Forthcoming from Toccata Classics, vol.2 contains:
Overture in D major (1871–72)
Suite No.1, Op.39 (1885)
Performers: Sinfonia Varsovia; Ian Hobson, conductor
What welcome news! Judging by Tpaloj's realisation of the overture it lasts around 12 minutes, so the Suite must be a substantial work if the CD contains just these two pieces.
The suite has 5 movements but, according to Fleisher, lasts 30 mins, so I feel sure there will be something else on this CD.
IMSLP has the score as consisting of 203 pages - any thoughts?
The Fleisher timing may, of course, be only an estimate and not based on an actual performance. It won't be the first time their timings have been inaccurate. All the same, 50+ minutes (which is what it would need to be if Toccata were to give us one of their customarily decently-filled disks) is a long time for a suite.
The movements of the Premiere Suite are:
I. Allegro molto e brioso
II. Allegretto giojoso
III. Tema con [VIII] variazioni
IV. Intermezzo
V. Perpetuum mobile.
I'd better look at the score before speculating further.
I am not sure at present what the actual timings are for the 1st Suite, but the 2nd will be just a tad under 50 minutes to the best of my knowledge! Neither am I exactly certain as to the final contents of volume 2, but I was under the impression that the Prelude & Fugue for string orchestra (Op85) was intended for the completion of the finished article!
IMSLP has Suite No.2 as 163 pages...
Please forgive the above error! Suite No2 plays for almost exactly 40 minutes!
Thank you, Martin. Well, it looks as though Suite No. 1 is likely 45 to maybe 50 minutes after all. If the Prelude & Fugue for strings is added we will have a very well-filled disk - and one I most certainly eagerly look forward to.
Looking at Toccata's Pipeline today, I see that the contents of Moszkowski's Orchestral Music, vol. 2, have been changed. No longer the Overture and Suite No. 1, but instead Suites 2 & 3. I am not complaining, just interested to know why the change.
I can certainly confirm the contents of volume 2 as listed on the Toccata website - and I'm sure nobody will be disappointed with the finished product, which I understand will be available as a September release! I also understand that the 3rd volume will consist of the Suite No1 Op39, the early Overture, and the Prelude & Fugue for string orchestra Op85, and the reason for the change in order is due to the fact that recording schedules had to be amended somewhat and I think that not everything has been completed yet re these three works.
Thanks for the update, Martin, and thanks for prompting it, Gareth.
Browsing the Fleisher holdings for Moszkowski, I notice they have the ms score and ms parts for a piece I had never heard of: "The Dance" for women's voices and orchestra (it does not appear in any list of the composer's works that I have seen). Only the orchestral parts are held, no vocal parts. So the only copy of these is in the ms full score, which is described as "old and worn". An online search has so far failed to find a printed copy in any other libraries, not that my searches to date have been other than fairly superficial. Given the poor state of the ms at Fleisher it strikes me it would be a good idea for someone to make a copy before we lose the vocal parts altogether. Perhaps it could then be included in Toccata's series of the composer's orchestral works.
On Toccata's "pipeline" page (and following on the well-received Johanna d'Arco recording of last year....)
https://toccataclassics.com/pipeline/ (https://toccataclassics.com/pipeline/)
MORITZ MOSZKOWSKI: ORCHESTRAL MUSIC, VOLUME TWO
Suite No. 2, Op. 47 (1890)
Suite No. 3, Op. 79 (1908)
Sinfonia Varsovia
Ian Hobson, conductor
First recordings
TOCC0557
The "Pipeline" page mentions Suite 2&3 as "Volume Two" though; I can't find a trace of Vol. 2 Mk. 1 (Suite 1 + Overture) on the site.
And not wishing to complain in ANY way, but one wonders if and when they'll get to he D minor symphony...
wait - why would they list an earlier version of volume 2 on the site? that would be to make of their site a palimpsest. It might be visible at the Wayback machine (archive.org)...
Suite 1, the overture & the prelude & fugue now intended for volume 3, anycase (as Gareth (edit: Martin, apologies.) mentioned on Friday in this thread). Don't know re the the symphony!
As mentioned in my previous post above, volume 2 "mk1", as you quite succinctly put it, will be issued as volume 3 in due course as there is still more to be done here in the recording studio, or so I believe! Hopefully this will be completed this autumn. Furthermore, I also understand that volume 4 will include the D minor Symphony coupled with (possibly - and most likely) the Don Juan and Faust incidental music. As you are probably aware, the 6 Airs de Ballet from such (Op56) appear on the San Francisco Ballet Orchestra recording, but there is also an overture, for which the orchestral material still needs to be located. This is NOT included in Moszkowski's Op56, and although it was published in a piano duet reduction, it bears no opus number.
Also, hopefully to answer Gareth's earlier query re "The Dance" for women's voices etc.etc., this is his Op44 "Der Schäfer putzte sich zum Tanz". A very short work (2 pages of piano reduction!) from a scene in Goethe's Faust! I would imagine this could easily be included in the series. Then on to "Laurin" if possible - but again the orchestral material for the complete ballet needs to be located (I think Fleisher has just three of the four excerpts which Moszkowski then also arranged for piano solo).
Thank you, Martin, for your very helpful and informative reply.
Audio samples are now available:
https://toccataclassics.com/product/moritz-moszkowski-orchestral-music-volume-two/ (https://toccataclassics.com/product/moritz-moszkowski-orchestral-music-volume-two/)
Lovely jubbly.
Hmmm - lovely jubbly indeed! :)
For those interested, this exciting release is now available!
Thanks - very interested :)
This is a thoroughly enjoyable recording of thoroughly good music designed to delight and entertain - which it does in spades. There's no pretence of profundity here, but that's not really the point. Recommended. Thoroughly.
Many thanks,Alan,for your wholehearted recommendation.
I have been in two minds up to now, as I hate duplication, and still have the old Louisville Orchestra recording of Suite No 3.
But you have persuaded me, and I will order it from jpc in December, whether or not they offer me the usual 20% off at that time.
Terry, you've done the right thing. This new recording is streets ahead interpretatively of that on the Louisville Orchestra LP and, of course, both the performance and recording are excellent. Plus, you get the other Suite as well, which is just as gorgeous.
I would almost go so far as to say that the 2nd Suite is the main work on this CD! Although I have always liked the third, since I acquired the old Louisville LP when originally released, this recording is far better in every respect. However, the 2nd is a more serious and substantial work altogether. A comparison between both works clearly demonstrates Moszkowski's gradual assimilation of the musical tastes - and culture of France, his recently adopted country of residence - IMHO!
Yes, I agree Martin. The 2nd Suite is the main course here.
A welcome addition in Toccata's ongoing series. The Third Suite may probably be familiar to adventurous collectors from the 1980s who acquired the Louisville Orchestra recording on Lp. I nearly wore out my copy by repeated listening!
The Second Suite is a first (commercial?) recording. TOCC 0557.
Looking at the personnel on this and the previous release (TOCC 0523) I came across a familiar name - "Editor - Samir Golescu". Would anyone know if this is the same person who was a regular contributor to the rec.music.classical.recordings newsgroup? Is he a member of this forum?
I'm sure someone must know!
Hi C R Lim,
You'll now see that there was already a thread on this release - in the board reserved for new releases rather than general discussions. It's always worth doing an 'entire forum' search before posting, just in case...
Thanks Alan - I did do a search but somehow missed this one.
You're forgiven!
The CD has finally arrived, after being missing in action for over a month. Very pleased with the music,and the programme notes are of the highest class. I too have just about worn out the old Louisville LP and whilst the orchestral performance on this CD is vastly superior in many ways,I can´t help thinking the Louisville managed to capture that fin de siecle air that pervades the Valse