Martinů Vanishing Midnight/Toccata Classics

[Alan Howe]

Dating from 1922, this is an astonishing 45-minute, 3-movement, late-romantic orchestral masterwork, moving in the same musical orbit as, say, Debussy, Marx, Delius, Scriabin and Ravel (Daphnis). Here's a perceptive review:
https://artmusiclounge.wordpress.com/2018/01/16/martinus-great-early-orchestral-works-recorded/comment-page-1/

[matesic]

I see it's on NML. I think I'll give The Planets at the Proms a miss.

[Alan Howe]

Good choice.

[matesic]

Phew - that's quite an earful. I just realised Vanishing Midnight and The Planets are closely contemporary responses to WWI, but what a contrast. Many thanks Alan for the lead.

[Alan Howe]

Has anyone else followed up on this fascinating work? For those with a sweeth tooth only, but what orchestral resourcefulness! One of Martin Anderson best discoveries, as far as I'm concerned...

[Mark Thomas]

No, not yet. I meant to download it and then forgot. Dripping onto my hard drive as I type....

[Mark Thomas]

Ye Gods, that's one heck of a listen! I feel both exhilarated and bombarded at the same time. Constant reference to the excellent booklet notes help me keep track of what was supposed to be going on in this kaleidoscopic, hugely inventive triptych, but despite that I still felt swept along by the relentlessness of its ever-changing, vividly-coloured soundscape. I honestly can't think of anything quite like it. More, please, but not just yet, eh?