Frankel: Complete Symphonies [Box set]

Frankel (Artist) | Format: Audio CD

Product Details

• Audio CD (August 1, 2002)
• Number of Discs: 4
• Format: Box set
• Note on Boxed Sets: During shipping, discs in boxed sets occasionally become dislodged without damage. Please examine and play these discs. If you are not completely satisfied, we'll refund or replace your purchase.
• Label: Cpo Records
• ASIN: B0000669SZ
• Average Customer Review: 4.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (1 customer review)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #153,943 in Music (See Top 100 in Music)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

3 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Sometimes problematic music, November 10, 2011

By 

William J. Coburn (Basking Ridge, NJ USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Frankel: Complete Symphonies (Audio CD)

I wish Benjamin Frankel had not squandered his time working in the field of serialism. Too many composers have felt they had to fit in with others, but it is always better to be oneself. What he tried to do was combine serialism with tonality. Sometimes Frankel has to use sequences to keep the music working. A sequence occurs when a composer repeats the same idea, except it is stated one or more notes higher or lower. Basically, he was trying to make an advanced technique more accessible. The earlier symphonies place more emphasis on tonality; the last two are the opposite. Unfortunately, the human mind is not wired to easily understand atonality. Frankel is more successful where he leans toward tonality.
There are other twentieth century composers, like Ernst Toch, Rautavaara and Shostakovich, who also pushed tonality farther, but they attempted to make their works accessible. On the other hand, Schoenberg was fixated on atonality. It is clear Schoenberg's Variations for Orchestra is a great piece, but it took him a decade to make those eighteen minutes of twelve tone music work. His opera, Moses and Aaron, was not as successful; one critic said if someone could sit through much of that piece, he deserved the orgy that comes near the end of the opera.
Rautavaara breaks all the rules of serialism in most of his works, and his music is better for that. Frankel needed to add more to the mix to make serialism more appetizing. Shostakovich's best works are very popular and are often performed because there is so much variety in his music. Toch's symphonies can sound like Hindemith, Prokofiev and even in the second, like Korngold; Toch is definitely not predictable and mundane. I know there are some people who can't wait to hear the latest work of Elliott Carter, but most of us want music which is enjoyable.
I went back to re-evaluate my review of Frankel's symphonies and the short pieces that are included. May Day is the best of those four short pieces. I still think the last two symphonies of Frankel are not as engaging as the first six, but Frankel is still better than Wellesz and most of the other twentieth century symphonists CPO has recorded, with the exception of Antheil and Toch. Even Alban Berg has weak moments, like the second scene of act 2 of Lulu and the first scene of act three of that opera. They drag. If I could, I would give this boxed set of Frankel's symphonies four a half stars. Frankel's symphonies are mostly better than even his popular film scores, and that is a big compliment.