Messages

I have had this set for a couple of years, having obtained the single discs as downloads.

I like Haselbock's approach simply because I enjoy the rawness of some of the sound, plus the changes in texture and colour that come with the use of HIP and instruments. You lose a little in power but the charms are similar to a good rustic meal, rather than metropolitan cuisine. If you get my drift...

Re. Karajan couldn't agree more. My introduction to Schumann was the Bernstein/VPO set. It seems willful now but like the best of late Bernstein has its heart on its sleeve, something I admire. And while I understand the general criticism of Schumann's orchestration I have come to feel a sympathetic conductor can easily find a way through it. One of the my favourite sets is the Holliger/Audite cycle, which has a beautiful freshness to it. There is a HIP influence in some of the playing but Holliger does so much good work to bring out the tenderness in Schumann. And Sinopoli's Dresden set was also more than fine IMO.

I just caught up with Alban Gerhardt's blog and it seems he has recorded both Fitzenhagen concertos in Berlin for Hyperion. The  fillers are the same composers Ballad and I believe the Tchaikovsky Rococo Variations.

Is your feeling based on a rumor or a guess? We could do with a new Vol. in the RCC series after 2 years!!!!

It's based upon the information on Gerhardt's website:

The past few weeks were rather exhausting for me because of some reason I had the strange idea of recording all orchestral works with cello by Hans Pfitzner. Partly great, partly really bizarre music, and as always I learnt every single piece just for that recording, and in order to know it inside out I forced myself to memorize his three concertos as well as the duo for violin and cello for which I managed to convince my wife Geri to join me. We did it in Berlin with the RSB and wonderful Sebastian Weigle who is mainly an opera conductor but whom I heard do the best pictures of an exhibition ever; every single movement of this guy have a direct effect on the orchestra, and besides being a very good musician he just knows what he is doing with his hands, his arms – his entire body-language is so clear that orchestras get very inspired and tend to play their best for him.

I wonder what's next in line for the romantic Violin Concerto series....

I am not sure but I have a feeling we can expect the Pfitzner Cello Concertos soonish from Hyperion with Alban Gerhardt - if they consider these to be romantic!

I see that BIS is planning to release the first of what should be a complete cycle of the Stenhammar quartets:

http://www.music-island.pl/opisplyty-BISSACD+1659.html

I am not familiar with these works. How would others describe them in general terms?

Alan

Surely this thread should be reported to the moderators... I mean to say, Richard Clayderman is most definitely sung! However, his attempts to break into the Tortoise market seem to have failed...

http://www.guardian.co.uk/environment/video/2013/feb/08/tortoise-sex-piano-richard-clayderman-video

For me this will be a must listen/buy! Happy to see Danny Driver following up on his previous Bowen recordings!

http://www.hyperion-records.co.uk/dc.asp?dc=D_CDA67991/2&vw=dc

I don't know these works yet - where would people recommend the best place to start is and what other composers works compliment them?

Mark

I do understand your point, so perhaps Alan's suggestion is a middle road. But then again, my ears have been opened to many works by the words of the musicians themselves. Perhaps it is just wishful thinking, but I cannot help the nagging thought that knowing why a musician choose to perform unsung music would be interesting.

I should add that I am not suggesting we should replace the commissioned writers - they have their part to play too!

Good news indeed...

Regarding Griffiths feelings about the music am I the only one who wishes that we might more often see the comments of the performers as part of the sleeve notes? With unsung composers the biographical and musical background is always essential but I sometimes think it would be wonderful to hear how the performer sees the music. Some might say 'the music should speak for itself' and I understand this viewpoint, but it would also be interesting to hear what Howard Griffiths thinks are the merits of Holbrooke. Not everybody can be Graham Johnson but I am sure what they have to say would be worthwhile.

Well, as I am lacking both concertos this is a release that I will probably snap up. I do wish however that they had been able to find some unsung concertos to go with the Schoeck. The Paul Joun concerto seems interesting (but I have only heard the extracts at present). Or perhaps they should have recorded some of the Schoeck violin sonatas?

Doubtless I shall be in the doghouse once more!

Peter, I am very lucky in that my wife never questions the boxes that arrive weekly at our door, but I have already determined that when we build our final home I shall have a doghouse just for me. I was going to call it the 'shed' but I think you have just given a me a new nickname to try!

Regarding Paavo Järvi's Beethoven I have to add my name to the list of the outcasts who find them splendid readings. If you are going to use a smaller ensemble then I think this is by far the best way to play the music - taught and sinewy in the best sense. I seem to recollect dipping into the contemporaneous cycle from Vänska and the Minnesota Orchestra - while I liked that set is was second choice at the time. But hey... I grew up on Karajan, Klemperer and the rest and still find much to enjoy in those readings. Great music can withstand a wide range of interpretive choices, if they are carried off with conviction.

As for Neeme Järvi I have always found him admirably adventurous and a real advocate for the unsung, but often when matched against other conductors he seems to lack something. Take the Dvorak symphonies - the sixth is a fine performance until you hear others by Kubelik etc. Regarding Brahms I have very faint recollections of the set, which has faded from memory (never a good sign). I am actually in a terrible situation regarding Brahms - the best performances I ever heard were Guilini with the Philharmonia - unfortunately when he recorded them the same year with the VPO the performances lacked the extraordinary elasticity that I hear live.

Credit though to Järvi for the set of Berwald symphonies, which is by far the best set - extraordinary they are out of print! He really does make this fine music dance with all its great joy and passion. Makes me wonder what he might make of Mendelssohn?

Thanks for the tip Mark - there have been quite a few books over the last few years entitled after the year under analysis so I suppose it makes complete sense to center one on a fascinating year in musical history. Over the last year I have been reading Alan Walker's three volume biography of Liszt, where many, many 'unsungs' have walk on parts. I cannot help feeling that Liszt (a composer who has gone up in my estimation tremendously due to this biography) for better or worse really did influence many unsungs throughout his time on Weimar. When you read about the various conflicts and clashes of ego between the two camps it is wonderfully entertaining and eyeopening.

Not quite the same two composers - see this thread:
http://www.unsungcomposers.com/forum/index.php/topic,3235.msg35919.html#msg35919

Alan - thanks for correcting my error! I look forward to the releases.