Schnittke: Cello Concerto No. 2/(K)ein Sommernachtstraum

Alfred Schnittke (Composer), Valery Polyansky (Conductor), Russian State Symphony Orchestra (Orchestra) | Format: Audio CD

Product Details

• Orchestra: Russian State Symphony Orchestra
• Conductor: Valery Polyansky
• Composer: Alfred Schnittke
• Audio CD (May 18, 1999)
• SPARS Code: DDD
• Number of Discs: 1
• Label: Chandos
• ASIN: B00000IYNB
• In-Print Editions: MP3 Download
• Average Customer Review: 4.7 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (3 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #353,747 in Music (See Top 100 in Music)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Rostropovich/Osawa is still the definitive recording, January 11, 2008

By 

villegem "villegem" (canada) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Schnittke: Cello Concerto No. 2/(K)ein Sommernachtstraum (Audio CD)

(K)ein Sommernachtstraum under Eri Klas at the Schnittke Barbican 2001 was deliciously conducted and in my view bettered Polyansky.
As for the concerto, as much as Ivashkin should be commanded and supported for his relentless efforts in promoting Schnittke's memory and his music, Rostropovich reading of the work is just supreme and so far any other recording has fallen short, this one no exception. Still it should be in any decent discography of Schnittke's works.

6 of 8 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Retrovisions on Future Events, May 9, 2001

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Kris De Ruysscher "Kris De Ruysscher" (Brussels, Belgium) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Schnittke: Cello Concerto No. 2/(K)ein Sommernachtstraum (Audio CD)

It must have been 1992, one Thursday afternoon I sat waiting in my car for the postoffice to open after lunch. I had Radio 3 on, and caught about the last 20 minutes of a new kind of music that frankly mesmerized me. It lead to my studying music theory and composition so you can say it was a pivotal determining event in my life. Up to that moment, my knowledge of modern classical music was restricted to Bartok, Stravinsky, Reich and various "filmcomposers" [there are hidden masterpieces to be found here!]. Schnittke opened my eyes forever. The cello concerto is no more difficult than Eine Kleine Nachtmusik: it transports the listener to a state of transcendental consciousness. Let me put it this way: it sometimes happens that you come out of a (movie)theatre or out of a book with your senses so sharpened you seem to be able to grasp the inner and outer limits of your existence. This composition does the same. Schnittke unleashes the same dramatic power as say Gustav Mahler in his 6th. In a way, Mahler was in a similar emotional position as Schnittke: always a foreigner. "As a Bohemian in Austria, as an Austrian in Germany and as a Jew all over the world". Yet no Weltschmerz here, but a composer whose fights against ill health [which he ultimately lost in 1996-and another link to Mahler] reaffirmed his will to live. This concerto will change your view on contemporary music forever.

3 of 11 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Read Chris' comments about the power and spirituality, April 14, 2006

By 

paul best "Eyes that see the *dark things*" (new orleans) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: Schnittke: Cello Concerto No. 2/(K)ein Sommernachtstraum (Audio CD)

OF Schnittke's genius.There's not much I can add to his convincing testimony of the tremendous heights and depths that Schnittke takes the soul.
Read all my comments on Schnittke.
I now have complete Schnittke. Almost all of BIS, Chandos, Melodyia, RCA, and a few others. 29 cd set's in all.
When I discovered Schnittke late last yr, 05, I made an all out effort to research every recording made of Schnittke's music. With countless hours on the net, I have managed to locate almost every great Schnittke work and the finer recordings.
Schnittke will be known as one of the greatest 20th century composers.
His Star is on the ascent.