Alexander Lokshin: Symphony No. 4; Three Scenes from Goethe's Faust [Import]

Alexander Lokshin (Composer), Michel Swierczewski (Conductor), Bremen Philharmonic Orchestra (Orchestra), Vanda Tabery (Performer) | Format: Audio CD

Product Details

• Performer: Vanda Tabery
• Orchestra: Bremen Philharmonic Orchestra
• Conductor: Michel Swierczewski
• Composer: Alexander Lokshin
• Audio CD (October 30, 2001)
• Number of Discs: 1
• Format: Import
• Label: Bis
• ASIN: B00005RTSC
• In-Print Editions: MP3 Download
• Average Customer Review: 4.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (1 customer review)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #283,620 in Music (See Top 100 in Music)

Track Listings

1. Symphony No. 4 ('Sinfonia stretta'): Introduzione - Michael Swierczewski

2. Symphony No. 4 ('Sinfonia stretta'): Tema - Michael Swierczewski

3. Symphony No. 4 ('Sinfonia stretta'): Variation 1 - Michael Swierczewski

4. Symphony No. 4 ('Sinfonia stretta'): Variation 2 - Michael Swierczewski

5. Symphony No. 4 ('Sinfonia stretta'): Variation 3 - Michael Swierczewski

6. Symphony No. 4 ('Sinfonia stretta'): Variation 4 - Michael Swierczewski

7. Symphony No. 4 ('Sinfonia stretta'): Variation 5 - Michael Swierczewski

8. Symphony No. 4 ('Sinfonia stretta'): Variation 6 - Michael Swierczewski

9. Symphony No. 4 ('Sinfonia stretta'): Conclusione - Michael Swierczewski

10. Scènes (3) du Faust de Goethe, for soprano & orchestra: Andante - Vanda Tabery

11. Scènes (3) du Faust de Goethe, for soprano & orchestra: Adagio - Andante - Vanda Tabery

12. Scènes (3) du Faust de Goethe, for soprano & orchestra: Andante - Michael Swierczewski

13. Scènes (3) du Faust de Goethe, for soprano & orchestra: Tema. Andantino - Vanda Tabery

14. Scènes (3) du Faust de Goethe, for soprano & orchestra: Variation 1. Lento - Vanda Tabery

15. Scènes (3) du Faust de Goethe, for soprano & orchestra: Variation 2 - Vanda Tabery

16. Scènes (3) du Faust de Goethe, for soprano & orchestra: Intermedia e Variation 3 - Vanda Tabery

17. Scènes (3) du Faust de Goethe, for soprano & orchestra: Variation 4. Larghetto - Vanda Tabery

18. Scènes (3) du Faust de Goethe, for soprano & orchestra: Coda. Andante - Bremen PO/Michel Swierczewski

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Darkly dissonant and very rewarding music, August 19, 2010

By 

G.D. (Norway) - See all my reviews
(TOP 1000 REVIEWER)    (VINE VOICE)   

This review is from: Alexander Lokshin: Symphony No. 4; Three Scenes from Goethe's Faust (Audio CD)

Before BIS launched their cycle of Lokshin's (1920-1987) orchestral works and symphonies, I bet that few people were even aware of the name. Yet Shostakovich and Schnittke both hailed him as a genius, or at least a truly great composer. He was, however, in constant trouble with the regime during his formative years, and didn't embark on his symphonic cycle until 1957. He completed 11 of them in total, all of which apart from the fourth featured here have vocal parts.

The concise, powerful and relatively callous fourth was written in 1968. Stylistically it is a seamlessly unified prelude, variations and finale, in which the darkly dissonant language only intermittently gives way to anything softer and more reflective. Still, it is an imaginative, hauntingly inventive work with an epic sweep (despite its relatively short duration of 16.41) which should appeal to any fan of Schnittke or Tishchenko, even though it doesn't in any way really sound like either composer.

Lokshin sometimes referred to the Three Faust Scenes as his twelfth symphony. Composed in 1980, this song cycle is in fact more easily accessible than the symphony; it is still dissonant but not as relentlessly so as the symphony, and much more melodic. Ranging from the hazily dreamlike to the dramatically operatic, it is another work well worth getting to know. The performances are, as far as I can discern, excellent and the sound quality very good; in sum, this is a rewarding release, recommended with some enthusiasm to anyone with a taste for exploration.