DXCVIII. SHOSTAKOVICH, Dmitri: Two Pieces for String Quartet

DXCVIII. SHOSTAKOVICH, Dmitri (1906-1975)

Two Pieces for String Quartet (post.)
1. Elegy
2. Polka
Sileo Quartet
(7:53)

Discovered after his death, these two pieces are arrangements from earlier works. The Elegy is from the opera Lady Macbeth and the Polka from The Golden Age.

DXCVII. STOCKHAUSEN, Karlheinz: Excerpts from Jenseits & Synthi-fou from Dienstag aus Licht

DXCVII. STOCKHAUSEN, Karlheinz (1928-2007)

Excerpts from Jenseits & Synthi-fou from Dienstag aus Licht (1993)
Sarah Kim, synthi-fou
Le Balcon
Students of the Paris Conservatory (CNSMDP)
Le Jene Chœur de Paris
Philharmonie de Paris
Festival d'automne à Paris
Maxime Pascal, cond.
(3:50)

The final decades of Stockhausen's life were mostly taken up by the composition of his massive 7-part opera Licht, subtitled "Die sieben Tage der Woche" (The Seven Days of the Week). All seven operas time in at a brisk 29 hours.

This short excerpt from Dienstag (Tuesday) gives an idea of how exciting these performances are.

DXCVI. STOCKHAUSEN, Karlheinz: Carré for 4 orchestras and choirs

DXCVI. STOCKHAUSEN, Karlheinz (1928-2007)

Carré for 4 orchestras and choirs (1959-60)
Sinfonie Orchester und Chör des Norddeutschen Rundfunks Hamburg
KS, cond.
Mauricio Kagel, cond.
Michael Gielen, cond.
Andrzej Markowski, cond.
(30:16)

This recording was the premiere (1960).

Like Gruppen (1955-57), Stockhausen is concerned with the spatial distribution of sound. The eight basic categories of sound production here are type, attack, gestalt variation, density, register, duration, amplitude, and color. These are further subdivided into four more detailed groups.

The phonetically conceived text was composed according to purely musical qualities. Only here and there do names of children, women, friends emerge.

An ideal listening experience would entail being in the audience, seated in the middle of the hall, surrounded by the four groups of instrumentalists and singers.

"The piece does not tell a story. Each moment can stand alone. It is necessary to take time if one wishes to absorb this music; most of the changes take place very gently INSIDE the sound. I wish that this music could impart some inner peace, expanse, and concentration; an awareness that we have a lot of time, if we take it -- that it is better to collect oneself than to be beside oneself, because whatever happens needs someone to whom it can happen -- someone must intercept it." -- KS

DXCV. BACH, J.S.: Cantata #97: In allen meinen Taten, BWV 97

DXCV. BACH, J.S. (1685-1750)

Cantata #97: In allen meinen Taten, BWV 97 (1734)
1. Coro: In allen meinen Taten
2. Aria (Basso): Nichts ist es spat und frühe
3. Recitativo (Tenore): Es kann mir nichts geschehen
4. Aria (Tenore): Ich traue seiner Gnaden
5. Recitativo (Alto): Er wolle meiner Sünden
6. Aria (Alto): Leg ich mich späte nieder
7. Duetto (Soprano, Basso): Hat er es denn beschlossen
8. Aria (Soprano): Ihm hab ich mich ergeben
9. Choral (Coro): So sei nun, Seele, deine
J.S. Bach Foundation
Rudolf Lutz, cond.
(29:54)

This is a late chorale cantata, written nearly a decade after his annual cycle. He had already begun work in his late masterpiece, the B Minor Mass.

The text is from a hymn by Paul Fleming.

1. Coro: In allen meinen Taten

In the French overture style -- slow/fast

fugal Vivace:

In all that I am doing
Each enterprise pursuing
I follow God's advice
He who the Master heedeth
He ever well succeedeeth
His ventures pay him thrice

2. Aria (Basso): Nichts ist es spat und frühe

What childish stupid folly
This constant melancholy
My sorrow all is vain
'Twere better far that never
I cease in my endeavor
God's help and love to gain

3. Recitativo (Tenore): Es kann mir nichts geschehen

The least event occurring
Is by His will, unerring
By Him my life is blest
Whatever gift He offers
From out His ample coffers
Will be for me the best

4. Aria (Tenore): Ich traue seiner Gnaden

I trust His Mercy surely
And thus I stand securely
From ev'ry evil freed
Living here as He directs me
No ill mischance affects me
Naught fails me that I need

5. Recitativo (Alto): Er wolle meiner Sünden

My faults I hope He pardons
With heart that never hardens
In wrath when I transgress
That when I have offended
My sentence be suspended
With patient gentleness

6. Aria (Alto): Leg ich mich späte nieder

When I to rest betake me.
At morn when I awake me
Where'er I chance to be
In Bondage and in weakness
I bear my lot with meekness
His Word will comfort me

7. Duetto (Soprano, Basso): Hat er es denn beschlossen

The lot of God's ordaining
This bear I uncomplaining
I face the future sure
No danger will appal me
Whatever fate befall me
With patience I endure

8. Aria (Soprano): Ihm hab ich mich ergeben

On Him am I depending
My days here will be ending
So soon as He decides
Come today, come tomorrow
'Tis not for me to sorrow
However He provides

9. Choral (Coro): So sei nun, Seele, deine

Be His, my soul, forever
That naught from Thee can sever
Him who created thee
Whatever ills assail thee
Thy Father will not fail thee
Thy needs will He forsee

DXCIV. SANDSTRÖM, Sven-David: The High Mass

DXCIV. SANDSTRÖM, Sven-David (1942-2019)

The High Mass (1993-94)
1. Kyrie
2. Gloria
3. Credo
4. Sanctus
5. Agnus Dei
Claudia Barainsky, soprano
Siri Torjesen, soprano
Sara Olsson, soprano
Malena Ernman, mezzo-soprano
Lilli Paasikivi, mezzo-soprano
Michael Schönheit, organ
MDR Chor Leipzig
Gewandhausorchester Leipzig
Herbert Blomstedt, cond.
(1:31:08)

A gigantic, titanic work by the Swedish composer.

The Latin text is partitioned into 25 separate sections, nearly identical to Sandström's model, Bach's Mass in B Minor.

1. Kyrie eleison
2. Christe eleison
3. Kyrie eleison
4. Gloria in excelsis Deo
5. Et in terra pax hominibus bonae voluntatis
6. Laudamus te, benedicimus te / adoramus te, glorificamus te
7. Gratias agimus tibi propter magnam gloriam tuam
8. Domine Deus, Rex coelestis / Deus Pater omnipotens / Dominie Fili unigenite, Jesu Christe altissime / Domine Deus, Agnus Dei, Filius Patris
9. Qui tollis peccata mundi / miserere nobis / qui tollis peccata mundi / suscipe deprecationem nostram
10. Qui sedes ad dextram Patris / miserere nobis
11. Quoniam tu solus Sanctus, tu solus Dominus / tu solus Altissimus, Jesu Christe
12. Cum Sancto Spiritu: in gloria Dei Patris / Amen
13. Credo in unum Deum
14. Patrem omnipotentem / factorem coeli et terrae / visibilium omnium et invisibilium
15. Et in unum Dominum Jesum Christum / Filium Dei unigenitum / et ex Patre natum ante omnia saecula / Deum de Deo, Lumen de Lumine / Deum verum de Deo vero / genitum, non factum / consubstantialem Patri / per quem omnia facta sunt / Qui propter nos homines et propter nostram salutern / descendit de coelis
16. Et incarnatus est de Spiritu Sancto / ex Maria Virgine / et homo factus est
17. Et resurrexit tertia die, secundum Scripturas / Et ascendit in coelum / sedet ad dexteram Patris / Et iterum venturus est cum gloria / ludicare vivos et mortuos / cuius regni non erit finis
18. Et in Spiritum Sanctum, Dominum et vivifactem / qui ex Patre Filoque procedit / Qui cum Patre et Filio simul adoratur / et conglorificatur / qui locutus est per prophetas / Et in unam, sanctum / catholicam et apostolicam Ecclessiam
19. Confiteor unum baptisma / in remissionem peccatorum / Et exspecto resurrectionem mortuorum / et vitam venture saeculi / Amen
20. Sanctus, Sanctus, Sanctus / Dominus, Deus Sabaoth / Pleni sunt coeli et terra / gloria tua
21. Osanna in excelsis
22. Benedictus qui venit in nomine Domini
23. Osanna in excelsis
24. Agnus Dei, qui tollis peccata mundi / miserere nobis
25. Dona nobis pacem

DXCIII. ANONYMOUS: Linz Dance (Viennese Polka)

DXCIII. ANONYMOUS

Linz Dance (Viennese Polka)
Ensemble Eduard Melkus
(3:36)

DXCII. DELIUS, Frederick: Five Pieces for Piano

DXCII. DELIUS, Frederick (1862-1934)

Five Pieces for Piano (1921)
1. Mazurka (1:34)
2. Waltz (1:32)
3. Waltz (1:24)
4. Lullaby for a Modern Baby (2:05)
5. Toccata (1:49)
David Allen Wehr, piano
Galina Heifetz, violin (#4)

After an aborted attempt to sell oranges in Florida, Delius returned to Europe and eventually found success in Germany in the final years of the 19th century. It wasn't until 1907 that his works were performed in his native England.

1907

1. Mazurka

2. Waltz

 3. Waltz

4. Lullaby for a Modern Baby

5. Toccata