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The Music Room => General Classical Music Discussion => Topic started by: Josquin des Prez on February 28, 2008, 06:01:46 PM

Title: Anton Webern as himself?
Post by: Josquin des Prez on February 28, 2008, 06:01:46 PM
I was wondering, does anybody know if there are any recordings of Webern as a conductor? I remember reading there were some in existence, but i haven't been able to actually find anything so i assume that source was unreliable. Still, i can hope, right?
Title: Re: Anton Webern as himself?
Post by: Dancing Divertimentian on February 28, 2008, 06:27:47 PM
I don't know about Webern but I do know of a disc-full of Zemlinsky conducting. Forgot what repertoire, though...



Title: Re: Anton Webern as himself?
Post by: Drasko on February 28, 2008, 06:45:03 PM
http://www.amazon.co.uk/Berg-Violin-Concerto-Webern/dp/B0002JU6QC (http://www.amazon.co.uk/Berg-Violin-Concerto-Webern/dp/B0002JU6QC)
Title: Re: Anton Webern as himself?
Post by: Wendell_E on February 28, 2008, 06:49:32 PM
Boulez' first (Sony) Boulez set includes Webern conducting Schubert's 6 German dances.  You can listen to samples at amazon.com (the last six tracks on disc 3):

http://www.amazon.com/Anton-Webern-Complete-Works-Opp/dp/samples/B000002707/ref=dp_tracks_all_1#disc_1
Title: Re: Anton Webern as himself?
Post by: Josquin des Prez on February 28, 2008, 07:30:36 PM
Quote from: Drasko on February 28, 2008, 06:45:03 PM
http://www.amazon.co.uk/Berg-Violin-Concerto-Webern/dp/B0002JU6QC (http://www.amazon.co.uk/Berg-Violin-Concerto-Webern/dp/B0002JU6QC)

Mine!

Ho, this is good news. Any more? Please?

I love those testament recordings, btw. Do they have a website? Amazon doesn't allow me to check cd by label.
Title: Re: Anton Webern as himself?
Post by: Josquin des Prez on February 28, 2008, 07:35:20 PM
Quote from: Wendell_E on February 28, 2008, 06:49:32 PM
Boulez' first (Sony) Boulez set includes Webern conducting Schubert's 6 German dances.  You can listen to samples at amazon.com (the last six tracks on disc 3):

http://www.amazon.com/Anton-Webern-Complete-Works-Opp/dp/samples/B000002707/ref=dp_tracks_all_1#disc_1

And he couldn't have bothered including them in the new set, huh? No matter, i'm going to buy this once it becomes available at a suitable price.
Title: Re: Anton Webern as himself?
Post by: lukeottevanger on February 28, 2008, 10:12:51 PM
That Berg VC recording (second performance, with Krasner, shortly after Berg's death - you're listening to a truly historic moment) is about as essential as recordings get, if you ask me, though the sound is terrible (hardly surprising, as Krasner forgot about the acetates and found them years later, if memory serves - haven't got time to check the liner notes!)
Title: Re: Anton Webern as himself?
Post by: Drasko on February 29, 2008, 01:33:17 PM
Quote from: Josquin des Prez on February 28, 2008, 07:30:36 PM
Mine!

Ho, this is good news. Any more? Please?

Not that I'm aware of.

QuoteI love those testament recordings, btw. Do they have a website? Amazon doesn't allow me to check cd by label.

http://www.testament.co.uk/
Title: Re: Anton Webern as himself?
Post by: Josquin des Prez on February 29, 2008, 04:25:50 PM
Quote from: Drasko on February 29, 2008, 01:33:17 PM
Not that I'm aware of.

That's a real shame. All the opinion concerning his conducting abilities seemed to point to him being among the best, if not the very greatest since the days of Mahler. It's criminal that he left so little of himself for posterity. Well, aside for his music.  ;D

Quote from: Drasko on February 29, 2008, 01:33:17 PM
http://www.testament.co.uk/

Much obliged.
Title: Re: Anton Webern as himself?
Post by: millionrainbows on May 04, 2017, 01:29:48 PM
I remember reading about somebody watching Webern, and he went to the piano and very carefully and reverently opened up a manuscript. The guy said it was like watching someone who was "totally devoted" to music, like a sacred ritual.
Boulez was like that, too. In The New Music by Joan Peyser, he was described as sort of a "monk" who had devoted himself totally to music.
Title: Re: Anton Webern as himself?
Post by: kishnevi on May 04, 2017, 01:49:42 PM
Quote from: Wendell_E on February 28, 2008, 06:49:32 PM
Boulez' first (Sony) Boulez set includes Webern conducting Schubert's 6 German dances.  You can listen to samples at amazon.com (the last six tracks on disc 3):

http://www.amazon.com/Anton-Webern-Complete-Works-Opp/dp/samples/B000002707/ref=dp_tracks_all_1#disc_1
Update
The recordings of Webern conducting his own orchestrations of Schubert are included here
[asin]B00EC0VW3S[/asin]
From what I remember of them, you're not missing much if you don't have them (although the set itself is dirtcheap).
Title: Re: Anton Webern as himself?
Post by: ComposerOfAvantGarde on May 04, 2017, 04:06:10 PM
It is certainly a huge shame there is no recording of Mahler 6 under Webern as far as I'm aware. I hope I can be proven otherwise!
Title: Re: Anton Webern as himself?
Post by: Contemporaryclassical on May 04, 2017, 04:54:12 PM
Quote from: jessop on May 04, 2017, 04:06:10 PM
It is certainly a huge shame there is no recording of Mahler 6 under Webern as far as I'm aware. I hope I can be proven otherwise!

My thoughts exactly, Mahler's 6th had a profound influence of the 2nd Viennese School. 
Title: Re: Anton Webern as himself?
Post by: millionrainbows on May 05, 2017, 12:03:55 PM
Quote from: Jeffrey Smith on May 04, 2017, 01:49:42 PM
Update
The recordings of Webern conducting his own orchestrations of Schubert are included here
[asin]B00EC0VW3S[/asin]
From what I remember of them, you're not missing much if you don't have them (although the set itself is dirtcheap).

This set is the same recordings as the old SONY set:

(https://images-na.ssl-images-amazon.com/images/I/51wFHoZ0CNL._AC_US218_.jpg)

I wonder, is the sound or mastering any better? I sure do like the cover, and the price. It's cheap enough to go ahead and give it a try, I suppose.
Title: Re: Anton Webern as himself?
Post by: kishnevi on May 05, 2017, 12:13:20 PM
Quote from: millionrainbows on May 05, 2017, 12:03:55 PM
This set is the same recordings as the old SONY set:

(https://images-na.ssl-images-amazon.com/images/I/51wFHoZ0CNL._AC_US218_.jpg)

I wonder, is the sound or mastering any better? I sure do like the cover, and the price. It's cheap enough to go ahead and give it a try, I suppose.

I am fairly sure no remastering was done.
And of course it's not really the Complete Works: just the Complete Works with Opus Numbers.
Title: Re: Anton Webern as himself?
Post by: Mahlerian on May 05, 2017, 12:32:39 PM
I have this iteration, purchased a few years ago when it was readily available and cheap.  Like the latest reissue, it lacks texts, but it also includes discs with music by Varese, Carter, and Berio.  It's still relatively inexpensive, but not as much as the other sets.

[asin]B002MXN29E[/asin]