Customer Reviews

Alban Berg: Lyric Suite

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The Lyric Suite is , undoubtedly , one of the most important work of chamber music written in 20th century. After the death of the people involved in one obscure affair of the composer's life , we know that this work describes step by step one impossible passion involving the composer and Hanna Fuchs, one rich married woman , sister -in - law of Alma Mahler. George Perle wrote in the seventies one article called " The Secret Program of the Lyric Suite ". As a result of this research , we can understand a lot of things:
I- the serie begins with F and ends with H ( Fuchs Hanna)
II- The numbers 10 and 23 are always together ( the numbers of Berg and Hanna)
III- The Quotation of Wagner's Tristan und Isolde
IV- The fast movements always faster , and the slow movements always slower - A consequence of the inevitable separation.
V- The tragedy in the names of the movements : Allegretto GIOVIALLE, Andante AMOROSO, Allegro MISTERIOSO, Adagio APASSIONATO, Presto DELIRANDO and Largo DESOLATO.Etc, Etc.

But the most important of this research is the discovery that the last movement was conceived with a text in mind: One Baudelaire poem, translated by the German poet Stefan Georg. Like The Vine ( Der Wein, the Concert Aria ) , Baudelaire in a german translation. This recording is the first to use this research for the sake to have all the secrets revealed. And one Soprano with a string quartet is a normal ensemble for the Second Viennese School. Schoenberg has his Second Quartet and Webern has some short works for voice and String Quartet. In this sense this is a very important recording. And very, very well played and sang . The only problem , to me, is that it is a little strange to hear the soprano line always doubled by a instrument. In the works quoted above ( By Schoenberg and Webern) the voice is always independent of the instruments. As Berg wrote al notes only for the quartet Perle and the Players did what they though it was correct. The singer must sing with the same notes of the quartet. It sounds strange for me. But I think this is the best we can do in this case. We will never know how it would be a definitive version of this last movement. I prefer to listen the Quartet version. But this is really one important way to know more of a work so crucial . And, as I said before, The Kronos and Upshaw are fantastic. My only regret : why only 32 minutes in a CD. ? It would be perfect with Berg's Quartet opus 3 !

Alban Berg's Lyric Suite is one of the real classics of modern music. If anyone thinks that atonal music is dry or academic, this work will convince them otherwise. It's expressive, heart-felt music of great intensity, and filled with surprises (like a quotation from Wagner's Tristan und Isolde!). Some years back, composer George Perle (an expert on Berg's music) discovered that the entire work is a kind of diary of an overwhelming infatuation that the married composer had for another man's wife. Moreover, Berg had sent her a copy of the work in which the final movement included a setting of a German translation of Baudelaire's "De Produndis." This recording with soprano Dawn Upshaw therefore reveals the music's "hidden agenda" of secret amorous admission. Frankly, the work has stood up for 75 years without us knowing that stuff, but it adds a spark to the tinder. Kronos does this work proud. I've heard snotty musician friends diss the Kronos, saying they commission new works because they don't have the chops to play the classics. Lies, I say! I own the Arditti's performance of this work, and I'll take the Kronos version hands down: it's passionate, insightful, richly colored, and dashing. Dawn Upshaw's sometimes a bit out of her range in the vocal part, but still is one of the few singers who can make atonal music for voice actually sound like music. Buy this, it's hot!

Nonesuch's advertising is in fact correct.

The packaging clearly states, "First recording of the vocal part to the last movement of Alban Berg's Lyric Suite, as reconstructed by George Perle, published by Universal Edition."

Vanda Tabery, in the Prazak Quartet recording of the work, does not sing Perle's reconstruction. She certainly does not sing the music published by Universal Edition, which would have been unavaiable to her at the time.

Perle had to make a number of important decisions about register-placement of the vocal line in preparing his edition. A leading Berg scholar as well as a terrific composer, Perle made these decisions based on his profound knowledge of Berg's style and of this score in particular.

Tabery's vocal line differs from Perle's in several respects, and her selection of registers seems at times primarily guided by the compass of her voice. There are registral leaps that break up lines clearly intended by Berg to remain intact. These sorts of details matter just as much as an unmotivated octave displacement in the middle of a Verdian musical line.

So: Perle's research, heard on the Nonesuch recording, is demonstrably superior to Tabery's. From the textual standpoint, the Kronos recording likely stands much closer to Berg's intentions than the Prazak's. Nonesuch, which was well aware of the Prazak/Tabery Lyric Suite, did not engage in false advertising.

Kronos and Dawn Upshaw (some of the most versitile performers around) come together to play this gut wrenching suite by Berg, who took serialism to a more emtional and musical level (perhaps more worthwhile than Webern...). Despite the amount of actual music on the CD being small...I think the purchase is most definitely worthwhile as the whole thing is VERY well done.

This is a must have for any Berg or 20th Century Music admirers.

This CD is a winner of 46th Grammy Award in "Best Chamber Music"

This is the most important 12-tone work with his opera "Lulu". Even so, he was used tonality in some passages (as usual in Berg).
This work tells about the composer's love story with Hanna-Fuchs Robettin, who daughter of an Austrian novelist Franz Warfel. Even so, Berg used an enigmatic thema that, in 3rd movement, the notes meaning H(anna) F(uchs) and A(lban) B(erg): H, F, A and B notes... This music is somewhere terrific, but somewhere romantic...

Especially, the most beautiful movement of this work is the 3rd movement: Allegro misterioso. This music based on this form: first, music starts and continues etc... and then it arrives a centre of music and then, music runs backwards...!

This is an essential recording. Highly recommended.

Unfortunately, Nonesuch's shoddy research shows here -- this was NOT the first recording of the Lyric Suite with a soprano singing Berg's secret text in the Largo desolato. That honor rightfully goes to Vanda Tabery with the Prazak Quartet on Praga Digitals, not currently available through Amazon.com. Tabery/Prazak were recorded in November 1999 and October 2000, while Upshaw/Kronos did not set down their recording until May 2001. Sorry, guys. Some of us recall when Nonesuch did not have to resort to false advertising to sell their product.

That said, this is not a bad recording at all -- but I find it way too smooth-smooth-smooth next to the Prazak. Besides, the Czech ensemble also gives you the Largo Desolato without soprano, and the Quartet Op. 3, and Webern's Quartet, the whole disc about twice the length (and admittedly twice the price) of Nonesuch's.

Of course, Nonesuch has the PR power of megacorp Warner Music behind it, which Praga has word-of-mouth among music fogies such as myself. You pays yer money and you takes yer cherce....

... but there needs to be a warning here for casual listeners or those with more traditional tastes. If those describe you, this is not for you! However, this is a very emotional composition and I credit the Kronos Quartet for their masterful portrayal of the mental and emotional anguish that Alban Berg must have suffered as a result of the events which inspired this. I completely respect that, but to someone without advanced training in stringed instruments and early twentieth century classical music, it is, in a word, jarring.