Alexander Zemlinsky (1871-1942) - March 20 - 24

[Serial_Apologist]

Surprised no one has mentioned this wonderful composer, who suffered neglect as an exile at the end of his life, having once taught Schoenberg and dated Alma Schindler, Mahler's missus-to-be.

The early music moves from a remarkably mature late-Brahmsian model (which attracted Johannes' attention, right at the end of his life, and also to the first quartet of Schoenberg), by way of Wagner and Richard Strauss, to a blending of the influences of late Mahler and early-to-middle-period Schoenberg and Berg, post-WW1. For those who love Mahler but find themselves in difficulty making the leap to Schoenberg's post-1907 work, Zemlinsky provides the link you might have given up searching for - an exceptionally rich, idiomatically generous outpouring of invention in variety, harmonic breadth and virtuoso orchestral scoring. The link below to today's highlight, Psalm 13, composed in 1935 and one of Zemlinsky's last works, requires Spotify, or you can await tonight's repeat at 6.40 pm aproximately, and of course the iPlayer repeats:

https://www.last.fm/music/Alexander+von+Zemlinsky/_/Psalm+23,+Op.+24

[richardfinegold]

Surprised no one has mentioned this wonderful composer, who suffered neglect as an exile at the end of his life, having once taught Schoenberg and dated Alma Schindler, Mahler's missus-to-be.

The early music moves from a remarkably mature late-Brahmsian model (which attracted Johannes' attention, right at the end of his life, and also to the first quartet of Schoenberg), by way of Wagner and Richard Strauss, to a blending of the influences of late Mahler and early-to-middle-period Schoenberg and Berg, post-WW1. For those who love Mahler but find themselves in difficulty making the leap to Schoenberg's post-1907 work, Zemlinsky provides the link you might have given up searching for - an exceptionally rich, idiomatically generous outpouring of invention in variety, harmonic breadth and virtuoso orchestral scoring. The link below to today's highlight, Psalm 13, composed in 1935 and one of Zemlinsky's last works, requires Spotify, or you can await tonight's repeat at 6.40 pm aproximately, and of course the iPlayer repeats:

https://www.last.fm/music/Alexander+...alm+23,+Op.+24

We had a mini Zemlinsky discussion not long ago when he was being compared with Schreker.

[gurnemanz]

Listened with great interest to this week's CotW. (Upsetting events surrounding his sister's marriage to Schönberg were new to me). I got the the songs which Brilliant licensed from DG and sold for peanuts a few years ago. A really enjoyable set with a great quartet of soloists. I paid £5.99. (No texts included. Find them yourself.) Now deleted.

[ferneyhoughgeliebte]

Thanks for the "heads-up", S-A - a busy week meant that I missed the programmes, but will make sure I listen on the i-Player.

Having gone through several attempts over the years to get really enthusiastic about Zemlinsky, a chance "innocent ear" encounter with the Six Songs Op 16 on today's Sunday Morning (sounding for all the world like the Tove songs from Gurrelieder) suggests that it finally might have "clicked"!

[BBMmk2]

A composer well worth getting to know more of his music. thanks for the heads up, SA.

[jayne lee wilson]

I tried my best with Zemlinsky some years ago, if never quite falling in love with very much of it. Not terribly fond of the early, Brahmsian symphonic efforts or his late-romantic orchestral lushness, I much prefer his later, bittersweet neoclassical/Hindemithian/Bergian manner e.g. 3rd and 4th String Quartets - the 1936 4th Quartet was written as a memorial for the late Alban Berg, and effects an hommage to him in the Berg Lyric-Suite modelling, alternating slow/fast, of its 6 movements....

http://www.qobuz.com/gb-en/album/zemlinsky-muller-hermann-string-quartets-artis-quartet-alexander-von-zemlinsky-johanna-muller-hermann/0190374031936

- My favourite orchestral album, primarily for the 1935 Sinfonietta, which shares something of the style and atmosphere of Kurt Weill's near-contemporaneous Symphony No.2. (If you like this, try...etc.).
Since Anthony Beaumont also made the best recordings I know of the Weill Symphonies for Chandos, you could very enjoyably listen to them together ...

http://www.qobuz.com/gb-en/album/symphonies-n-1-2-quodlibet-op-9-kurt-weill/0095115504628

[richardfinegold]

I listened to the Chailly pairing of The Mermaid and the Psalm 135 yesterday. I'm afraid the late Romantic lushness of the Mermaid, with it's occasional atmospheric effects, didn't do much for holding my attention. Now that I have become acquainted with Schreker I keep comparing the two and it isn't a favorable comparison for Zemlinsky

[Richard Barrett]

Now that I have become acquainted with Schreker I keep comparing the two and it isn't a favorable comparison for Zemlinsky

I agree with you about the Seejungfrau, but Zemlinsky's Lyrische Symphonie is really a marvellous work in my opinion, as is his 2nd String Quartet. I think his operas must also be worth looking into, but I haven't got round to doing so yet.

[ferneyhoughgeliebte]

Now that I have become acquainted with Schreker I keep comparing the two and it isn't a favorable comparison for Zemlinsky

I think that that's still my own attitude, too, rfg - but following the 6 Songs this morning, I'm hoping that the CotW programmes on the i-Player will raise Alex in my affections. (I think I still have that Chailly recording on a cassette somewhere - bought back in the early-ish 1980s, on one of my previous "I really should get more from this Music than I am" phases. I've never clicked with the Lyric Symphony, either )

[Richard Barrett]

I've never clicked with the Lyric Symphony

What made it click for me was the Eschenbach recording with Christine Schäfer and Matthias Goerne. If it doesn't do anything for you after that, I don't think it ever would.

[Serial_Apologist]

I agree with you about the Seejungfrau, but Zemlinsky's Lyrische Symphonie is really a marvellous work in my opinion, as is his 2nd String Quartet. I think his operas must also be worth looking into, but I haven't got round to doing so yet.

Der Zwerg is absolutely fantastic, imv. Poor Alexander - he seems to have taken Alma's views on his physical looks terribly to heart, never really got over it. Like Jane I too love the Sinfonietta - to me it's what Mahler might have gone on to compose, particularly the slow movement, had he lived another quarter century. For me the truly great work is the 1935 setting of Psalm 13, Op 24. Ecstatic! If only we'd been given that to sing at school instead of the Verdi Requiem etc etc.

[Serial_Apologist]

What made it click for me was the Eschenbach recording with Christine Schäfer and Matthias Goerne. If it doesn't do anything for you after that, I don't think it ever would.

Absolutely the one _ I really must get it!

[Richard Barrett]

My favourite orchestral album, primarily for the 1935 Sinfonietta, which shares something of the style and atmosphere of Kurt Weill's near-contemporaneous Symphony No.2. [I](If you like this, try...etc.).

Thanks for that pointer, listening to the Sinfonietta now. I don't think I'd heard it before. I think Zemlinsky's orchestral sound and symphonic structure are both quite a lot richer than Weill's in his rather austere 2nd Symphony (though Weill's slow movement is something special). Excellent.

If Jayne and I both like it, it must be good!

[Serial_Apologist]

Thanks for that pointer, listening to the Sinfonietta now. I don't think I'd heard it before. I think Zemlinsky's orchestral sound and symphonic structure are both quite a lot richer than Weill's in his rather austere 2nd Symphony (though Weill's slow movement is something special). Excellent.

If Jayne and I both like it, it must be good!

[ahinton]

Thanks for that pointer, listening to the Sinfonietta now. I don't think I'd heard it before. I think Zemlinsky's orchestral sound and symphonic structure are both quite a lot richer than Weill's in his rather austere 2nd Symphony (though Weill's slow movement is something special). Excellent.

If Jayne and I both like it, it must be good!

Thumbs up emoticon if I ever used such devices! And yes, it is good indeed!