William Schuman (1910-1992)

[Mirror Image]

I haven't read it, but here are 2 reviews of it from Classical.net:

http://www.classical.net/music/books/reviews/1574671731b.php

http://www.classical.net/music/books/reviews/1574671731a.php

Generally speaking, that's been my impression too. I haven't been impressed by symphonies 7 and 8: a lot of noise, but structurally they seem weak. On the other hand I love nos. 3 and 6, and like the String Symphony (#5 I think) quite a lot.

Thanks Velimir. I'll check those out. Have you heard Symphonies 9 & 10. Talk about a bunch of hot air. It seems that Schuman's fame, as a composers, rests almost entirely on his 3rd symphony and New England Triptych. I do love the 4th a lot. Need to become more familiar with the Symphony for Strings "Symphony No. 5". Thankfully, there's a lot of good music outside of Schuman's symphonies.

[Mirror Image]

I think that you are being overly harsh on Schuman's later music Like many composers, Schuman's idiom developed as time went by and the later music is more dissonant and acerbic. It is also true to say that he wrote less in the last couple of decades of his life.

I'm well aware of Schuman's development as a composer. I'm just being honest in my dismissal of the later symphonies. I'm listening to Symphony No. 8 right now and it's actually pretty good. Not outstanding mind you, but merely good.

[Karl Henning]

Thanks Velimir. I'll check those out. Have you heard Symphonies 9 & 10. Talk about a bunch of hot air.

Unlike a certain chap's posts, here.

[Archaic Torso of Apollo]

Have you heard Symphonies 9 & 10. Talk about a bunch of hot air.

I haven't. But the reviews I've read of the 9th do not make me want to hear it.

On the other hand, this thread has been useful in highlighting the Schuman I do want to hear, like the Violin Cto and the string 4tets.

[Mirror Image]

Unlike a certain chap's posts, here.

[Mirror Image]

I haven't. But the reviews I've read of the 9th do not make me want to hear it.

On the other hand, this thread has been useful in highlighting the Schuman I do want to hear, like the Violin Cto and the string 4tets.

The 9th isn't for the faint of heart. It's probably the most dissonant American symphony, outside of Sessions, I've heard. It just seems generally weak of thematic material and sounds completely uninspired. This is not prime Schuman that's for sure. The 8th is actually not a bad work after I listened to it. I'm listening to Bernstein's performance of it now and it's quite good.

I just bought a recording of Schuman's VC with McDuffie/Slatkin on EMI. I don't know but the Naxos recording of the VC didn't sound very appealing plus it contained yet another performance of New England Triptych and how many of those do I need?

[Karl Henning]

I'm well aware of Schuman's development as a composer. I'm just being honest in my dismissal of the later symphonies.

Honest in not liking them, were honesty.  Blathering about their being hot air is not, in the strict sense of the term, honesty.

[Karl Henning]

. . . generally weak of thematic material and sounds completely uninspired. This is not prime Schuman that's for sure.

Open your mouth wider, there's got to be room for more feet in there.

[Mirror Image]

Honest in not liking them, were honesty.  Blathering about their being hot air is not, in the strict sense of the term, honesty.

I shouldn't have made that comment, Karl. It wasn't right of me to do that. I'm actually enjoying the 8th quite a bit.

[Karl Henning]

I shouldn't have made that comment, Karl. It wasn't right of me to do that. I'm actually enjoying the 8th quite a bit.

Graciously conceded.

[Mirror Image]

You know the more I think about it the more I could be blaming the music instead of blaming the performances. I mean Schwarz isn't exactly my favorite conductor. I respect what he has done for American music, but I imagine another conductor getting more out let's say Night Journey for example. I nominate David Alan Miller with the Albany Symphony Orchestra to perform all of Schuman's symphonies and orchestral works. Too bad Bernstein never recorded the 4th. Anyway, I'm just thinking here that Schwarz isn't always convincing. His 3rd was incredibly underpowered as was his 4th.

[Karl Henning]

No ideal alternative.  One is grateful to Schwarz that there is a complete cycle;  one wishes that he had been more uniformly good through the whole cycle.

[Mirror Image]

No ideal alternative.  One is grateful to Schwarz that there is a complete cycle;  one wishes that he had been more uniformly good through the whole cycle.

Oh, don't get me wrong I'm grateful for what Schwarz has done, I'm just not impressed with several of the performances, which may have been why I turned my back to Schuman a year or so ago when I was making my way through the cycle for the first time. It hasn't been until recently that things started clicking with me and I'm able to look past Schwarz's shortcomings and get to the heart of the music.

[Mirror Image]

I'm really enjoying Schuman's Piano Concerto. What a fantastic work. The slow movement is especially beautiful. The recording I have of it with John McCabe on piano and David Alan Miller conducting the Albany Symphony is really something else. Such a thrilling performance. Bogey, buy this recording now!

[Scion7]

yeah, love how NAXOS records  non-"star" ensembles and gives the underdogs a chance - most of the time, it works out very well

[Mirror Image]

yeah, love how NAXOS records  non-"star" ensembles and gives the underdogs a chance - most of the time, it works out very well

I wouldn't call Gerard Schwarz and the Seattle Symphony underdogs though. Schwarz is certainly a good conductor. I just found his performances, as I mentioned earlier, variable in quality. I think sometimes Naxos does a good job in selecting their conductors/orchestras but many of the orchestras they have used are certainly no slouches like the Bournemouth Symphony, Royal Scottish National Orchestra, or the Warsaw Philharmonic. Each of these orchestras are top-notch. They may not have the same kind of profile the CSO, Concertgebouw, or Berliners have, but they're not lesser ensembles because of this.

[lescamil]

I'm really enjoying Schuman's Piano Concerto. What a fantastic work. The slow movement is especially beautiful. The recording I have of it with John McCabe on piano and David Alan Miller conducting the Albany Symphony is really something else. Such a thrilling performance. Bogey, buy this recording now!

You know, I actually don't like that recording very much. The recording could have benefited from a bit of reverb in the mixing room. There is no depth in either the piano or orchestra. I have an old recording with Gary Steigerwalt doing the Schuman concerto that sounds much better, despite the date. There is absolutely nothing wrong with John McCabe's playing, though! Such a great work. It should be played more.

[Mirror Image]

You know, I actually don't like that recording very much. The recording could have benefited from a bit of reverb in the mixing room. There is no depth in either the piano or orchestra. I have an old recording with Gary Steigerwalt doing the Schuman concerto that sounds much better, despite the date. There is absolutely nothing wrong with John McCabe's playing, though! Such a great work. It should be played more.

I think the recording sounds great and I like it's clarity. I think you're just nitpicking.

[Mirror Image]

Getting back to Schuman, has anyone read this book per chance?

I bought this book tonight for $10. I can't wait to look it over.

[lescamil]

I've taken the liberty and uploaded my rip of the A side of the LP that has Schuman's Piano Concerto. The B side has Gary Steigerwalt playing the Walter Piston Piano Concertino (another excellent work very similar to the Schuman), which I believe is available on CD. The Schuman never made it to CD, as far as I know. Only John McCabe and Rosalyn Tureck's recordings are available on CD, and the Tureck has horrid sound quality. This Steigerwalt recording has excellent, sensitive piano playing, and the orchestral accompaniment (David Epstein conducting the MIT Symphony Orchestra) has a bit more fire and flare than the McCabe recording. I cleaned up of the clicks and pops, but it's still not a perfect rip of it. I hope you all enjoy, and I'd love comments on how my LP ripping can possibly be improved.

http://www.mediafire.com/?t2zy52ji0vj9b6t