Barraque: Complete Works (Oeuvres Completes) [Box set]

Jean Barraque (Composer), Sylvain Cambreling (Conductor), Jürg Wyttenbach (Conductor), Peter Rundel (Conductor), Klangforum Wien (Performer), Vokalensemble NOVA Wien (Performer), Rosemary Hardy (Performer), Florian Müller (Performer), Stefan Litwin (Performer), Christina Ascher (Performer) | Format: Audio CD

Product Details

• Performer: Klangforum Wien, Vokalensemble NOVA Wien, Rosemary Hardy, Florian Müller, Stefan Litwin, et al.
• Conductor: Sylvain Cambreling, Jürg Wyttenbach, Peter Rundel
• Composer: Jean Barraque
• Audio CD (May 26, 1998)
• Number of Discs: 3
• Format: Box set
• Note on Boxed Sets: During shipping, discs in boxed sets occasionally become dislodged without damage. Please examine and play these discs. If you are not completely satisfied, we'll refund or replace your purchase.
• Label: Cpo Records
• ASIN: B000007N84
• Average Customer Review: 4.7 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (6 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #281,184 in Music (See Top 100 in Music)

Track Listings

Disc: 1

1. Con - Ernesto Molinari/Charlie Fischer

2. Le Temps Restitue: La Loi Et Le Temps - Rosemary Hardy

3. Le Temps Restitue: Symbole De Nuit - Rosemary Hardy

4. Le Temps Restitue: Portail De La Terreur - Rosemary Hardy

5. Le Temps Restitue: ...L'inachevement Sans Cesse - Rosemary Hardy

6. Le Temps Restitue: Car Ne N'est Que Par L'erreur - Rosemary Hardy

Disc: 2

1. ...Au Dela Du Hasard: La Nuit Sans Rayons

2. ...Au Dela Du Hasard: Incapables..

3. ...Au Dela Du Hasard: Quelles Marques...

4. ...Au Dela Du Hasard: La Demesure...

5. ...Au Dela Du Hasard: Dans La Multitude...

6. ...Au Dela Du Hasard: Instr 1

See all 15 tracks on this disc

Disc: 3

1. Sequence - Rosemary Hardy/Klangforum Wien/Jurg Wyttenbach

2. Son: Premiere Partie - Stefan Litwin

3. Son: Deuxieme Partie - Stefan Litwin

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

8 of 8 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars great music from a neglected modern master, July 19, 2001

By 

Ian K. Hughes (San Mateo, CA) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)    (REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Barraque: Complete Works (Oeuvres Completes) (Audio CD)

Jean Barraque, a pupil of Messiaen, was overshadowed by his famous contemporary Pierre Boulez during his brief life ( 1928-1973 ) and has remained an "underground" figure in the years since his death. The reasons for his obscurity in the musical world have been attributed by some writers to his reclusive nature, battles with alcoholism and a disastrous, short-lived relationship with a famous philosopher. Of course, those not kindly disposed to "dissonant" modern music ( whether "serial" or not ) will most likely point out his music is not well known because it is just plain bad ( I obviously beg to differ ).

I would urge those listeners who have a love ( or respect ) for music composed by earlier 20th century musicians like Bartok & Berg to listen to a few samples of this 3 CD set ( performed by the Klangforum Wien ) of Jean Barraque's complete works. There is a density and compellingly dramatic propulsion to his works ( composed from 1952-1968 ), all ( but one ) large pieces which display a grandeur foreign to most of his contemporaries in the European avant-garde. For all of the unquestionably modern "devices" Barraque employs in his works, one feels a sense of continuity with the "classical" tradition ( IE, if one includes, as I do, Schoenberg and Bartok in that line ); a continuity not present ( for better or worse ) to the same degree in works of the same era by Stockhausen and others.

Barraque's music has often been compared to early Boulez ( timbres, explosiveness, and form ). His teacher Messiaen perhaps had an influence on the vast scale of his compositions. I for one, hear many similarities between Barraque and Elliott Carter in their use of intervals. But stylistically, music critic Paul Griffiths has hit the nail on the head regarding the close aesthetic correlation between Barraque and Luigi Nono. Both composers unite a love for tradition with an urge for innovation. Both display to the highest degree the ability to make abstract music cohere in a gripping and dramatic way ( however, nothing suggests that Barraque was particularly allied with revolutionary political movements ). Barraque and Nono ( particularly in his last works ) searched with the utmost artistic "seriousness" for meaning in what was, for them, "the void". And, whether it's relevant or not, I'm fairly sure Nono himself thought highly of his French contemporary and wrote some laudatory comments about him.

Barraque's two large scale instrumental works "bookend" his short oeuvre. The "Piano Sonata" of 1952 is often compared to Pierre Boulez' 2nd Sonata but is really a unique creation and for me a far more dramatically effective piece. His valedictory "Concerto" from 1968 is one of the great works from the second half of the 20th century, on the level of Carter's "Double Concerto", Ligeti's "Lontano" and Lutoslawski's "Symphony #3". Barraque's "Concerto", a piece vibrantly alive in an almost organic way, builds through steady contrasts ( masterful orchestration and deployment of tension and release ) on a journey alternately despairing and joyful, toward a conclusion which I can only term a "mystery".

Though he composed brilliantly in purely instrumental works, most of Barraque's effort went into a project ( unfinished ) setting music to Hermann Broch's novel "The Death of Virgil". Some of these works are easier to "crack" than others. "Le Temps Restitue" for instance, seems to me to have some connection to Webern's cantatas. Perhaps others hearing this ( tenuous? ) link would find "Le Temps Restitue" easier to manage than other vocal works by Barraque.

As far as the performances ( recorded c. 1996 ), the Klangforum Wien are superior to my ears to the older recording of the "Concerto" and "Le Temps Restitue" by the Ensemble 2e2m (conducted by Paul Mefano ). However, the latter recording, being a single CD, does have the virtue of being less costly for those who are cautious about plunking down a larger amount for the complete set (the 2e2m performances are by no means poor, just less refined than the Klangforum Wien ). I would provide a note of caution regarding the CPO recording of the Piano Sonata, played by Stefan Litwin. Poor Mr. Litwin has received a lot of flack for his extraordinarily extended ( 55 minute ) performance, the sluggishness of which was not helped by his lack of color and drama. I would recommend either Herbert Henck or Pi-Hsien Chen on their vastly superior recordings ( trimmed down to some 45 minutes and played with passion and flair ).

6 of 6 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Important survey of a neglected modern master, December 9, 1998

By A Customer

This review is from: Barraque: Complete Works (Oeuvres Completes) (Audio CD)

Jean Barraque (1928-1973 ) completed only seven works in a relatively brief period spanning 1950-1968. This excellent recording contains all seven pieces. A student of Messiaen, he embarked on his career as part of the post-war avant garde ( Boulez,Stockhausen,Berio, et al ). While following some of the dictates of "serial" composition, Barraque seems to me to have possessed a unique gift for creating a sustained drama ( 4 of his pieces are over 35 minutes long ) out of complex materials. I recommend this recording to anyone who enjoys Carter, Lutoslawski, or Messiaen. In fact, you might find it interesting to compare some of the following Barraque pieces with those of his contemporary, Pierre Boulez. Barraque's PIANO SONATA with Boulez' 2ND PIANO SONATA / Barraque's SEQUENCE with Boulez' LE MARTEAU SANS MAITRE / Barraque's AU DELA DU HASARD with Boulez' PLI SELON PLI / Barraque's CONCERTO with Boulez' DOMAINES. While there are similarities, especially in terms of their refined use of timbre in orchestration (developing the innovations Debussy and Webern made), I would say that Barraque presents a more forceful sense of drama than the more (purposefully) elusive Boulez. The CONCERTO ( the first piece on the recording ) is the perfect place to start if you've never heard Barraque. I've listened to this piece (on a different recording) for a number of years and I'm still enchanted; it holds its own against the best works of Carter, Lutoslawski, Messiaen and Boulez.

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Would be 5 stars with a better Piano Sonata, October 11, 1999

By A Customer

This review is from: Barraque: Complete Works (Oeuvres Completes) (Audio CD)

I strongly recommend this set, and agree with the previous two posters. But the performance of the "Piano Sonata" is curiously slow and lifeless. I had to supplement this box with another recording of the Sonata (P-h Chen, the only other performer I've heard, is much better).