Mieczysław Weinberg (1919-1996)

Started by Maciek, November 13, 2008, 01:32:49 AM

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vandermolen

Quote from: Volny on September 18, 2020, 11:48:33 PM
I own the Lande/St Petersburg one on Naxos. If you've heard both, how would you compare them? (also, though I don't mean to derail the thread, that CD interests me doubly because as well as loving Weinberg, Szymanowski's 3rd is one of my favourites - what did you think of Fedoseyev's version?)
Hello and welcome to the Forum.
I preferred the Fedoseyev version to the Naxos, although as Scion7 suggests, there is nothing wrong with that version either. Best of all is Kondrashin, but I'm not sure how available that is. I'm also an admirer of Symanowski's 3rd Symphony 'The Song of the Night' and enjoyed this new recording. I like the version on Chandos as well (Polyansky I think).
"Courage is going from failure to failure without losing enthusiasm" (Churchill).

'The test of a work of art is, in the end, our affection for it, not our ability to explain why it is good' (Stanley Kubrick).

71 dB

The problem for me with "newer" Naxos CDs is they hardly ever go cheap in the second hand market. Early Naxos discs are often dirty cheap used, but the Naxos discs released after 2005 or so rarely go under say £3 used. For me the whole point of Naxos has been low price and Naxos has developped into a "mid-price" label rather than a budget label. That's why I go to full price labels instead to get superb stuff, but I also have to buy much less to keep the expensies reasonable.

For example the best deal for Symphony 6 I can see is £6.08+ £1.79 Delivery = £7.87 = 8,75 €! That's for a USED CD! In the past I walked into a store called "Anttila" in Helsinki and they had "buy 4, pay 3" Naxos campaign so I got 4 CDs for 3*8 € = 24 € = 6 € (£5.5) per disc for NEW CDs in plastic wrappings! So, I can get old Naxos cheap, but Naxos DIDN'T release Weinberg in the past! All of it is relatively new and "expensive." Other Weinberg releases are some old stuff on obcure labels, much of it OOP and the prices reflect that! CPO doesn't do symphonies because they coordinate with Naxos. So, exploring Weinberg's symphonies has been a pain in the ass! So frustrating! If Weinberg was as "famous" as Shostakovich (and he should be imo!)  there would be many boxes of all symphonies at affordable prices (all symphonies for 79 euros for example).

So, instead of Weinberg's symphonies I might buy a MIRARE label release of German baroque because they do it JUST RIGHT for my taste and it is heavenly! Pricy, but heavenly!
Spatial distortion is a serious problem deteriorating headphone listening.
Crossfeeders reduce spatial distortion and make the sound more natural
and less tiresome in headphone listening.

My Sound Cloud page <-- NEW Jan. 2024 "Harpeggiator"

Scion7

take a drive into the Russian Federation - maybe you can find them priced more to your budget?
When, a few months before his death, Rachmaninov lamented that he no longer had the "strength and fire" to compose, friends reminded him of the Symphonic Dances, so charged with fire and strength. "Yes," he admitted. "I don't know how that happened. That was probably my last flicker."

vers la flamme

Quote from: 71 dB on September 19, 2020, 04:08:34 AM
The problem for me with "newer" Naxos CDs is they hardly ever go cheap in the second hand market. Early Naxos discs are often dirty cheap used, but the Naxos discs released after 2005 or so rarely go under say £3 used. For me the whole point of Naxos has been low price and Naxos has developped into a "mid-price" label rather than a budget label. That's why I go to full price labels instead to get superb stuff, but I also have to buy much less to keep the expensies reasonable.

For example the best deal for Symphony 6 I can see is £6.08+ £1.79 Delivery = £7.87 = 8,75 €! That's for a USED CD! In the past I walked into a store called "Anttila" in Helsinki and they had "buy 4, pay 3" Naxos campaign so I got 4 CDs for 3*8 € = 24 € = 6 € (£5.5) per disc for NEW CDs in plastic wrappings! So, I can get old Naxos cheap, but Naxos DIDN'T release Weinberg in the past! All of it is relatively new and "expensive." Other Weinberg releases are some old stuff on obcure labels, much of it OOP and the prices reflect that! CPO doesn't do symphonies because they coordinate with Naxos. So, exploring Weinberg's symphonies has been a pain in the ass! So frustrating! If Weinberg was as "famous" as Shostakovich (and he should be imo!)  there would be many boxes of all symphonies at affordable prices (all symphonies for 79 euros for example).

So, instead of Weinberg's symphonies I might buy a MIRARE label release of German baroque because they do it JUST RIGHT for my taste and it is heavenly! Pricy, but heavenly!

I agree—Naxos post-2008 or so is too rich for my blood. They'll be $12-15 new, and not much less than that used, maybe $11 apiece. Cheaper to go with another label at that point. Though it might be said that Naxos did step up their quality game in recent decades compared to their original run (which did have some gems).

Roy Bland


Scion7

That disc was released in March 2020, but Amazon doesn't list it.  Available via Presto, though.
When, a few months before his death, Rachmaninov lamented that he no longer had the "strength and fire" to compose, friends reminded him of the Symphonic Dances, so charged with fire and strength. "Yes," he admitted. "I don't know how that happened. That was probably my last flicker."

Daverz


Scion7

pull yourself together! you're not some robot, man! willpower!!!!   :P
When, a few months before his death, Rachmaninov lamented that he no longer had the "strength and fire" to compose, friends reminded him of the Symphonic Dances, so charged with fire and strength. "Yes," he admitted. "I don't know how that happened. That was probably my last flicker."


Karl Henning

Quote from: André on February 07, 2021, 03:06:38 PM
A study of the quartets:

https://www.academia.edu/28121947/The_String_Quartets_of_Mieczysław_Weinberg_A_Critical_Study?email_work_card=abstract-read-more

Many thanks.

I've been listening a lot to the 20th Symphony, Op. 150
Karl Henning, Ph.D.
Composer & Clarinetist
Boston MA
http://www.karlhenning.com/
[Matisse] was interested neither in fending off opposition,
nor in competing for the favor of wayward friends.
His only competition was with himself. — Françoise Gilot

Old San Antone

Quote from: André on February 07, 2021, 03:06:38 PM
A study of the quartets:

https://www.academia.edu/28121947/The_String_Quartets_of_Mieczysław_Weinberg_A_Critical_Study?email_work_card=abstract-read-more

Interesting.  Weinberg's quartets are the works I am interested in the most.  I will take a look, although I generally don't enjoy analyses of music.

Karl Henning

Quote from: Old San Antone on February 07, 2021, 04:57:27 PM
Interesting.  Weinberg's quartets are the works I am interested in the most.  I will take a look, although I generally don't enjoy analyses of music.

The quartets are all excellent.
Karl Henning, Ph.D.
Composer & Clarinetist
Boston MA
http://www.karlhenning.com/
[Matisse] was interested neither in fending off opposition,
nor in competing for the favor of wayward friends.
His only competition was with himself. — Françoise Gilot

vandermolen

This is a fabulous disc, especially the Cello Concerto and Concertino:
"Courage is going from failure to failure without losing enthusiasm" (Churchill).

'The test of a work of art is, in the end, our affection for it, not our ability to explain why it is good' (Stanley Kubrick).

Mirror Image

Quote from: vandermolen on June 20, 2021, 10:22:52 AM
This is a fabulous disc, especially the Cello Concerto and Concertino:


A great disc, indeed. I should give it another listen.

vandermolen

Quote from: Mirror Image on June 20, 2021, 07:35:27 PM
A great disc, indeed. I should give it another listen.
It is indeed and the 'Fantasy' Op. 52 is also excellent. I must say that I hadn't realised that the Cello Concerto is an expanded version of the Concertino and was surprised when they opened with the same beautiful and soulful tune, but I'm very happy to have it repeated! I'd say that these are amongst Weinberg's finest works (or at least of the ones I have heard) along with the Piano Quintet and symphonies 1,3,5 and 6.
Marvellous cover art from the tragic Felix Nussbaum who died in the Holocaust.
"Courage is going from failure to failure without losing enthusiasm" (Churchill).

'The test of a work of art is, in the end, our affection for it, not our ability to explain why it is good' (Stanley Kubrick).

71 dB

Quote from: vandermolen on June 20, 2021, 10:22:52 AM
This is a fabulous disc, especially the Cello Concerto and Concertino:


Unfortunately I don't own that CPO disc (but I have many other such as one containing Violin Concertino Op. 42 and Symphony No. 10). However, I have the Op. 43 Cello Concerto on a Chandos SACD with Symphony No. 20.  :)

I'm sorry I don't post much anymore. It is because I don't feel welcome. Moderators check my posts and it can delay them appearing for others by up to a day! So I spend most of my time elsewhere where I feel more welcome.
Spatial distortion is a serious problem deteriorating headphone listening.
Crossfeeders reduce spatial distortion and make the sound more natural
and less tiresome in headphone listening.

My Sound Cloud page <-- NEW Jan. 2024 "Harpeggiator"

Mirror Image

Quote from: vandermolen on June 20, 2021, 10:38:32 PM
It is indeed and the 'Fantasy' Op. 52 is also excellent. I must say that I hadn't realised that the Cello Concerto is an expanded version of the Concertino and was surprised when they opened with the same beautiful and soulful tune, but I'm very happy to have it repeated! I'd say that these are amongst Weinberg's finest works (or at least of the ones I have heard) along with the Piano Quintet and symphonies 1,3,5 and 6.
Marvellous cover art from the tragic Felix Nussbaum who died in the Holocaust.

Ah yes, I forgot that the Cello Concerto and Concertino share those characteristics. Have you heard any of the Violin Sonatas, Cello Sonatas or the Clarinet Sonata? I'd also highly recommend his Piano Sonatas. In terms of other orchestral works, the ballet The Golden Key is a great fun. Both the Clarinet Concerto and Flute Concertos Nos. 1 & 2 are definitely worth hearing as as the Sinfoniettas. Also if you haven't listened to any of the Chamber Symphonies, then do rectify this as well!

vandermolen

Quote from: Mirror Image on June 21, 2021, 06:30:15 AM
Ah yes, I forgot that the Cello Concerto and Concertino share those characteristics. Have you heard any of the Violin Sonatas, Cello Sonatas or the Clarinet Sonata? I'd also highly recommend his Piano Sonatas. In terms of other orchestral works, the ballet The Golden Key is a great fun. Both the Clarinet Concerto and Flute Concertos Nos. 1 & 2 are definitely worth hearing as as the Sinfoniettas. Also if you haven't listened to any of the Chamber Symphonies, then do rectify this as well!
Thanks very much John - I will look out for these works. I suspect that I already have some in my collection ::).
"Courage is going from failure to failure without losing enthusiasm" (Churchill).

'The test of a work of art is, in the end, our affection for it, not our ability to explain why it is good' (Stanley Kubrick).

Mirror Image

#538
Quote from: vandermolen on June 21, 2021, 06:56:19 AM
Thanks very much John - I will look out for these works. I suspect that I already have some in my collection ::).

Very nice. Unfortunately, there isn't a complete recording of The Golden Key --- only Suites Nos. 1-4 and the real head-scratcher is Nos. 1-3 were released on Olympia (w/ selections from the 4th suite), but No. 4 was released on Chandos (w/ Svendlund/Gothenburg SO).

vandermolen

Quote from: Mirror Image on June 21, 2021, 07:05:07 AM
Very nice. Unfortunately, there isn't a complete recording of The Golden Key --- on Suites Nos. 1-4 and the real head-scratcher is Nos. 1-3 were released on Olympia (w/ selections from the 4th suite), but No. 4 was released on Chandos (w/ Svendlund/Gothenburg SO).
That work rings a bell John - I'm sure that I have some extracts in my collection somewhere, possibly kindly sent to me by André some while back  :)
"Courage is going from failure to failure without losing enthusiasm" (Churchill).

'The test of a work of art is, in the end, our affection for it, not our ability to explain why it is good' (Stanley Kubrick).