Alfred Schnittke (1934-1998)

[Mandryka]

I'm looking for more small scale (not symphonic) music in the spirit of the second violin sonata. Any suggestions?

[Karl Henning]

I cannot answer for any similarity to the Sonata, but:

The first piece which came to mind was:

[BWV 1080]

I'm looking for more small scale (not symphonic) music in the spirit of the second violin sonata. Any suggestions?

Do you know this one?

[Karl Henning]

Do you know this one?

This is a beauty!

[Mandryka]

Do you know this one?

Thanks. There's huge variety in Schnittke's music! Anything good to read to get a handle on what's going on?

[Mandryka]

The first piece which came to mind was:

This is interesting music at the start - I don't like it when it becomes pastiche, but that's just me.

[BWV 1080]

Thanks. There's huge variety in Schnittke's music! Anything good to read to get a handle on what's going on?

Dont know too much about it- only one recording that I am aware of and have not seen anything written about it

[AnotherSpin]

I'm looking for more small scale (not symphonic) music in the spirit of the second violin sonata. Any suggestions?

There's a recording like this. I'm not crazy about the violinist, and I actively dislike what the pianist does with the music. If you listen to it, it would be interesting to know your opinion. I'm not likely to make my own.

[Mandryka]

There's a recording like this. I'm not crazy about the violinist, and I actively dislike what the pianist does with the music. If you listen to it, it would be interesting to know your opinion. I'm not likely to make my own.

Thw one that has caught my attention most in the second violin sonata is with Roland Pontinen and Ulf Wallin.

[Mandryka]

Very impressed by the 4th quartet here, Kapralova. Live by the looks at it, lean sound.

And an exceptional performance of the first string quartet here too (the first quartet was written at the same time as the second violin sonata, hence my interest!)

[Mandryka]

Segerstam's recording of Schnittke's 1st is awfull. A real mess. This work is crazy, I agree, it's a very bizarre pudding of everything, but it's also a very deep and poetic work. To understand this you need to listen to  Rojdestvenski's recording for Chandos. By the way, according to Schnittke's friend and biographer Alexander Ivashkin, many of the recordings made by BIS during the 90s were considered as complete crap by Schnittke himself.

I found this while looking for comments about Alexander Ivashkin's book, which I may buy. Does anyone have a view on how useful it is?

[Maestro267]

That opinion about Segerstam's Schnittke 1 and BIS's recordings in general (posted in 2011 so why the hell is it being dragged out now?) is so phenomenally wrong it hurts.

[Spotted Horses]

That opinion about Segerstam's Schnittke 1 and BIS's recordings in general (posted in 2011 so why the hell is it being dragged out now?) is so phenomenally wrong it hurts.

With works that have very thin performance and recording history, it is impossible to know if existing recordings are good, and contradictory opinions will often appear. I've noticed a similar phenomena with Pettersson. I guess I should try to seek out alternates. (I have the BIS symphony series in a box set, I guess I can find the alternates from Chandos and others streaming. There are also the Chailly recordings to consider.)

[Mandryka]

Is there anything more freakingly bizarre and insane than Quasi una Sonata?

Yes there is. The serenade for violin, piano, double bass, clarinet and percussion.

(But be warned, I don't know the orchestrated version in that recording, only the violin sonata.)

[CRCulver]

That opinion about Segerstam's Schnittke 1 and BIS's recordings in general (posted in 2011 so why the hell is it being dragged out now?) is so phenomenally wrong it hurts.

That opinion is based on the actual fact that the composer himself was dissatisfied with some BIS recordings, and so it is hard to call it "phenomenally wrong" instead of a mere matter of taste.

I recently read this claim repeated in Dubinets' Russian Composers Abroad, or at least I think so – she does not explicitly name BIS.

[Karl Henning]

Is there anything more freakingly bizarre and insane than Quasi una Sonata?

Hadn't heard it in an age, thanks for the prompt.

[Mandryka]

Hadn't heard it in an age, thanks for the prompt.

I heard it (the violin sonata)  for the first time about three days ago and honestly, I nearly fell out of my chair.

[vers la flamme]

Damn, I should hear Schnittke's violin sonatas.

[Mandryka]

There's a recording like this. I'm not crazy about the violinist, and I actively dislike what the pianist does with the music. If you listen to it, it would be interesting to know your opinion. I'm not likely to make my own.

Right, the suite seems a bit too much pastiche for me - but the first violin sonata is a bit more interesting. Thanks.

[Mandryka]

Schnittke I love, but I can only take him in small doses, such is the draining effect he has on my psyche.

Peer Gynt is, IMHO, one of the greatest ballet scores of the 20th century. Now, I cannot comment on whether or not it is great for it's original purpose (i.e. the dancing, and in all honesty, I imagine not), but the music itself is a mammoth and pitch black effort and is a world away from Grieg's work, which in comparison to Schnittke's take on the story, is all butterflies, honey and puppies.

Other than that, my favourites are his 5th and 8th symphonies.

Peer Gynt is overwhelming, disturbing because of its enormity and intensity and feeling of freedom, like Rihm's Tutuguti. Mad music. I don't like the sound on the BIS recording, on my equipment it's distant slightly. Hard to record I guess, and listen to on speakers, because of the enormous dynamic range.