Schnittke suggestions?

[DanielFullard]

I had never heard any of his works until today and am looking for further recommendations to explore his compositions.

Actually came across him by accident. Was feeling a bit tired so went for a lie down, turned on radio 3 and his Violin Concerto No 4 was just starting and I adored it. Not the best music to listen to when you're feeling tired though . It was loud, violent and just really the kind of music I am searching for more of.

So I want to pick all your musical minds and would appreciate if you could point me in the direction of what works to try and hear, and any particular recordings would be grand.

P.s.

Schnittke: (K)ein Sommernachtstraum (not after Shakespeare)
NDR Symphony Orchestra
Christoph von Dohnányi (conductor)

....thats on tomorrow according to Radio 3 listings so Ill be tuning in for that

[greg]

His 1st symphony is a must listen!

[bwv 1080]

I would recommend symphonies and concerto grossi, particularly the 5th symphony

[MDL]

I haven't got much Schnittke, but this is probably my fave.

Chailly/Concertgebouw/Decca

[bhodges]

I had never heard any of his works until today and am looking for further recommendations to explore his compositions.

Actually came across him by accident. Was feeling a bit tired so went for a lie down, turned on radio 3 and his Violin Concerto No 4 was just starting and I adored it. Not the best music to listen to when you're feeling tired though . It was loud, violent and just really the kind of music I am searching for more of.

So I want to pick all your musical minds and would appreciate if you could point me in the direction of what works to try and hear, and any particular recordings would be grand.

P.s.

Schnittke: (K)ein Sommernachtstraum (not after Shakespeare)
NDR Symphony Orchestra
Christoph von Dohnányi (conductor)

....thats on tomorrow according to Radio 3 listings so Ill be tuning in for that

Daniel, you stumbled across one of the most intense Schnittke performances around, assuming it's the one by Gidon Kremer with Eschenbach conducting.  (I wrote an Amazon review of that CD, here.)

Greg and Steve's recs are excellent: the First Symphony is wild, and the Fifth ("Concerto Grosso No. 5 - Symphony No. 5) is fantastic.  Chailly has a great recording that's out of print, but I see Amazon has copies used, for $12.95 (and I see MDL just mentioned it, too).

http://www.amazon.com/Concerti-Grosso-3-4-Schnittke/dp/B00000E4NN/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=music&qid=1195493889&sr=1-1

I'd also recommend the Concerto Grosso No. 1, that I mentioned to Mark in this post, here.

--Bruce

[hautbois]

Kremarata Baltica recorded his Mozart A la Haydn, A MUST. Double the recommendation on the Concerto Grosso.

Howard

[Lethevich]

I find the symphonies (and to a lesser extent the concertos) almost cripplingly uneven.

I recommend the following disc, which includes a few rare early pieces (which are admittedly unsubstantial), and has strong performances of his major works, the Piano Quintet and the String Trio. I don't understand the gripe of the reviewer.



This disc covers his string quartets, which are less uneven than some of his other forms:



This concerto grosso is wildly creative, and a fun, edgy piece. The works it's coupled with also fill some gaps.



I also recommend the ballet Peer Gynt, which is more even than almost any of his other large-scale works:


For choral, I find the requiem and Psalms of Repentance to be good, but this is my favourite choral disc:

[not edward]

I've been a big admirer of Schnittke's music for about 15 years now, and though it's uneven, I think there's some great things in his oeuvre.

The symphonies are somewhat uneven: I'd recommend the 8th (under Polyansky) and the 5th (Chailly if you can get it, if not, Jarvi) as the two that are both strong works and accessible. The 8th is a stark, bleak work: I think of it as the music of someone who can no longer appreciate beauty, merely feel sad at his own inability to appreciate it any more; the 5th is music that turns from neo-classical playfulness to stark Mahlerian tragedy.

In the same vein as the 5th, Schnittke's ballet Peer Gynt is a monster of a piece. It follows something of a similar path to the 5th symphony, only it's even more intense. I think it's one of the most powerful works of the late 20th century.

Schnittke wrote 6 concerti grossi and a number of concerti for single solo instruments: the piano concerto and viola concerto are probably the pick of the concerti, though the first concerto grosso may be the closest Schnittke has got to a popular hit.

I think Schnittke's most consistent success was in chamber music. The first two violin sonatas are essential Schnittke: the first a kind of serialism-cum-Shostakovichian world that is surely his first big success, the second is a ferociously intense creature that pits tonal against atonal, with the B-A-C-H theme trying unsuccessfully to hold it all together. It's about as abrasive as much ever gets, but I find it very compelling (there's a good Ondine disc with Lubotsky and Gothoni playing these two sonatas). The string trio is also a very fine piece, while the piano quintet (a despairingly intense work in memory of his mother) may be the best of all of his chamber works. I'd stay clear of his solo piano music: except in the concerto Schnittke's writing for piano is rather unsympathetic.

For choral music, the Faust Cantata (Seid Nuchtern und Wachet) is the obvious choice. There's a good recording on BIS to snap up (its couplings include (K)ein Sommernachtstraum). His operas are non-essential, even though the Cantata was reused as the third act of his Faust opera (as yet unperformed in its full version).

[karlhenning]

I am glad of the recommendations, Lethe & Edward, thank you!

[greg]

I've been a big admirer of Schnittke's music for about 15 years now, and though it's uneven, I think there's some great things in his oeuvre.

good to see other people notice the same thing! (that his music is uneven)

here's some advice, Daniel- don't listen to his piano sonatas. And some of his other symphonies do really suck, though it's been so long since i've listened that i can't remember which ones...

[BachQ]

Schnittke's Requiem, baby ........

[Kullervo]

I haven't heard any Schnittke I've liked. The 3rd CG and the Requiem are just too kitschy for me. The 5th CG bored me to tears. Should I just give up now or try something else?

[Lethevich]

I haven't heard any Schnittke I've liked. The 3rd CG and the Requiem are just too kitschy for me. The 5th CG bored me to tears. Should I just give up now or try something else?

The piano quintet is his most widely acclaimed piece, I think - one of the best of the 20th century. The string trio is also very good, although not very... immediate, it took me a while to like. These are a little less macabre (although the quintet is highly depressive) and polystylistic than his orchestral works, especially the trio. And Peer Gynt is brilliant despite all that stuff

[Kullervo]

The piano quintet is his most widely acclaimed piece, I think - one of the best of the 20th century. The string trio is also very good, although not very... immediate, it took me a while to like. These are a little less macabre (although the quintet is highly depressive) and polystylistic than his orchestral works, especially the trio. And Peer Gynt is brilliant despite all that stuff

How is this?



I don't know the Shostakovich piece either.

[bhodges]

The piano quintet is his most widely acclaimed piece, I think - one of the best of the 20th century. The string trio is also very good, although not very... immediate, it took me a while to like. These are a little less macabre (although the quintet is highly depressive) and polystylistic than his orchestral works, especially the trio. And Peer Gynt is brilliant despite all that stuff

Yes, I'd second giving all these a try, and perhaps one or two of his string quartets.  But yes, if these don't really do it, then of course just go on to someone else.  

Just saw your post, Corey, on the Naxos release.  I haven't heard it but can't imagine that it wouldn't be very good, and the Shostakovich is a great piece, too.

--Bruce

[Lethevich]

How is this?



I don't know the Shostakovich piece either.

Absolutely perfect That disc was my introduction to the Schnittke, a solid performance, and the performance of the Shostakovich is also bordering on perfect (it's one of his best works). It's even more ideal because Schnittke's is loosely based on the Shostakovich - a very useful disc

[BachQ]

But yes, if these don't really do it, then of course just go on to someone else.  

Perhaps for a time, but please don't permanently writeoff Schnittke .........

[Kullervo]

Perhaps for a time, but please don't permanently writeoff Schnittke .........

I don't permanently write off anyone, they are just on probation until further notice. 

[bhodges]

I don't permanently write off anyone, they are just on probation until further notice. 

--Bruce

[karlhenning]

The 5th CG bored me to tears.

Heard that one here in Boston, and in spite of Kremer's obvious commitment to the piece, it did not strike me as a strong piece of Schnittke's.