Franz Schmidt(1874-1939)

[cilgwyn]

Luisi can wait. I think you'll be happy with Ratjer...at least I hope you'll be. If not, I'll send you my Luisi discs in penance for steering you wrong 

Sarge

Sarge! I still owe you one for inducing to spend your hard earned dosh on Lachner's Fifth!! It did have quite an arresting horn theme in the first movement,which led,unfortunately,to tha rush of blood to the head. I just can't help but think what a genius like Schubert,might have been able to do with it! Other than that?!!
All the Rajter cds have arrived now. I particularly enjoyed his performance of the Second. It is definitely to be preferred to Jarvi's,in my book,anyway! He really has a grip on the architecture of the piece,unlike Jarvi. Also,the recording is so much cleaner. The Jarvi is superficially spectacular;but actually all the detail is swamped by the reverberant sound,and it sounds way over the top! The Rajter recording feels like it's being tested to it's limits by some of the bigger sounds;but you hear all the detail,which is so important. As to No1? It may be my imagination;but I'm sure that the recording of No 2 has slightly better sound. The Second seems to open out more. I enjoyed Rajter's First very much;but I do think Jarvi,as you yourself have observed,has the edge here. The sumptuous sound of the Chandos recording is also an advantage here;but it's nice to be able to concentrate on the Schmidt without the the Strauss fill-ups. I like Strauss;but I could have done without those. I liked Rajter's Fourth,too. I am going to listen to it again very soon!!!
A fantastic cycle,imho!

[Sergeant Rock]

Sarge! I still owe you one for inducing to spend your hard earned dosh on Lachner's Fifth!! It did have quite an arresting horn theme in the first movement,which led,unfortunately,to tha rush of blood to the head. I just can't help but think what a genius like Schubert,might have been able to do with it! Other than that?!!
All the Rajter cds have arrived now. I particularly enjoyed his performance of the Second. It is definitely to be preferred to Jarvi's,in my book,anyway! He really has a grip on the architecture of the piece,unlike Jarvi. Also,the recording is so much cleaner. The Jarvi is superficially spectacular;but actually all the detail is swamped by the reverberant sound,and it sounds way over the top! The Rajter recording feels like it's being tested to it's limits by some of the bigger sounds;but you hear all the detail,which is so important. As to No1? It may be my imagination;but I'm sure that the recording of No 2 has slightly better sound. The Second seems to open out more. I enjoyed Rajter's First very much;but I do think Jarvi,as you yourself have observed,has the edge here. The sumptuous sound of the Chandos recording is also an advantage here;but it's nice to be able to concentrate on the Schmidt without the the Strauss fill-ups. I like Strauss;but I could have done without those. I liked Rajter's Fourth,too. I am going to listen to it again very soon!!!
A fantastic cycle,imho!

I can breathe easier now  The Järvi First is spectacular...would probably be my desert island choice. But Rajter is really good, too, and preferable, I think, in 2 and 3. Mehta is still incomparable in the Fourth (especially if one is contemplating suicide  )

Sarge

[cilgwyn]

I can breathe easier now  The Järvi First is spectacular...would probably be my desert island choice. But Rajter is really good, too, and preferable, I think, in 2 and 3. Mehta is still incomparable in the Fourth (especially if one is contemplating suicide  )

Sarge

After reading your reply I just had to buy the Mehta Fourth. Not being'into' Schoenberg I bought the one coupled with Mahler's Second. This has some very enthusiastic reviews dotted around the internet. Christa Ludwig singing.....so it sounds good to me!Schmidt Four,then Mahler Two;sounds ideal,really. And great for when you're feeling suicidal,I fear,sarge?!!

[Jo498]

Gave the Quintet for Left-Hand Piano & Strings in G Major (1926, written for Paul Wittgenstein, edited for piano two hands by Friedrich Wührer) a listen, in a couple of old LP-versions:



To me, the Decca version had a much warmer sound, plus many more nuances in the playing.

This was re-issued on CD by Decca with the Bruckner quintet, latest issue by Australian eloquence. By now there are also recordings of the orginal (left hand only) versions (I am not complete sure about the Marco Polo as I have only the A major). The pieces are somewhat massive late romantic behemoths but worthwhile (if one likes larger scale chamber music and/or clarinets) and it is a pity (while understandable) that they are rather neglected.

[asin]B0007MR2L6[/asin][asin]B000028B1W[/asin] [asin]B0000045XT[/asin] [asin]B000024OK7[/asin]

[cilgwyn]

I often listen to the Marco Polo cd of the Clarinet Quintet in A Major. It lasts for 60' 07'';and it's wonderful music imho. It's also has good recording quality unlike some of their efforts. The atmosphere and sound world of it has allot in common with his third symphony.

[Leggiero]

Schmidt's symphonies are amazing, placing him third, IMHO, in the list of composers of four such works, behind Brahms and Schumann. Erm...discuss!

[For anyone who may have happened across a near-identical post to this on another forum, yes, I'm shamelessly repeating myself in the hope of generating further discussion!]

[Turner]

Schmidt's symphonies are amazing, placing him third, IMHO, in the list of composers of four such works, behind Brahms and Schumann. Erm...discuss!

4-symphony-composers would include Szymanowski, Valen, Kokkonen (excluding the Chamber Symphony), Draeseke, Magnard, Roussel, Rangström, plus the lesser known Erdmann, Cyril Scott, Van Gilse, Le Flem, Wallingford Riegger, Hans Gal, Bendix, Gernsheim (excluding no.0), A. Tcherepnin ...

EDIT: cf. post by Leggiero below: Tippett as well ... 

[Leggiero]

4-symphony-composers would include Szymanowski, Valen, Kokkonen (excluding the Chamber Symphony), Draeseke, Magnard, Roussel, Rangström, plus the lesser known Erdmann, Cyril Scott, Van Gilse, Le Flem, Wallingford Riegger, Hans Gal, Bendix, Gernsheim 8excluding no.0), A. Tcherepnin ...

probably more too ...

Some stiff competition amongst that lot, I agree, but I think I'll stick to placing him third, even though I'm a fan of the Tippett cycle (no.3 lets those down, I feel).

[Maestro267]

Lutoslawski and Berlioz as well.

(For the record, Berlioz' are Fantastique, Harold en Italie, Romeo et Juliette and the Grand Symphonie Funebre et Triomphale, all redefining what the symphony in the 19th century is.)

[Leggiero]

Lutoslawski and Berlioz as well.

(For the record, Berlioz' are Fantastique, Harold en Italie, Romeo et Juliette and the Grand Symphonie Funebre et Triomphale, all redefining what the symphony in the 19th century is.)

D'you know, I hadn't even considered Berlioz,  given that none of his symphonies has a "traditional" title! OK, let's qualify my criterion  by saying we're talking about composers of 4 numbered symphonies, in which case Schmidt still pips Lutoslawski for me...

[Turner]

Lutoslawski and Berlioz as well.

(For the record, Berlioz' are Fantastique, Harold en Italie, Romeo et Juliette and the Grand Symphonie Funebre et Triomphale, all redefining what the symphony in the 19th century is.)

Important additions, of course.
I´m not sure where to place Schmidt in a personal ranking, but Luto, Szymanowski, Schumann, Berlioz would probably come before, likely also Erdmann and Roussel. I think Valen´s symphonies are somewhat elusive & could use some more recordings, luxurious and "romantic". 

[The new erato]

4-symphony-composers would include Szymanowski, Valen, Kokkonen (excluding the Chamber Symphony), Draeseke, Magnard, Roussel, Rangström, plus the lesser known Erdmann, Cyril Scott, Van Gilse, Le Flem, Wallingford Riegger, Hans Gal, Bendix, Gernsheim (excluding no.0), A. Tcherepnin ...

EDIT: cf. post by Leggiero below: Tippett as well ...

What's wrong with Brahms?

[Turner]

What's wrong with Brahms?

He had already been mentioned, along with Schumann (who has a small 5th, by the way - the Zwickau Symphony).

[The new erato]

He had already been mentioned, along with Schumann (who has a small 5th, by the way - the Zwickau Symphony).

No time to read the whole thread unfortunately. 

[Leggiero]

Important additions, of course.
I´m not sure where to place Schmidt in a personal ranking, but Luto, Szymanowski, Schumann, Berlioz would probably come before, likely also Erdmann and Roussel. I think Valen´s symphonies are somewhat elusive & could use some more recordings, luxurious and "romantic".

Valen's symphonies are certainly distinctive, but I find them very inward-looking, as though we're being granted a privileged glimpse of a private, insular world, albeit a frequently beguiling one. C/f Schmidt, in his 4th, forging something universal out of personal tragedy.

[Templeton]

Just to let others know that Semyon Bychkov has recently released a recording of the second symphony, with the Vienna Philharmonic, and it is simply glorious.  Christmas has come early!  Grab it while you can.

[SurprisedByBeauty]

Just to let others know that Semyon Bychkov has recently released a recording of the second symphony, with the Vienna Philharmonic, and it is simply glorious.  Christmas has come early!  Grab it while you can.

Seconded!


Classical CD Of The Week: Zeitgeist And The Symphony -- A Viennese Treasure

https://www.forbes.com/sites/jenslaurson/2017/09/27/classical-cd-of-the-week-zeitgeist-and-the-symphony-a-viennese-treasure/#10ae153f662e

[kyjo]

Just to let others know that Semyon Bychkov has recently released a recording of the second symphony, with the Vienna Philharmonic, and it is simply glorious.  Christmas has come early!  Grab it while you can.

+1 A glorious recording of a glorious work.

[SurprisedByBeauty]

Latest SBB-RR-section udpated with links and pix and formatting:


Franz Schmidt - Recommended Recordings

https://surprisedbybeautyorg.wordpress.com/2017/01/07/franz-schmidt-recommended-recordings/

[Mahlerian]

Latest SBB-RR-section udpated with links and pix and formatting:


Franz Schmidt - Recommended Recordings

https://surprisedbybeautyorg.wordpress.com/2017/01/07/franz-schmidt-recommended-recordings/

Thanks for the list.  I'm interested in hearing Book with Seven Seals soon, so I think I'll check out Mitropoulos and Welser-Most.