Alfred Schnittke: Complete Violin Concertos (1-4) - Gidon Kremer / Christoph Eschenbach

Editorial Reviews
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It's good to have all four of Schnittke's violin concertos in one slimline two-disc set in definitive performances by Gidon Kremer, a passionate advocate for his friend's music. Concerto No. 1 is a student work revised in 1963 that is still worth hearing. Concerto No. 2 is a knotty work with a subtext based on the life of Jesus. The Third Concerto is scored for a wind-heavy chamber orchestra and ranges across a musical landscape that includes Mahler, Schubert, Russian Orthodox chant, Berg, and Hindemith, yet remains a fascinating personal statement. The magnificent Fourth is the prize of the set, one of the century's most profound and disturbing concertos. Written for Kremer in 1984, it has lyrical passages of ethereal beauty, but also jagged, violent orchestral eruptions that silence the lone violin, reducing it to silent gestures. This theatrical touch is modified for recording purposes by the soloist's finding an aural equivalent of the visual effect, sounding like frustrated sighs here. Eschenbach and the various orchestras provide first-class backing and Kremer's contributions are beyond praise. Not to be missed. --Dan Davis

Alfred Schnittke: Complete Violin Concertos (1-4) - Gidon Kremer / Christoph Eschenbach, Music, Alfred Schnittke, Christoph Eschenbach, Gidon Kremer, Enno Senft, Chamber Orchestra of Europe, Philharmonia Orchestra, Classical, Classical Composers, Classical Music, Concerto, Orchestral & Symphonic, Violin Concerto

Alfred Schnittke: Complete Violin Concertos (1-4) - Gidon Kremer / Christoph Eschenbach
Average customer rating:

Only the 4th vc is Alfred at his best

Has there been a more persuasive interpreter of Schnittke?

Essential Set of Schnittke's Music.

Kremer soars, bringing Schnittke's vision to life

Alfred Schnittke: Complete Violin Concertos (1-4) - Gidon Kremer / Christoph Eschenbach
Alfred Schnittke , Christoph Eschenbach , Gidon Kremer , Enno Senft , Chamber Orchestra of Europe , and Philharmonia Orchestra
Manufacturer: Elektra / Wea
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

All Works by Schnittke | Schnittke, Alfred | ( S ) | Featured Composers, A-Z | Classical | Styles | Music
General | Concertos | Forms & Genres | Classical | Styles | Music
Violin | Strings | Instruments | Classical | Styles | Music
Eschenbach, Christoph | ( E ) | Featured Performers, A-Z | Classical | Styles | Music
General | Symphonies | Classical | Styles | Music
General | Classical | Styles | Music
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Alfred Schnittke: Concerto Grosso No. 4 - Symphony No. 5 / Pianissimo for Large Orchestra

Schnittke: Chamber Music

ASIN: B00004Z44N
Release Date: 2000-10-24

Tracks:

Con No.1: Allegro Na Non Troppo
Con No.1: Andante
Con No.1: Allegro Scherzando
Con No.2 - Gidon Kremer/Enno Senft

Tracks:

Con No.3: Moderato
Con No.3: Agitato
Con No.3: Andante
Con No.4: Andante
Con No.4: Vivo (Cadenza Visuale)
Con No.4: Adagio
Con No.4: Lento (Cadenza Visuale)

Amazon.com

It's good to have all four of Schnittke's violin concertos in one slimline two-disc set in definitive performances by Gidon Kremer, a passionate advocate for his friend's music. Concerto No. 1 is a student work revised in 1963 that is still worth hearing. Concerto No. 2 is a knotty work with a subtext based on the life of Jesus. The Third Concerto is scored for a wind-heavy chamber orchestra and ranges across a musical landscape that includes Mahler, Schubert, Russian Orthodox chant, Berg, and Hindemith, yet remains a fascinating personal statement. The magnificent Fourth is the prize of the set, one of the century's most profound and disturbing concertos. Written for Kremer in 1984, it has lyrical passages of ethereal beauty, but also jagged, violent orchestral eruptions that silence the lone violin, reducing it to silent gestures. This theatrical touch is modified for recording purposes by the soloist's finding an aural equivalent of the visual effect, sounding like frustrated sighs here. Eschenbach and the various orchestras provide first-class backing and Kremer's contributions are beyond praise. Not to be missed. --Dan Davis

Customer Reviews:

Only the 4th vc is Alfred at his best.......2006-11-02

Hutchingson's review is accurate on the 1st vc, as Alfred explains in the notes. The 2nd and 3rd do not seem to offer all the exceptional composing i know from many other Schnittke works.
All his concerto grosso are outstanding. But here in this set, really only the 4th is where Alfred is shown as the musical genius he is.
Here in the 4th the atonal mastery is broght in contrast to melodyic lines. Creating a fabric of astonishing musical canvass that enchant and enthrall.
This set if really for devoted Schnittke fans only.
I see its now OOP and only 1 copy remains at $75.
I'd wait , as it should see re-release.
I give Kremer/Eschenbach 5 Stars, and the 3 orchestras 5 stars.
The 4th vc is graet and deserves 5 Stars. But alas, i can't whole heartily give 5 stars, for only 2 or the 4 vc's recommended.

I would say the 3rd has its moments on I'd give that vc a 4 Star rating. Read all my Schnittkle reviews. Look especially at his Peer Gynt.

Has there been a more persuasive interpreter of Schnittke?.......2005-10-12

These are amazingly persuasive performances of Schnittke's music due in no small part to the combination of Kremer's astonishing virtuosity, his powers as an interpreter, and his passion for this music. Other performances (Lubotsky, for example, or Ambartsumian [in the Third Concerto]) are adequate to good, but Kremer easily edges out these rival versions. In fact, if you've been underwhelmed by the pieces before, this set will turn you around.

Essential Set of Schnittke's Music........2002-12-29

In this well laid out album you get a distinct timeline of the development of Alfred Schnittke. Starting from the first concerto (written while a student in 1957 and revised in 1966) to his last concerto written in 1984 Schnittke's development is interesting to follow. The performances are all first rate. Played by Gidon Kremer and the accompaniments are superb especially in the second concerto with the Chamber Orchestra of Europe and the fourth concerto with the NDR Symphony Orchestra of Hamburg.

The album is very well laid out with no concerto being fragmented on two discs. The album also has very good liner notes with biographical information of Schnittke, Schnittke himself discussing his concertos, and the violinist Gidon Kremer discussing Schnittke. I would highly recommend getting this disc.

Kremer soars, bringing Schnittke's vision to life.......2001-09-11

The extraordinary voice of Gidon Kremer on violin is what makes this such a great record. Kremer championed Schnittke for years, and it seemed to be a great combination of the visionary introvert and the passionate performer. Here it comes together spectacularly!

The First Concerto, as Schnittke himself says in the liner notes, is of mainly historical value, in what it reveals of his later directions. Unlike Lutoslawski's "Concerto for Orchestra," which he wrote under the constraints of the social realist regime, but is a truly wonderful piece nonetheless, this Schnittke composition is not one for repeated listening. The Second Concerto features the violin as Jesus and the inevitably ugly, raucous orchestra as "hostile crowd and soldiers." Could it also be the individual and the hostile regime? It raises the question of the extent to which religion was a sincere belief in the old Soviet Bloc and the extent to which it was the safest vehicle for dissidence... The Third and Fourth Concertos, on the second disc, are just amazing. Here you sense Schnittke's links with Schubert and Mahler (which he mentions in the liner notes) quite strongly. Performed live, the Fourth is marked by climactic passages where Kremer stops playing -- a dramatic gesture. This is captured in the recording by anguished nonverbal vocalizations. Schnittke refers to the beautiful, classical melodies in the piece as "painted corpses," underscoring what Kremer refers to as the "double meaning, the twist" characteristic of his music.

With Kremer at his lyrical best, my cringing at the over-the-top, horror music aspect sometimes found in Schnittke's orchestral writing is overwhelmed. Schnittke and Kremer together express something deep and heartfelt regarding the human tragedy.

I consider Schnittke to be one of the best composers of the late 20th century -- see my ALFRED SCHNITTKE'S TRAGICOMIC SOUNDWORLD list for more recordings and reviews.

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