Transcriptions

[knight66]

A thread all about transcriptions....

Bach seems nearly indestructible. I have him treated to Brazilian rhythms, it works, I have organ music arranged for full orchestra. Today I am listening to a newly ordered disc. The Goldberg Variations played by a string trio. I heard it in the HMV shop months ago....but their full price put me off. At last I found it for a more reasonable cost, though to be honest, if any disc is worth a premium, this is.

It is a DG issue with Julian Rachlin, Nobuko Imai and Mischa Maisky on violin, viola and cello respectively. Not HIP, this is full blown modern instrument playing.

The transcription was done for the tercentenary by Dmitry Sitovetsky and dedicated to the memory of Glenn Gould. From what I can make out Maisky at least has been involved with this transcription since its initial performance. It is a highly serious piece of work and allows us to hear with great clarity the different strands of the music. It is a very personal and deeply felt response to the music and I know I will get continued pleasure from the disc. All three players are committed, play with a range from tiger-like attack to whispered pianissimo. I get the impression this was not just a recording set-up, but a performed piece taken to the studio. The instruments are close, the sound rich and forward.

A beautiful disc that helps me hear new things from Bach's inexhaustible legacy.

Mike

[Que]

Mike, I'm absolutely fond of Stokowksi's Bach transcriptions! 
(I would have posted them on the "guilty pleasures" thread, but classical seems to be off limits there... )




Another favourite of mine is Busoni's transcription of the "Chaconne".



Q

[knight66]

Q, He was an inveterate arranger. Stoky did a synthesis of one or two operas. I have the Boris Godunov. (A bit like highlights, but stitched together). The bass is Nicola Rossi-Lemeni. It works well within its own concept. Stoky gives a feel for the epic sweep of the piece. On the same disc there is half an hour of Parsifal, the Good Friday music and the third act in synthesis, it has no singers in it.

He also produced a very beautiful arrangement of Tristan, I no longer have it, it was an LP, but again, if you can stand the idea of rearranged Wagner it is well worth a spin.

I have a modern recording on DG of his Pictures at an Exhibition. It makes a change from the Ravel, is perhaps more Russian sounding, but do be aware that he did not transcribe all the movements, several are missing. This disc has a symphonic synthesis of Boris and Night on the Bare Mountain.....all fascinating and Knussen makes out a strong case to listen to these arrangements.

Mike

[Que]

Q, He was an inveterate arranger. Stoky did a synthesis of one or two operas. I have the Boris Godunov. (A bit like highlights, but stitched together). The bass is Nicola Rossi-Lemeni. It works well within its own concept. Stoky gives a feel for the epic sweep of the piece. On the same disc there is half an hour of Parsifal, the Good Friday music and the third act in synthesis, it has no singers in it.

Mike, I don't have any Mussorgsky by Stoki yet - will investigate! (is it on Cala?)

He also produced a very beautiful arrangement of Tristan, I no longer have it, it was an LP, but again, if you can stand the idea of rearranged Wagner it is well worth a spin.

Already on board! Seek out the RCA "surround" issue (the tiny picture - available on Amazon): beautiful sound and it has the Tristan arrangement. For the full works I have Stoki's Wagner 78rpms with the Philadelphia on Andante (also available on Pearl).

I have a modern recording on DG of his Pictures at an Exhibition. It makes a change from the Ravel, is perhaps more Russian sounding, but do be aware that he did not transcribe all the movements, several are missing. This disc has a symphonic synthesis of Boris and Night on the Bare Mountain.....all fascinating and Knussen makes out a strong case to listen to these arrangements.

I like his "Pictures" too (better than the Ravel), indeed a real pity he didn't do all movements!
I have the issue in the Decca Phase-4 series, Stoki conducting and combined with Stravinsky's Firebird and Scriabin's "Poème de l'extase".

Q

[val]

The most beautiful transcription I know is Webern's orchestration of Bach's Ricercare from A Musical Offering.

[knight66]

Q, Most of my CDs are in store until we move on the 28th, then get shelving built. I am retreiving some to transfer them into plastic envelopes so I can save space. I am pretty sure the Boris is an old RCA disc.

I will look for the Tristan as I recall enjoying it so much.

Mike

[knight66]

Q, I am not sure I am finding the right disc. Here is what Amazon shows me. I am unclear if either Vol 1 or 2 have the synthesis. Full price and I see others on the page are going for absurd prices. If you have trouble with the Boris, let me know.

http://www.amazon.co.uk/s/ref=nb_ss_m_h_/202-2743526-4244651?url=search-alias%3Dclassical&field-keywords=Stokowski+tristan

Mike

[Que]

Q, He was an inveterate arranger. Stoky did a synthesis of one or two operas. I have the Boris Godunov. (A bit like highlights, but stitched together). The bass is Nicola Rossi-Lemeni. It works well within its own concept. Stoky gives a feel for the epic sweep of the piece. On the same disc there is half an hour of Parsifal, the Good Friday music and the third act in synthesis, it has no singers in it.

Found it! Like I thought - it has been reissued on Cala.
The Parsifal seems a nice combination.



Q

[knight66]

Very good...they have probably remastered it too!

Cheers,

Mike

[m_gigena]

Another favourite of mine is Busoni's transcription of the "Chaconne".

I also like the Bach-Busoni-Siloti Chaconne. It's a bit more transparent than the Bach-Busoni. But there are no recordings available, so I have to play it myself whenever I feel like listening to it.

More outstanding Bach-Busoni is to be found in Nun komm, der Heiden Heiland (as played by Horowitz, of course).

[Gurn Blanston]

We don't have to talk about Bach in this context, do we? 

Ah, thought not.

OK, well I am very partial to the Liszt transcriptions of the Beethoven symphonies into solo piano pieces. They are like huge sonatas, actually. I have the set of Cyprien Katsaris playing the whole 9, and I must say, in places they are mind boggling.

[knight66]

Gurn, I have the 9th in that performance and I enjoy it as much as the original. He brings such energy to it that I do not miss the orchestra. I have not ever seen the others for sale, though I don't think I would want the sixth for example.

I also like Lizst's opera paraphrases. I had some on LP, the sextet from Lucia made quite an impression.

Mike

[Bonehelm]

Pachbel's Canon in D arranged for a rock band.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=olEz4LUgJDA

[Que]

Pachbel's Canon in D arranged for a rock band.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=olEz4LUgJDA

It's not much of an improvement....

Q

[Bonehelm]

It's not much of an improvement....

Q

Hahaha...not like it was a masterpiece to begin with...

[Sergeant Rock]

OK, well I am very partial to the Liszt transcriptions of the Beethoven symphonies into solo piano pieces.

I like the Liszt Schubert song transcriptions too. My favorite, played by Lilya Zilberstein, is Gretchen am Spinnrade. She takes seven and a half minutes (the song normally comes in around the three and a half minute mark) and utterly transforms it. Bryce Morrison says, "Liszt's dissonance and syncopation tell in an arresting and authentic way and the climax—here allowed to stretch into infinity—has a truly Lisztian expansiveness and rhetoric."




I enjoy all the transcriptions mentioned so far. And yes, Bach really is indestructible. He even survives Vanessa-Mae's hip hop assault on the Toccata and Fugue 

Sarge

[knight66]

Sarge, That looks like an interesting disc, worth investigation. There is a complete reworking of Winterreise by Hanz Zender. It comes in across two discs; as he considerably expands some songs. The range of orchestral textures is fascinating, some songs sound so icy cold in their new guise. It is a reworking as against a transcription and I cannot recommend it too highly. The tenor is Hans-Peter Blochwitz, his contribution as vital and immaginative as anyone's.



Mike

[Gurn Blanston]

Gurn, I have the 9th in that performance and I enjoy it as much as the original. He brings such energy to it that I do not miss the orchestra.
Mike

I like that one too. I think if Gould had performed it, he might have hummed the last movement for our listening pleasure...

[knight66]

I like that one too. I think if Gould had performed it, he might have hummed the last movement for our listening pleasure...

Might even have multi-tracked the humming.

Mike

[Norseman]

I find Rachmaninov's piano transcription (maybe arrangement is a better word) of the gavotte from Bach's Partita no. 3 for solo violin (he also did the prelude and gigue) quite irresistible. I have a Naxos Historical disc with Rach playing it himself  Also Respighi's almost 'extatic' orchestration of the D-Major Prelude and Fugue for organ (Bwv 532) (Noseda/BBC PO on Chandos)