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Chandos

Chamber Works by Ernest Kanitz

$21.99

Details

Composer
Ernest Kanitz
Artist
ARC Ensemble, Wallace Halladay, Anna Stube, Joel Quarrington
Format
CD
Label
Chandos
Released
Nov 21, 2025
Catalog #
CHAN 20374
UPC
0095115237427

About

The ARC Ensemble's Music in Exile series continues with this exploration of chamber works by Ernest Kanitz. Born into a wealthy Viennese family in 1894, he was encouraged in music by his mother, started piano lessons aged seven, and was composing within a year. Persuaded by his parents to study for a degree in Law, Kanitz also studied piano, music theory, and composition (with Franz Schreker, who also served as a mentor). His reputation grew steadily, his works promoted by conductors such as George Szell and Clemens Krauss. In 1922 he gained a position as a teacher at the New Vienna Conservatory, and in 1930 established the Vienna Women's Chamber Choir, which quickly gained a reputation across Europe for it's performances of Kodaly, Honegger, and Stravinsky (as well as Kanitz!). Although he had converted to Christianity in 1914, his Jewish ancestry necessitated emigration from Austria in 1938, following the annexation of Austria by National Socialist Germany. After a short spell in New York, Kanitz and his wife, Gertrude, moved to Rock Hill, South Carolina, where he had secured a teaching position. Following Gertrude's early death from cancer, Kanitz moved to California, where he established a successful teaching career at the University of Southern California. Retirement from USC in 1960 gave him much more time for composition (although he was still teaching and lecturing), with successful premieres given by the Philadelphia Orchestra, Los Angeles Philharmonic, and San Francisco Symphony, among many others. Following his death in 1978, his music, like that of so many emigre composers, has been forgotten.

Tracklist 16 tracks

  1. 1 I. Lento non troppo - Allegro giusto 07:45
    Track
    1
    Title
    I. Lento non troppo - Allegro giusto
    Duration
    07:45
    Composer
    Ernest Kanitz
    Performer
    Anna Štube, Kevin Ahfat
  2. 2 II. Adagio 08:58
    Track
    2
    Title
    II. Adagio
    Duration
    08:58
    Composer
    Ernest Kanitz
    Performer
    Anna Štube, Kevin Ahfat
  3. 3 III. Epilogo: Allegro leggiero e ritmico 05:08
    Track
    3
    Title
    III. Epilogo: Allegro leggiero e ritmico
    Duration
    05:08
    Composer
    Ernest Kanitz
    Performer
    Anna Štube, Kevin Ahfat
  4. 4 I. Elegy: Slowly rocking 04:06
    Track
    4
    Title
    I. Elegy: Slowly rocking
    Duration
    04:06
    Composer
    Ernest Kanitz
    Ensemble
    ARC Ensemble
  5. 5 II. Rondino: Rather fast, graceful and light 02:34
    Track
    5
    Title
    II. Rondino: Rather fast, graceful and light
    Duration
    02:34
    Composer
    Ernest Kanitz
    Ensemble
    ARC Ensemble
  6. 6 III. Old Viennese Tune and Variations: Gently gliding - Variations 1-4 04:35
    Track
    6
    Title
    III. Old Viennese Tune and Variations: Gently gliding - Variations 1-4
    Duration
    04:35
    Composer
    Ernest Kanitz
    Ensemble
    ARC Ensemble
  7. 7 IV. Finale: Very fast 06:58
    Track
    7
    Title
    IV. Finale: Very fast
    Duration
    06:58
    Composer
    Ernest Kanitz
    Ensemble
    ARC Ensemble
  8. 8 I. Allegro deciso 03:38
    Track
    8
    Title
    I. Allegro deciso
    Duration
    03:38
    Composer
    Ernest Kanitz
    Performer
    Thomas Wiebe
  9. 9 II. Poco adagio 03:41
    Track
    9
    Title
    II. Poco adagio
    Duration
    03:41
    Composer
    Ernest Kanitz
    Performer
    Thomas Wiebe
  10. 10 III. Quasi presto e molto leggiero 02:50
    Track
    10
    Title
    III. Quasi presto e molto leggiero
    Duration
    02:50
    Composer
    Ernest Kanitz
    Performer
    Thomas Wiebe
  11. 11 I. Ouverture: Molto lento e serio 04:47
    Track
    11
    Title
    I. Ouverture: Molto lento e serio
    Duration
    04:47
    Composer
    Ernest Kanitz
    Performer
    Joel Quarrington
    Ensemble
    ARC Ensemble
  12. 12 II. Air: Tranquillo molto 04:12
    Track
    12
    Title
    II. Air: Tranquillo molto
    Duration
    04:12
    Composer
    Ernest Kanitz
    Performer
    Joel Quarrington
    Ensemble
    ARC Ensemble
  13. 13 III. Fugue: Mosso molto volatile ma con ritmo preciso 03:09
    Track
    13
    Title
    III. Fugue: Mosso molto volatile ma con ritmo preciso
    Duration
    03:09
    Composer
    Ernest Kanitz
    Performer
    Joel Quarrington
    Ensemble
    ARC Ensemble
  14. 14 I. Sky and Water, Fragrance, Light: Allegro 02:57
    Track
    14
    Title
    I. Sky and Water, Fragrance, Light: Allegro
    Duration
    02:57
    Composer
    Ernest Kanitz
    Performer
    Wallace Halladay, Kevin Ahfat
  15. 15 II. Lament: Lento non troppo 03:49
    Track
    15
    Title
    II. Lament: Lento non troppo
    Duration
    03:49
    Composer
    Ernest Kanitz
    Performer
    Wallace Halladay, Kevin Ahfat
  16. 16 III. Hollywood: Allegro spiritoso 04:26
    Track
    16
    Title
    III. Hollywood: Allegro spiritoso
    Duration
    04:26
    Composer
    Ernest Kanitz
    Performer
    Wallace Halladay, Kevin Ahfat