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Naxos

American Classics - Schuman: Symphonies No 7 & 10 / Schwarz

$19.99

Details

Composer
SCHUMAN WILLIAM
Artist
Seattle So/Schwarz
Format
CD
Label
Naxos
Released
Oct 18, 2005
Catalog #
8559255
UPC
636943925522

About





During his time William Schuman (1910?1992) was a notable part of American musical life, as a teacher, administrator, and composer. His legacy of musical compositions is significant and distinctive, and this release couples two striking examples of his art.


Symphony No. 7, premiered by Charles Munch and the Boston Symphony in 1960, is in four movements played continuously, beginning with a pregnant, sinewy, and dark, slow movement that is succeeded by a brief Scherzo that is typically pugnacious and characteristically scored, not least in the percussion. The slow mood returns for a radiant Cantabile intensamente that grows in emotion, and the symphony concludes with a propulsive finale that begins skittishly (reminding us of Copland and developing an exuberance that suggests Leonard Bernstein) and ends in thrilling clamor. Whether this lively movement is quite the expected corollary to what has gone before is a moot point, although there is no doubting the sheer quality of the music, and the uplift of the final measures.


Symphony No. 10, ?American Muse,? was first heard in Washington, DC, in 1976, Antal Dorati conducting the National Symphony Orchestra. Leonard Slatkin and the Chicago Symphony then took it up, and Slatkin recorded American Muse , dedicated ?to the country?s creative artists, past, present and future,? and other works of Schuman, for RCA with the Saint Louis Symphony in either 1991 or 1992 (RCA?s booklet doesn?t specify what was recorded when). It?s a great piece, the last of Schuman?s 10 symphonies (the first two were withdrawn by the composer), a vindication of writing real symphonic music, and begins with a sustained, brass dominated Con fuoco that is a virtuoso display of considerable import; a tidal wave of communication. The lengthy Larghissimo that follows is hauntingly beautiful, very personal, even private, but it steals to the listener?s heart, and the finale, having begun in exploratory fashion, is an optimistic summation.


Both Slatkin and Gerard Schwarz are deeply sympathetic conductors of Schuman?s music, but I imagine Slatkin?s version of ?American Muse? is now deleted. Schwarz?s leading of both symphonies is excellent; so, too, the sound quality; and the music is superb. With Schuman 4 and 9 already released from Seattle, one hopes the other four symphonies will follow. Very important.


FANFARE: Colin Anderson

Tracklist 7 tracks

  1. 1 I. Largo assai - 11:00
    Track
    1
    Title
    I. Largo assai -
    Duration
    11:00
    Composer
    William Schuman
  2. 2 II. Vigoroso - 02:52
    Track
    2
    Title
    II. Vigoroso -
    Duration
    02:52
    Composer
    William Schuman
  3. 3 III. Cantabile intensamente - 09:14
    Track
    3
    Title
    III. Cantabile intensamente -
    Duration
    09:14
    Composer
    William Schuman
  4. 4 IV. Scherzando brioso 05:52
    Track
    4
    Title
    IV. Scherzando brioso
    Duration
    05:52
    Composer
    William Schuman
  5. 5 I. Con fuoco 06:03
    Track
    5
    Title
    I. Con fuoco
    Duration
    06:03
    Composer
    William Schuman
    Ensemble
    Seattle Symphony
    Conductor
    Gerard Schwarz
  6. 6 II. Larghissimo 13:25
    Track
    6
    Title
    II. Larghissimo
    Duration
    13:25
    Composer
    William Schuman
  7. 7 III. Presto - Andantino - Leggiero - Pesante - Presto possible 12:22
    Track
    7
    Title
    III. Presto - Andantino - Leggiero - Pesante - Presto possible
    Duration
    12:22
    Composer
    William Schuman