Alfred Schnittke (1934-1998)

[bwv 1080]

Youtube also has a BBC documentary from the early 90s

https://www.youtube.com/v/6sHnQKs8LUM

[Mirror Image]

Great piece, unfortunately the Chandos recording is out of print

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

Oh yes, that's a good one indeed.

[Karl Henning]

Minor corrigenda   0:)

I've just imagined an analogy for the first Symphony:

If Zappa and Zorn had a baby in the apocalypse, supervised in a hospital insured by Charles Ives, and the Gynecologist Obstetrician is Penderecki 

[Karl Henning]

But now I have an alternative to consider, if I find myself lazily reverting to a wild ride . . . .

[Maestro267]

Giving the Second Symphony ("St. Florian") another go. I must admit, this one is taking me longer to warm to than the First and Third Symphonies (the only other two of Schnittke's I've heard). There just doesn't seem to be as much going on in No. 2. Each orchestral "commentary" on the choral parts seems to be the same, ie. a long slow buildup of sound.

[bwv 1080]

Giving the Second Symphony ("St. Florian") another go. I must admit, this one is taking me longer to warm to than the First and Third Symphonies (the only other two of Schnittke's I've heard). There just doesn't seem to be as much going on in No. 2. Each orchestral "commentary" on the choral parts seems to be the same, ie. a long slow buildup of sound.

5 and 9 are my favorites, but the Concerto Grossi are the real gems IMO

[Maestro267]

5 and 9 are my favorites, but the Concerto Grossi are the real gems IMO

Well, Symphony No. 5 is also Concerto Grosso No. 4.

There's tons of music by Schnittke for me to get stuck into over time. I'm loving what I've heard so far. In fact, I've just started listening to the awesome and bonkers Symphony No. 1.

[relm1]

Well, Symphony No. 5 is also Concerto Grosso No. 4.

There's tons of music by Schnittke for me to get stuck into over time. I'm loving what I've heard so far. In fact, I've just started listening to the awesome and bonkers Symphony No. 1.

Question.  For those of you are fans of Schnittke as I would assume most reading this threat would be, what do you think of Kalevi Aho?  I was listening to his No. 5 now and find is very much in the post Soviet/Pan European collage style like Schnittke's No. 3.  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oIRzu0lC4uI   I also feel there are semi Shostakovitch quotes like at 24:00 really feels so much out of Shostakovitch No. 15 Adagio.  I think these guys are cut from the same cloth.  Also check out his Symphony No. 4.  Very Russian by way of Finland.

Thoughts?  In my mind, it is almost like Schnittke is still writing. 

[Maestro267]

Question.  For those of you are fans of Schnittke as I would assume most reading this threat would be, what do you think of Kalevi Aho?  I was listening to his No. 5 now and find is very much in the post Soviet/Pan European collage style like Schnittke's No. 3.  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oIRzu0lC4uI   I also feel there are semi Shostakovitch quotes like at 24:00 really feels so much out of Shostakovitch No. 15 Adagio.  I think these guys are cut from the same cloth.  Also check out his Symphony No. 4.  Very Russian by way of Finland.

Thoughts?  In my mind, it is almost like Schnittke is still writing.

He's definitely on my radar, so to speak. Love the epic scope of his 12th Symphony, written as spatial music, inspired by a mountain. And I watched the premiere of his 16th Symphony a while ago. The 8th Symphony, for organ and orchestra, is also on my wishlist.

[CRCulver]

Question.  For those of you are fans of Schnittke as I would assume most reading this threat would be, what do you think of Kalevi Aho?

Aho and Schnittke were definitely writing in a similar spirit in the late 1970s and early-mid 1980s. However, Aho has stated that with the birth of his first child, he no longer felt able to write music of bleakness or despair, and thus from the early 1980s his music gradually drew away from that style capable of sudden threats or malevolent clashing jumbles of different epochs that so resembled Schnittke.

[milk]

loving this today!

[Karl Henning]

loving this today!

Classic!

[Maestro267]

Incredibly excited that I've ordered a copy of the ballet Peer Gynt. I'm really interested to hear this work, Schnittke's take on the full-length ballet.

[North Star]

Peer Gynt is a magnificent work, essential Schnittke.

[relm1]

Peer Gynt is a magnificent work, essential Schnittke.

Agreed.  Very interesting and engaging large scale work.  There is some collage in this which you shouldn't fear with Schnittke. 

[Mirror Image]

Incredibly excited that I've ordered a copy of the ballet Peer Gynt. I'm really interested to hear this work, Schnittke's take on the full-length ballet.

Such an excellent work and, dare I say, right up there with Schnittke's other masterpieces like the Requiem, Concerto Grosso No. 1, Piano Quintet, among others.

If you're interested, I created a thread about Peer Gynt, but it didn't garner much attention (unfortunately):

http://www.good-music-guide.com/community/index.php/topic,25167.msg918925.html#msg918925

[Maestro267]

Listening to Peer Gynt this evening. Wow! Absolutely incredible music! The booklet for this recording (Royal Opera Stockholm Orchestra/Klas) is fantastic too, giving a blow-by-blow account of the on-stage action, which is what you want for an unfamiliar score.

Now to enjoy the rest of this massive Epilogue...

[Mirror Image]

Listening to Peer Gynt this evening. Wow! Absolutely incredible music! The booklet for this recording (Royal Opera Stockholm Orchestra/Klas) is fantastic too, giving a blow-by-blow account of the on-stage action, which is what you want for an unfamiliar score.

Now to enjoy the rest of this massive Epilogue...

Great to hear you enjoyed the music. I've said for quite some time now that it's one of Schnittke's masterworks and I still feel this way years later.

[TheGSMoeller]

Just posted this in Purchased thread, but finally got me a hard copy of the Faust Cantata, and another 2nd Concerto Grosso for my library. This also might be a candidate for craziest cover art!

[Karl Henning]

Nice, Greg!  Now if someone could photoshop in Trump's ugly mug for the jigsaw-in-progress, that would be perfect . . . .