Alfred Schnittke (1934-1998)

[not edward]

Yes - especially parts of the Faust Cantata (Seid nüchtern und wachet) have a bit of a (if very dark) pop-feel to it. I think Schnittke was very aware of pop music.

In fact, the tango in the Faust Cantata was originally intended for the Russian pop singer Alla Pugacheva.

Schnittke was certainly well aware of the Russian rock scene at the time: his son Andrei was a guitarist for the band Center, and he knew some of the band members. (See http://rbth.com/arts/2013/10/06/avant-garde_composer_through_the_eyes_of_his_contemporary_30525.html for a tribute to him by the group's founder Vasily Shumov.)

[chadfeldheimer]

In fact, the tango in the Faust Cantata was originally intended for the Russian pop singer Alla Pugacheva.

Schnittke was certainly well aware of the Russian rock scene at the time: his son Andrei was a guitarist for the band Center, and he knew some of the band members. (See http://rbth.com/arts/2013/10/06/avant-garde_composer_through_the_eyes_of_his_contemporary_30525.html for a tribute to him by the group's founder Vasily Shumov.)

Thank's for link and info. That would also explain the use of electric guitars in some of his works.

[Mirror Image]

Yes - there are certainly good sections in it and I agree it's a good fun listening. As a hole I don't feel it can compete with Schnittke's best works. BTW I think with his "Musique pour le soupers de Roi Ubu" B.A. Zimmermann followed a similar approach as Schnittke with his 1st symphony and I think he was more successful thereby.   Yes - especially parts of the Faust Cantata (Seid nüchtern und wachet) have a bit of a (if very dark) pop-feel to it. I think Schnittke was very aware of pop music. Is it reported somewhere, if he actually liked some of it? Anyway the Cantata is very well done. I could imagine Diamanda Galas would be very good interpreter.Not really. I was thinking about buying it and listened to some of it's parts via Youtube, which I liked quite a lot. However the high price of the CD retained me from buying it till now.I know and love the Piano Quintet. I have a recording of  Rozhdestvensky conducting Schnittke's 3rd symphony which I really like. I think Rozhdestvensky is a great Schnittke interpreter. What do you think of the BIS-symphony-box?Absolutely

Let's see if I can try to respond to a lot of what you wrote. I think the BIS symphony box set is uneven performance-wise. I thought the performances of Symphonies 6, 7, 8, & 9 weren't up to par with other performances I've heard. Yes, Rozhdestvensky is a fine Schnittke conductor. I own several of his recordings. My favorite performance of his Schnittke is Symphony No. 8 on Chandos. What a monumental performance IMHO. The recording of Peer Gynt is quite expensive. I agree with you there. It was even expensive when I bought it several years ago. The other ballets: Labyrinths and Sketches are also worth checking out if you haven't done so already. Faust Cantata has several good performances on record but my favorite is the BIS recording with James DePreist. Another work, that's not well known, that you should check out at some point is Four Hymns which is scored for a chamber ensemble of bassoon, cello, double bass, piano, harp, harpsichord, timpani, and tubular bells. Very cool work.

[Lisztianwagner]

What was the first work that opened your ears to his sound-world?

The Concerto for piano and strings, a work I enjoyed very much. I was deeply struck by its hauntingly beautiful, mesmerizing atmospheres, the brilliant orchestration, especially how Schnittke handled the strings (and in the symphonies, percussion); the combination and transformation of different harmonic styles were very impressive, with moments of striking, dissonant music getting so lyrical and majestic at some points. I also loved the changes of dynamics and intensity, and how the melodies became more and more powerful, burst out into thrilling climaxes before suddenly shading into pianissimi. A wonderful musical experience.

I don't know why, but when I listen to Schnittke's music, it makes me think irresistibly of Kandinsky's abstract art.....

[amw]

Yes - especially parts of the Faust Cantata (Seid nüchtern und wachet) have a bit of a (if very dark) pop-feel to it. I think Schnittke was very aware of pop music.

The example that immediately came to mind for me was the Choir Concerto, which I actually listen to more than almost anything else by Schnittke.

(Sorry for my absence from the contemporary music threads. These last few months I've been listening to little other than Beethoven, Hummel, Reicha, Weber, Mendelssohn, Onslow, Schubert and so forth. I promise I'll come back to the 21st century soon, after I've done some further exploration of Moscheles and Clementi and Spohr and...)

[Mirror Image]

The Concerto for piano and strings, a work I enjoyed very much. I was deeply struck by its hauntingly beautiful, mesmerizing atmospheres, the brilliant orchestration, especially how Schnittke handled the strings (and in the symphonies, percussion); the combination and transformation of different harmonic styles were very impressive, with moments of striking, dissonant music getting so lyrical and majestic at some points. I also loved the changes of dynamics and intensity, and how the melodies became more and more powerful, burst out into thrilling climaxes before suddenly shading into pianissimi. A wonderful musical experience.

I don't know why, but when I listen to Schnittke's music, it makes me think irresistibly of Kandinsky's abstract art.....

Great post, Ilaria. Thanks for sharing. I'm glad to hear that Schnittke's music has had an effect on you. On a personal note, I'm trying to remember the work that 'opened my ears' to Schnittke. It's hard to remember but I think it was Ritual (from the BIS recording with my favorite Faust performance). I loved the way this work just continued to build in searing intensity until finally that tension was released. Such a great work.

[Karl Henning]

That Concerto for piano & strings is a beauty!

[chadfeldheimer]

Let's see if I can try to respond to a lot of what you wrote. I think the BIS symphony box set is uneven performance-wise. I thought the performances of Symphonies 6, 7, 8, & 9 weren't up to par with other performances I've heard. Yes, Rozhdestvensky is a fine Schnittke conductor. I own several of his recordings. My favorite performance of his Schnittke is Symphony No. 8 on Chandos. What a monumental performance IMHO. The recording of Peer Gynt is quite expensive. I agree with you there. It was even expensive when I bought it several years ago. The other ballets: Labyrinths and Sketches are also worth checking out if you haven't done so already. Faust Cantata has several good performances on record but my favorite is the BIS recording with James DePreist. Another work, that's not well known, that you should check out at some point is Four Hymns which is scored for a chamber ensemble of bassoon, cello, double bass, piano, harp, harpsichord, timpani, and tubular bells. Very cool work.

Thanks for the recommendations.

[North Star]

Do you know these works, Chad? If not, I definitely recommend them (and the album, but then again, I don't know the other recordings)

[asin]B000092R5A[/asin]

[Mirror Image]

Thanks for the recommendations.

Yeah, definitely check them out.

[chadfeldheimer]

Yeah, definitely check them out.

I'll do for sure.

[Lisztianwagner]

That Concerto for piano & strings is a beauty!

Quite right!

[Maciek]

Yes - especially parts of the Faust Cantata (Seid nüchtern und wachet) have a bit of a (if very dark) pop-feel to it. I think Schnittke was very aware of pop music.

The example that immediately came to mind for me was the Choir Concerto, which I actually listen to more than almost anything else by Schnittke.

I don't think I've heard the Faust Cantata, I know the Choir Concerto, but don't really recognize a pop element. Could you elaborate? I'm curious what you mean.

[amw]

I think it would mostly be the harmonies (which are very jazz/modal-rock inflected), and some sections that imply a "beat".

It's obviously a borderline case, and I think only the reputations of the respective musicians explain why the Choir Concerto ends up in the classical bins whereas, e.g., Brian Eno's Discreet Music ends up in the alt-rock/ambient ones. But in my experience that piece has been much more accessible to non-classical fans than say Beethoven.

(Schnittke's later works do seem to be somewhat influenced by the younger generation, Pärt, Artyomov, Gorecki and so forth, who are basically "pop" already)

[Maciek]

OK, thanks for the explanation. I don't know much Eno, don't think I've heard Discreet music (I'll give it a try), but I wouldn't call Part or Gorecki pop (I don't know Artyomov's music well enough). So I guess we are simply calling different things pop - which explains why I don't see it there (I'm not looking for the same thing).

(Actually, Part and Gorecki were each born roughly within a year of Schnittke, Gorecki being the oldest of the three composers. Though I guess that doesn't rule out influences.)

[Karl Henning]

I never think "pop" when I perform Pärt . . . unless the Eastern Orthodox liturgical choral tradition is somehow "pop" . . . .

http://www.youtube.com/v/85vsIrfo1ss

[chadfeldheimer]

Do you know these works, Chad? If not, I definitely recommend them (and the album, but then again, I don't know the other recordings)

[asin]B000092R5A[/asin]

I know the Chandos disc with the requiem, but not this disc and also no other recording of the concerto for mixed choir. The requiem is quite impressive.

[Karl Henning]

The Choir Concerto is exquisite.

[Mirror Image]

The Choir Concerto is exquisite.

+1 A haunting work and undoubtedly gorgeous. I do, however, feel a bit bad for the vocalists in this work. I believe the Choir Concerto lasts around 40 minutes or so and from what I've read is extremely difficult to sing.

In other news, I've really been enjoying Schnittke's later music tonight. Finishing up Symphony No. 8 as I type. What do you guys make of this symphony? Schnittke's acceptance of death? His own grief wrapped up within the music? Would love to get some interpretations from you guys. The thing that I love about Schnittke is his ability to make the listener think. After a work has ended, especially one of his more explosive works like Cello Concerto No. 1 or the Concerto Grosso No. 4 (Symphony No. 5), you're left with some kind of impression of the gamut of emotions and moods that you've just heard. He seems to linger in my mind for several days and in some cases weeks. I would definitely consider Schnittke my favorite post-WWII composer.

[TheGSMoeller]

The Choir Concerto is exquisite.

Possibly his best work IMO. These two make for a nice contrast, with the larger and more profound sounding Danish RC having the slight edge.
BTW, Minnesang is amazing.