Charles Koechlin(1867-1950)

[Scarpia]

Does a fat baby poop?   

Well, then, you're doing your part for the Koechlin revival.   

[Gurn Blanston]

Well, then, you're doing your part for the Koechlin revival.   

I aim to please.

[karlhenning]

Easy, fella! Any company could exhaust its capital rapidly, in the indiscriminate chase after listener suggestions (how d'you s'pose so much Dittersdorf got out there? ...

Luke's suggestion of the piano suite Les heures persanes, though, is unarguably il Tabasco vero ... and I'm giving the orchestral version a spin tonight. (Curiously, the orchestral version runs almost ten minutes briefer than Kathryn Stott on the piano.)

Separately: has anyone found (online) his uncle's story of which Le Docteur Fabricius is a musical reflection?

[Mirror Image]

Easy, fella! Any company could exhaust its capital rapidly, in the indiscriminate chase after listener suggestions (how d'you s'pose so much Dittersdorf got out there? ...

Yes, that's true Karl, but it still doesn't change my opinion about the company. EMI has never been a favorite label of mine anyway.

[Scarpia]

Separately: has anyone found (online) his uncle's story of which Le Docteur Fabricius is a musical reflection?

Not a trace.  When companies are recording unperformed tone poems based on unpublished books, we should be counting our blessings, I think.   

[Mirror Image]

Went ahead and bought Bedford's recording of The Jungle Book. I knew the drawbacks going into this recording (i. e. applause -- it's a live recording), but I'm anxious to hear a different cycle than Zinman's and Segerstam's isn't that well-played, so it will interesting to hear this rare recording:



Will let the Koechlin fans know what I think of the recording once I've heard the complete cycle.

[cilgwyn]

I look forward to your 'review'. Like you,I'm not keen on live recordings.Well not THAT kind. Thank goodness the audience of the famous Boult performance of Brian's 'Gothic Symphony' didn't clap between every single movement.That would be one 'performance' I wouldn't want preserved for posterity!
Like you I'm a bit of a completionist,if there's a composer or artist I like. And that performance does sound as if it has some plus points. Although if it had been me I'd have told them to 'Shurrup'! Politely,of course!

[Mirror Image]

I look forward to your 'review'. Like you,I'm not keen on live recordings.Well not THAT kind. Thank goodness the audience of the famous Boult performance of Brian's 'Gothic Symphony' didn't clap between every single movement.That would be one 'performance' I wouldn't want preserved for posterity!
Like you I'm a bit of a completionist,if there's a composer or artist I like. And that performance does sound as if it has some plus points. Although if it had been me I'd have told them to 'Shurrup'! Politely,of course!

Yes, I'm not too keen on live recordings either. The initial problem I read with this recording is it was complied from several different live recordings hence why there's an applause after each work, but you would think that they would have edited the applause out? Anyway, no worries, I can simply run up to the next track after the piece has been performed. This said, it will be nice to hear this work in a live context and see how well the orchestra pulls it off. It has received some very favorable reviews, so we shall see.

I'll let you know my thoughts on this recording once it has arrived and I've absorbed it. All the texts in the booklet are in French by the way, so I guess I better study up on my French.

[karlhenning]

Gosh, is it strictly the truth to say the following?

"The Jungle Book" . . .  is seen as Koechlin's masterwork.

I mean, I hardly know any of his music, so maybe it's true.  But I'd be interested to see the documentation of the claim . . . .

[Mirror Image]

Gosh, is it strictly the truth to say the following?

I mean, I hardly know any of his music, so maybe it's true.  But I'd be interested to see the documentation of the claim . . . .

Many of the reviews I've read by "professionals" claim The Jungle Book is Koechlin's masterwork.

[karlhenning]

Many of the reviews I've read by "professionals" claim The Jungle Book is Koechlin's masterwork.

Okay. Can you link us? I'd be interested to read reviews of the piece.

In all honesty, MI, I almost fear to try The Jungle Book.  And I am content to like the couple of pieces I now know ; )

[Mirror Image]

Okay. Can you link us? I'd be interested to read reviews of the piece.

In all honesty, MI, I almost fear to try The Jungle Book.  And I am content to like the couple of pieces I now know ; )

Here's Hurwitz's review of Bedford's performance of The Jungle Book, which is the second only complete cycle on recording: http://www.classicstoday.com/review.asp?ReviewNum=2220.

Karl, you should definitely listen to this work. I think you will enjoy it. You said you own Zinman's recording, right?

[Lethevich]

I just gave a listen to the (much later) re-scored paysages et marines for chamber ensemble (piano, flute, clarinet, 2 violins, viola, cello) on an Accord disc.

I don't know what to make of it. The combination of instruments is nice, but having heard the original, the role of the piano sounds crippled - it might have been better to remove it all together, as if the music really still requires the weight of the instrument, this seems to confirm the preferable qualities of the original, in which the instrument is allowed to perform all manner of wonderful and unrestrained textural effects. In this remake each instrument's material feels painfully limited, and quite a waste of the performer's time to get together and play it. Perhaps for an exotic trio (piano, flute, viola?) it may have worked a little better, but with such pictoral music I am leaning towards the feeling that juggling it between instruments removes the much needed vitality of a single instrumentalist being given a world of nuance to fill as best they can.

Not recommended, I suppose...

[Mirror Image]

I just gave a listen to the (much later) re-scored paysages et marines for chamber ensemble (piano, flute, clarinet, 2 violins, viola, cello) on an Accord disc.

I don't know what to make of it. The combination of instruments is nice, but having heard the original, the role of the piano sounds crippled - it might have been better to remove it all together, as if the music really still requires the weight of the instrument, this seems to confirm the preferable qualities of the original, in which the instrument is allowed to perform all manner of wonderful and unrestrained textural effects. In this remake each instrument's material feels painfully limited, and quite a waste of the performer's time to get together and play it. Perhaps for an exotic trio (piano, flute, viola?) it may have worked a little better, but with such pictoral music I am leaning towards the feeling that juggling it between instruments removes the much needed vitality of a single instrumentalist being given a world of nuance to fill as best they can.

Not recommended, I suppose...

My question is who rearranged the composition?

[Mirror Image]

Apparently, when Koechlin was studying with Faure, he was in the same class as Ravel. Can you imagine these two great minds talking about music? Wow...now that would be something.

[Lethevich]

My question is who rearranged the composition?

As far as I can tell it was the composer - I wouldn't blame him for another's mistake

[Mirror Image]

As far as I can tell it was the composer - I wouldn't blame him for another's mistake

Interesting. I'm generally thrilled with Koechlin's orchestration. He was no slouch. In fact, he wrote a whole series of books on the subject, but there are some works that are fine the way they are and, even though I haven't heard this work, it very well could be one of them.

[eyeresist]

Many of the reviews I've read by "professionals" claim The Jungle Book is Koechlin's masterwork.

... i.e. it's the one they've heard of.

[Mirror Image]

... i.e. it's the one they've heard of.

That sounds about right!

[cilgwyn]

Apart from the Disney cartoon!!! Although I must admit to having a certain fondness for it,true Kipling it is not!
If you want the bear necessities of Kipling,Koechlin's the Jungle VIP!
'OOBI-DOO!'