Day 300
Milton Babbitt: String quartet no 2
Unknown performer
Milton Babbitt is one of those rather formidable academic American serialists who seem to have dominated music in the US in the late 20th century. I can’t recall ever having heard any of his music before.
I had expected to find this completely unapproachable but in fact I did find quite a lot to appreciate here. The style is largely post-Webern but it had a rhythmic vitality that I don’t associate with that composer. Babbitt ability to create a dialogue based on a two note phrase brings an energy to the quartet. Unexpectedly I was occasional reminded of Tippett in a couple of places. So I was pleased to have sampled this music though I don’t suppose I will be returning to it any time soon.
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