| Milton
Babbitt's piano works performed by Marilyn Nonken
In
1999, Milton Babbitt completed "Allegro Penseroso," a piano work commissioned
by Marilyn Nonken. She has since recorded the work on her CD "American
Spiritual" (New World Records, formerly CRI 877). On 16 October 2003
Ms. Nonken will perform the piece, along with "Partitions" and "Post-Partitions"
as part of IRCAM's Resonances festival and take part in a roundtable discussion
of Babbitt's music with leading scholars. On 23 April 2004 Ms. Nonken will
perform "Allegro Penseroso," along with several chamber works by Babbitt
with Ensemble 21 in New York City's Miller Theatre.
Of
"Allegro Penseroso," Ms. Nonken writes,
The title Allegro
Penseroso links it with John Milton's poems "L'Allegro" (The cheerful man)
and "Il Penseroso" (The pensive man), and the piece moves seamlessly between
moments of melancholy and mirth. As Milton's poetry is rich with images
and reference, Babbitt's music is full of contrasts, presenting the listener
with a Bosch-like world of attractions and distractions. The final pages
of the score, completed July 18, 1999, arrived in the mail with the note:
"Herewith two copies of the remainder of your marriage present. May you
wear them both (the piece and the marriage) in good health." Milton
Babbitt (b.
1916), one of America's most important musicians, has contributed significantly
to the disciplines of composition, pedagogy, and music theory. A member
of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences, Babbitt is the recipient
of a Pulitzer Prize Special Citation, the William Schuman Award, and a
MacArthur Fellowship. Professor Emeritus at Princeton University, he has
taught at Harvard University and the Juilliard School. While maintaining
a prolific creative output, Babbitt remains a dedicated supporter of recent
music and is tireless in his efforts to promote contemporary composition.
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