Karl Weigl (1881-1949)

Started by Popov, June 17, 2010, 04:49:30 PM

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Popov

Today I listened to these two CDs:



When the CD with Symphony No. 5 was released around 2002 I read a review in Gramophone (a translation was edited here for a while) saying there was this striking gesture of radicalism of beginning with the orchestra tuning but otherwise it was disappointingly mild for an "apocalyptic symphony". Nothing spectacular indeed, but the Adagio is beautiful and overall it's an enjoyable ride, though I liked better No. 6; I found it more powerful, concentrated and absorbing. Old Vienna was a lot of fun and considering its personal and historic circumstances its nostalgia is touching, but my favorite of all four works was the extremely enjoyable, sparkling Fantastic Intermezzo. It makes me eager to listen more of his music back in Vienna, so I think I will fo gor this:




What do you think of Weigl's music?

snyprrr

Quote from: Popov on June 17, 2010, 04:49:30 PM
I think I will fo gor this:




What do you think of Weigl's music?

Please do let me know if I'll like them! ;D

vandermolen

I have No 5 which I quire enjoyed but tend to agree that after the fun opening it is less apocalyptic than expected. Please can you tell me a bit more about Symphony no 6.
"Courage is going from failure to failure without losing enthusiasm" (Churchill).

'The test of a work of art is, in the end, our affection for it, not our ability to explain why it is good' (Stanley Kubrick).

CaramelJones

Quote from: snyprrr on June 17, 2010, 09:45:09 PM
Please do let me know if I'll like them! ;D

What do you like? :P

Weigl is very much in that Viennese style of Zemlinsky, Berg, Webern etc.

The Artis Quartet are superb.  These renditions are the best I've heard.

I wouldn't say it was indispensible music.  Interesting, yes.


Daverz

I remember really enjoying Sym 5.  Time for a followup.

cilgwyn

I have the cd of the String Quartets. I'll have a listen to it as soon as possible. I actually bought it,at the time,because I was looking for lesser known,ambitious and very long,String Quartets. It seemed to fit the bill. I found it intriguing;but I would need another listen.

Symphonic Addict

His string quartets have been a revelation to me lately, which I much prefer over the symphonies. Today I listened to the String Quartet No. 3 in A major and it confirms my admiration for these works: refined, exquisite, with very attractive gestures. The beginning of the 4th mov. has a slight resemblance to the one on Beethoven's 4th mov. from his Symphony No. 7. I think the Artis Quartett understand his style and play with gusto and real interest.

Part of the tragedy of the Palestinians is that they have essentially no international support for a good reason: they've no wealth, they've no power, so they've no rights.

Noam Chomsky

kyjo

Quote from: Symphonic Addict on July 06, 2023, 06:19:16 PMHis string quartets have been a revelation to me lately, which I much prefer over the symphonies. Today I listened to the String Quartet No. 3 in A major and it confirms my admiration for these works: refined, exquisite, with very attractive gestures. The beginning of the 4th mov. has a slight resemblance to the one on Beethoven's 4th mov. from his Symphony No. 7. I think the Artis Quartett understand his style and play with gusto and real interest.



That's good to know, Cesar, because I tried his 5th Symphony the other day and found it to be very disappointing and uninspired, especially in light of its subtitle Apocalyptic! I enjoyed its coupling on the BIS CD, the colorful tone poem Phantastisches Intermezzo, much more.
"Music is enough for a lifetime, but a lifetime is not enough for music" - Sergei Rachmaninoff

Symphonic Addict

Succulent stuff! The inspiration in these quartets shines effortlessly, some wonderful music here. The 2nd mov. from the 7th is rather catchy and peculiar and the slow movement is to die for, love this! This is one of my favorites, just great from the very beginning. The No. 8 is not far behind in substance, this is what I call very seasoned music. 

Now we need a modern recording of the No. 6 in C major and better performances of Nos. 2 and 4.

Part of the tragedy of the Palestinians is that they have essentially no international support for a good reason: they've no wealth, they've no power, so they've no rights.

Noam Chomsky

kyjo

Quote from: Symphonic Addict on July 10, 2023, 08:31:56 PMSucculent stuff! The inspiration in these quartets shines effortlessly, some wonderful music here. The 2nd mov. from the 7th is rather catchy and peculiar and the slow movement is to die for, love this! This is one of my favorites, just great from the very beginning. The No. 8 is not far behind in substance, this is what I call very seasoned music.

Now we need a modern recording of the No. 6 in C major and better performances of Nos. 2 and 4.



Just to prove Cesar and I are not the same person ( ;D)...I listened the 7th quartet the other day and was rather underwhelmed. I very much enjoyed the folksy scherzo (which, oddly enough, reminded me of some of Magnard's symphonic scherzi!), but the other movements were generally too introverted and not melodically well-defined enough for my tastes. Certainly not a bad work, but not one I'll feel compelled to return to very soon. SQs in a similar late-romantic/chromatic idiom which I rate more highly would include those by Franz Schmidt (specifically their sublime slow movements) and Volkmar Andreae.
"Music is enough for a lifetime, but a lifetime is not enough for music" - Sergei Rachmaninoff