Schoenberg: Piano Concerto

Editorial Reviews
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Mitsuko Uchida has been a committed exponent of Schoenberg's Piano Concerto for over a decade now. It is a work which remains controversial in its adaptation of the serial method to an almost Brahmsian harmonic palette, wedded to a formal approach that takes up the integrated design, and textural richness, of Schoenberg's pre-atonal works. Certainly in terms of the balance between soloist and orchestra, this recording clarifies the often capricious interplay to a degree previously unheard on disc (and most likely in the concert hall too).Interpretatively, it combines Pollini's dynamism, without the hectoring touch that creeps into the Adagio's climactic passages, and Brendel's lucidity, avoiding the deadpan feeling that pervades his final Giocoso. Uchida is mindful of the concerto's wartime context, and the opening Andante builds to an intensity matched by no other modern recording: clearly life which was so easy cannot remain so. The brief but violent Molto allegro has a gritty intensity; as elsewhere, Boulez now seems happy to give the music a degree of rubato that allows it room to breathe, without compromising its long-term cohesion. The Adagio has a cumulative expressiveness, without false pathos, the rhetoric of its central cadenza (track 3, 1'54") maintaining an almost Classical poise. Only in the march strains of the Giocoso is there a slight loss of focus, but this is arguably as integral to the music as is the shade of C major that inflects the orchestra's last defiant gestures. Of the solo piano works, Schoenberg's Op. 11 will be familiar to Uchida fans. The respective portmanteau-like format and expressive Angst of the first two pieces have not been served better since Pollini's classic 1975 account, though in the tumultuous third piece, Uchida's textural precision does allow the music's intensity to uncoil. The first and third of the Op. 19 miniatures are again marginally too deliberate, though the Mahler evocation of the final piece is matchlessly atmospheric. Subtlety and patience pay dividends in the Tristan-esque yearning of Berg's sonata, given a formal clarity almost in spite of itself, while being more spontaneous than Pollini. The symmetries inherent in each movement of the Webern Variations are faithfully delineated, culminating in an extraordinarily inward account of the final section's coda. This is an account to rank with Pollini and Zimerman as an exposé of the performer's individual sensibilities.Strongly recommended then, with a final thought to Philips that it has, in Viktoria Mullova, probably the greatest living exponent of Schoenberg's Violin Concerto. How about this as part of a complementary disc of violin music from the Second Viennese School?Graham Simpson

Schoenberg: Piano Concerto, Music, Arnold Schoenberg, Anton Webern, Alban Berg, Pierre Boulez, Mitsuko Uchida, Cleveland Orchestra, 20th/21st Century Sonata/Sonatina for Keyboard, 20th/21st Century Variations for Keyboard, Classical, Classical Composers, Classical Music, Coll. of Character/Single-Movement/Misc. Works for Keyb., Concerto, Keyboard, Orchestral & Symphonic, Piano Concerto

The Ligeti Project I: Melodien / Chamber Concerto / Piano Concerto / Mysteries of the Macabre - Schönberg Ensemble / ASKO Ensemble / Reinbert de Leeuw
Average customer rating:

Great Project, great CD.

A Brilliant Recording of Some of Ligeti's Finest Works

Current Favorite

A collection of excellent chamber works

A good mixture of Ligeti works

The Ligeti Project I: Melodien / Chamber Concerto / Piano Concerto / Mysteries of the Macabre - Schönberg Ensemble / ASKO Ensemble / Reinbert de Leeuw
Reinbert De Leeuw , and Schonberg Ensemble
Manufacturer: Teldec
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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The Ligeti Project II: Lontano / Atmosphères / Apparitions / San Francisco Polyphony / Concert Românesc - Berlin Philharmonic Orchestra / Jonathan Nott

The Ligeti Project III: Cello Concerto / Clocks & Clouds / Violin Concerto / Síppal, Dobbal, Nádihegedüvel

The Ligeti Project IV: Hamburg Concerto (Horn Concerto) / Double Concerto / Ramifications / Requiem

The Ligeti Project, Vol. 5

György Ligeti Edition 3: Works for Piano (Etudes, Musica Ricercata) - Pierre-Laurent Aimard

ASIN: B000059QW8
Release Date: 2001-06-19

Tracks:

Melodien - Schonberg Ens/Reinbert De Leeuw
Chm Con: I. Corrente (Fliessend) - Schonberg Ens/Reinbert De Leeuw
Chm Con: II. Calmo, Sostenuto - Schonberg Ens/Reinbert De Leeuw
Chm Con: III. Movimento Preciso E Meccanico - Schonberg Ens/Reinbert De Leeuw
Chm Con: IV. Presto - Schonberg Ens/Reinbert De Leeuw
Pno Con: I. Vivace Molto Ritmico E Preciso - Pierre-Laurent Aimard
Pno Con: II. Lento E Deserto - Pierre-Laurent Aimard
Pno Con: III. Vivace Cantabile - Pierre-Laurent Aimard
Pno Con: IV. Allegro Risoluto, Molto Ritmico - Pierre-Laurent Aimard
Pno Con: V. Presto Luminoso - Pierre-Laurent Aimard
Mysteries Of The Macabre - Peter Masseurs

Amazon.com's Best of 2001

This first of a projected five-disc series of Ligeti's music is a perfect introduction to the sound-world of the man who is arguably our greatest living composer. It opens with Melodien, a one-movement, 13-minute piece that begins with swirling, high-pitched winds whose sinuous lines turn into a flowing stream of iridescent instrumental colors. The Chamber Concerto, completed a year earlier, is for 13 instrumentalists treated as virtuosic soloists. Each of its four movements has a distinct profile, from the polyphonic first movement, where the instruments play at different speed, to the chorale-like second, hammering third, and the final presto that builds from a menacing ostinato to the siren squeal of the clarinet at the close. Aimard is the superb soloist in the Piano Concerto. He just about owns this piece, having recorded it with Boulez and Eotvos a decade ago. It's in five movements of endless inventiveness, particularly the second, which moves from desolate quietude to energetic outbursts and peters out with a quiet wind phrase. Mysteries of the Macabre is a reworking for solo trumpet and chamber orchestra of arias from Ligeti's opera, Le Grand Macabre. An essential disc of indispensable music, brilliantly performed and recorded. --Dan Davis

Customer Reviews:

Great Project, great CD........2006-06-15

It's not easy to write about György Ligeti today, as he has just passed away last Monday, so this is the first review I write about his works with Ligeti death... We know it could happen because of his very weak health, but it hurts when finally it's confirmed that he is not with us... We have his works and that's the most direct way to the immortality, that one Ligeti is living now in our memory and in our ears, those that were filled so many times with his extraordinary music, one of the best I know in the XXth Century, that finally will be Ligeti's century, as his work is quite complete written in that period.

Teldec continued some years ago Sony series of Ligeti music, a break that didn't suffer too much of that change, adding enormous artists like those you can listen in this CD. All the series is an outstanding thing, an some performances are really the best. This was the first CD they launched and it was a really surprise because of the very good performances we can listen, the great recording and the marvellous presentation. Anyway, it was a broken way, because, although Ligeti's series continued till the end, with the 5 volumes, New Line is a project that didn't work very well, with a few CDs released only.

Melodien has the best performance I know in this CD. We had a very interesting one on Atherton hands with the London Sinfonietta, in a very hard to find CD in Decca label, now re-released on DG 20 21 Echo, but I really think this one is much more better, with the enormous precision the Schoenberg Ensemble use to have, and with the taste of the contemporary groups, that really have this works as they basic language. Very good performance of an interesting work, that is not between my favourites of Ligeti.

Kammerkonzert is a piece I really love, from I time in which the Hungarian master was composing some of his most impressive compositions, like his Requiem or the Cello Concert. This Chamber Concerto tries to explore different sound combinations, densities, instruments research, tone limits, mechanical rhythms, etc; in a way very close to his Second String Quartet. The performance we listen here is fluid, technical and beautiful, probably a bit more natural than Ensemble Modern one, that is more sharp and direct, but still my favourite. My rank for this concert nowadays would be: 1. Ensemble Modern / Peter Eötvös (Sony). 2. Schoenberg Ensemble / de Leeuw (Teldec). 3. Ensemble InterContemporain / Pierre Boulez (DG).

The Piano Concerto (1988) is a work from Ligeti's final period (now we finally know it's the final one), a part of his catalogue I really don't like so much like the `50s, `60s and `70s one. Influenced by Nancarrow and the piano studies of the American, Ligeti works again with reminiscences of the folk tunes and the popular rhythms, researching poly-rhythms and breaking the lines he was following during many years, reinventing himself in some way, something that received critics from other composers, like Lachenmann's words on this `turning back' of Ligeti. Anyway, this Concert has very interesting moments, even terrifying, like the second movement, which really seems a walk on the night through the Transylvanian paths, with the sound of the wolves around us. The performance by Aimard and the ASKO Ensemble is superb, outstanding; Aimard do it so well like he did with Boulez (DG), and the ensemble playing is marvellous in all the senses. The colours, the instruments, the atmosphere... all is perfect.
Mysteries of the macabre is a work I don't like really very much compared with other works by Ligeti. There's a very good recording on DG, with Boulez, but this one, with the outstanding player Peter Masseurs is really wonderful.

Perfect recordings, really natural, clear and precise, in an outstanding CD you should buy, like the complete series on Sony and Teldec, if you want to know deeply Ligeti. He is lucky of having those two marvellous series, together with some other marvellous CDs by Eötvös, Boulez, Atherton, etc.

A Brilliant Recording of Some of Ligeti's Finest Works.......2006-01-19

The music of György Ligeti is enjoying much performance success these days as works by the master are appearing more often on the season repertoires of the major orchestra. This superb recording, the first in the excellent survey series of Ligeti's music, opens the cycle with some of the most accessible and most beautiful of the composer's works.

Beginning with the ethereal 'Melodien' the Schönberg Ensemble as conducted by Reinbert de Leeuw plays with such transparent clarity that it feels as though the listener is in the midst of the orchestra. The 'Chamber Concerto for 13 Instrumentalists' is aptly titled as Ligeti gives utterly equal importance to each of the 13 players in their solo portions: keyboards include harpsichord, organ, piano and celesta; strings - two violins, double bass, viola and cello; trombone, horn, bass clarinet, clarinet, oboe/English horn/oboe d'amore; flute/piccolo. The four movements evolve naturally and inventively. Seeing this work performed is half the glory, and a recent performance by the LA Philharmonic New Music Group conducted by Alexander Mickelthwate was a revelation.

The Piano Concerto is brilliant as a work and here played with total authority and style by Pierre-Laurent Aimard with the ASKO Orchestra. It would be difficult to imagine a more perfect reading. The 'Mysteries of the Macabre' is an interesting transcription of arias form Ligeti's opera, here performed by trumpeter Peter Masseurs and the ASKO Orchestra. The opera succeeds on every level: the transcriptions, while of great interest, don't maintain the impact of the voice as focal point.

In all, this is a very important CD and one that encourages us to continue with the entire cycle. Highly Recommended. Grady Harp, January 06

Current Favorite.......2005-06-15

Even though I've listened to this since it came out, I never tire of it. The Piano Concerto is truly a wonderful work, both "masterpiece" and joke, and why not? Well, maybe not a joke; though, if you listen carefully, you're bound to chuckle at some point. Beethoven, the classical composer Ligeti reminds me most of, had a sense of humor combined with a taste for complexity also.

In fact, I feel as though I am hearing quotations of Beethoven in the cadenza right near the end of the Concerto, but I just can't place them.

The rest of the disc is just as good. These pieces have all been recorded before; even though "Mysteries of the Macabre" is a orchestral premiere, I've got a Roland Pontinen/Hakan Hardenberger version for piano/trumpet I might prefer. But the other performances are the best I've ever heard of these works. Well-recorded too.

A collection of excellent chamber works.......2004-06-24

"The Ligeti Project" released by Warner Classic seeks to continue Sony's inexplicably halted "Gyorgy Ligeti Edition" collecting the composer's complete works. This first installment brings together four chamber pieces.

The opening "Melodien" is an ironic piece. While early Ligeti works, such as "Musica Ricercata" resisted the creative vacuity of Hungary's Stalin-imposed socialist realism, this 1971 piece rebels against the excesses of his own avant-garde fellows. While many contemporary composers where eschewing melody, Ligeti gives us here over 10 minutes of pure melodies, with a beautiful colour which Ligeti has called "iridescent and metalic". The highs get higher and the lows get lower, and the work eventually diffuses into nothingness. I find this performance by the Schoenberg Ensemble slightly unimpressive, preferring the superb 1970's London Sinfonietta performance recently rereleased in DG's Echo 20/21 series.

The "Chamber Concerto" was written at the end of the 1960's, and is clearly linked to the bulk of Ligeti's micropolyphonic work of that decade, especially his "Atmospheres". The opening is aggressive, with stewing melodies and a hammering outburst. The third movement is rhythmic like clockwork, and extremely reminiscent of Ligeti's second string quartet. Ultimately the work doesn't hold my interest as much as other pieces from the same time.

The "Piano Concerto" of 1988 is probably the high point of the disc. Throughout the 1980's Ligeti was fascinated by new means of rhythmic expression, an outgrowth of his studies of African music and jazz piano. Stylistically this concerto is related to his "Trio for Horn, Violin, and Piano" and first book of Piano Etudes, but it is far more frenetic than both. The playing of Pierre-Laurent Aimard, Ligeti's favourite pianist, is what strikes the listener first. However, repeated listenings have made be very appreciative of the players of the ASKO Ensemlble, especially their trumpet player Peter Masseurs.

Finally, "Mysteries of the Macabre" is a light-hearted excerpt from Ligeti's bizzare opera "Le Grande Macabre", set for chamber orchestra. The version here uses a trumpet and piano, though there also exists a thrilling setting for coloratura soprano. At first I thought the trumpet version lackluster, having fond memories of Sybille Ehlert's vocal performance on Gyorgy Ligeti Edition 4: "Vocal Works". The more I listen to the trumpet, though, the more I find I like it, and am beginning to see it as prototypical of Peter Eotvos' recent jazz-like compositions. The performance here can be considered definitive, and is much more captivating than a performance recently rereleased by DG in its Echo 20/21 series.

The liner notes are generally excellent, featuring some words from Ligeti himself on the origin of the pieces, and also an enlightening commentary by Aimard on approaching the Piano Concerto, which Aimard calls the composer's masterpiece.

This is a great coverage of some of Ligeti's larger chamber works, and is highly recommended. This is perhaps not the ideal place to start, one might try instead The Ligeti Project IV with his famous "Requiem" or Gyorgy Ligeti Edition 1: String Quartets and Duets. However, this is all essential music, and worth getting early in one's acquaintance with Ligeti's music.

A good mixture of Ligeti works.......2003-11-21

In this disc, Teldec take up where Sony's Ligeti edition left off, recording a group of four works for chamber orchestra--two with soloists.

Melodien is one of the finest of Ligeti's mid-period works. The musical material is--as the title would suggest--a collection of melodies, which are contrapuntally set against each other in a dense weave. Ligeti then starts to clarify the harmonic material until at the midpoint of the work it clears into wide open octaves. Following this, the process is reversed and the music becomes more and more complex again. The performance here is very good, but Atherton's 1970s recording--recently reissued in DG's 20/21 series--is slightly preferable.

The Chamber Concerto is one of Ligeti's most popular works. It is in four movements, the first of which burbles up melodies as if from underwater; in contrast, the second, slower movement is more focused on harmony. The third movement is a hilarious sequence of clockwork rhythms and melodies, some of which go horribly wrong, while the finale takes the ideas of the first movement to insane levels of virtuosity. The disc here is in direct competition with Boulez's recording on DG--I prefer Boulez's interpretation which (despite generally faster speeds) gives the work more space to breathe: on the other hand, the sound is greatly superior here and the playing is marginally more accurate.

The Piano Concerto seems to be one of Ligeti's most popular pieces. I've never totally agreed with this view--though I know I'm in the minority--finding the odd-numbered, faster movements to be slightly routine, containing similar material to the Etudes without quite the same aural imagination or harmonic interest. I've got no complaints about the second and fourth movements, though--the second is an astonishing, bleak, powerful elegy and the fourth is a remarkable exercise in near-fractal orchestral writing. This is Pierre-Laurent Aimard's second recording of the work--if you already have his DG recording you probably don't need this one, even if it is fractionally cleaner and more lucid.

The disc ends with a minor out-take from Ligeti's opera Le Grand Macabre. Mysteries of the Macabre is an arrangement by Elgar Howarth (who premiered the opera and was the first to record it) of the three coloratura arias from it. Peter Masseurs is an excellent trumpet soloist, but this arrangement does not add anything to the original work.

Tracks:

Three Piano Pieces, Op. 11: Massige
Three Piano Pieces, Op. 11: Massige
Three Piano Pieces, Op. 11: Bewegte
Five Piano Pieces, Op. 23: Sehr langsam
Five Piano Pieces, Op. 23: Sehr rasch
Five Piano Pieces, Op. 23: Langsam
Five Piano Pieces, Op. 23: Schwungvoll. Massige
Five Piano Pieces, Op. 23: Wlazer
Six Little Piano Pieces, Op. 19: Leicht, zart
Six Little Piano Pieces, Op. 19: Langsam
Six Little Piano Pieces, Op. 19: Sehr langsame
Six Little Piano Pieces, Op. 19: Rasch, aber leicht
Six Little Piano Pieces, Op. 19: Etwas rasch
Six Little Piano Pieces, Op. 19: Sehr langsam
Suite for Piano, Op. 25: Praludium. Rasch
Suite for Piano, Op. 25: Gavotte. Etwas langsam. nicht hastig - Musette. Rascher - Gavotte da capo
Suite for Piano, Op. 25: Intermezzo
Suite for Piano, Op. 25: Menuett. Moderato - Trio - Menuette da capo
Suite for Piano, Op. 25: Gigue. Rasch
Two Piano Pieces, Op. 33- A & B: Massige
Two Piano Pieces, Op. 33- A & B: Massig langsam

Tracks:

Concerto For Piano And Orchestra, Op. 42: Andante -
Concerto For Piano And Orchestra, Op. 42: Molto allegro
Concerto For Piano And Orchestra, Op. 42: Adagio
Concerto For Piano And Orchestra, Op. 42: Giocoso
Phantasy For Violin And Piano Accompaniment, Op. 47: Grave - Piu mosso - Meno mosso - Lento - Grazioso - Tempo I - Piu mosso -
Phantasy For Violin And Piano Accompaniment, Op. 47: Scherzando - Poco tranquillo - Scherzando - Meno mosso - Tempo I
Ode To Napoleon Buonaparte, Op. 41
Pierrot Lunaire, Op. 21: Mondestrunken
Pierrot Lunaire, Op. 21: Colombine
Pierrot Lunaire, Op. 21: Der Dandy
Pierrot Lunaire, Op. 21: Eine blasse Wascherin
Pierrot Lunaire, Op. 21: Valse de Chopin
Pierrot Lunaire, Op. 21: Madonna
Pierrot Lunaire, Op. 21: Der kranke Mond

Customer Reviews:

Mr. Gould: the Genius of Recorded Music!.......2005-01-31

Gould was playing Schoenberg in the 1950s--just shortly after the composer's death. He realizes the Op. 11 pieces in a very late-Brahmsian manner, in keeping with his gestalt of turn-of-the-century Modern music, viz., Brahms, Strauss, Scriabin, Schoenberg, Hindemith, et al.

The Op. 25 Suite is an exquisite refraction of a Bach French Suite--but done in Schoenberg's 12-tone form. Here Gould plays Schoenberg as he does Bach!

Gould's realization of Schoenberg's Piano Concerto is very secco (dry), and intentionally miked very closely: i.e., the recording was made with microphones placed close to the performers, rather than way back out in the audience area of a hall. This was Gould's idea, and the results are outstanding: the best Schoenberg Piano Concerto available--pace, Uchida and Brendel, et al.

Gould's Pierrot is his first attempt at conducting, and one wishes he had completed it and done more. In the end, Gould conducted Wagner's Siegfried Idyll with outstanding results.

This is a great set.

The definitive interpretation of Schoenberg piano works.......2003-12-27

While other pianists dabbled at these fine pieces, none other than Glenn Gould provides the definitive interpretation of Schoenberg's piano works. Thoroughly studied, Gould presents the serialism clearly and presents the dimensions of the revolutionary works.

By detaching yourself from the tonality of traditional tonal music, and immersing in the world of Schoenberg, the shape and lines of the music will gradually become clear. Gould is perhaps the greatest advocate and messenger of Schoenberg's distinct language.

Keep listening.......2000-09-13

These are difficult pieces for me. They require concentrated listening, and challenge my understanding of music. Sometimes, I don't like what I hear, and other times, it's just too much work to listen to very much of this. However, when I am able to devote some time to listening with an understanding mind, I am amply rewarded. I have listened to this CD for several years and I will probably never understand this music. I do enjoy listening and learning from it, though. I am thankful that someone as talented as Glenn Gould has interpreted these pieces. If you are interested in one of the most important composers of the twentieth century, or one of the greatest legends of the keyboard, this CD will interest you. To paraphrase what Moby wrote on his CD, Animal Rights, "Please listen to this CD completely at least once."

The "least dry" Schoenberg ever.......1999-11-10

I believe wholeheartedly that, for the uninitiated, this disc is difficult to truly appreciate without having heard other pianists attempt these pieces (e.g., Pollini). To enjoy listening to Schoenberg necessitates a certain familiarity with prolonged "dissonance", just like strong coffee or unfiltered beer--it takes some getting used to. If you're already there, it's not "dissonant", it's "music" (just like other alternate melodic conceptions-raga, gamelan, mbira, partch, etc.), and Gould's passionate readings here display his love for and understanding of the music's heart. Go Glenn.

A Master Pianist Plays His Favorites.......1999-04-08

Schoenberg's rigid mathematics, his triads, his serialism, his tonal abilities, when demonstated through his piano pieces (especially through these piano pieces) allow a pianist with the mechanical ability and inspired play of Glenn Gould the chance to demonstrate how to hear, feel and convey a music that, to many listeners, often reflects, upon fist listen, chaos. But the music on this 2 CD set is not to be listened to merely once. Glenn Gould, master pianist, is playing his favorite works by one of his favorite composers. The Schoenberg basher will hear more chaos than in other recordings of these piano pieces, merely because Gould's sure fingers, his hands, are as revolutionary as the music he is playing.

Berg: Violin Concerto; Schoenberg: Piano Concerto; Violin Concerto

Average customer rating:

A must have for the classical music fan...
A historic CD
Best buy
A Great Reissue at a Great Price!
Perfect Pieces For The Twelve-Tone Beginner

Berg: Violin Concerto; Schoenberg: Piano Concerto; Violin Concerto

Manufacturer: Umvd Labels
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

General | Classical | Styles | Music

General | Chamber Music | Classical | Styles | Music
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Schoenberg: Piano Concerto
Berg: Chamber Concerto; Three Orchestral Pieces, Op. 6; Violin Concerto

ASIN: B00016XN16
Release Date: 2004-01-13

Tracks:

Andante - Allegretto - Henryk Szeryng
Allegro, Ma Sempre Rubato, Frei Wie Eine Kadenz - Adagio - Henryk Szeryng
Andante - Alfred Brendel
Molto Allegro - Alfred Brendel
Adagio - Alfred Brendel
Giocoso - Alfred Brendel
Poco Allegro - Zvi Zeitlin
Andante Grazioso - Zvi Zeitlin
Finale. Allegro - Zvi Zeitlin

Customer Reviews:

A must have for the classical music fan..........2007-01-07

...especially given the price...the recordings are well done and the performances are excellent...Schoenberg's a bit hard to swallow but he's probably analagous to spinach -- a little bit now and then is good for you.

A historic CD.......2006-09-11

This CD is containing the three most important concertos of the "Second Vienna School" founded by Schoenberg in the first half of the 20th Century.
The Violin Concerto by Alban Berg (1936) is certainly the best-known and the most often heard of the three. It is a remarkable synthesis of the classical harmonic style and the new twelve-tone style. It effortlessly merges quotations from Bach and Austrian tunes with the basically atonal structure into a beautiful and moving piece (a noble swan song indeed).
The Schoenberg concertos are more difficult. Let us start with the Violin Concerto (1936) which is very seldom played and has a reputation of being abstract and inaccessible. If you do not yet know it, just listen to it a few times. The first time it may appear to be not much more than interesting noise. The second time you may catch one or two striking phrases or even melodies. The third and forth time the interesting phrases become more and more numerous and you start thinking that the piece may not be so bad at all. The fifth time you catch the structure, the melodies and harmonies, and the noise is gone. Wonderful music has remained.
The same procedure applies to the Piano Concerto (1942), only that it is easier. Don't worry about twelve-tone music and atonality, just try listen to it as a normal piece of classical music.
You will find that all three concertos are very fine pieces, basically in the romantic tradition, not much more difficult than, say, Mahler. The problem with "modern" music (the concertos have been written more than 60 years ago!) is that they are rarely played and (as all music) can be appreciated only after repeated listening. This is why this CD is so important.
In fact, I already have the early vinyl recordings of the Piano Concerto by Glenn Gould, and of the Berg and Schoenberg Violin Concerto by Louis Krasner, who was the first to overcome the tremendous difficulties of the latter (Jascha Heifetz had returned the piece as unplayable!).
The violinists of the present record (Henryk Szeryng and Zvi Zeitlin) are very fine musicians. The pianist, Alfred Brendel, lives up to his reputation as a poetic performer of romantic music, from Schubert to Liszt. Listening to their play, you will forget about virtuosity and hear only music of exquisite beauty.
The orchestral colours are essential to this music. Rafael Kubelik is an inspiring conductor of the Bavarian Radio Symphony Orchestra.
This record is unique.

Helmut Moritz, Graz (Austria)

Best buy.......2005-10-21

Not much to add here. It is very good that Universal keeps this one in stock, even if the commercial potential is not the greatest. You get immense value for money here:
Szeryng under Kubelik plays the Berg concerto just as nicely as Perlman under Ozawa.
I have never heard another recording of the piano concerto (Schnberg), so here I have no idea if there are better recordings out there.
The symphonic style of the Schoenberg violin concerto is very well served by Kubelik's baton. If this action-filled, but highly organized, music gives you trouble - so it did for me about ten years ago - don't give up, because it becomes very exciting and will never let you down when you finally arrives to appreciate it.

A Great Reissue at a Great Price!.......2005-01-31

This is a very nice disc--a reissue from the '70s--and as a bonus, it's at a great price.

The Berg Concerto is great, and almost too popular: it's available in several performances.

The Schoenberg Piano Concerto is also available in serveral realizations (e.g., Uchida; Brendel; Gould--Gould is the best!). It's one of the unpopular Schoenberg's most "popular" works because, though 12-tone in form, the row used is ambigously tonal, so it's not too scary to weak ears and minds.

But the real star of this disc is the Schoenberg Violin Concerto. This is one of Schoenberg's most virtuosic pieces: it's stunningly well orchestrated, and the violin cadenzas are spectacular. It's a 12-tone piece, but makes no consessions to older tonalities. This is such a great piece that I often wonder why some of the great violinists of our time don't play it: Perlman, for example; or Mutter--who plays the heck out of the Berg Concerto. I don't know why they don't play it: too difficult perhaps, for Schoenberg aptly remarked that the soloist should have a sixth finger on his/her left hand to realize the piece!

Perfect Pieces For The Twelve-Tone Beginner.......2004-04-09

While I have not yet decided how I feel about twelve-tone music in general (some of it I like, and some (i.e. Webern and Boulez) I don't know if I'll ever understand), I LOVE the music on this CD. Berg's Violin Concerto is relatively "easy" to listen to (for a twelve-tone piece, that is) and is absolutely beautiful. It hovers on the edges of conventional tonality and features music of incredible intensity and loveliness. For this reason, it is, I think, a good place for the "twelve-tone beginner" to start listening to music of the twentieth century. Schoenberg's pieces on this CD are less accessible, but are also masterpieces. The piano concerto, in particular, is a remarkable work, and is well worth the repeated listening necessary to understand and appreciate it. Again, this is not easy music, but is music that will reward careful and concentrated listening.

Maurizio Pollini Edition - Schoenberg: The Solo Piano Music, Piano Concerto; Webern: VAriations Op. 27

Average customer rating:

Lonely modernist landscapes. Perfect music for the isolated soul
dost thou savor dissonance?
fugitive beauty
A great Schoenberg collection reissued, with bonuses

Maurizio Pollini Edition - Schoenberg: The Solo Piano Music, Piano Concerto; Webern: VAriations Op. 27
Maurizio Pollini , Arnold Schoenberg , and Anton Webern
Manufacturer: Deutsche Grammophon
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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Similar Items:

Arnold Schoenberg: Serenade/Five Pieces For Orchestra
Copland: Piano Sonata; Piano Fantasy
Stravinsky, Prokofiev, Webern, etc / Maurizio Pollini
Alban Berg: Lulu Suite/The Wine/Lyric Suite
Schoenberg: Piano Concerto

ASIN: B00005RRXZ
Release Date: 2003-02-11

Customer Reviews:

Lonely modernist landscapes. Perfect music for the isolated soul.......2007-06-02

I'll come out and say, Schoenberg is not a composer I really care about. I revel in the beauty of Verklarte Nacht but things like Pelleas und Melisande, Gurrelieder, Pierrot Lunaire, Variations for Orchestra, etc. don't appeal to me. Overall, it's Webern who appeals to me in more of his output, not Schoenberg.

But then there is Schoenberg's solo piano music which seems far more personal than the rhetorical works like Variations for Orchestra. Pollini is a master pianist who has been dedicated to modern repertoire all his life, this CD is a testament to his advocacy and understanding of this music.

Apart from the solo piano music, you also get the piano concerto with Abbado leading the Berlin Philharmonic. I am not won over by the Concerto as much as the solo pieces. In this work, Schoenberg being full aware of the great German tradition, tries to fuse the form of the romantic concerto with his own brand of new modern logic. In particular, the Robert Schumann concerto doesn't seem too far from Schoenberg's mind. It's because this harkens back to the old, traditional form that many pianists who don't normally explore modern repertoire have come to record the Schoenberg piano concerto. I am thinking of Alfred Brendel and Mitsuko Uchida. Pollini, on the hand, is of course a modern specialist, so this concerto is right up his alley.

For this Pollini Edition re-release, not only do you get the piano concerto as an extra, they also throw in Webern's Variations for solo piano, making this CD a winner on all fronts. Listen to the solo pieces, alone at night and be captured by the unique way that Schoenberg distills the essence of modern alienation.

dost thou savor dissonance?.......2005-05-13

Schoenberg's solo piano music is small in quantity, but tremendously important in so many respects that an excellent performance is necessary for any listener of 20th century modernism. I would guess, however, that these works would pose a formidable task for the performer. Consider op.11, the three small pieces for piano. This work at last exploded the Western conventions of tonality. At the time, Schoenberg's atonal mode of expression was new and highly intuitive, so traditional interpretational paradigms would probably not serve the musician well. Thus even as the technical difficulties are overcome, the intellectual challenge remains great. Perhaps this is why so few pianists ever tackle twentieth century piano music (among other reasons). Pollini is considered one of the premiere Schoenberg interpreters, and the evidence is strong in his favor. His performance here is emotionally powerful but also cool and calculated. (The idiosyncratic Glenn Gould's performances of Schoenberg's works are also recommended.)

The vestiges of tonality still linger in Schoenberg's op.11, at least in the first two pieces. The third really drove home the possibilities of atonality, though -- the musical argument is evasive to the inattentive listener, and even those of diligent concentration are hard pressed. Schoenberg's end here was to create a more egalitarian music, a radical chromaticism where each tone is important in itself rather than in its relation to the central key. One cannot help but feel the excitement of the composer in these works, something for which pollini must be commended.

It is good that these solo works are presented in chronological order, as it enables the listener to chart the fascinating development of Schoenberg's approach. I do not wish to discuss these works in detail. I will make only cursory remarks to explain why I think they are interesting. The six piano pieces of op.19 are necessarily short musical dictums that, once capitulated, need not be further developed. They are just little ideas, but they are powerful in their succinctness. In op.23, Schoenberg experiments in finding an organizational principle for atonal music. He applies serialism. Listening to these small pieces is highly valuable for the listener of serial music, because it trains one to recognize the permutations of tone rows; op.23 applies the serialist method to small groups of notes rather than the full chromatic scale. Op.25 is the first fully 12-tone work - the six pieces are all developed from manipulation of a single tone-row. It is inventive and exciting, not to mention difficult to play. Several years later Schoenberg returned to solo piano music with op.33, two short pieces structured more along a chordal idiom than a melodic one.

Alone, Schoenberg's solo piano music is some of the best of its genre of the twentieth century. This disc is worth having for that alone. This edition includes other pieces, tho': Schoenberg's piano concerto, and Webern's outstanding Variations for solo piano. DG has a disc of the solo piano music by itself, but there is no reason to get that when this edition exists. The piano concerto, op.42, is a dramatic 12-tone work, one of my favorites of the 20th century. It is a drastically modern work, full of vivid colors and restless, percussive solo parts, yet Schoenberg sometimes manipulates the tone row for the deployment of quasi-tonal orchestral waves. Despite its rigorous structure and uninviting dissonances by the ream, the work maintains a degree of romanticism -- something the Darmstadt school may have derided, but this listener feels it functions on an effective emotional level. Webern's Variations may have been more to the preference of folks like Boulez and Nono -- it is systematically certain in its serialist methodology (Schoenberg was more relaxed in the application of the 12-tone structures). In addition to being deliciously dissonant and innately raw, it is an exciting display of virtuosity. Pollini shines here as with his Schoenberg interpretations.

HIGHLY RECOMMENDED.

fugitive beauty.......2004-09-06

Pollini is fantastic with Schoenberg's piano pieces. This chronological presentation allows you to hear the progression from the atonal works to the later 12-tone compositions. Adorno held the atonal works to be the highest pinnacle of expression, and it's easy to hear why he was so impressed. I find it amazing to compare Schoenberg and the painter Kandinsky. They were friends, and participated in a joint revolution across types of art, Schoenberg pushing dissonant chromaticism into outright atonality as Kandinsky did the same with painting, pushing Impressionism's blurring of the object to total abstraction. Then, in the 1920s, Schoenberg developed his 12-tone system as Kandinsky developed a parallel system of abstract forms at Bauhaus in Weimar and Dessau. I strongly prefer Kandinsky's Bauhaus work to his earlier period, while with Schoenberg, I enjoy both. I prefer the earlier atonal piano pieces, but I prefer the serialist string quartets (3rd and 4th -- see my review of the Arditti Quartet recordings on Montaigne). His "Suite for Piano" and other 12-tone works incorporate a pure, Baroque structure, and mark a phase of consolidation. The earlier works seem to document the dissolution of the ego, and Pollini conveys them as fleeting, fugitive beauty.

This disc (part of the huge Maurizio Pollini Edition on DG) includes the entire solo piano music, which was previously available in the "20th Century Music" series -- it had a bright yellow cover -- and it adds Schoenberg's "Piano Concerto," with Pollini and the Berlin Philharmonic, with Claudio Abbado conducting, as well as a short work by Webern. The Concerto is a wonderful, energetic piece, not the dour, taxing thing I suppose many might imagine. With its addition, what was already indispensable becomes doubly so.

A great Schoenberg collection reissued, with bonuses.......2003-11-30

Maurizio Pollini's traversal of the solo piano music of Arnold Schoenberg was always a classic of modern music recordings, and this reissue makes it all the more attractive by adding the piano concerto and Pollini's classic recording of Webern's variations to the mix.

The Three Piano Pieces are from the early days of Schoenberg's atonal period, and the first two have fairly strong tonal echoes still. The first alternates passion and ambivalance, while the central slow piece has increasingly tense ruminative melodies over an ostinato figure that increases the tonal feel to the work. In contrast, the radical finale is a torrent of atonal notes whose intensity sweeps away the pensive thoughts from the second piece.

The Six Little Piano Pieces are amongst Schoenberg's finest works. Many are mere wisps of sound, averaging less than a minute each, they evoke fleeting memories, thoughts, then are gone. The finale, an elegy for Schoenberg's mentor Gustav Mahler, is a near-silent ghost of a funeral march.

The Five Piano Pieces are perhaps most famous because the last of them was the first published piece of serial music. The first is slow and tightly knit, the second an explosion of energy. Next comes a slow piece with an almost improvisatory feel and a second energetic one. The last is a rather discursive waltz that applies the new serial technique in a fairly simplistic way.

The Suite is a step backwards in many ways. Gone are the near-improvisatory, concise structures of the previous pieces; instead Schoenberg returned to traditional forms while writing serial melodic lines. I find this the least impressive work on the disc: while well-written I feel it is also rather too dry.

The two brief pieces, opus 33, return more to the atmosphere of the earlier five piece set, though this time in a serial idiom. They are more discursive, more improvisatory, more lyrical, and a lot more fun to listen to. Indeed, they point the way to the lyricism of the piano concerto that was to arrive a decade later.

Schoenberg's piano concerto is a work very popular with pianists (I've heard close on a dozen different pianists play it live in the last few years), even though it has yet to fully break through to mainstream audiences. Written in a four-movement form that plays without a break, this work allows constant echoes of tonal harmony through its serial structure. An ambivalent first movement is followed by a violent scherzo, an anguished slow movement and a more optimistic finale. This is one of the most accessible of Schoenberg's serial pieces, and also one of the best.

Webern's piano variations are in truth a three-movement sonata lasting about six minutes, of which only the finale is in variation form. A moderately-paced opening movement is followed by a witty miniature scherzo with off-center accents, before the final variation set. Crisp, clear and thoroughly atonal, this is one of the great works of the Viennese serial school.

Tracks:

Prelude A L'Apres-Midi D'un Faune - Alexander Rahbari
Walzer - Peter Hill
I. Andante-Scherzo - Rebecca Hirsch
Sehr Ruhig Und Zart - Ulster Orchestra
Lebhaft Und Zart Bewegt - Ulster Orchestra
Sehr Langsam Und Ausserst Zart - Ulster Orchestra
Fliessend, Ausserst Zart - Ulster Orchestra
Sehr Fliessend - Ulster Orchestra
Forlane: Allegretto - Klara Kormendi
First Tableau: The Shrove-Tide Fair - Philharmonia Orchestra
The Mountebank - Philharmonia Orchestra
Vivo - Bournemouth Sinfonietta
III. Moderato Pesante - Bournemouth Symphony Orchestra
Hymn To St. Cecilia - Choir Of St. John's College, Cambridge
IV. Allegretto - Ondrej Lenard
Introduzione: Andante Non Troppo-Allegro Vivace - Alexander Rahbari

Tracks:

Romance - Czecho-Slovak State Philharmonic Orchestra (Kosice)
II. Allegro - Ladislav Slovak
III. Allegro Agitato - Stephen Gunzenhauser
Main Theme From Schindler's List - Paul Bateman
The Unanswered Question - Northern Sinfonia
Second Electonic Interpolation (Conclusion) - Polish National Radio Symphony Orchestra
Third Electronic Interpolation (Beginning) - Polish National Radio Symphony Orchestra
I. Liturgie De Cristal - Amici Ensemble
IV. Commentaire - Idil Biret
Warming Up, Leading To Model 1, Bass - Gregory Rose
'Gott Nochmal' Sun God - Gregory Rose
'Vishnu' God Of Storms - Gregory Rose
God Of The Earth - Gregory Rose
First Interlude - Boris Berman
I. - Roger Heaton
Short Ride In A Fast Machine - Bournemouth Symphony Orchestra
The Lord's Prayer - Choir Of St. John's College, Cambridge
II. Lento E Largo-Tranquillissimo - Zofia Kilanowicz
Lullaby - Philharmonia Orchestra
Vision Of The Hunt I - Philharmonia Orchestra
Voice For Solo Flute - Robert Aitken

Customer Reviews:

excellent overview of contemporaneous classic music.......2007-03-22

excellent overview of contemporaneous classic music.

Should be continued, plenty more 20th-century composers to be discovered.

For the price you can't lose.......2007-02-21

This 2 cd set consists of, as the title indicates, various 20c pieces or movements from the Naxos catalog. Sound quality is uniformly high, although for some such as Stockhausen's it's not clear if that's good or bad. What is excellent is the variety of the collection--some familiar (Debussy), others not, some pretty, others intentionally weird. Few will find every piece to his or her taste, but many listeners who do not spend much time on 20c music will find something to like. Overall, a great introduction to a period of much off-putting, yes, but also much compelling music.

Average customer rating:

Mostly valuable for the sonatas & suites
wonderful
Great record of Great cellist at Great budget price
A Great Compilation of Great Cello Music
Wonderful! Indispensable! So why only four stars..?

Les introuvables de Jacqueline du Pré
Edward Elgar , Frederick Delius , Camille Saint-Saens , Antonin Dvorak , Robert Schumann , Arnold Schoenberg , Franz Joseph Haydn , Fryderyk Chopin , Cesar Franck , Gabriel Faure , Max Bruch , Johann Sebastian Bach , George Frideric Handel , Ludwig van Beethoven , London Symphony Orchestra , Royal Philharmonic Orchestra , New Philharmonia Orchestra , Chicago Symphony Orchestra , Sir John Barbirolli , Malcolm Sargent , Daniel Barenboim , Jacqueline du Pré , Valda Aveling , English Chamber Orchestra , Gerald Moore , Ernest Lush , and Stephen Kovacevich
Manufacturer: EMI Classics
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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Brahms: Cello Sonatas [includes bonus DVD]
Jacqueline du Pre In Portrait
Jacqueline du Pré - The Concerto Collection
Brahms: Cello Sonatas
Jacqueline du Pré - a lasting inspiration

ASIN: B000002SCC
Release Date: 2002-08-05

Tracks:

Concerto pour violoncelle et orchestre en mi mineur: In E Minor, Op. 85: I. Adagio - Moderato
Concerto pour violoncelle et orchestre en mi mineur: In E Minor, Op. 85: II. Lento - Allegro molto
Concerto pour violoncelle et orchestre en mi mineur: In E Minor, Op. 85: Adagio
Concerto pour violoncelle et orchestre en mi mineur: In E Minor, Op. 85: IV. Allegro, ma non troppo
Concerto pour violoncelle et orchestra: Lento - Con moto tranquillo - Lento - Con moto tranquillo - Allegramente
Concerto pour violoncelle et orchestre n 1 en la mineur: In A Minor, Op. 33: I. Allegro non troppo
Concerto pour violoncelle et orchestre n 1 en la mineur: In A Minor, Op. 33: II. Allegretto con moto
Concerto pour violoncelle et orchestre n 1 en la mineur: In A Minor, Op. 33: III. Allegro non troppo

Tracks:

Concerto pour violoncelle et orchestre en si mineur: In B Minor, Op. 104: I. Allegro
Concerto pour violoncelle et orchestre en si mineur: In B Minor, Op. 104: II. Adagio ma no troppo
Concerto pour violoncelle et orchestre en si mineur: In B Minor, Op. 104: III. Finale (Allegro moderato)
Concerto pour violoncelle et orchestre en si mineur: In B Minor, Op. 104: Waldesruhe (Silence Woods.) pour violoncelle et orchestre, Op. 68
Concerto pour violoncelle et orchestra en la mineur: In A Minor Op. 129: I. Nicht zu schnell
Concerto pour violoncelle et orchestra en la mineur: In A Minor Op. 129: II Langsam - Etwas lebhafter - Schneller
Concerto pour violoncelle et orchestra en la mineur: In A Minor Op. 129: III Sehr lebhaft - Cadenza - Sehr lebhaft

Tracks:

Concerto pour violoncelle et orchestra en sol mineur: I. Allegro
Concerto pour violoncelle et orchestra en sol mineur: II. Adagio
Concerto pour violoncelle et orchestra en sol mineur: III. Allegro non tanto
Concerto pour violoncelle et orchestra en re majeur, Hob. VIIb:2: I. Allegro moderato
Concerto pour violoncelle et orchestra en re majeur, Hob. VIIb:2: II. Adagio
Concerto pour violoncelle et orchestra en re majeur, Hob. VIIb:2: III. Rondo (Allegro)
Concerto pour violoncelle et orchestre en ut majeur, Hob. VIIb: 1: I. Moderato
Concerto pour violoncelle et orchestre en ut majeur, Hob. VIIb: 1: II. Adagio
Concerto pour violoncelle et orchestre en ut majeur, Hob. VIIb: 1: III. Allegro molto

Tracks:

Sonate pour violoncelle et piano en sol mineur, Op. 65: I. Allegro moderato
Sonate pour violoncelle et piano en sol mineur, Op. 65: II. Allegro con brio
Sonate pour violoncelle et piano en sol mineur, Op. 65: III. Largo
Sonate pour violoncelle et piano en sol mineur, Op. 65: IV. Finale (Allegro)
Sonate pour violoncelle et piano en la majeur: I. Allegro ben moderato
Sonate pour violoncelle et piano en la majeur: II. Allegro
Sonate pour violoncelle et piano en la majeur: III. Recitativo - Fantasia (Molto lento)
Sonate pour violoncelle et piano en la majeur: IV. Allegretto poco mosso
Elegie en ut mineur, Op. 24
Kol nidrei, Op. 47

Tracks:

Suite pour violoncelle seul No. 1 en sol majeur, BWV 1007: I. Prelude
Suite pour violoncelle seul No. 1 en sol majeur, BWV 1007: II. Allemande
Suite pour violoncelle seul No. 1 en sol majeur, BWV 1007: III. Courante
Suite pour violoncelle seul No. 1 en sol majeur, BWV 1007: IV. Sarabande
Suite pour violoncelle seul No. 1 en sol majeur, BWV 1007: V. Menuetto I & II
Suite pour violoncelle seul No. 1 en sol majeur, BWV 1007: VI. Gigue
Suite pour violoncelle seul No. 2 en re mineur, BWV 1008: I. Prelude
Suite pour violoncelle seul No. 2 en sol majeur, BWV 1008: II. Allemande
Suite pour violoncelle seul No. 2 en sol majeur, BWV 1008: III. Courante
Suite pour violoncelle seul No. 2 en sol majeur, BWV 1008: IV. Sarabande
Suite pour violoncelle seul No. 2 en sol majeur, BWV 1008: V. Menuetto I & II
Suite pour violoncelle seul No. 2 en sol majeur, BWV 1008: VI. Gigue
Sonate pour violoncelle et piano en sol mineur: I. Grave
Sonate pour violoncelle et piano en sol mineur: II. Allegro
Sonate pour violoncelle et piano en sol mineur: III. Sarabande
Sonate pour violoncelle et piano en sol mineur: IV. Allegro
'Judas Maccabaeus' de Haendel, en sol majeur, woO.45: Variations sur le theme 'See, The Conqu'ring Hero Comes

Tracks:

Sonate pour violoncelle et piano No. 3 en la majeur, Op. 69: I. Allegro ma non tanto
Sonate pour violoncelle et piano No. 3 en la majeur, Op. 69: II. Scherzo (Allegro molto)
Sonate pour violoncelle et piano No. 3 en la majeur, Op. 69: III. Adagio cantabile
Sonate pour violoncelle et piano No. 3 en la majeur, Op. 69: IV. Allegro vivace
Sonate pour violoncelle et piano No. 5 en re majeur, Op. 102 No. 2: I. Allegro con brio
Sonate pour violoncelle et piano No. 5 en re majeur, Op. 102 No. 2: II. Adagio con molto sentimento d'affeto
Sonate pour violoncelle et piano No. 5 en re majeur, Op. 102, No. 2: III. Allegro - Allegro fugato
7 Variations sur le theme Bei Mannern, welche Liebe fuhlen': 'La Flute enchantee' de Mozart, en mi bemol majeur Es-dur, Op.66
12 Variations sur le theme 'Ein Madchen oder Weibchen': 'La Flute enchantee' de Mozart, en fa majeur, Op.66

Amazon.com

Although most of this set is devoted to major cello concertos (Elgar, Saint-Saëns, Dvorák, Schumann, Haydn) that Du Pré played so well, perhaps the most treasurable recording is one of two Beethoven cello sonatas with the pianist Stephen Bishop (Kovacevich). Recorded very early in her career, these show Du Pré at her most eloquent, the early promise of a great career so cruelly interrupted. This set includes most of the cellist's best recordings. Too bad it's not 10 times the size. If the cellist's passion occasionally seems excessive, at least it's the right kind of flaw to have. --Leslie Gerber

Customer Reviews:

Mostly valuable for the sonatas & suites.......2002-07-02

Although Jackie du Pre's playing in the Elgar, Delius and Schoenberg concerti was superb, I for one simply find nothing to admire in that music. Perhaps this is my fault, perhaps not, but in general there are so many superb recordings of the Haydn and Dvorak concerti that only the sentiments surrounding her decline into MS and early death recommend them.

On the other hand, the recordings of the Chopin, Beethoven and other sonatas in the second 3 discs of this set are among the most moving recordings ever made. Jackie never had quite the golden tone or perfect technique of Feuermann or Yo-Yo Ma, and this shows itself more in the Bach unaccompanied cello suites where she plays a few scratchy-sounding turns, but the deep-down love and emotional commitment of her playing always communicated itself effectively. In short, then, I recommend this set for the sonatas & suites, but if you also enjoy these concerto recordings, you will love it all.

wonderful.......2001-04-22

this is a wonderful recording of some of the best cello music played by one of the worlds best cello players, the late jacqueline du pre. jackie had magic in her fingertips and listening to these recordings is pure joy, one of the best set I had the chance to hear.

Great record of Great cellist at Great budget price.......2000-11-04

The collection dosen't have Brahms's Cello Sonatas. But you picture her portrait by these 6 CDs( The cost is 7 dollars or less per one CD ). If you don't know what kind of cellist she was--yet, I want you to get it.

You would meet extraordinary emitted passion by Du Pre in Elgar( needlees to say, it is one of her most famous performance), Saint-Saens, Dovrak( in spite of unskillful conducting of Barenboim), Schumann. The set has not only her famous performance of the Concertos in disk 1-3, but also various Sonatas( Barenboim makes excellent piano playing in good harmony with his wife more than support) in disk 4-6.

Furthermore, the Bach's Cello Suite No.1 and No.2, as her only solo performance in this collection, are very interesting. Its passionate Bach(!!) is certainly like Du Pre.

Thanks EMI FRANCE for the great work!!

A Great Compilation of Great Cello Music.......2000-07-26

This collection, composed of the great works for the cello, is a must have in any serious classical music fan's library. It is an even better collection for the "newbie" to the genre. Jacqueline du Pre was undoubtedly one of the greatest artist of the century and her passion is well documented in this collection. Just get it...if you like classical music...you'll like this collection and the price is great too. What's to lose?

Wonderful! Indispensable! So why only four stars..?.......2000-03-19

This is definitely worth getting, and Amazon's price is right. Du Pre was one of the greatest ever (Yo-Yo Ma now owns her cello, in case any of you play Classical Music Trivial Pursuit), and I cry inwardly when I think of her early death. The Elgar Concerto alone on this set is enough to justify the purchase price. After she died, several "name" conductors vowed they would never perform or record it again with anybody, so strong was their memory of her. So why only four stars here? Two reasons: some of these performances are with hubby Daniel Barenboim conducting, and they just aren't quite in the same league as the other efforts. Just compare the Barbirolli Haydn and the Barenboim Haydn to see what I mean: both are slow-tempoed, and neither would be my top-drawer choice. But Barbirolli *almost* makes it work, and has a certain perverse logic, whereas DB is just dull and colorless and square. The second defect is the remastered sound, which oftentimes is not very good. Sure these are "historic" recordings, but they're not that old, most are stereo. Still, the sound is flat and clipped at the high end. This should not dissade anyone from getting this set, however. Just don't expect a sonic demo disc. You will get thrilling cello playing across a broad selection of repertoire.

Average customer rating:

excellent artists!

Masters of the Keyboard

Manufacturer: Deutsche Grammophon
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

Ballads | Forms & Genres | Classical | Styles | Music

Etudes | Forms & Genres | Classical | Styles | Music

Preludes | Forms & Genres | Classical | Styles | Music

Rondos | Forms & Genres | Classical | Styles | Music

Suites | Forms & Genres | Classical | Styles | Music

Toccatas | Forms & Genres | Classical | Styles | Music

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Masters of the Guitar
Masters of the Bow: Cello
Masters of the Bow
Masters of the Voice: Tenor
Masters of the Voice: Soprano

ASIN: B0001ADB8M
Release Date: 2004-02-10

Tracks:

Toccata In C Minor - Martha Argerich
Sonata In C Major - Arturo Bendetti Michelangeli
Piano Sonata In D Major - Christoph Eschenbach
Piano Sonata In D Major - Christoph Eschenbach
Piano Sonata In D Major - Christoph Eschenbach
Rondo In A Minor, K. 511 - Mitsuko Uchida
Fuga From Piano Sonata No. 31 In A-Flat - Emil Gilels
Inpromptu No. 2 In E-Flat - Sviatoslav Richter
Moment Musicans No, 2 In A-Flat - Andras Schiff
Ballad No. 2 In A- Flat Op. 23 - Arturo Benedettie Michelangeli
La Campanella From 'Paganini' Etudes - Jorge Bolet
Romance In F Sharp - Claudio Arrau
Spinning Song From Songs Without Words, Op. 67 - Daniel Barenboim

Tracks:

Capriccio In B Minor From Eight Piano Pieces Op. 76 - Stephen Bishop-Kovacevich
Intermezzo In A Major From Siz Piano Pieces, Op.118 - Radu Lupu
Melody In F Major, Op.3, No.1 - Shura Cherkassky
Souvenir De Porto Rico, Marche Des Gibaros - Ivan Davis
Etude En FormeDe Valse - Magda Tagliaferro
Vers La Flamme, Op. 72 - Sviatoslav Richter
Prelude In B-Flat, Op.23 No. 2 - Vladimir Ashkenazy
Prelude In B Minor, Op. 32, No. 10 - Alicia De Larrocha
Navarra From Iberia - Alcia De Larrocha
The Girl With Flaxen Hair From Preludes-Book 1 - Arturo Benedetti Michelangeli
L'Isle Joyeuse - Alexis Weissenberg
Menuet From Le Tombeau De Couperin - Jean-Yves Thibaudet
Six Roumanian Folk Dances, BB 68, Sz 56 - Zoltan Kocis
Six Roumanian Folk Dances, BB 68, Sz 56 - Zoltan Kocis
Six Roumanian Folk Dances, BB 68, Sz 56 - Zoltan Kocis
Six Roumanian Folk Dances, BB 68, Sz 56 - Zoltan Kocis
Six Roumanian Folk Dances, BB 68, Sz 56 - Zoltan Kocis
Six Roumanian Folk Dances, BB 68, Sz 56 - Zoltan Kocis
Bewegte Achtel From Three Piano Pieces, Op.11 - Mitsuko Uchida
Variations On 'I got Rhythm' For Piano And Orchestra - Wener Haas

Customer Reviews:

excellent artists!.......2004-05-20

I don't understand quite where the other reviewer is coming from. This is a treasure-trove of piano music by some of the best classical pianists of the last century. If you want a musical anthology of some of the best by some of the best, pick it up!

Average customer rating:

Sanroma: Greatest Almost-Unknown Pianist of the Century

Piano Masters: Jesus Maria Sanroma

Manufacturer: Pearl
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

Suites | Forms & Genres | Classical | Styles | Music

General | Symphonies | Classical | Styles | Music

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Jesus Maria Sanroma, Vol. 2

ASIN: B00004R8MB
Release Date: 2000-04-25

Customer Reviews:

Sanroma: Greatest Almost-Unknown Pianist of the Century.......2005-02-26

Jesus Maria ("Choo Choo")Sanroma used to stay at our home in Coconut Grove (Miami), Florida..when on tour. My father was a Baldwin Piano dealer and Choo Choo was a Baldwin artist...and they were fast friends. He was master of the great Baldwin SD-10 concert grand piano. Both Jose Iturbi and Artur Rubenstein told my father that Sanroma was probably the best of all of them.
Unfortunately, his Gershwin tours, which were astounding, allowed illiterate classical snobs to discount his talents. However, within this album you will experience the fire and passion of this amazing artist. A great & kind man. And from, proudly, Purto Rican parentage.

Average customer rating:

A Matter of Taste
The Amazing Spectrum of the Repertoire of Mitsuko Uchida
Berg's Sonata Revealed
Among Uchida's Best
Exciting Performance!

Schoenberg: Piano Concerto
Arnold Schoenberg , Anton Webern , Alban Berg , Pierre Boulez , Mitsuko Uchida , and Cleveland Orchestra
Manufacturer: Philips
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

General | Symphonies | Classical | Styles | Music

General | Classical | Styles | Music
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ASIN: B000058BGZ
Release Date: 2001-04-10

Tracks:

Concerto For Piano, Op. 42: I. Andante
Concerto For Piano, Op. 42: II. Molto allegro
Concerto For Piano, Op. 42: III. Adagio
Concerto For Piano, Op. 42: IV. Giocoso
Variations, Op. 27: Sehr massig
Variations, Op. 27: Sehr schnell
Variations, Op. 27: Ruhig fliessend
Three Piano Pieces, Op. 11: I. Massig
Three Piano Pieces, Op. 11: II. Massig
Three Piano Pieces, Op. 11: III. Bewegt
Six Little Piano Pieces, Op. 19: I. Leicht, zart
Six Little Piano Pieces, Op. 19: II. Langsam
Six Little Piano Pieces, Op. 19: III. Sehr langsam
Six Little Piano Pieces, Op. 19: IV. Rasch, aber leicht
Six Little Piano Pieces, Op. 19: V. Etwas rasch
Six Little Piano Pieces, Op. 19: VI. Sehr langsam
Piano Sonata, Op. 1

Customer Reviews:

A Matter of Taste.......2006-11-05

I entirely agree with the previous reviewer. I can't talk about this music technically. What I do like about the dodecaphonic music of Schoenberg (and Berg and Webern) is, unlike music written strictly in keys, the feeling of gliding with it across variations of a landscape and touching down at times to take another stride. This piece was my accidental introduction to serial music and I have returned to it over decades to discover why and how it so transfixed me. I drifted from recording to recording until I realized the glide and stride of the experience. To my mind after years of reading about what goes on in serial music, those touch-downs must be those places where my ear hears tonal moments--after all, how can it not? And then striding, gliding, dancing with Ms Uchida in partnership with the orchestra across mosiacally shifting impressions, at times poignant and dolorous, at others charming, ebullient and delightful, as wines can sometimes be. It doesn't leave one humming, nor does one finally, entirely touch-down. Not an objective or technical appraisal, but pleasure, sometimes, is a knowledge difficult to withold--and articulate.

The Amazing Spectrum of the Repertoire of Mitsuko Uchida.......2006-01-19

For those who bask in the romantic warmth of Mitsuko Uchida's Schubert, Beethoven and Schumann or marvel at the clarity and finesse of her Mozart, this recording will remind all that the fiendishly difficult Schoenberg Piano Concerto Opus 42 is one work that she owns. She is able to find the arching lines within the myriad notes and remind us that the genius of the twelve tone music also gave us 'Gurrelieder' and 'Verklarte Nacht'! Uchida, in perfect synchrony and vision with Pierre Boulez and the Cleveland Orchestra, offers the most brilliant reading of this great concerto on recording!

To round out the recital Uchida stays respectfully within the framework of the 'modern' sound by electing to offer two sets of Schoenberg's piano works: Pieces for Piano Opus 11 and Little Pieces for Piano Opus 19. These complex works are lovingly performed with precision and delicacy. Berg's Piano Sonata Opus 1 and Webern's Variations for Piano Opus 27 complete these echt Viennese school of music in performances that rival the finest.
Highly recommended. Grady Harp, January 06

Berg's Sonata Revealed.......2005-08-02

I have heard many recorded and live performances of the Berg Sonata, but this is the first which, in my opinion, gives us what Berg intended. The sonata is underrated by many, who clearly have not studied it carefully or listened to it repeatedly. It not to be merely knocked off,as with so many performers(e.g.,Perahia, Aimard, Gould, Nin An, et al.). Berg's score is richly detailed with clues to his intentions which, when followed (as here), result in an illuminating and accessible performance. And only an elitist would quarrel with accessibility. The artist's accuracy, particularly in the difficult development section (usually muddied up by others), and her sensitive interpretation throughout, make this the choice of the litter.

Among Uchida's Best.......2004-12-27

A little perspective: I am a 21-year old pianist who has made it his obligation in the past couple of years to thoroughly internalize Schoenberg's Op. 11 and 19, both of which are found on this CD. I am a stickler for following every little marking Schoenberg wrote, but I see a lot of room for creativity, too. My reference recordings have been those of Charles Rosen and Maurizio Pollini, both of which I hold in high esteem for their clean precision and abstract imagery. For the Berg sonata, I am partial to Maria Yudina's exuberant (and hard to find) recording. For the Webern variations, Richter's live performance in Vienna is my favorite. The Concerto is new to me, but I pulled out some recordings from the library to compare it to - Gould, Brendel, Ax, Peter Serkin.

Besides this disc, I have also heard Uchida albums of Schubert, Debussy, Mozart, and Chopin. I find that her playing tends to be dark-hued, dimly lit and compellingly non-intuitive, with an amazing command of passages calling for gossamer textures. She can also use impossibly slow tempi at times, coming up with conceptions so expansive that you can stick your head in between the notes. Both of those qualities make her Schoenberg Op. 19 quite different from the others I've heard, but the concept of space is the more striking and memorable. Uchida seems to be convinced that it is the silences in these tiny pieces that gives them their meaning, and long ritards to silence mark almost every bar. Yet the pieces never fall apart, because this is entirely in their character. It's a free interpretation, to be sure, and not one which is 100% faithful, but it's highly sympathetic and quite effective.

Her Op. 11 is more conventionally beautiful, and it's also easily the best I've heard. Never mind the fact that Uchida's hands could never actually span the gigantic chords in the third piece - the editing job is seamless and the musical content is what's important. These readings are far more humane than those of the ferocious Pollini, and the Romantic warmth bleeds through even though the sound is not plush. The influence of Brahms on Schoenberg can clearly be heard through this truly stellar reading.

The Berg Sonata is merely good. There are some beautiful moments and there is some real tension here, but Uchida seems to see this as a conventional sonata-allegro movement packing a few extra pounds around the middle, and that's exactly how it comes off. The Mahlerian drama is muted - I think it takes someone as incandescantly insane as Maria Yudina to really do it justice. Uchida certainly follows Berg's markings more closely than Yudina does, but they're not well enough internalized and so they don't have the effect that they should have.

The Webern is a welcome addition. Too many recordings of Webern have an excessive cleanliness to them which makes them alienating and creepy. This, on the other hand, is warm in the same way that Uchida's Schoenberg Op. 11 is, imbuing this fragmentary, elusive music with a real soul.

The Concerto is the most complex piece on the album, and this performance, by Uchida at the piano with Boulez conducting the Cleveland Orchestra, is the hardest for me to judge. No doubt that it is fearsomely difficult to play, and she does a fantastic job. Every page bristles with new and different difficulties, but these are not merely pianistic bells and whistles like you hear in Rachmaninoff or Prokofiev. The importance Schoenberg puts on each awkwardly placed note makes this piece doubly difficult to execute. Uchida's overall conception is smooth and highly intelligible, with a fantastic sound. The only thing it really lacks is style. The Haydn-esque finale is rather flat compared with any of the other major recordings, such as Gould or Brendel just to name a couple. Although the form is there, the spark of life is a bit weak. Nonetheless this is a high-quality recording.

There is much to recommend this CD, and there is more than enough original contribution here to merit a listen by anyone interested in the Second Viennese School. Go pick it up!

Exciting Performance!.......2002-12-13

I've heard two recordings of this work in the past and thought it was just ugly music. Then I heard this incredible performance. It is so clear, so precise, so exciting! I will listen to it again and again. This is the one to buy. It's wonderful!

Average customer rating:

Historical Documents For Specialists & Collectors

In Honor of Rudolf Kolisch

Manufacturer: Music & Arts Program
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

Quartets | Chamber Music | Classical | Styles | Music

General | Chamber Music | Classical | Styles | Music

General | Classical | Styles | Music
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ASIN: B000099T1G
Release Date: 2006-01-01

Tracks:

Kolisch Quartet - Kolisch Quartet
Mvt I Massig - Kolisch Quartet
MVT 2 Sehr Rasch - Kolisch Quartet
Mvt 3 Litanei Langsam - Kolisch Quartet
Mvt 4 Entrueckung - Kolisch Quartet
Schoenberg - Kolisch Quartet

Tracks:

Mvt I Moderato - Kolisch Quartet
Mvt 2 Adagio - Kolisch Quartet
Mvt 3 Intermezzo, Allegro Moderato - Kolisch Quartet
Mvt 4 Rondo, Molto Moderato - Kolisch Quartet
Schoenberg Speaks - Kolisch Quartet
Mvt I Allegro Molto Energico - Kolisch Quartet
Mvt 2 Comodo - Kolisch Quartet
Mvt 3 Largo - Kolisch Quartet
Mvt 4 Allegro - Kolisch Quartet

Tracks:

Mvt 1 Moderato - Pro Arte Quartet
Mvt 2 Adagio - Pro Arte Quartet
Mvt 3 Intermezzo - Pro Arte Quartet
Mvt 4 Rondo, Molto Moderato - Pro Arte Quartet
Mvt I Allegro Gioviale - Pro Arte Quartet
Mvt Andante Amoroso - Pro Arte Quartet
Mvt 3 Allegro Misterioso. Trio Estatico - Pro Arte Quartet
Mvt 4 Adagio Appassionato - Pro Arte Quartet
Mvt 5 Presto Delirando Tenebroso - Pro Arte Quartet
Mvt 6 Largo Desolato - Pro Arte Quartet

Tracks:

Mvt 1 Poco Allegro - Pro Arte Quartet
Mvt 2 Adante Grazioso - Pro Arte Quartet
Mvt 3 Finale. Allegro - Pro Arte Quartet
Kolisch Interview - Pro Arte Quartet
Mvt I Temp Di Ciaccona - Pro Arte Quartet
Mvt 2 Fuga. Risoluto, Non Troppo Vivo - Pro Arte Quartet
Mvt 3 Melodia. Adagio - Pro Arte Quartet
Mvt 4 Presto - Pro Arte Quartet

Tracks:

Mvt I Allegro - Pro Arte Quartet Of the University Of Wisconsin
Mvt 2 Adagio Molto - Pro Arte Quartet Of the University Of Wisconsin
Mvt 3 Scherzo - Pro Arte Quartet Of the University Of Wisconsin
Mvt 4 Andante - Pro Arte Quartet Of the University Of Wisconsin
Mvt 5 Finale. Allegro Vivace - Pro Arte Quartet Of the University Of Wisconsin
Schoenberg: Fantasie, Op.47 - Pro Arte Quartet Of the University Of Wisconsin
Mvt I Allegro Molto - Pro Arte Quartet Of the University Of Wisconsin
Mvt 2 Intermezzo. Andantino Grazioso - Pro Arte Quartet Of the University Of Wisconsin
Mvt 3 Andante Con Moto - Pro Arte Quartet Of the University Of Wisconsin
Mvt 4 Allegro/ Presto - Pro Arte Quartet Of the University Of Wisconsin

Tracks:

Mvt I Heftig Bewegt - Pro Arte Quartet Of the University Of Wisconsin
Mvt 2 Sehr Langsam - Pro Arte Quartet Of the University Of Wisconsin
Mvt 3 Sehr Bewegt - Pro Arte Quartet Of the University Of Wisconsin
Mvt 4 Sehr Langsam - Pro Arte Quartet Of the University Of Wisconsin
Mvt 5 in Zarter Bewegung - Pro Arte Quartet Of the University Of Wisconsin
I Massig - Pro Arte Quartet Of the University Of Wisconsin
II Leichtbewegt - Pro Arte Quartet Of the University Of Wisconsin
III Ziemlich Fliessend - Pro Arte Quartet Of the University Of Wisconsin
IV Sehr Langsam - Pro Arte Quartet Of the University Of Wisconsin
V Ausserst Langsam - Pro Arte Quartet Of the University Of Wisconsin
VI Fliessend - Pro Arte Quartet Of the University Of Wisconsin
Mvt ! Adagio - Kolisch Quartet
Mvt 2 Adagio - Kolisch Quartet
Mvt 3 Allegro - Kolisch Quartet
Mvt 4 Andante - Kolisch Quartet
Mvt 5 Menuetto - Kolisch Quartet
Mvt 6 Andante Molto- Allegro - Kolisch Quartet

Customer Reviews:

Historical Documents For Specialists & Collectors.......2005-06-17

This Music & Arts CD set (6 discs for the price of four) contains what can be rightly regarded as "urtext" performances of Schoenberg, Berg, Webern and Bartok. It is in honor of a modern music pioneer, Rudolph Kolisch (1896-1978), the Austrian violinist whose sister was married to Schoenberg. Due to an accident as a boy that cost him about half the middle finger on his left hand, Kolisch became a violinist who bowed with his left hand and played with his right. Obviously he could not play in an orchestra without inflicting damage, so Kolisch dedicated his career to chamber music, primarily of the New Vienna School.

Amazon has only displayed the musical tracks here without identifying the works. There is so much here that I can only address the contents with brief remarks. Despite extremely variable sound, there are some genuine treasures in this set. They will surely appeal to anyone who is interested in the history of performance practice and in hearing how Kolisch and his associates interpreted these works, several of which they premiered. This set comes with a 47 page booklet that includes an appreciation of Kolisch by pianist Russell Sherman (who studied with Schoenberg pupil Eduard Steuermann), an encylopedic and illuminating essay by Tully Potter on the Kolisch Quartet (and the later Pro Arte Quartet led by Kolisch), and extensive notes on the music itself, much of it written by another Schoenberg pupil (conductor Rene Leibowitz).

CDs 1 & 2 contain the first-ever 1936-37 recordings of Schoenberg's four string quartets (composed 1905, 1908, 1927 & 1936) by the Kolisch Quartet (Rudolf Kolisch, Felix Khuner, Eugen Lehner, and Benar Heifetz, with soprano Clemence Gifford in #2). Included are two brief speeches by Schoenberg. These recordings were sponsored by the wealthy film composer Alfred Newman for the purpose of preserving Schoenberg's works and Kolisch's interpretations for posterity. They were issued on private edition 78 rpm discs, and (not mentioned in the notes) they were briefly available on 4 ALCO LPs in the 1950's. I saw that extremely rare set for the first time recently in San Franciso at a collector shop that has a thriving mail-order business overseas. The asking price: $500! So if the music interests you, this M&A set is a genuine bargain! These performances have also been issued on the Swiss CD label Archiphon, but reportedly the transfers are poorly-pitched and overly-filtered.

CD 3 has 1950 recordings of Schoenberg's 3rd Quartet and Berg's Lyric Suite by the Pro Arte Quartet of the Univ. of Wisconsin (Kolisch, Rahier, Milofsky, & Fiedlander) that were once on the Dial LP label.

CD 4 features a "live" 1967 recording of the Schoenberg Violin Concerto with Kolisch and the Wisconsin Festival Orchestra conducted by Leibowitz, an 8 minute interview with Kolisch, and a 1966 live Kolisch performance of the Bartok Sonata for Solo Violin (I regard this disc as an utterly essential item). My other favorites here: Krasner/Mitropoulos (Columbia LP) in the Schoenberg, and Robert Mann's incredible Bartok (available on the internet for $17 from Bartok Records).

CD 5 has a 1945 recording of the Pro Arte Quartet playing Bartok's 5th String Quartet, a 1966 account of the Schoenberg Fantasie (Kolisch with pianist Gunnar Johansen), and the early & unnumbered (1897) Schoenberg String Quartet in D major (Pro Arte Quartet 1952). The latter work is atypical: it sounds very Brahmsian, with a dash of Dvorakian melody tossed in.

CD 6 has three 1950 Pro Arte items that were originally on Dial LPs: Webern's Five Movements for String Quartet op. 5 and Six Bagatelles for String Quartet op. 9, plus a "live" 1940 reading by the Kolisch Quartet & friends of Schubert's Octet. The latter is rather poorly-played and utterly lacks the old world charm of the wonderful Vienna Konzerthaus (Preiser CD).

My own journey to appreciating Schoenberg was a rocky climb. My piano teacher (from age 9 to age 18) regarded Schoenberg as the Devil incarnate who ruined Western music. I also studied viola for a few years with a teacher who held Schoenberg in utter contempt. And my college girlfriend's viola teacher was Robert Gross (a Hindemith pupil), and he was no Schoenberg fan either. But in 1970 I heard Lorin Maazel & the New Philharmonia (on my first visit to Carnegie Hall) perform the Op. 31 Variations for Orchestra, and I was simply astonished at the work's power & genius. In general, I find Berg & Webern easier to listen to, but Schoenberg's music in sympathetic performances is quite simply superb.

Probably the easiest place to start is with Schoenberg's tonal works like Verklarte Nacht (try Stokowski's on a Bridge CD or the original sextet version by the Hollywood Quartet on Testament), his Chamber Symphonies (#1 with Scherchen on Tahra, and #2 with Prausnitz on EMI - see my review of the latter), and Gurrelieder (my favorite is still the old Leibowitz on Preiser CD, despite rough playing & mono sound - its wonderful singers included Richard Lewis and Ethel Semser). Unfortunately, my favorite performance of the marvelous "Pierrot Lunaire" (Semser with Leibowitz) is on a long-gone Westminster LP. The piano works are also very gratifying, especially as done by Steurermann (Columbia LP), Jacobs (Nonesuch CD), and Helffer (a superb Harmonia Mundi 3-CD set that also has piano pieces by Debussy & Bartok).

While the sound of this M&A set is saddled with often noisy originals (the best-sounding items are the ones taken from Dial LPs), the performances here are revelatory. Once heard several times, the Schoenberg string quartets are very nearly as accessible as Bartok's (although the latter's are resolutely tonal, and their over-all superiority is, to my ears, partly a function of greater rhythmic drive & folk music elements). The dreamy and haunting Quartet #2 is unique for its use of a soprano voice (excellently sung here). All in all, I still prefer the greater virtuosity of the Juilliard Quartet's magnificent 1950's set (with soprano Uta Graf) on wonderful-sounding mono Columbia LPs that disgracefully remain in LP limbo. But I DEFINITELY will keep these Kolisch readings. Likewise, I still prefer the Juilliard's recordings of the Bartok Quartets from 1950 (Pearl CD - see my review) & from 1963 (out of print Columbia LPs). The Juilliard's Schoenberg & Bartok cycles strike me as the very finest modern music quartet recordings ever made.

The Berg Lyric Suite here joins the extraordinary 1936 Galimir Quartet's (coupled on a Testament CD with Louis Krasner's greatest-ever Berg Violin Concerto, with the BBC Symphony conducted by Anton Webern) and the mono RCA LP version with the Juilliard as the work's finest-ever accounts. I have never heard Schoenberg's Violin Concerto sound so ingratiatingly like Berg's concerto as it is here with Kolisch & Leibowitz (despite rather poor sound and occasional slips by Kolisch - he was age 70!). And Bartok's solo violin sonata, played with the last mvt. microtone harmonics that were edited out by Menuhin (who commissioned it) is spellbinding, despite some rough playing (it reminds me of Enesco's mesmerizing Bach recorded when he was old and suffering from arthritis). The interview with Kolisch about this last work is fascinating.

If you have difficulty in digesting the 12-tone method, as many people do, here's a simple suggestion: buy or rent the DVD of Nicholas Ray's superb film "Rebel Without A Cause," starring the short-lived James Dean. It's visually brilliant (Ray's use of the color red is downright iconic) and the music, especially in the Planetarium sequence, is utterly riveting. The film's music was composed by Leonard Rosenman (pupil of Schoenberg & Sessions), and nearly the entire score is in the manner of Berg and Schoenberg! Gorgeous recorded excerpts from Rebel & Rosenman's score for East of Eden can be heard on a Nonesuch CD (see my review). Another illuminating resource is the 2002 book "Arnold Schoenberg's Journey" by Allen Shawn (available at Amazon).

This set's old sound will likely be of limited appeal to general listeners. But for collectors & specialists in this music, what is heard here will be an enduring source of wonder and inspiration.

Highly recommended to the curious few.

Jeff Lipscomb

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