643. Ruth Crawford Seeger

April 12, 2025 ~ ernopepper ~ Leave a comment

(April 2025) Episode 643 is RUTH CRAWFORD SEEGER, following the recent episode on her stepson, Pete Seeger. Composing in the 1920s-30s, she and her colleagues became known as “ultramodernist,” heavy on dissonance. When the Seeger family moved to Washinton DC to work with the Library of Congress on folk collections, she published her “American Folk Songs for Children” which became widely used. Her oeuvre is not large, but it is rather interesting.

Favorite piece: Suite for Wind Quintet

Favorite vocal piece: Three Chants

Compared to expectations: same

Recommendation: Start with her String Quartet (1931), her most famous work.

633. Elliott Carter

February 8, 2025 ~ ernopepper ~ Leave a comment

(February 2025) Episode 633 is ELLIOTT CARTER, one of the most notable American composers of the late 20^th century. His early works are neoclassical but evolved to modern and “ultra-modern” styles, and he became known for his rhythmic complexity. He used conventional formats and did not go experimental (such as to electronic or mixed media), but it is still challenging to the ear. I really like his stuff. His legacy is enhanced by his longevity; he composed some 20 pieces after he turned 100 years of age. It’s a shame he is not better known compared with other American composers (looking at you Gershwin).

Favorite piece: Symphonia: sum fluxae pretium spei

Favorite chamber piece: String Quartet No. 3

Compared to expectations: ↑

Recommendation: Try my favorite pieces and if you like, move into the symphonies, concertante and chamber pieces.

Composer Elliott Carter at the piano in 1989.

290. Alban Berg

October 14, 2020 ~ ernopepper ~ Leave a comment

(October 2020) Episode 290 is ALBAN BERG. He is one of the important composers of one of my favorite periods (early 20th Century modernism/avant-garde), although his body of work is not large. His compositions tend to have a more Romantic aesthetic than others of the time, such as his mentor Schoenberg.

Favorite piece: Violin Concerto

Favorite piano piece: Piano Sonata

Compared to expectations: same

284. Charles Ives

September 17, 2020 ~ ernopepper ~ Leave a comment

(September 2020) Episode 284 is CHARLES IVES. Working as an insurance executive by day freed him to compose whatever he wanted by night, creating stunning modernist works which did not receive performance and recognition until late in his life. The early stuff is fairly conventional and there’s a lot of the vernacular (songs, marches, etc.), but his bold, experimental works make him one of my favorite American composers.

Favorite piece: Symphony #4

Best short piece: The Unanswered Question

Probably would be my favorite if it had been finished: Universe Symphony

Favorite chamber piece: String Quartet #2

Favorite piano piece: Piano Sonata #2

Compared to expectations: same

269. Sergei Prokofiev

June 18, 2020July 3, 2020 ~ ernopepper ~ Leave a comment

(June 2020) Episode 269 is SERGEI PROKOFIEV. Boy do I love 20th Century Russian composers. He was one of the big trio of Soviet composers (with Shostakovich and Khachaturian) whose output was shaped (or crimped) by political constraints. Yet he composed masterpieces in a broad range of forms: symphonies, operas, ballets, concertos, sonatas, songs. I’m particularly fond of his early (Stravinsky-ish) modernist compositions. Most know him as the ‘Peter and the Wolf’ guy.

Favorite piece: Symphony #5

Favorite chamber piece: Cello concerto in E minor

Favorite ballet: Romeo and Juliet

Favorite opera: The Fiery Angel

Favorite solo piece: Piano sonata #6

Compared to expectations: same

Sergei_Prokofiev_circa_1918_over_Chair_Bain

241. Aaron Copland

December 5, 2019April 16, 2020 ~ ernopepper ~ Leave a comment

(December 2019) Episode 241 is AARON COPLAND. I admit my first exposure was through Emerson, Lake & palmer. He is deservedly dubbed the “Dean of American Composers” for incorporating American themes and landscapes in his compositions. I like those, but I prefer his more abstract, modernist works.

Favorite work: Symphony #3

Favorite short piece: Fanfare for the Common Man

Favorite chamber piece: Quartet for Strings

Favorite ballet: Appalachian Spring

Compared to expectations: same

aaron copland

38. Igor Stravinsky

January 5, 2019February 14, 2020 ~ ernopepper ~ Leave a comment

(September 2014) I have completed phase 38 of my “opus project” in which I listen to the complete works of an artist. This episode: IGOR STRAVINSKY. I went into this as a casual fan, and came out a huge admirer. Almost every piece has something interesting or unexpected. Very rich.