Hartmann: Symphonies Nos. 1 and 6, Miserae. London Philharmonic Orch./Jard van Nes, mezzo-soprano/Leon Botstein (Telarc CD-80528).Hartmann: Symphonies Nos. 1 and 6, Miserae. London Philharmonic Orch./Jard van Nes, mezzo-soprano/Leon Botstein (Telarc CD-80528) There is music that I recommend to everyone, then there is music that I recommend primarily for those with specific musical tastes; or, to look at it another way, I try to warn those with very conservative musical tastes that they might not find a disc to their liking. Yes, I wish they would try these discs anyway, but I do strive to be open about my recommendations. The music of Karl Amadeus Hartmann Karl Amadeus Hartmann (August 2, 1905 Munich – December 5, 1963 Munich) was a German composer. Some have lauded him as the greatest German symphonist of the 20th century. (1905-1963) is music that I would recommend primarily to those who enjoy the more challenging music of Mahler and Shostakovitch, and who might have a few recordings by composers such as Berg sitting on their shelves. In any event, this Telarc disc, superbly engineered by Tony Faulkner, features three works by Hartmann. Symphony No. 1 is in five movements, the outer four of which feature the mezzo mez·zo n. pl. mez·zos A mezzo-soprano. mezzo Adverb Music moderately; quite: mezzo-forte Noun pl -zos singing with the orchestra. The central movement, purely instrumental, comprises a theme and variations. The texts were adapted by Hartmann from poetry by Walt Whitman; bleak in their outlook, they reflect Hartmann's anguish at the horrors of life under the Third Reich Third Reich Official designation for the Nazi Party's regime in Germany from January 1933 to May 1945. The name reflects Adolf Hitler's conception of his expansionist regime—which he predicted would last 1,000 years—as the presumed successor of the Holy Roman . The work seems dreamlike at times, a fitful fit·ful adj. Occurring in or characterized by intermittent bursts, as of activity; irregular. See Synonyms at periodic. fit , worrisome dream, compelling in its intensity. No, this is not a piece for everyone, but for those willing to give it a listen, it can be musically and emotionally rewarding. Symphony No. 6 is a relatively brief (about 25 minutes) orchestral work in two movements. To these ears, it does not really come across as a complete symphony, but is musically interesting, especially in the second movement, which is quite energetic. The symphonic poem symphonic poem, type of orchestral composition created by Liszt, also called tone poem. Discarding classical principles of form, it begins with a poetic or other literary inspiration. Miserae that concludes this disc returns to a more somber, reflective mood -- once again, music that is haunted by unsettling un·set·tle v. un·set·tled, un·set·tling, un·set·tles v.tr. 1. To displace from a settled condition; disrupt. 2. To make uneasy; disturb. v.intr. dreams. With excellent sound quality throughout, featuring powerful bass and a good sense of depth and orchestral spread, this is a disc that musically adventurous audiophiles might want to give a try. -- KWN KWN Kid Witness News (video education program) KWN Keep with Next (desktop publishing) KWN Kiplinger Washington Newsletter |
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