William Schuman (1910-1992)

[karlhenning]

Just a plug for the new Naxos CD of William Schuman's 6th Symphony - a great, visionary score which I find darkly moving. Not as immediately appealing as Symphony No 3 perhaps, but just as fine a work IMHO.  The couplings are very good too, including 'The New England Triptych' and the powerful 1943 'Prayer in Time of War' which was new to me.  I have seen Schuman's 6th Symphony described as a 'Requiem for the 20th Century' in the notes accompanying the Ormandy CD - an appropriate comment on the gravity and eloquence of this fine work.  This is the best version since Ormandy and the recording is much more recent.

Thanks to the discussion here, I've fetched this 'un in, and am enjoying the Sixth Symphony a great deal, indeed.

[Mirror Image]

How interesting - what label was it on?I like Slatkin very much and find his VW cycle to be underrated and his recording of Shostakovich Symphony No 8 is the one I return to most - also his recording of Copland's Third Symphony (I saw a terrific performance given by Slatkin at the Proms a few years back).

Slatkin never recorded Schuman's "Symphony No. 3." He recorded "Symphony No. 10," but I can't find anything about an alleged "Symphony No. 3" recording. Anyway, his performance of "Symphony No. 10" is on RCA.

Personally, I'm not fond of Slatkin, so I'm not too interested in hearing his Schuman performance. Here is the cover:

[karlhenning]

Thanks to the discussion here, I've fetched this 'un in, and am enjoying the Sixth Symphony a great deal, indeed.

This is really one great piece!

[Sergeant Rock]

I know there are a lot of Slatkin naysayers here...

Not just here. In 1985 I picked up the Slatkin recording of the Prokofiev Fifth in the PX (the army store) in Augsburg Germany. A guy next to me, uninvited, unasked, preceding to lecture me, telling me I was making a major mistake. Slatkin was terrible, he said scornfully   I Ignored him; it's still one of my favorites (and one of my first CD purchases actually--number 57 in my database). Vandermolen mentioned the Copland Third which I think is great too. Also love the Slatkin/St.Louis Mahler Second.

I have his CD of the 10th (premiere recording according to the cover).



Edit: I see MI has beat me to the cover.

Sarge

[karlhenning]

According to Wikipedia, the following are among early works which the composer subsequently withdrew:

Symphony № 1 (1935)
Strinq Quartet № 1 (1935)
Symphony № 2 (1937)

[Sergeant Rock]

Slatkin never recorded Schuman's "Symphony No. 3." He recorded "Symphony No. 10," but I can't find anything about an alleged "Symphony No. 3" recording.

I can't find a Slatkin recording of the Third either. Here's the Schuman he has recorded (according to the discography on his website):

SCHUMAN         Symphony No. 10   RD 61282
            New England Triptych
            American Festival Overture
            Saint Louis Symphony Orchestra

SCHUMAN, Bill/IVES   Schuman: American Festival Overture    09026 61282-2
            Ives: Variations on 'America'
            Schuman: Symphony No. 10 'American Muse'
            (world premiere recording)

SCHUMAN/SCHWANTNER   Schuman: American Hymn    Nonesuch 79072
            Schwantner:  Magabunda (Four Poems of Agueda Pizzarro)
            Lucy Shelton, soprano

SCHUMAN/BERNSTEIN   Schuman: Violin Concerto   Angel/EMI 49464
                                      Bernstein: Serenade
                 Robert McDuffie, violin
             Saint Louis Symphony Orchestra

Maybe lescamil has heard an unofficial version? a pirated broadcast maybe?

Sarge

[Sergeant Rock]

According to Wikipedia, the following are among early works which the composer subsequently withdrew:

Symphony № 1 (1935)
Strinq Quartet № 1 (1935)
Symphony № 2 (1937)

That explains the lack of recordings. I was wondering.

Sarge

[karlhenning]

IIRC, Wuorinen withdrew his first two symphonies, too.  He wrote them as somewhat a younger man, though . . . Schuman wrote his in his late 20s, I think Wuorinen may have written his first whlie yet a teenager.

[Archaic Torso of Apollo]

I can't find a Slatkin recording of the Third either.

I vaguely recall reading that the Slatkin Schuman 3rd is contained in some CSO broadcast box special issue. Don't trust me on that, though.

Glad you're enjoying the 6th, Karl. It seems to be Piece of the Week on this board 

[drogulus]

     The only CD I ever returned for general hatefulness was a Slatkin (Elgar 2nd). I have his Schuman 10th, a Barber disk and the Hanson 2nd. They are all very good.

     I have the Ormandy recording of the 6th. I'd like a recording in stereo sound (the Ormandy is good mono).

I didn't even bother with Schwarz's 8th for that reason.)

     I won't bother with it. Lenny owns this one, to the extent any conductor can own a work. Schwartz deserves immense gratitude for his service to the cause of American music, yet his recordings are often undistinguished. I would be happy to hear that his 6th is a good one, though.

     For the 6th you should hear the Ormandy recording. It will most likely convince you of the works merit.

[lescamil]

RE: that Slatkin recording of the 3rd I mentioned: it was never commercially recorded, but rather broadcasted on my local classical station, for it was a recorded performance that was done in early 2009 (January 31 in Disney Hall, Los Angeles).

Maybe lescamil has heard an unofficial version? a pirated broadcast maybe?

Yes, I do, actually, which is what I mentioned, albeit not in the same vocabulary. It is not the same as the one on that CSO boxset.

[Archaic Torso of Apollo]

I vaguely recall reading that the Slatkin Schuman 3rd is contained in some CSO broadcast box special issue.

Here's where I read it:

http://www.classical.net/music/recs/reviews/c/cso04677a.php

The reviewer though doesn't like the performance very much: " I am sorry, but even though Slatkin's Chicago brasses are exquisite, Lenny grasps the emotion inherent in the music so much more so that it is not even close. Bernstein brings an intensity (there's that word again) to the music that makes Slatkin sound flat footed."

[vandermolen]

This is really one great piece!

Glad you like this Karl - I love the eloquent ending in particular. I shall listen to it and the 'Prayer in Time of War' today.

[karlhenning]

It will mean a redundancy, but thanks to this recording of the Sixth, and the wicked coincidence that when I found Naxos on sale at Arkivmusic, they show the Schuman symphonies box at a pre-order price of $30 for the 5-disc set . . . I went right ahead.  Great thing is that, while the site advised that it would be available 27 July, e-mail came yesterday that it has shipped.

[karlhenning]

TTT

It will mean a redundancy, but thanks to this recording of the Sixth, and the wicked coincidence that when I found Naxos on sale at Arkivmusic, they show the Schuman symphonies box at a pre-order price of $30 for the 5-disc set . . . I went right ahead.  Great thing is that, while the site advised that it would be available 27 July, e-mail came yesterday that it has shipped.

I've started listening to this box, and to the Violin Concerto again.  Liking it better than ever.

[DavidRoss]

I've started listening to this box, and to the Violin Concerto again.  Liking it better than ever.

[karlhenning]

Funny to think, but I believe that at this point there are only three of the eight symphonies I have never listened to (nos. 7, 9 & 10).  Of course, I am still in the Initial Absorption Phase.

When I first listened to the Violin Concerto . . . oh, must be ten years ago, if it's a day . . . I liked it, was quite impressed by it, but my ears resisted considering it flat-out great.  Listening to it this summer — I have no idea why. I do think it simply a great concerto.

[snyprrr]

mmm, Naxos has finished their cycle, now in a box?

[karlhenning]

Aye.

[Scarpia]

Aye.

Must have been well received, now on back-order.