Audio samples on this page were used by Elliott Carter in his lecture “The New Ancients and the Old Moderns,” delivered at the 1981 Venice Bienniale. During the lecture, Carter played recordings of his own pieces to illustrate remarks on his composition technique. The samples available on this page are numbered according to the order Carter indicates in the lecture; the measure numbers of the samples as Carter selected them are cited below each sample.
The lecture reuses some material found in Flawed Words and Stubborn Sounds: A Conversation with Elliott Carter, by Allen Edwards (Norton, 1971), expanding on it and translating it into Italian. The version found in “Elliott Carter: Settings” is located in the Elliott Carter Collection at the Paul Sacher Foundation in Basel, and is translated into English by Dylan J. Montanari.
“The New Ancients and the Old Moderns”
1: Sonata for Cello and Piano: Moderato, mm. 1–67
Paul Jacobs, piano; Joel Krosnick, cello
From Sonata for flute, oboe, cello & harpsichord (1952); Sonata for cello & piano (1948); Double concerto for harpsichord & piano with two chamber orchestras (1959) (Nonesuch 79183)
2: Eight Studies and a Fantasy, IV. Vivace
3: Eight Studies and a Fantasy, VII. Intensely
Chicago Pro Music ensemble
From Early Chamber Music of Elliott Carter (Cedille CDR 90000 048)
4: String Quartet no. 2: Introduction, mm. 1–34
The Composers’ Quartet: Matthew Raimondi, violin; Anahid Ajemian, violin; Jean Dupouy, viola; Michael Rudiakov, cello
From Elliott Carter: String Quartets Nos. 1 and 2 (Nonesuch 71249)
5: Double Concerto for Harpsichord & Piano with Two Chamber Orchestras: Introduction, mm. 1–46
Paul Jacobs, harpsichord; Gilbert Kalish, piano; The Contemporary Chamber Ensemble
From Sonata for flute, oboe, cello & harpsichord (1952); Sonata for cello & piano (1948); Double concerto for harpsichord & piano with two chamber orchestras (1959) (Nonesuch 79183)
6: Duo for violin and piano, mm. 1–83
Rolf Schulte, violin; Martin Goldray, piano
from The Music of Elliott Carter, Vol. 2 (Bridge 9044)
7: Symphony of Three Orchestras, mm. 1–10
8: Symphony of Three Orchestras, mm. 318–end
New York Philharmonic, conducted by Pierre Boulez
From Elliott Carter: A Symphony of Three Orchestras; Varèse: Deserts; Ecuatorial; Hyperprism (Sony Classical 68334)