Alfred Schnittke (1934-1998)

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Still one of my favourite composers, John! I'm sure I'll be listening to much more of his music fairly soon. The BIS Faust Cantata CD is right at the top of my Christmas list, as well as the Viola/Cello Concerts from Bashmet/Gutman, and a recording of Choir Concerto/Requiem.

Excellent, Daniel. As you can see, I'm in a huge Britten phase.

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BTW, Daniel, I thought you were going to get the symphonies box set on BIS? Where does this factor in on your list?

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A Schnittke work I want to hear is his opera Life With An Idiot. Has anyone heard this?

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I have the Rostropovich recording:


Long time since I played it though, can remember almost nothing about it.   (Maybe give it a spin over the weekend... )

Sounds good, Soapy. Would love to hear your impressions of the music.

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Looks like Daniel has gone by the wayside. Anyway, in the meantime, here's something that will get us all into the holiday spirit

http://www.youtube.com/v/ZGUed4Ki8xM

[madaboutmahler]

Listening to a number of my favourite Schnittke moments currently, and revisiting the entire Faust Cantata. Discovering Schnittke has definitely been one of the highlights of my listening in 2013, such an incredible composer who wasn't afraid to do anything in his works. What a genius and great man.

I look forward to listening to more of his music in the next year, I still have Peer Gynt to listen to for example!

[Karl Henning]

Well, I have yet to listen to the Faust Cantata . . . .

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Listening to a number of my favourite Schnittke moments currently, and revisiting the entire Faust Cantata. Discovering Schnittke has definitely been one of the highlights of my listening in 2013, such an incredible composer who wasn't afraid to do anything in his works. What a genius and great man.

I look forward to listening to more of his music in the next year, I still have Peer Gynt to listen to for example!

Agreed, Daniel, a genius and a great man. I'm surprised you didn't opt for the cello concerti set on Chandos with Alexander Ivashkin. This is prime Schnittke.

[madaboutmahler]

Agreed, Daniel, a genius and a great man. I'm surprised you didn't opt for the cello concerti set on Chandos with Alexander Ivashkin. This is prime Schnittke.

I will do when I have a bit more money, John!! I want to have as much Schnittke in my collection as possible.

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I will do when I have a bit more money, John!! I want to have as much Schnittke in my collection as possible.

I understand completely. Happy New Year! Cheers!

[Brahmsian]

My first listens to both of these (checked out from my local library).  Really enjoyed these, particularly amazed by the magnificent Violin Concerti! 


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Great, Ray! Personally, I didn't find much meat in the VCs, but I love Symphony No. 8 and Concerto Grosso No. 6, especially that Rozhdestvensky recording. Killer performances.

[CRCulver]

Alexander Ivashkin, one of Schnittke's major advocates (performer of cello works, author of the Phaidon biography) has died.

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Alexander Ivashkin, one of Schnittke's major advocates (performer of cello works, author of the Phaidon biography) has died.

This is sad news indeed. I loved his playing now for several years, but I'm still getting into him. His performances of Schnittke's Cello Concerti 1 & 2 are out-of-this-world. A great loss. RIP Mr. Ivashkin.

[Lisztianwagner]

About the 4th Symphony:

http://www.youtube.com/v/GlZrJqPrdNQ

It was a harder nut to crack compared to Symphony No.3, though absolutely a evocative, suggestive and mesmerizing work. I loved the powerful, thrilling climaxes, the dense orchestral texture and how percussion and keyboard instruments were handled (such a great ability Schnittke had, in my opinion); Gregorian chant, Orthodox hymn and Protestant chorale are beautifully juxtaposed and combined. The atmosphere created seems to drive into two different ways: the first, deeper, more haunting, mysterious and anguished as it is diving into the human unconscious to look for a long-awaited truth; while the second one, when the vocal parts start, very high, mystical and ethereal, especially in gorgeous Ave Maria. I also loved the finale, with the voices peacefully fading after reaching the climax, and the bells and percussion ostinato; what a cunning surprise when, after some moments of soft blows of percussion, piano and strings come out again!

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Great description, Ilaria. Yeah, the 4th is a great work. Completely mesmerizing.

[madaboutmahler]

I also loved the finale, with the voices peacefully fading after reaching the climax, and the bells and percussion ostinato; what a cunning surprise when, after some moments of soft blows of percussion, piano and strings come out again!

Love this bit! Schnittke's work can be so unexpected as he was not afraid to include anything in his works, and moments like this just work so well in emphasising the haunting realism of his work. What a genius.

[snyprrr]

Alexander Ivashkin, one of Schnittke's major advocates (performer of cello works, author of the Phaidon biography) has died.

only 65

[Lisztianwagner]

Love this bit! Schnittke's work can be so unexpected as he was not afraid to include anything in his works, and moments like this just work so well in emphasising the haunting realism of his work. What a genius.

Absolutely, his works never stop surprising you, they're incredible. Yes, such a brilliant idea he used for that finale; it's like in Tchaikovsky's Pathetique, you would expect the Allegro molto vivace, with its beauty and overwhelming energy, to be the conclusion of the symphony, instead it ends with an Adagio.

I wonder if Schnittke took Mahler's words literally: "A symphony must be like the world; it must contain everything".

[bhodges]

About two weeks ago I had the great pleasure of hearing the U.S. premiere of Schnittke's 8th Symphony - what a wondrous, disturbing creation it is. And conductor Anne Manson and the Juilliard Orchestra did a terrific job.

http://seenandheard-international.com/2014/02/twenty-years-later-schnittke-u-s-premiere/

--Bruce