chose was a bit hard, because I had to find a true and sure masterpiece (this word is neither for the classical establishment nor for the individual to say; if it's there, it shines!) which can cover all three categories. Of course, examining the huge amount of works of Mozart, where the masterpieces are in abundance, we may trace quite a few of them. One that comes in my mind right now is the Adagio for Piano in b minor.
Tue, Nov 22 2011, 2:48PM
#8
RE: Most Underrated, Forgotten, and Neglected Masterpieces
...some day I am going to ask a gifted recording technician to splice Serkin's piano playing (say for Bernstein) into Klemperer's otherwise great recording of the Choral Fantasia.
Tue, Nov 22 2011, 3:48PM
#9
RE: Most Underrated, Forgotten, and Neglected Masterpieces
Havergal Brian's 10th Symphony. Not quite "forgotten" now; after decades of waiting, at last there is a new recording available. Gripping, and full of breathtaking vistas of orchestral sound.
Lekeu's Adagio pour quatuor d'orchestre. If you like Verklarte Nacht, you'll probably like this.
Othmar Schoeck's "Sommernacht" - ditto!
Harold Truscott's Elegy for string orchestra - combines the English string orchestra tradition with the continental.
Lilburn's song cycle "Sings Harry" - a little jewel, lasting 10 minutes.
Thu, Nov 24 2011, 7:45PM
#10
RE: Most Underrated, Forgotten, and Neglected Masterpieces
Thanks to everyone who contributed to this thread!
Some more masterpieces:
György Ligeti: Both his Piano Concerto (1988) and his Violin Concerto (1993) made me say “Holy Sh***t!” as I was listening to them. Those that are familiar with his Atmosphères are in for a real surprise here. Ligeti must have undergone a major transformation during the 80’s & 90’s because these concertos go WAY beyond his compositions from the 60’s & 70’s. Very underrated.
Terry Riley: A Rainbow in Curved Air (1968) Just like Glenn Branca, Riley seems to be more popular with the rock audience than with the classical audience. (IDK, I may be wrong here.)
Klaus Schulze: Irrlicht (1972) An electronically composed, minimalist symphony. One of the most extraordinary works of the 70’s. Check it out.
Thu, Nov 24 2011, 10:57PM
#11
RE: Most Underrated, Forgotten, and Neglected Masterpieces
I see, fw, your "masterpieces" cannot go even in the late 19th century and most of them belong to the very edge of the classical establishment (particularly the ones in your last post, which they can hardly qualify, except for Ligeti, who, however is on the very margin of the matter).
I guess if I mention the name Pleyel, it won't mean much to you. However, both the father (Ignaz) and the son (Camille) were "underrated", "neglected" but, fortunately, not forgotten composers of true genius. Their works lie in the territory of what can be qualified as a musical masterpiece. And there are quite a few works in the catalogue to explore.
Parla
Fri, Nov 25 2011, 12:47AM
#12
RE: Most Underrated, Forgotten, and Neglected Masterpieces
Thanks to everyone who contributed to this thread!
Some more masterpieces:
György Ligeti: Both his Piano Concerto (1988) and his Violin Concerto (1993) made me say “Holy Sh***t!” as I was listening to them. Those that are familiar with his Atmosphères are in for a real surprise here. Ligeti must have undergone a major transformation during the 80’s & 90’s because these concertos go WAY beyond his compositions from the 60’s & 70’s. Very underrated.
Frostwalrus,
I wholeheartedly agree with you regarding Ligeti's concertos. I remember getting the Boulez/DG album (including the cello concerto) when it first came out and just being stunned by the piano part and the playing of Aimard. I then started listening to the sets produced by Sony with Salonen etc. The Etudes are another miracle and should be played far more in concert.
I like the works from the 60s and 70s for different reasons. While I am still trying to come to understand the libretto 'Le Grand Macarbre' fun and wild - with a lovely qwerky nod to Monteverdi thrown in.
Of all the composers of his generation I have a sneaking suspicion that Ligeti will stand the test of time the most. The music is accessible (if you know Bartok well this music is an easy step) and there are ideas at play, plus an understated sense of whit.
Fri, Nov 25 2011, 8:39AM
#13
RE: Most Underrated, Forgotten, and Neglected Masterpieces
Parla “(particularly the ones in your last post, which they can hardly qualify, except for Ligeti, who, however is on the very margin of the matter).”
Parla, Parla, Parla. You're taking this forum topic a little too seriously. This was a sort of 'for fun' type of thing. There are no strict rules that everyone must abide to. And if someone accidently mentions a famous work on this thread, I wouldn’t see any real reason of making a point of it. To me, such a mistake is too insignificant to be even worth addressing. So loosen up, will ya!
I know very well that Terry Riley and Klaus Schulze aren’t underrated. I mentioned composers such as these because, as you mentioned, they are on outskirts of classical establishment. Everybody around here is usually talking about composers like VW & Sibelius. So I thought I’d bring Riley to their attention. Also, Schulze is considered more of an electronic composer than a classical composer, but I thought his Irrlicht was worth mentioning because, structurally, it has more in common with modern classical music than it does with the electronica we’re familiar with.
Parla “I see, fw, your "masterpieces" cannot go even in the late 19th century and most of them belong to the very edge of the classical establishment..”
Not true. The fact that I keep mentioning modern music is merely a coincidence. I just happen to spend more time with modern music. That’s all. Franz Schubert is actually one of my favorite composers. So there are no restrictions here – any time period and any composer is allowed.
Parla “I guess if I mention the name Pleyel, it won't mean much to you.”
I advise you to be careful here because we all know what happens when a person assumes something.
Fri, Nov 25 2011, 8:02AM
#14
RE: Most Underrated, Forgotten, and Neglected Masterpieces
Naupilus,
You should also check out his Chamber Concerto, if you haven’t already. I just listened to it today; it’s a striking work to say the least!
Fri, Nov 25 2011, 11:21AM
#15
RE: Most Underrated, Forgotten, and Neglected Masterpieces
I think Prokofiev is the most underated composer of the 20th century.
A couple that spring to mind:
Honegger's 1st Symphony - always seems to be in the shade of the 2nd and 3rd but whenever I put it on I remember just how compelling it is, and memorable. And the opening grabs you by the scruff of the neck - pure machine-age stuff!
Gerhard - Piano Concerto. Funky fifties serialism (mercifully for string orchestra avoiding the brass writing that ruined so much post-war serial music, some of Gerhard's included) with a truly spaced-out slow movement. (Harpsichord Concerto also very fine)
Beethoven's Choral Fantasia. Annoyingly I had the version with Barenboim and Klemperer burgled, but the way the finale builds up I am surprised it isn't performed more frequently - for example when they are performing the 9th.