BaL 23.04.22 - Zemlinsky: Lyric Symphony

[pastoralguy]

Bo Skovhus doesn't do much for me.

So, no Bo?!

[ardcarp]

Loving that transitional harmonic language between the Viennese schools, I found this Zemlinsky BAL the best I've heard in ages. Eric was deeply knowledgeable and spoke with calm authority. Furthermore the discography of the wonderful Lyric Symphony was small enough to allow an adequate discussion.

As an aside, I thought Fischer-Dieskau, even though a vocal hero of mine in his core repertory, wasn't quite right for the part.

[Master Jacques]

Loving that transitional harmonic language between the Viennese schools, I found this Zemlinsky BAL the best I've heard in ages. Eric was deeply knowledgeable and spoke with calm authority.

Well put: EL had the knack of praising singers for what they did, while being clear (where needed) as to their limitations. He was generous without ever being gushing, and spared us the usual meaningless verbiage of "absolutely superbs", "mind-blowings" and "stunnings". I wish R3 used him more. Given a rather splendid encore from Joanna MacGregor on Radu Lupu, this was the best Record Review for a long time, I think.

[Nick Armstrong]

Loving that transitional harmonic language between the Viennese schools, I found this Zemlinsky BAL the best I've heard in ages. Eric was deeply knowledgeable and spoke with calm authority. Furthermore the discography of the wonderful Lyric Symphony was small enough to allow an adequate discussion.

Agreed. It’s sent me back to a work I explored via the Maazel & Chailly recordings, & EL’s extracts made me realise why it never fully ‘took’ with me.

Christine Schäfer can do no wrong as far as I’m concerned, anyway

[CallMePaul]

Christine Schäfer can do no wrong as far as I’m concerned, anyway

Me too. Has she stopped recording? It'sbeen a while since she has released anything.

[LHC]

Me too. Has she stopped recording? It'sbeen a while since she has released anything.

I’d agree that in her prime Schafer was very good. However, I think she did start to have some vocal problems later on.

She decided to take a sabbatical from singing in 2015 that was initially intended to last a few months, but was then extended indefinitely. She’s now a professor of singing at the Hanns Eisler music school in Berlin.

[BBMmk2]

I rather like the Chailly recording. Ah well, I still stick with and get the others!

[Dermot]

https://www.br-klassik.de/programm/r...g-3460496.html


NB: This programme is only available until 23 April 2024

BR-KLASSIK - INTERPRETATIONEN IM VERGLEICH

Alexander Zemlinsky: "Lyrische Symphonie", op. 18

Recordings with the conductors Gabriele Ferro, Bernhard Klee, Michael Gielen, James Conlon, Christoph Eschenbach and others.

Reviewed by Michaela Fridrich

Dorothy Dorow, Siegmund Nimsgern; BBC Symphony Orchestra, Gabriele Ferro
Warner Classics (1978)

Julia Varady, Dietrich Fischer-Dieskau; Berliner Philharmoniker, Lorin Maazel
DGG (1981)

Elisabeth Söderström, Dale Duesing; Radio-Symphonie-Orchester Berlin, Bernhard Klee
SCHWANN Musica Mundi (1981)

Karan Armstrong, Ivan Kusnjer; Tschechische Philharmonie, Bohumil Gregor
Supraphon (1987/1990)

Karan Armstrong, Roland Hermann; ORF Radio-Symphonieorchester Wien, Michael Gielen
ORFEO (1989/2021)

Jiøina Marková, Ivan Kusnjer; Radio-Sinfonieorchester Prag, Vladimír Válek
Praga (1992)

Alessandra Marc, Håkan Hagegård; Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra Amsterdam, Riccardo Chailly
DECCA (1993)

Deborah Voigt, Bryn Terfel; Wiener Philharmoniker, Giuseppe Sinopoli
Deutsche Grammophon (1995)

Edith Wiens, Andreas Schmidt; Orchestre de la Suisse Romande, Armin Jordan
Aria Music (1995)

Soile Isokoski, Bo Skovhus; Gürzenich Orchester Kölner Philharmoniker, James Conlon
EMI CLASSICS (2001)

Turid Karlsen, Franz Grundheber; Tschechische Philharmonie, Antony Beaumont
CHANDOS (2002/2003)

Christine Schäfer, Matthias Goerne; Orchestre de Paris, Christoph Eschenbach
CAPRICCIO (2005)

Twyla Robinson, Roman Trekel; Houston Symphony, Hans Graf
NAXOS (2007/2009)

Johanna Winkel, Michael Nagy; Polish National Radio Symphony Orchestra, Alexander Liebreich
Accentus Music (2017)

[smittims]

Thanks for that post , Dermot. I have a special admiration for Dorothy Dorow's singing, so it's good to hear of another example of her very slender discography. I still treasure memories of seeing her sing Erwartung in Manchester in1968, a memorable evening.

[gurnemanz]

I’d agree that in her prime Schafer was very good. However, I think she did start to have some vocal problems later on.

She decided to take a sabbatical from singing in 2015 that was initially intended to last a few months, but was then extended indefinitely. She’s now a professor of singing at the Hanns Eisler music school in Berlin.

PS to above: I found an update here: In April of this year, she will be back on stage in Vienna, as part of the event "Friday the 13th. An Evening for Arnold Schoenberg".

The venue's site describes it as "an immersive theatrical experience", offering "a sensual and crazy evening for the MusikTheater an der Wien that dives deep into Schoenberg's workshop and soul."

[Serial_Apologist]

The venue's site describes it as "an immersive theatrical experience", offering "a sensual and crazy evening for the MusikTheater an der Wien that dives deep into Schoenberg's workshop and soul."

Then that would by definition have to include Die Glückliche Hand, Schoenberg's visionary expressionist, psychedelic, and possibly most overlooked work, written between 1911 and 1913, originally mooted to have intended inclusion of a clavier à lumières, similar from what one can gather to that which Scriabin had intended for his incomplete Mystery.