Sergei Taneyev's Tent of Twirbling Tones

[Cato]

Cato alert

Does anyone know if the recording is a re-release of this set from 30+ years ago?

http://boxset.ru/kolomizheva-taneyev-oresteia-2-cd-wavpack/

[North Star]

Does anyone know if the recording is a re-release of this set from 30+ years ago?

http://boxset.ru/kolomizheva-taneyev-oresteia-2-cd-wavpack/

It's a reissue of a Melodiya recording conducted by Tatiana Kolomizheva - chances of it being a different recording are pretty slim, I think.  0:)

[amw]

I have just heard - for the first time - The Taneyev Quartet performing, or attempting to perform, the Eighth and Ninth Quartets of Sergei Taneyev.

This is not the edition I have, but here is a newer picture of what they are selling:



If you want to hear wavering microtones in these quartets, as if Taneyev had cosmically pre-channeled Bartok and maybe Penderecki, then this is the CD for you!   

There are spots in the slow movement of the Eighth Quartet where I thought an Alois Haba quartet had been spliced in suddenly!

Apparently intonation is a problem with the group on these recordings: I found some reviews complaining about the same thing on other quartets. 

Let's hope the new NAXOS survey of Taneyev Quartets will not show similar unintended experiments in quarter-tones!   

Haha I just heard the spot you mean.

I'll be the first to admit I have a really high tolerance for the Taneyev Quartet—when they are in tune they're the best Russian quartet of their era. When they're not, it's mostly Vladimir Ovcharek. He's one of the most expressive and powerful fiddlers (and quartet leaders) I can think of; there's very few who can put a totally individual stamp on just one or two notes and imbue them with all kinds of meaning. His left hand also goes all over the place—presumably when his eyes mist over with tears so much that he can't see the fingerboard. Or whatever the actual reason is. Grigory Lutsky & Vissarion Soloviev have their moments as well, but are more secure for the most part, and then there's Josef Levinson. I've listened to most of the Taneyev Quartet recordings and I've never heard him so much as an eighth-tone out of pitch, except in very high passages where there's almost no space between the notes (eg listen to his ascent to the high F at the end of the movement—there's, like, three notes he slides into instead of hitting dead on, and the high F is maybe slightly off, but that's it). If there's one person in the quartet who had perfect pitch I would have put money on him. He serves to anchor the ensemble; normally when the leader's out of tune everyone goes out of tune, making the microtonality less noticeable, but instead the wrong notes are always highlighted because Levinson's on the right ones and therefore the ensemble corrects itself really quickly. (Except Vladimir. The sexual tension between the two fuels all the dozens of great interpretations we've got from the ensemble, I think.)

Anyway that's background—when I heard the spot (for those following along it's bar 88, around 6:00ish) I was like "what the fuck? Was that a glitch, or just another of Vladimir's screw-ups?" and rewound. Then grabbed the score. Turns out, it's Grigory Lutsky, and it's the result of second-guessing the composer. Taneyev marks a held E-natural with a chromatic line sliding underneath, that fits easily on the A string. The implication is obviously to hold the open E and play the line on the A string—easy as. Instead, presumably fearing the open E will be too bright in the midst of Ovcharek's held Bb-G, Lutsky attempts to hold it as a stopped note on the A string and play the line on the D string, which is slightly riskier (still doable, though). Because violinists don't have 7 fingers, he plays two notes of the line in a row with the same finger (as a slide) and, at the same time, slides with the finger that's supposed to be holding the E. Then attempts to correct it whilst playing the rest of the line. Not good results (that sort of mistake is a result of under-rehearsal, or a last-minute change) and honestly, I don't know why it wasn't retaken.

Moral of the story: play what the composer wrote [when it's possible]!

[Scion7]

"... play what the composer wrote"  -  even if it's Bruckner unable to make up his mind.   

[Cato]

It's a reissue of a Melodiya recording conducted by Tatiana Kolomizheva - chances of it being a different recording are pretty slim, I think.  0:)

Apparently Melodiya is re-issuing The Oresteia recording from 1965 with Tatiana Kolomiytseva conducting the "Orchestra of the Belorussian State Bolshoi Theater of Opera and Ballet" (Whew!).

[asin]B0155OPI6G[/asin]

Still hoping for the performance conducted by Leon Botstein and the American Symphony Orchestra at the 2013 Bard Festival to be on CD: downloads are the only possibility now,

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00FOTT6TS?ie=UTF8&keywords=taneyev&qid=1458733026&ref_=sr_1_18&refinements=p_n_feature_browse-bin%3A625150011&s=dmusic&sr=1-18

[Karl Henning]

[...] the "Orchestra of the Belorussian State Bolshoi Theater of Opera and Ballet" (Whew!).

Ah, days of wine and logorrhœa! 

[SymphonicAddict]

The wonderful content of this CD has blown my mind. I'm not afraid to say this is a masterpiece. Heavenly choruses, impeccable orchestration, immaculate craftsmanship... In addition, John of Damascus is another stunner; I find certain parallelism with the Brahms' A German Requiem, which I admire a lot. Taneyev was an incredible and gifted composer, I like his music more and more.

[vandermolen]

The wonderful content of this CD has blown my mind. I'm not afraid to say this is a masterpiece. Heavenly choruses, impeccable orchestration, immaculate craftsmanship... In addition, John of Damascus is another stunner; I find certain parallelism with the Brahms' A German Requiem, which I admire a lot. Taneyev was an incredible and gifted composer, I like his music more and more.

Interesting!
I have 'John of Damascus' coupled with Rachmaninov's 'The Bells' on DGG - must give it another listen.

I have to say though that, with the exception of one movement, I am not a great admirer of 'A German Requiem' by Brahms.

I like Taneyev's symphonies.

[Cato]

The wonderful content of this CD has blown my mind. I'm not afraid to say this is a masterpiece. Heavenly choruses, impeccable orchestration, immaculate craftsmanship... In addition, John of Damascus is another stunner; I find certain parallelism with the Brahms' A German Requiem, which I admire a lot. Taneyev was an incredible and gifted composer, I like his music more and more.

I do not have this specific recording, but it looks like I should order it, as soon as the bank account allows! 

Check out the symphonies, especially #2 and #4!

[SymphonicAddict]

I do not have this specific recording, but it looks like I should order it, as soon as the bank account allows! 

Check out the symphonies, especially #2 and #4!

I have them, they are great, very satisfying to my ears.

[SymphonicAddict]

Interesting!
I have 'John of Damascus' coupled with Rachmaninov's 'The Bells' on DGG - must give it another listen.

I have to say though that, with the exception of one movement, I am not a great admirer of 'A German Requiem' by Brahms.

I like Taneyev's symphonies.

I intuited that, Jeffrey 

[kyjo]

Taneyev's Fourth Symphony is a rather severe work (IMO) that indulges in neither the folksy exoticism of The Five nor the emotionalism of Tchaikovsky. It didn't move me greatly but has several powerful moments and I feel it would grow on me with repeated listening.

[Cato]

Taneyev's Fourth Symphony is a rather severe work (IMO) that indulges in neither the folksy exoticism of The Five nor the emotionalism of Tchaikovsky. It didn't move me greatly but has several powerful moments and I feel it would grow on me with repeated listening.

Yes, I believe it will!  And of course not to be forgotten: The Oresteia, a desert-island work!

I found this on YouTube:

https://www.youtube.com/v/LIV8UBRRLCI

[vandermolen]

I intuited that, Jeffrey 

You are psychic Caesar!

[SymphonicAddict]

You are psychic Caesar!

I guess so   

[kyjo]

Just made a great discovery in the form of Taneyev's Piano Quartet in E major. I had previously heard Taneyev's Fourth Symphony and one of his string quartets (can't remember which), neither of which made nearly as much of an impression on me as the Piano Quartet. It starts off in E flat major (!) with an imperious piano introduction, which eventually and brilliantly modulates to the home key of E major. The real heart of the work, though, is the exquisite slow movement, which features a lovely, memorable melody first played by the violin and later played by the whole ensemble at the climax. This is goosebump-inducing stuff! The finale is a bit long-winded perhaps, but ends quietly and movingly with a recollection of the theme from the slow movement. Really special music indeed! Now I must listen to the Piano Quintet and Piano Trio...

https://youtu.be/pu5SnoMuzKU

[Cato]

Just made a great discovery in the form of Taneyev's Piano Quartet in E major. I had previously heard Taneyev's Fourth Symphony and one of his string quartets (can't remember which), neither of which made nearly as much of an impression on me as the Piano Quartet. It starts off in E flat major (!) with an imperious piano introduction, which eventually and brilliantly modulates to the home key of E major. The real heart of the work, though, is the exquisite slow movement, which features a lovely, memorable melody first played by the violin and later played by the whole ensemble at the climax. This is goosebump-inducing stuff! The finale is a bit long-winded perhaps, but ends quietly and movingly with a recollection of the theme from the slow movement. Really special music indeed! Now I must listen to the Piano Quintet and Piano Trio...

https://youtu.be/pu5SnoMuzKU

If you have followed this topic, you will know that I highly recommend Taneyev's only opera, The Oresteia, which you might want to check out, although chamber-music taste does not necessarily intersect with liking opera. 

The Fourth Symphony is a favorite, along with the Second .

Allow me to recommend the quartets: e.g.

[asin]B004KDO2XO[/asin]

[kyjo]

If you have followed this topic, you will know that I highly recommend Taneyev's only opera, The Oresteia, which you might want to check out, although chamber-music taste does not necessarily intersect with liking opera. 

The Fourth Symphony is a favorite, along with the Second .

Allow me to recommend the quartets: e.g.

[asin]B004KDO2XO[/asin]

Thanks, Cato! I'll be sure to explore more Taneyev in the near future. What do you think of the lovely Piano Quartet?

[amw]

The Piano Quintet is Taneyev's largest non-operatic work, lasting about 50 minutes, & probably is one of Taneyev's most characteristic and original works. The Trio is more overtly Brahmsian and "classicised", and I think somewhat less memorable.

I also enjoy the two string quintets (especially no.1 in G) and the sixth and last string quartet (nos.7-9 were in fact written before no.1)

[Daverz]

The Piano Trio was my delightful introduction to Taneyev. 



And on CD:

[asin] B000274SUE[/asin]

...Oops, I already mentioned this 8 pages and 7 years ago.