At the end of the alphabet: Zemlinsky

[Mirror Image]

One listen to Die Seejungfrau and Lyric Symphony was all I needed to convice me that Zemlinsky was a composer of honorable stature. Why he's so neglected is beyond me? Exquisite music.

[Mirror Image]

It's amusing that Alma Mahler referred to Zemlinsky as "a horrid little gnome...toothless, chinless, and reaked of the coffee-houses." What a nice lady she was.

[Karl Henning]

Don't make Daniel bring forth the hammer, John ; )

[The new erato]

It's amusing that Alma Mahler referred to Zemlinsky as "a horrid little gnome...toothless, chinless, and reaked of the coffee-houses." What a nice lady she was.

What he felt about her is revealed in the Opera "Der Zwerg".

[kishnevi]

Some people you either have to love or hate, no in-between. 
Alma was of the more interesting type, whom you have to love and hate at the same time.

[Wanderer]

I find it hard to think of anything to like about her. Her biography reads like the epitome of the manipulative shrew. She apparently scarred Zemlinsky for life and Mahler would have probably been better off without her. Furthermore, regarding Mahler, let's not forget the Alma Problem.

[Mirror Image]

Don't make Daniel bring forth the hammer, John ; )

...runs...for...shelter...

[Karl Henning]

[Alma] apparently scarred Zemlinsky for life . . . .

FWIW (i.e., according to Wikipedia):

In 1900, Zemlinsky met and fell in love with Alma Schindler, one of his composition students. She reciprocated his feelings initially; however, Alma felt a great deal of pressure from close friends and family to end the relationship.

If this is a fair description of her situation, then unless she felt immovably strong ties to Zemlinsky, I don't know how reasonable it is to have expected her to resist "a great deal of pressure from close friends and family."  And possibly it is not fair to execrate Alma as having scarred Zemlinsky for life.

[madaboutmahler]

...runs...for...shelter...

Thread duty: Must take a listen to some more Zemlinsky. I remember really loving what I have heard of his music so far!

[Brian]

Naxos is preparing a cycle of the complete string quartets. The first volume, containing Quartets 3 and 4 and "2 Satz," is streaming on NML now with a physical CD due in a few months.

[ZauberdrachenNr.7]

Yowza! It's been nearly a year since anyone has posted anything in this thread on our sehr beliebter Komponist Alexander!  I have and love the Conlon readings of the two symphonies.  Do I need the Brabbins, do you think? Tempted to buy it just for the cover!
[asin] B00GMH2VVQ[/asin]

[Mirror Image]

Yowza! It's been nearly a year since anyone has posted anything in this thread on our sehr beliebter Komponist Alexander!  I have and love the Conlon readings of the two symphonies.  Do I need the Brabbins, do you think? Tempted to buy it just for the cover!
[asin] B00GMH2VVQ[/asin]

Not sure. I find Brabbins to be an unreliable conductor in most cases. He released a recording of Hindemith orchestral works (Mathis der Maler, Konzertmusik) and got some mixed reviews. I don't think the German repertoire is his bag. He seems more attuned, naturally, to British composers. I say skip it unless you believe you really need it. Conlon is excellent in Zemlinsky BTW and I've admired his recordings for many years now.

[ZauberdrachenNr.7]

Thanks, Mirror, for your excellent counsel.  Conlon does know his Z and he has never disappointed.  I never tire of hearing Z flex his musical muscles in those two symphonies.

[Mirror Image]

Thanks, Mirror, for your excellent counsel.  Conlon does know his Z and he has never disappointed.  I never tire of hearing Z flex his musical muscles in those two symphonies.

You're welcome, ZauberdrachenNr.7. BTW, do you have a first name I could call you? Your screen name isn't exactly easy on the fingers. I'd say if you really enjoy those symphonies, then the Brabbins might be good. Like I mentioned, I really don't know just offering some things I've read about him and observed about his conducting. It's not like the market is flooded with recordings of Zemlinsky's symphonies however.

Looks like this Brabbins disc got a favorable review in The Guardian -

http://www.theguardian.com/music/2014/feb/02/zemlinsky-symphonies-bbcnow-brabbins-review

[ZauberdrachenNr.7]

You're welcome, ZauberdrachenNr.7. BTW, do you have a first name I could call you?

I fear Zauberdrachen fulfills my long-felt need for a multisyllabic first name; Gregg's the real one. I think your first suggest is a good'un.  There's other works I need more.  The good news is that Z is of sufficient interest now to support multiple recordings of the same material!   

[Mirror Image]

I fear Zauberdrachen fulfills my long-felt need for a multisyllabic first name; Gregg's the real one. I think your first suggest is a good'un.  There's other works I need more.  The good news is that Z is of sufficient interest now to support multiple recordings of the same material!   

Nice to meet you, Gregg. I know you mentioned you own Conlon's recordings of the symphonies, but do you own this 3-CD box set of his that came out on EMI?



Some great stuff in this box.

[ZauberdrachenNr.7]

Nice to meet you, Gregg. I know you mentioned you own Conlon's recordings of the symphonies, but do you own this 3-CD box set of his that came out on EMI?



Some great stuff in this box.

Sehr erfreut.  I am going to have to check carefully, but I think I have all or most of what's in the box from "pre-box" purchases on EMI: Traumgörge; Seejungfrau; Sämtliche Chorwerke; Sämtliche Orchesterlieder;Lyrische Symphonie; Cymbeline Suite und Frühlingsbegräbnis. I also have Claus Peter Flor's reading of the Lyric Symphony on RCA; the LaSalle Quartet (DG) for the 4 quartets; the Artis Quartet for #3 and 4 only (Nimbus); another reading of Sinfonietta by the Radio-Symphonie-Orchester Berlin under Klee on Koch and Sarema (also on Koch). I was astounded to check in Ewen (Composers Since 1900) and its Supplement which I've found really helpful and there's not a mention of him, but then remembered it wasn't until his centenary that Z was rediscovered.  Listened to Eine florentinische Tragödie this afternoon and greatly enjoyed it but so distracted with odds and ends (mostly odd) must go back to it with greater attn:  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7L8B0hgApuI    Be sure to catch your Z's!   

[ZauberdrachenNr.7]

I am going to have to check carefully, but I think I have all or most of what's in the box from "pre-box" purchases on EMI:...

John, btw, don't you think EMI rules when it comes to classical labels?  My favorite if I had to choose one - might make an interesting thread actually.

[Cato]

I happened to come across this new release:

[asin]B00GMH2VVQ[/asin]

No reviews on Amazon at least.  I found this positive, but very cursory, review from The Guardian:

http://www.theguardian.com/music/2014/feb/02/zemlinsky-symphonies-bbcnow-brabbins-review

[North Star]

I happened to come across this new release:

No reviews on Amazon at least.  I found this positive, but very cursory, review from The Guardian:

http://www.theguardian.com/music/2014/feb/02/zemlinsky-symphonies-bbcnow-brabbins-review

I wouldn't dignify these words by calling it a review.. Did you mean to post in the Grammar Grumble instead?  0:)

These two early symphonies, played with the right degree of late-Romantic lushness and fluency by the BBC NOW under Martyn Brabbins, places him firmly in that fascinating stylistic crevice between Brahms and Mahler. Whether you see him as a footnote to the 19th century or a prelude to the 20th, the music has a variety and melodic warmth which is well worth exploring.