Charles Koechlin(1867-1950)

[Mirror Image]

I note with delight that the Berlin Philharmonic will be performing Koechlin's Les Bandar-log under Simon Rattle on February 20, 2016 which will be avaliable live (and later in the archive) in the Digital Concert Hall, as just announced in their new season program.

I'd love it if Simon Rattle recorded a complete Jungle Book cycle, but I won't hold my breath.

[cilgwyn]

Sounds good. What performance do you own of Seven Stars Symphony, cilgwyn?

The old emi recording. I have been listening to this on repeat. Reason? Cordless headphones and too busy to change the cd. Reason No 2! I left it in the mini hi-fi overnight and it was easier just to play whatever was in there!
Well,this one really has grown on me. In fact,I don't really want to take it out......at least for a while. There are cool,mysterious sounding bits with the ondes martenon. Whole movements. I can't see the cd player display allot of the time......that's the trouble with these headphones!! Then there is that muscular,energetic music that you get in parts of the Jungle Book cycle. The way all this is bundled into one 'symphony' is quite amazing,to my ears. Like Brian's third symphony I get the feeling it is almost too full of ideas for it's own good;but this is what makes it such compulsive listening.
Wow! Not pulling this out of the cd player  really has opened this one up! I'm surprised. I've had it for ages and previously filed it under the interesting but very uneven category. In fact,I don't think it is uneven so much as just such a wild profusion of moods and ideas that it's very difficult to get your head around them at first,which gives an impression of opaqueness at first. Once you crack it this is very compulsive music.
Another comparison besides Brian's third springs to mind. Villa Lobos Choros No 11. Another work which seems to be almost too jam packed with ideas for it's own good. I thought it was wildly uneven at first,but it was just the sheer profusion of ideas and moods. I'm not always convinced by Villa Lobos,but I find that one quite amazing.

[cilgwyn]

Warning! This composer may damage your wallet!
Listening to the Seven Stars Symphony I just had to buy the two Hanssler cds of Le Buisson ardent and Le Docteur Fabricius. What could I do?!!!

[Karl Henning]

Careful Nate! John tricked me into wasting $ on The Jungle Book!
You've been warned!



Actually I liked his chamber music and small scale stuff. Just not the bloated behemoth orchestral stuff.

Les heures persanes (particularly the piano original).

[Karl Henning]

Warning! This composer may damage your wallet!
Listening to the Seven Stars Symphony I just had to buy the two Hanssler cds of Le Buisson ardent and Le Docteur Fabricius. What could I do?!!!

The Doctor is quirky, but quite an enjoyable score.

[cilgwyn]

Actually,I did have the Hanssler cd of 'Docteur Fabricius' and 'Le Buisson ardent'. I took them to a charity shop!! Better luck this time,I hope!! I am liking Koechlin's Jungle Book cycle now;but I must confess that I am slightly disappointed that RCA have left out 'Oo-bee-doo I wanna be like you hoo-hoo' and 'The Bear Necessities'!! I loved those songs as a kid!

[Karl Henning]

. . . 'Oo-bee-doo I wanna be like you hoo-hoo' and 'The Bear Necessities'!! I loved those songs as a kid!

So did I!

[Mirror Image]

Warning! This composer may damage your wallet!
Listening to the Seven Stars Symphony I just had to buy the two Hanssler cds of Le Buisson ardent and Le Docteur Fabricius. What could I do?!!!

Outstanding! I love those recordings. Do you own the Hanssler disc of Vocal Works with Orchestra? It's a 2-CD set. Again, great stuff.

[Mirror Image]

The old emi recording. I have been listening to this on repeat. Reason? Cordless headphones and too busy to change the cd. Reason No 2! I left it in the mini hi-fi overnight and it was easier just to play whatever was in there!
Well,this one really has grown on me. In fact,I don't really want to take it out......at least for a while. There are cool,mysterious sounding bits with the ondes martenon. Whole movements. I can't see the cd player display allot of the time......that's the trouble with these headphones!! Then there is that muscular,energetic music that you get in parts of the Jungle Book cycle. The way all this is bundled into one 'symphony' is quite amazing,to my ears. Like Brian's third symphony I get the feeling it is almost too full of ideas for it's own good;but this is what makes it such compulsive listening.
Wow! Not pulling this out of the cd player  really has opened this one up! I'm surprised. I've had it for ages and previously filed it under the interesting but very uneven category. In fact,I don't think it is uneven so much as just such a wild profusion of moods and ideas that it's very difficult to get your head around them at first,which gives an impression of opaqueness at first. Once you crack it this is very compulsive music.
Another comparison besides Brian's third springs to mind. Villa Lobos Choros No 11. Another work which seems to be almost too jam packed with ideas for it's own good. I thought it was wildly uneven at first,but it was just the sheer profusion of ideas and moods. I'm not always convinced by Villa Lobos,but I find that one quite amazing.

Some interesting comments, cilgwyn. I loved The Jungle Book on first-listen and this was partly out of complete bewilderment to what I was hearing. I couldn't believe the sounds Koechlin could pull from the orchestra and I loved the textural/atmospheric aspect of the music. I also was greatly impressed with what Koechlin was doing harmonically. I listened to this set over and over. I was just completely mesmerized and still am to this day whenever I hear these works. I've owned this Zinman recording for five years now and for many people this isn't a long time, but if these were LPs, they would have been worn out a long time ago.

P.S. Love Villa-Lobos' Choros No. 11. One of my favorites.

[cilgwyn]

Ooh,I'm going to have to resist that one for the time being,MI! I did make a mistake getting rid of those Koechlin cd's.....but I moved house,and it's a bit smaller here! (I gather the last occupiers were a family of Russian dolls! ) I remember you thought the Hanssler recording of Le Buisson ardent was superior to the Marco Polo performance. Now,is this the one with the ondes martenon? Or,both? Presumably,Koechlin's orchestration will sound even more vivid in the Hanssler recording?
I did find enough of the Jungle Book cycle interesting enough to hold on to it. This time around it really has 'clicked',as they say. I have been listening to it for hours. Suddenly,I love all of it! The harmonies,the profusion of ideas,astringent at times but once you get to grips with it you can let the sounds flow through your mind. Impressionistic at times and wildly eclectic. It makes me think of Villa Lobos in terms of the intricacy of the orchestration and welter of sounds.....and then of course,there is this connection with Lobos,with Jungles,and the images they bring to mind. It doesn't sound Brazilian,though. This is a very French sounding Indian jungle. Although,I seem to remember Kipling never actually visited the Jungle,so maybe we're talking Henri Rousseau,the French painter,whose jungle depictions Koechlin may (probably,they are very famous?) have seen?

[Mirror Image]

Ooh,I'm going to have to resist that one for the time being,MI! I did make a mistake getting rid of those Koechlin cd's.....but I moved house,and it's a bit smaller here! (I gather the last occupiers were a family of Russian dolls! ) I remember you thought the Hanssler recording of Le Buisson ardent was superior to the Marco Polo performance. Now,is this the one with the ondes martenon? Or,both? Presumably,Koechlin's orchestration will sound even more vivid in the Hanssler recording?
I did find enough of the Jungle Book cycle interesting enough to hold on to it. This time around it really has 'clicked',as they say. I have been listening to it for hours. Suddenly,I love all of it! The harmonies,the profusion of ideas,astringent at times but once you get to grips with it you can let the sounds flow through your mind. Impressionistic at times and wildly eclectic. It makes me think of Villa Lobos in terms of the intricacy of the orchestration and welter of sounds.....and then of course,there is this connection with Lobos,with Jungles,and the images they bring to mind. It doesn't sound Brazilian,though. This is a very French sounding Indian jungle. Although,I seem to remember Kipling never actually visited the Jungle,so maybe we're talking Henri Rousseau,the French painter,whose jungle depictions Koechlin may (probably,they are very famous?) have seen?

Oh, there are several Koechlin works which feature parts for the ondes martenot. Le buisson ardent Parts I & II, Docteur Fabricius, I believe I heard the instrument in La course de pritemps from The Jungle Book. Anyway, he loved the instrument and really used in a melodic way. Yes, Rousseau is a likely inspiration, but it is obvious that Kipling is the main inspiration behind this massive work. I've never read Kipling's book, but it seemed to have occupied Koechlin for many years. I consider this work one of the greatest orchestral works ever written. The whole cycle acts as one piece of music for me. It's like Sibelius' Lemminkainen Suite for example --- a work that can played in its entirety or as standalone individual movements.

I have to say I'm thrilled to see some rejuvenation in this thread as I believe Koechlin is one of the more individual voices in the 20th Century.

[Ken B]

I have to say I'm thrilled to see some rejuvenation in this thread as I believe Koechlin is one of the more individual voices in the 20th Century.

Certainly the world would be a better place if more orchestras replaced yet another La Mer rendition with a Koechlin.

[Karl Henning]

And with that delightfully oblique post, my Friday is complete!

[cilgwyn]

Oh, there are several Koechlin works which feature parts for the ondes martenot. Le buisson ardent Parts I & II, Docteur Fabricius, I believe I heard the instrument in La course de pritemps from The Jungle Book. Anyway, he loved the instrument and really used in a melodic way. Yes, Rousseau is a likely inspiration, but it is obvious that Kipling is the main inspiration behind this massive work. I've never read Kipling's book, but it seemed to have occupied Koechlin for many years. I consider this work one of the greatest orchestral works ever written. The whole cycle acts as one piece of music for me. It's like Sibelius' Lemminkainen Suite for example --- a work that can played in its entirety or as standalone individual movements.

I have to say I'm thrilled to see some rejuvenation in this thread as I believe Koechlin is one of the more individual voices in the 20th Century.

To be continued............

[MishaK]

I'd love it if Simon Rattle recorded a complete Jungle Book cycle, but I won't hold my breath.

Who knows. I think he has a knack for the French rep. I really like his L'enfant et le sortilèges, as well as his La Mèr and Messiaen Eclairs discs.

[Mirror Image]

Who knows. I think he has a knack for the French rep. I really like his L'enfant et le sortilèges, as well as his La Mèr and Messiaen Eclairs discs.

Same here. Us Koechlin fans will just have to wait and see.

[cilgwyn]

Certainly the world would be a better place if more orchestras replaced yet another La Mer rendition with a Koechlin.

I have a hunch some Koechlin might get shoved through my letterbox next week.
And this is a quiet neighbourhood!!

[Mirror Image]

My review of the Holliger Le Docteur Fabricius recording on Hanssler:

Charles Koechlin (1867-1950) occupies an interesting place in music history. His music is seen as the link between Debussy and Messiaen. Much of Koechlin's music is textural and atmospheric, but there is always a rhyme and reason to the music. Koechlin, born in Paris, wanted to become an astronomer in his early age, but his father wanted him in the military. Once young Koechlin contracted tuberculosis his dreams of astronomy came to a halt and he then decided to devote his life to another passion: music. Koechlin received his training from Jules Massenet, but once Massenet stepped down, Gabriel Faure became his main teacher and an influence on his music. Koechlin became a noted teacher, though he never held a permanent teaching position, but he was widely admired by his peers and had some noteworthy students like Francis Poulenc. Even though Koechlin isn't a household name like a Ravel or Stravinsky, his music is just as distinctive as his contemporaries. The music of Charles Koechlin draws its inspiration from many sources: Kipling's "The Jungle Book," Hollywood movies, among other eclectic subjects.

Now, onto this excellent recording, Hanssler set out to record many of Koechlin's works and have done so successfully. In the orchestral recordings, Heinz Holliger leads the Stuttgart Radio Symphony. In this particular release, two works receive their world premieres: "Vers la Voûte étoilée" and "Le Docteur Fabricius" and both works reveal the many facets of Koechlin's style. "Vers la Voûte étoilée" starts off as very static and builds in texture. This is an 11-minute work that, towards the end,, explodes with some of the most wonderful brass and string playing, which slowly quietens down to the mediative beginning. "Le Docteur Fabricius" is a tour-de-force of sounds. It features a prominent role for ondes martenot, but the instrument is so tastefully used that it's never intrusive for the listener. There are some absolutely gorgeous slow movements in this work that are so subtle that it may take a few listens to catch their beauty.

The performances from the Stuttgart Radio Symphony, the conducting of Heniz Holliger, and the audio quality are exemplary. I can't think of a more satisfying disc I've encountered in quite some time. As a result of this recording, I ended up buying all of the Holliger-led recordings. If you like this recording, then pick up the rest of the series and, if you can find it, David Zinman's recording of "The Jungle Book," which is seen as Koechlin's masterwork.

Highly recommended for anyone with a remote interest in 20th Century French composers or Impressionism in general.

[milk]

I'm curious if anyone knows this recording or these compositions.

[listener]

scores are available through http://www.lmi-partitions.com/search-engine/1/30/d
including Dr. Fabricius    Be prepared to cut the caviar budget though.
I was lucky to have ordered it before the Canadian dollar crashed, but it did eliminate a lot of other things I could have bought.

Coming up in November 13 NOVEMBRE 2015
CHARLES KOECHLIN - OFFRANDE MUSICALE SUR LE NOM DE BACH
Orchestre symphonique
Concert interprété par : Porto symphonic orchestra dir : Heinz Holliger   Casa da Musia - Porto, Portugal

I thought I saw a score listing, will edit this if I find it again.     Hah!  http://www.billaudot.com/_pdf/composers/koechlincatalogue.pdf
show it on page 21 ' rental only, but there is a copy on amazon for $275. if you need it.