Top 5 Favorite Schnittke Works

[Mirror Image]

This may be a poll some are interested in and some aren't but there are stipulations for this poll: you may choose only one symphony and concerto. Let's awaken the dead here.

My list in no particular order:

Symphony No. 4
Cello Concerto No. 1
Peer Gynt
Requiem
Four Hymns for chamber ensmble

[Lisztianwagner]

Very difficult, but my list could be:

Symphony No.3
Concerto for piano and strings
Labyrinths
Faust Cantata
String Quartet No.2

[Mirror Image]

Very difficult, but my list could be:

Symphony No.3
Concerto for piano and strings
Labyrinths
Faust Cantata
String Quartet No.2

All of those are great works, Ilaria. Good to see you posting again.

[SimonNZ]

Choir Concerto
Symphony 2 "St. Florian"
Septet
Double Concerto for oboe and harp
Nagasaki

[vandermolen]

Don't know that much but the Piano Quintet is a fine work.

[Mirror Image]

Don't know that much but the Piano Quintet is a fine work.

Do you know the any of the concerti or symphonies, Jeffrey. How about the Faust Cantata or the Requiem?

[vandermolen]

Do you know the any of the concerti or symphonies, Jeffrey. How about the Faust Cantata or the Requiem?

John, I have the St Florian Symphony and recently, from a recommendation here, I bought the Viola Concerto (or is it Violin Concerto?) but have not got round to listening to it yet. Also I have an early symphony which was apparently influenced by Miaskovsky (possibly No 0 or No 1). I enjoyed this work but I clearly need to investigate more.

[Mirror Image]

John, I have the St Florian Symphony and recently, from a recommendation here, I bought the Viola Concerto (or is it Violin Concerto?) but have not got round to listening to it yet. Also I have an early symphony which was apparently influenced by Miaskovsky (possibly No 0 or No 1). I enjoyed this work but I clearly need to investigate more.

Schnittke's Symphony No. 0 is very Shostakovich-inspired as were many of his earlier works (or shall I say student works). Nagasaki is another work from his early days that remains quite impressive to me. Symphony No. 1 marks a completely different direction and while several members here like the work, I think the novelty and gimmicky aspect of the work isn't up to par with what he later would achieve in his 'polystylstic' period.

[Mr Bloom]

Cello concerto 1
Symphony 1
Concerto grosso 2
Passacaglia
Trio

[Karl Henning]

Cello concerto 1
Symphony 1
Concerto grosso 2
Passacaglia
Trio

Nice to see that the one Symphony you selected is the First!

[Mirror Image]

This thread is missing North Star's list!

[Sergeant Rock]

Faust Cantata "Seid nüchtern un wachet"
(K)ein Sommernachtstraum
Concerto Grosso No.4/Symphony No.5
Piano Quintet
Moz-Art à la Haydn

[TheGSMoeller]

Choir Concerto
Minnesang
Symphony No. 3
The Census List Incidental Music
Concerto for Piano and Strings

[Mirror Image]

Great lists, Sarge and Greg.

[Archaic Torso of Apollo]

Symphony #8
Peer Gynt
Piano Quintet (and its orchestration, In Memoriam)
String Quartet #3
Cello Concerto #1

[Mirror Image]

Symphony #8
Peer Gynt
Piano Quintet (and its orchestration, In Memoriam)
String Quartet #3
Cello Concerto #1

Outstanding list. I love all of those works. It's been awhile since I've listened to String Quartet No. 3 admittedly, but I recall enjoying it. String Quartet No. 2 maybe my favorite, though.

[North Star]

Off the top of my head, without looking at other lists:

Choir Concerto
Faust Cantata
Peer Gynt
Piano Quintet
Cello Concerto no. 1

[Daverz]

Great, these lists should provide me a playlist for the next several weeks.  I have to admit that, as it stands, Schnittke is a composer I respect rather than love.

[Mirror Image]

Great, these lists should provide me a playlist for the next several weeks.  I have to admit that, as it stands, Schnittke is a composer I respect rather than love.

My turnaround with Schnittke occurred whenever I sat down and really listened to his Cello Concerto No. 1 (the Ivashkin/Polyansky performance). This was a life-affirming work and really gave me a window into who Schnittke was. Sometimes, especially with composers later in the 20th Century, it's hard to get a picture who who is creating the music, but with Schnittke, it became crystal clear to me who was creating the music and where the music seemed to be coming from. All I have to say is keep listening. Of biographical interest, the Phaidon book on Schnittke written by Ivashkin is quite good. Again, another window opened up for me. It's interesting that he was a Jew of Volga German descent and that, while he spoke German in his home, he spoke Russian on the outside. It's those two worlds: Russian and German that gave the composer a unique individuality and which aided him in creating the unique synthesis that is his own music.

[Androcles]

Symphonies 4, 6, 8, Margarita's Song and the incidental music to the cartoon 'The Glass Harmonica'

To watch the cartoon, see

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XmhZS4hr2gU