Schubert 'Death and the Maiden' orchestrated by Vass

[Alan Howe]

After a few more listens I can't help thinking that this is a magnificent piece. Is this not one of the most convincing orchestrations of a chamber work?

[gprengel]

It seems to me that this arrangement by A. Stein is maybe even better:

[Mark Thomas]

I find Vass' full-blooded orchestration preferable to Stein's, good though that is, because it does a better job of bringing out the symphonic potential in Schubert's original. Admittedly neither could be mistaken for Schubert's mature orchestral idiom (unlike Joachim's orchestration of the Grand Duo) but both are satisfying works in their own right. I just find Stein's a little "safe" and less exciting than Vass'.

[Alan Howe]

I too find Vass' version more exciting - and more excitingly played.

[Reverie]

As regards the Vass - on a different tangent I find the actual recording annoying because of the excessive reverb which hits you from the outset. Why do they think we want to hear this work in an vast empty cathedral?

[Alan Howe]

I understand that objection but I quite like it. I may feel differently when the CD arrives, of course.

[Alan Howe]

The CD has taken just over three weeks to arrive!

The recording is of a live performance given in the Kodály Centre in Pécs, Hungary in May 2013. I find that the extra resonance of a large concert hall adds significantly to the excitement of the performance, which is palpable. To my mind this is vastly preferable to the recording of the Stein arrangement on Naxos

[Alan Howe]

I decided to give this another listen after all these months and I'm as convinced as ever about the merits of this orchestration. It's absolutely majestic - finally we have a mature-sounding symphonic statement by Schubert to put alongside the Unfinished and the Great C Major.

When you hear this, it seems as if Rufinatscha is just round the corner...

[Alan Howe]

By the way: the Pannon Philharmonic (from Pécs in south-western Hungary) are a very fine orchestra. There's an exciting performance of Nielsen 3 on YouTube conducted by Gilbert Varga.