Arthur Berger: The Complete Orchestral Music

Arthur Berger (Composer), Gil Rose (Conductor), Boston Modern Orchestra Project (Orchestra) | Format: Audio CD

Product Details

• Orchestra: Boston Modern Orchestra Project
• Conductor: Gil Rose
• Composer: Arthur Berger
• Audio CD (October 28, 2003)
• SPARS Code: DDD
• Number of Discs: 1
• Label: New World Records
• ASIN: B0000DI4SP
• In-Print Editions: MP3 Download
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (1 customer review)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #438,020 in Music (See Top 100 in Music)

Editorial Reviews

There may come a day when Arthur Berger (b. 1912), with his twin talents as composer and critic, will be regarded as his generation’s Robert Schumann, who likewise excelled at both. Their impact on the music and thought of their respective eras is similar. Both composed works of great beauty, while maintaining a keen ear for the musical achievements of others—Schumann instrumental in Brahms’ success, Berger championing the work of Ives, Copland and many others.

Berger freely acknowledges beginning his mature career as a neo-classicist—taking the lead from Copland and mid-century Stravinsky—then shifting his methods to twelve-tone processes in the mid-fifties, influenced by Schoenberg and Webern. But ferreting out supposed mentors proves nothing more than intellectual name-dropping with a composer like Berger, whose own voice is so distinctive. Berger’s synthesis of neo-classical and dodecaphonic approaches marks him as the foremost arbitrator between the two camps. Berger’s compositional output is small. These five short works, none longer than fifteen minutes—Ideas of Order (1952) Perspectives II (1985) Serenade Concertante (1944, rev. 1951), Prelude, Aria and Waltz (1982), and Polyphony (1956)—comprise his entire orchestral effort, and several of these pieces are themselves re-workings of previous settings. These compositions span five decades, yet Berger’s language has an unmistakable underlying consistency. Two identifiable ingredients characterize these symphonic works: beautiful surface textures juxtaposed with adventurous rhythmic and harmonic experimentation. The former make each work compelling from the first listen; the latter reward careful study and reveal the depth of Berger’s craft.

Of related interest:
80308 Arthur Berger—Five Pieces for Piano, Septet
80360 Arthur Berger—Duo for Cello and Piano, Quartet for Winds, Trio for Guitar, Violin, and Piano, and other works
80536 Arthur Berger—Composition for Piano Four-Hands, Perspectives III, Suite for Piano Four-Hands

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Extraordinary listening experience, January 20, 2009

By 

Ryan Morris "classical terrorist" (Chicago, IL) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)   

This review is from: Arthur Berger: The Complete Orchestral Music (Audio CD)

I love this disc. I absolutely adore it. It is interesting how my ears have evolved since I bought it over ten years ago. The first time I put it in, still in romantic Beethoven is the only god phase, I thought it was worthless trash. Currently, it is one of my favourite discs to play. Arthur Berger's orchestral music has many different categories. the opening track is like Copland mixed with Webern. The second track is much more difficult, more academic, and not as apporachable. The Serenade Concertante is marvelous. Berger couples the instramental refinement of Webern matched with the melodic and thematic inclinations of a Copland or Stravinsky, that is obviously just a generalization because more than anything else, Berger is his own man with his own soundworld. The textures are like stained glass, delicate, yet colourful. Light and breezy like you can almost see through them. Very extraordinary stuff. I would suggest this to anyone, regardless of their classical affiliations[serialism, romantic, super modernist, blimp-bloop] because really it encompasses almost every category.

I would also recommend his Retrospective disc, his CRI disc containing his masterful String Quartet, and his piano works.

If you like George Perle, the instrumental quality of Boulez, and the gentle textures of Webern, this is something you might not have heard of that you will be thankful for that you tried. THe best way I could descibe this music is that it is like a more approachable Webern.

OF THE HIGHEST RECOMMENDATION