Topic: Mieczysław Weinberg (1919-1996)

[Maestro267]

OK, I didn't realise the DG recording had No. 2 on it as well. All the better.

[SurprisedByBeauty]

The Piano Quintet and Piano Sonata No.6 are two clear favourites for me, the quintet being just full of remarkable moments, and the sonata with an absolutely lovely opening Adagio of almost haiku-like simplicity.

The review above mentions not having heard the Attacca Quartet version of the Piano Quintet, which is coincidentally the one I've got to know the work with. I haven't heard any other yet, but fwiw will say that if I needed my metaphorical socks removing in a hurry, this would be an option.

I'm listening to the Attacca Quartet's Weinberg right now. HOLY COW, they really are something special. The third movement is so wildly over the top (in a good, very amusing way)... it beggars belief. 

[Daverz]

I listened to the Silesian Quartet's No. 7 on Qobuz the other night and think I like this much better than the Danel recording, though I need to revisit that one to be fair.

[kyjo]

I recently witnessed a gripping, searing performance of Weinberg’s Piano Quintet as part of my university’s faculty chamber music series. The performers were the fabulous pianist Dimitri Papadimitriou along with the Clarion Quartet, who are all members of Pittsburgh Symphony and who specialize in the music of Jewish composers affected by the Holocaust. I had previously not realized what a stunning work it is - there are occasional echoes of the Shostakovich PQ, sure, but the Weinberg probes even deeper than that work IMO. The grotesque, scintillating scherzo, the deeply tragic slow movement, and the hauntingly ambiguous ending are especially of note. It was great to see the music of a lesser-known composer receive such passionate advocacy in a live performance. It certainly seems like Weinberg’s star is in the ascendant!

[vandermolen]

I recently witnessed a gripping, searing performance of Weinberg’s Piano Quintet as part of my university’s faculty chamber music series. The performers were the fabulous pianist Dimitri Papadimitriou along with the Clarion Quartet, who are all members of Pittsburgh Symphony and who specialize in the music of Jewish composers affected by the Holocaust. I had previously not realized what a stunning work it is - there are occasional echoes of the Shostakovich PQ, sure, but the Weinberg probes even deeper than that work IMO. The grotesque, scintillating scherzo, the deeply tragic slow movement, and the hauntingly ambiguous ending are especially of note. It was great to see the music of a lesser-known composer receive such passionate advocacy in a live performance. It certainly seems like Weinberg’s star is in the ascendant!

I agree that it's a fabulous work Kyle. It is my favourite of the chamber works I know, whilst Symphony 5 (especially in Kondrashin's recording) is his orchestral masterpiece IMO.

[relm1]

I agree that it's a fabulous work Kyle. It is my favourite of the chamber works I know, whilst Symphony 5 (especially in Kondrashin's recording) is his orchestral masterpiece IMO.

Please explain, what is it about these two works that you find so compelling?  Why should someone who hasn't heard these NEED to hear them?

[SurprisedByBeauty]

Please explain, what is it about these two works that you find so compelling?  Why should someone who hasn't heard these NEED to hear them?

Please explain, what is it about Beethoven's op.59/1 and his 1st Piano Concerto that you find so compelling?  Why should someone who hasn't heard these NEED to hear them?

By which I mean to suggest: What you are asking for is quite a lot, actually. Almost immodestly so. I know you didn't ask me... but think about if someone had asked you. It's actually quite difficult to put into words why certain musics are great. Most descriptions just side-step the issue... calling it "compelling" or using other adjectives that really just kick the linguistic can down the road.

If it is worth anything at all, I agree with the above -- and very many others with us -- that the Piano Quintet of Weinberg's is one of the great chamber compositions of the 20th century. Utterly... well... "compelling" music. Joy and pain and elation and bitterness, all in four movements.

[vandermolen]

Please explain, what is it about these two works that you find so compelling?  Why should someone who hasn't heard these NEED to hear them?

Well, and I take SurprisedByBeauty's point that it is difficult (for me at least) to articulate what is essentially an emotional appeal. I've always been deeply moved by Shostakovich's 4th Symphony, especially the last part. It was withdrawn of course during the Stalin era and to me, a history teacher, reflects the fear, anxiety and profound sadness of that period like no other work. There are only two other symphonies, in my view, which come close to its cataclysmic appeal and they are Popov's First Symphony and Weinberg's 5th Symphony, which has, for me, a most wonderfully searching and visionary quality to it. When I was 17 Vaughan Williams's 6th Symphony (LPO Boult, with speech by the composer) had the most enormous effect on me and really switched me over from jazz-rock to classical music. At the time I felt that I KNEW what the music was about but had no idea how to express what I felt in words, because the appeal of that music was on a level beyond words. That may sound pretentious but it is how I felt at the time. Both the works I mentioned by Weinberg are gripping, powerful, dramatic and searching. Kyle (Kylo) expresses it better that I could about the Piano Quintet.
That's probably the best I can do for now. 

[Roy Bland]

New release
http://www.operapassion.com/cd1898700.html

[J]

Interesting and surprising forthcoming release. It reminds me of when DGG issued an LP of Allan Pettersson's 8th Symphony many years ago:

I've not acquired this DGG recording of Symphony 21 or indeed even been aware of the work until stumbling onto the live Warsaw Phil performance (with Kaspszyk) posted on YouTube.  What disturbing and profoundly moving sounds (both lamenting and unhinged), awesomely played by this group, - and could anyone help note how entrancingly beautiful are the two first violinists who feature so prominently at times throughout?  It's a wonderfully expressive video of just altogether riveting music I strongly recommend to all Weinberg enthusiasts.

Now almost ready to claim Nos. 5 & 21 as the great Weinberg Symphonies, - early and late.  What would be other candidates?

[SymphonicAddict]

I've not acquired this DGG recording of Symphony 21 or indeed even been aware of the work until stumbling onto the live Warsaw Phil performance (with Kaspszyk) posted on YouTube.  What disturbing and profoundly moving sounds (both lamenting and unhinged), awesomely played by this group, - and could anyone help note how entrancingly beautiful are the two first violinists who feature so prominently at times throughout?  It's a wonderfully expressive video of just altogether riveting music I strongly recommend to all Weinberg enthusiasts.

Now almost ready to claim Nos. 5 & 21 as the great Weinberg Symphonies, - early and late.  What would be other candidates?

My familiarity with his symphonies is rather weak. Nevertheless, the 10th is one of my clear favorites. One of the greatest string symphonies I know. The 6th with boys choir has a special place for me as well.

[Irons]

I do not own any of the symphonies but inspired by this thread I listened to the 4th string quartet last night. I think it a deep work and for that reason I need to live with it for a bit, something I'm more then happy to do. Shostakovich is obviously an inspiration, but Weinberg is his own man on the evidence of this quartet. I will play it again - soon.

[vandermolen]

In answer to Greg's ('J') point I'd say that Symphony Nos 5 and 6 rate very highly of the ones I know. I have 21 in the Toccata release but haven't listened to it more than once but will be doing so soon. I also like 1 and 3 which I'll be hearing live in August. The Piano Quintet is also excellent.

[André]

Cross-posted:

Weinberg’s symphonic output is a bit confusing. He composed and numbered 21 symphonies. Then he labeled his next compositions in the genre « chamber symphonies ». Orchestration and time-wise they are similar to many of his ‘regular’ symphonies. They are not small brew on the musical and emotional side either. Chronologically they would have been nos 22-25.

But before that he had worked on a ballet that was never produced, from which he extracted 6 movements. At 32 minutes the work is of symphonic proportions. Weinberg himself titled the autograph score ‘Choreographic symphony’. It was never published nor played, so it never made it to the catalogue of his symphonies, but it’s there, standing between his 12th and 13th symphonies.

If that were not confusing enough, a 22nd symphony has seen the light of day through the ministrations of composer Kirill Umansky. When he stopped working on it (he would die shortly after) Weinberg had produced a piano score, a draft short score and some embryonic orchestration indications. All told then, Weinberg composed some 27 works with the title or indication of symphony/symphonic.

Since neither work was ever published or played, this disc has the field unto itself. I found the music of the Choreographic symphony absolutely gorgeous. The japanese elements have more to do with the storyline than actual musical ‘japanisms’, although the first movement has the kind of ‘little feet’ bustling familiar from the opening of Madama Butterfly, another fake japanese work. This was really worth unearthing. Thank you Toccata Classics and maestro Vasilyev.

The symphony is another matter. I am reminded of the sparse, skeletal, desolate sound world of Shostakovich (violin, viola sonatas, last 2 quartets, last symphony). This is serious, almost unremittingly bleak stuff. There are 3 movements, the first a massive 25 minute Fantasia in various shades of lento and moderato markings. The second movement is a short Intermezzo, the last a questing, enigmatic, forlorn slow one titled Reminiscences. The orchestration is quite sparse, reminding me at times of Gorecki’s sound world.

An essential disc for Gorecki fans.