Lesser Known Composers
Wed, Jun 2 2010, 11:44AM
#2
RE: Lesser Known Composers RE: Lesser Known Composers
SpiderJon ~ Have you tried Schoeck's Elegie Op. 36? Wonderfully sung by Andreas Schmidt on CPO.
Wed, Jun 2 2010, 1:51PM
#3
RE: Lesser Known Composers RE: Lesser Known Composers
SpiderJon ~ Have you tried Schoeck's Elegie Op. 36? Wonderfully sung by Andreas Schmidt on CPO.
The String Quartets were the first time I'd ever heard of Schoeck, and that was only the other day :-)
But I have added Elegie to my ever-growing list of things to hear - thanks!
Wed, Jun 2 2010, 2:00PM
#4
RE: Lesser Known Composers
Some time ago I discovered Richard Arnell, a British composer who died late last year. I've also been collecting recordings of the music of York Bowen. His very fine piano music is currently being recorded by Joop Celis for Chandos. Havergal Brian is also a composer I return to frequently. There are several Northern European composers whose music I enjoy, including Aho, Petersen-Berger, Atterberg and Melartin. Alkan, a very fine composer of large-scale piano music, is also well-represented on my shelves.
I have also been collecting CPO's series of music by Felix Weingartner, perhaps best-known, if at all, as a conductor; his recordings of the Beethoven symphonies are available on Naxos and are very fine. In fact, he was the first conductor to record all nine Beethoven symphonies, though they were not actually planned as a series.
Another composer-conductor, and again on Naxos, is Igor Markevitch. DG release a set of his recordings some years ago, which includes a very fine Beethoven Eroica. So far, Naxos has released five volumes of his very rich orchestral music.
I've spent a lot of time lately exploring the Lied repertoire, and going beyond the usual names - Schubert, Schumann, Wolf, and Brahms, geniuses though they unquestionably were. Schoeck, Reger, Krenek, Zemlinsky and Pfitzner (another composer best-known, if at all, as a conductor). Also, slightly better-known, Mozart and Beethoven wrote some very fine Lieder which are well-worth hearing. There is much fine music here waiting to be discovered.
Regards, Paul.
Wed, Jun 2 2010, 3:37PM
#5
RE: Lesser Known Composers
I fully endorse any recommendation of Igor Markevitch, especially The Flight of Icarus, not the piece by John Pickard, but he's also a composer worth a listen especially his string quartets.
Thu, Jun 3 2010, 12:14AM
#6
RE: Lesser Known Composers
There was a justifiably-famous old recording of Schoeck's Notturno played by the Juilliard and sung by Fischer Dieskau, coupled with Barber's Dover Beach, on Columbia. Probably still around. I also have the Schoeck opera Massimilla Doni conducted by Albrecht. It sounds great but the libretto and notes are in German only and I've had problems getting a full translation.
If ever there was a maxim applicable to musical taste, it's "one man's meat is another man's poison". I see works and composers on this thread, the 21st C. composers thread and Superhorn's record collection, that almost killed my passion for exploring byways, and I know some of the composers I've mentioned will prompt that reaction in others. That's what makes musical debate so intriguing, and so unwinable.
By the way, Dubrob, I support your accolade for Golijov. For once, at least some of the hype is deserved. Ainadamar is a refreshingly imaginative and involving work.
Thu, Jun 3 2010, 8:12AM
#7
RE: Lesser Known Composers
I see works and composers on this thread, the 21st C. composers thread and Superhorn's record collection...
For anyone who may not have read about it yet, Superhorn lists some of his CD collection in the 'Recordings' forum at
Thu, Jun 3 2010, 2:31PM
#8
RE: Lesser Known Composers
I agree completely Tagalie, and I'm sorry if any of my favourites have you reaching for the cyanide, but would we want it any other way?
The point of this page is, for me anyway, to get names and pieces not so often heard out there. I came to classical music when I was 20 or 21 years old from the standpoint of a 60's and 70's rock and jazz fanatic (still am by the way), and as you said it wasn't Mozart or Bach that got me interested but Scriabin, Bartok and Stravinsky. From there, with the help of Gramophone and Radio 3, I dived further and further in. I know that I would have really appreciated something like this all those years ago, and I hope that some younger listeners with a sense of adventure get something from all the suggestions made here.
Having said this on my lunch hour I saw that Naxos have just released a new recording of Ginastera's Popol Vuh, now that's what I call music.
Sat, Jun 5 2010, 8:47AM
#9
RE: Lesser Known Composers
If you like Richard Strauss, you might like the Dutch composer Johan Wagenaar (1862-1941). He has a sufficient voice of his own. Sample:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dmO4qb5fgJI
The complete box with Willem van Otterloo recordings, from which this recording was taken is available on the website of the The Hague residentie orchestra for a staggering 25 euro's (13 cd's!)
http://www.residentieorkest.nl/index.php?pageID=23&categoryID=47&chunk=6
(bottom of that page)
Rolf
Sat, Jun 5 2010, 6:43PM
#10
RE: Lesser Known Composers
For 20th century piano works John Foulds again on either Kathryn Stott's BIS CD or Peter Jacobs's Altarus LP (most works unfortunately duplicated) also the tragically short lived Yorkshireman William Baines whose somewhat Scriabinesque piano music is certainly well worth a listen (Eric Parkin's Priory CD although I think his earlier Lyrita recording has now reappeared - must get hold of it sometime). Thanks incidentally to BBC Radio 4 as it was a play about Baines's short life with musical excerpts which made me aware of his existence and then I discovered a short monograph published by the British Music Society which includes some of his brief writings on musical life.
My favourite lesser known composer though is Hummel for his piano concertos & double concerto (obviously Chopin's model even down to the theme in one case) preferably in the Vox/Turnabout recordings (despite Howard Shelley's efforts); solo piano music including a Beethovenian sonata (Danielle Laval recording); piano trios; choral works; (no symphonies though - said he couldn't compete with Beethoven) and possibly best of all the septet on the fabulous l'Oiseau Lyre LP with the Melos Ensemble & Lamar Crowson as pianist (has appeared on a Decca CD).
Sat, Oct 30 2010, 4:51PM
#11
RE: Lesser Known Composers
Zimmermann's Die Soldaten.
Good stuff.
Sun, Nov 7 2010, 9:13PM
#12
RE: Lesser Known Composers
Has anyone opinions either way on Enescu´s symphonies. I love his String Quartets, the third Violin Sonata is incredible, the third Orchestral Suite and I have to give Oedipe another spin soon, but I´ve never heard any of the symphonies what are they like?
Sun, Nov 7 2010, 9:56PM
#13
RE: Lesser Known Composers
In a previous post I wrongly said that Novak has a great piece called Sinfonia, it isn´t Novak at all but a composer called Czeslaw Marek, apologies.
Mon, Nov 8 2010, 5:04PM
#14
RE: Lesser Known Composers
Holy Moly there's enough new stuff here to last a lifetime - am enjoying discovering Holombe thanks to Tagalie.
Here's my pennyworth,
Alwyn, Chamber music and songs, http://www.naxos.com/catalogue/item.asp?item_code=8.570340 this is just a fabulous CD.
Koechlin, works for piano and oboe.
Gordon Jacob, syms 1 and 2. LPO/Wordsworth - Lyrita
Lindberg, clarinet concerto
Sculthorpe, Irkanda etc Australian Chamb Orch /Tognetti, Chandos
Mon, Nov 8 2010, 9:49PM
#15
RE: Lesser Known Composers
Here's my pennyworth,
Alwyn, Chamber music and songs, http://www.naxos.com/catalogue/item.asp?item_code=8.570340 this is just a fabulous CD.
Koechlin, works for piano and oboe.
Gordon Jacob, syms 1 and 2. LPO/Wordsworth - Lyrita
As one of the dreaded English Minor Tonal Composers Alwyn tends to fly under the radar these days but I love most of his orchestral stuff. I was just revisiting the original performances of his symphonies conducted by the composer on Lyrita, and was surprised to find them more emotional and better-characterized than the later performances under Hickox.
All of Koechlin is worthwhile in my books. The orchestral songs are superb.
Gordon Jacob, there's an interesting name. Haven't listened to him in years. Will have to dig him out.
To be the best of my knowledge Bomarzo is sadly not currently available. It's crying out for a modern recording. I have the world premiere recording on 3 CBS LPs, I'm sure you can get it on Ebay, but it probably won't be cheap as I think it's quite rare. If you like Ginastera's music it's arguably his masterpiece.