Nicodé's "The Sea" first complete recording by klassik-resampled

[fahl5]

I just completed the (afaik) very first recording of the large symphonic Ode by J.L.Nicodé:

"The Sea" (1888)

It is incredible music at least prefiguring if not in some aspects even surpassing what we know Mahler has composed in the following Years.

It would be intresting to know what Mahler in his Leipzig Years beside Nikisch (1886-1888) might have heard from this piece, which was published 1888 and planned to premier 1888 (which was postponed in regard to the high demands to all involved musicians to 1889) in Leipzig.

As you already might know my digital reconstruction is based on samplelibraries.

Take some time to listen, each of the seven movements deserve it while alltogether the whole symphonic ode will take 50 min (like Mahlers first Symphony).

I hope you will like it.

best Steffen

[Mark Thomas]

Thanks for this Steffan. What a great and welcome surprise. Can't wait to hear it.

[jerfilm]

Very, very nice, Steffan.  Thanks so much for this treat.

Jerry

[gweefry]

A fascinating composition, well worth hearing.  What a remarkable realisation - the opportunity to get a real flavour of the piece.

Many thanks indeed!

Steve

[Mark Thomas]

Absolutely, a major achievement. From a technical point of view, I am very surprised at how effective the vocal lines are handled; one gets quite a clear idea of how the even the sections of the work involving soloists will sound. As for the music itself, it's a big, complex and varied work, which I think deserves several more listens before I can offer a worthwhile opinion.

[Alan Howe]

What's the idiom of the piece?

[fahl5]

What's the idiom of the piece?

If you ask for the Language of the Text? I was oriented at the german Text when i shaped the syllabic character of the vocal parts, meanwhile the choirs as the soloists are made with samplelibraries with english (the soloists english and japanese) "native tounge" what means I had to look for the most likely available syllabels for the german text. At least I am german native speaker what perhaps might have helped a bit to chose the demanded Syllabels. One could suggest that it would have been in this respect easier if I had chosen the english translation, but I still think, Nicodé would have composed the music with the sound of german vowel in his musical imagination.

Still I hope one might hear at least a bit, what a great music Nicodé composed.
Let me thank all of you for your very friendly and encouraging reactions.
best
Steffen

[Alan Howe]

Sorry not to have been clearer. I meant the musical idiom.

[Mark Thomas]

The musical idiom, Alan, is similar to Nicodé orchestral works which we already know: early late-romantic (if you see what I mean) and for large orchestra but with, of course, the addition of an organ in places and with vocal soloists and a large choir in some of the movements. There's nothing short-winded about any of the movements, even the briefer ones, and I have been reminded more than once of Bruckner's long spans in the listen-and-a-half that I've given it so far. Melodically, I'd say that it wasn't that distinctive, but there's an undeniable grandeur to the work it seems to me.

[Alan Howe]

My first reaction is that there's an awful lot of noise to not much effect. Certainly there's very little melody in evidence - unlike, say, Nicodé's rather lovely Cello Sonata. I'm reminded somewhat of the more ambitious works of a composer like Bungert. In both cases I wonder whether their ambition outstripped their talent. Still, I've been wrong before (many times), so there's more listening to do.

[semloh]

It's good to have the opportunity to listen to this, and I think Steffen has done a remarkable job.

I must say that I agree with Mark's assessment: it is certainly 'long-breathed', and at times recalls Bruckner. I wonder if the lack of obvious melody might be accentuated by the format. In any case, like you Alan, I need to give it some more careful listening.

[Mark Thomas]

I wonder if the lack of obvious melody might be accentuated by the format

Yes, I had the same thought, but in any event it's a work which needs to be digested slowly.

[fahl5]

OK I admit I am probably "a bit" biassed.
I might also admit, that Nicode is perhaps not really the composer of haunting melodies. But is this the only thing, we would look at judging for instance Ravel or Debussy? (I still think some of Nicodés harmonic and tonal Ideas are quite in line of the Developpment from Liszt to Debussys musical painting. At least I cant find anything really just imitative unoriginal in his harmonic.)

To me Nicodé seems in really many important aspects to be a as courageous as skillful (Pupil of Fr. Kiel) composer who not only tries to conceive really great musical thoughts, but is able to do this without loosing the musical enthousiams over the 50 Minutes of this large composition.

As I already found in his Pianosonata op.19 his melodical or motivic Ideas might not be that outstanding ingenius, but they are still beautiful enough being part in a as striking as imposant musical architecture.

Reading the criticism of the Perfomances in Leipzig 1889 and Vienna 1891, both Concerts have been esteemd as "Sensations", both seemed to have been performed with great succes and enthousiastic reactions of the audience, especially in Vienna the critics describes how Nicode turns the sceptical reservation of the Audiance against the unknow young german composer with each Movement to more enthousiasm.

Each performance seem to have had other shortcomings in respect to in parts obviously overstrained musicians: One Time it was the "4.Meeresleuchten/Phosphorescent Lights" wich the Strings were not able to perform accurate as it should be, while the Mezzosporano was highlighted by the critic for her distinguished interpretation of "5.Fata Morgana", another Time it seemed the other way round with a mezzo-soprano indisposed but the orchestra extremly brilliant as the score demanded it one time it seemed to be impossible to have Choirs and Brassensembles "outside". It is symptomatic, that the premier was  postponed in order to acheve the appropriate performance.

Ok if ever, now you are at least convinced that I am totally biased and not at all objectiv ;-) in short I like Nicodé, and at least you have now a little bit more opportunity to judge yourself and this is the reason, why I am quite glad for your interesting discussion here.
best
Steffen

[Alan Howe]

I should add, Steffen, my sincere thanks for all the hard work you have obviously put into re-creating this music in a form which allows us to judge it for ourselves. I hope to be doing some careful listening over the next few days.

[jerfilm]

My first reaction was that it seemed like a piece that might have been written 30 years or more later.  A sort of advanced idiom for mid 1880s.   But then I'm not that sophisticated a musician to analyze that carefully but at least that was my initial thought.   Which also sez it was not as melodic as I expected it would be.  But I still enjoyed it very much and am in awe that someone takes the time to realize it in this way.....

Jerry