This "Tristan chord" already had its roots in compositions by composers like Mozart, Gesualdo, etc. What made it "new" was the way in which this chord took a new place within a tonal structure. The chord came on the foreground on its own, its function became less significant than its sound so to speak. Maybe we can listen to tonal music in modern compositions with this context in mind, instead of directly dismiss it as 'traditional' or 'a step back'.
I wish I understood music theory well enough to know what the fuck this meant but really enjoying Thomas's work so far regardless. Very different stuff.
@Industriebrot This MUSIC is far beyond NEW, its what NEW will be in a hundred years! Its as evocative as volcanoes in Iceland, and as Romantic as Henry the 8th!
It's shame that some people think modern music, despite the fact that this term alone is already too generalized, is and has to be or dissonant, or serial, or atonal and so on. The fact that Adès, especially is his 'later' music, turns to tonal writing, seems to me the indication that for him in a particular way that is the obvious means to express himself. People have to remind themselves that what seems new and modern is not always new. Look at the famous "Tristan chord" of Wagner.
Any other drummers end up here after trying to research time ? He uses 2/6, 9/14 and 5/24, if anyone has any ideas what that means let me know :p Great piece of music
Same as mystabyers, but I would like to add that so far as I know, the speed with which you play the Irrational Time Signatures depends on the previous measures. Hope that helps:) :P
Daniel Powers is rather underrated, IMO. Yet then again, so am I. Composers aren't all hot shot happy go lucky kinda people, we write music usually because we can't deal with the stresses of everyday life, I mean for me at least, simple things seem to bother me more than most. Not much more one can do other than buck up, I suppose.
@saxodarap sound, beauty, inventiveness of writing, emotion, maybe rhythmic power are the hallmarks of great music today. this, i feel, is a true work of art, and if you dont agree, thats fine. but trying to convince someone who likes the piece for these hallmarks not to like it is impossible and a waste of time and energy.
Dès les premières notes, Ades me fait jouir!... Allez savoir pourquoi! Une sorte de reconnaissance immédiate de sa signature olfactive, un accord génétique!
this has a very dark and almost insane quality to it, not only from all the seemingly random tonal plucking but the outrageously spacey timing of the parts. I can see how it would be offsetting to someone who is used to traditional 4/4 music.
@standingoneawall the denominator just indicates the unit that the measure is counted. Any x/y time signature can be defined as "x yth notes in a bar, with yth note (unit) as 1/y time of a semibreve
Based on what I've heard by Adès (including In Seven Days, Tevot and the Tempest) I feel he is way overhyped. Sure the guy has huge talent (as both a composer and a performer) but IMHO it is quite exaggerated to hail him as the Mozartian genius the critics want to make us believe he is.
@jakobandfriends Props to you if you like it. Recommend me some more music. I want to make a picture of your musical taste. No hostility, just curiosity. Thanks.
How the hell can you compare him to any of those composers? It is far too soon to compare him to any of those guys, who have stood the test of time. Adès is just a young guy. Give him some time. He is a great composer, though.
I recind my negative statements. Not because of a change of heart but because i was too eager to jump on a negativity bandwagon that's marching through the net. I don't want to reinforce any negative stereotypes that damage the already bad reputation of lovers of contemporary art music.
The opening indeed reminds me of Ligeti's trio for violin, horn and piano due to quite separated patterns every instrument plays - like several compositions at the same time - however, compared to Ligeti, there is a lot of "copy-paste" moments in this part which Ligeti would never use.
@riggyriiah Um. You don't listen to much new music do you? This uses harmonic ideas that were established more than 100 years ago. It's NOT THAT EXPERIMENTAL. Get with the program. This is downright conventional compared to the stuff Ligeti, Cage, Stockhausen et al were doing in the 1960s and 70s.
@jakobandfriends No, quite the opposite. This music is old hat, dated, obsolete, trite. The 20th century's been over for a while now, and the composers who are doing something new and original are no longer falling over themselves to see how dissonant and incoherent they can write. 30 seconds after this video ends, will you be able to hum or otherwise recall anything they played? Other than BOINK, screeeeech, wheeze, PLUCK, &c?
What is the hallmark of good music in a period where harmonic, melodic and structural integrity are challenged and often abhorred? Efficacy perhaps? But this music is neither memorable nor effective. So what argument can all the Ades fans throw my way to defend its absurdly overrated existence?
Ugh...purposeless, directionless, random, cacophonous. Jars my nerves to listen to this. Makes me cringe and wince. Like nails on a chalkboard. The opposite of what music should be and do.
