Schnittke Movies

As Alfred Schnittke and Arvo Pärt both adopted the Orthodox faith in the 1970s, Orthodox choral traditions became increasingly prominent in their work, but both composers also looked to the music of the Western church. Schnittke’s Three Sacred Hymns set three prayers, familiar in the West as Ave Maria, the Jesus Prayer and the Lord’s Prayer, and evoke Orthodox chant.

After acclaimed recordings of the great Romantic violin concertos by Brahms, Bruch and Tchaikovsky, Vadim Gluzman takes on the work that in the beginning of the 19th century mapped out a new course for the genre: Beethoven's Violin Concerto in D major, Op. 61.

The very first recording of a work by Alfred Schnittke on BIS (Cello Sonata No.1, on BIS-CD-336) was done in 1986 and was thus one of the earliest recordings of Schnittke’s music. As the composer’s reputation rapidly grew, so did the Schnittke catalogue on BIS, coming to include the major orchestral works, as well as chamber music. The BIS Schnittke Edition now numbers 24 titles and it is with particular pride that we with this instalment add to it the last – or rather the first – of this iconic composer’s 9 completed symphonies.

Cappella Amsterdam and its artistic leader Daniel Reuss present their third Pentatone album with a recording of Alfred Schnittke’s Psalms of Repentance. Schnittke composed the piece in 1988 to commemorate the Christianisation of Russia, Ukraine and Belarus in 1988, and based it on anonymous Russian texts from the 16th century about guilt and repentance.

The first disc dedicated to the works of Alfred Schnittke on BIS was released in 1987, and has since been followed by 23 other titles, including a large part of his chamber music as well as the symphonies and other orchestral works. That first disc featured Concerto grosso No.1 in the original version for two violins and strings – the work which to some extent became Schnittke’s breakthrough in the West in the late 1970s. On the present disc that same work is heard again, but now in a world première recording of Schnittke’s own version with solo parts for flute and oboe. Soloists are Sharon Bezaly and, on the oboe, Christopher Cowie , making his first appearance on BIS.

Alfred Garrievich Schnittke (24 November 1934 – 3 August 1998) was a Russian composer.

The obvious point of reference here is tile Kronos Quartet's cycle of Schnittke string quartets, released as a complete edition in 1998. But after hearing Quatuor Molinari play the same pieces I don't think I'll be going back. In fact, if anyone wants it …

Early on in his career, the violin became an immensely important instrument for Alfred Schnittke (1934-1998). He developed a remarkable skill in composing for the instrument, resulting in a number of highly successful works of which several have been gathered on this disc. During the 1960s, a time when the violin was not the preferred instrument for the avant-garde as it carried too much historical ballast, Schnittke used it as tool for experimentation developing polystylism, an incorporation of historical sources or techniques into a modernistic context.

Alfred Schnittke’s chamber music comprises a dozen works which include four string quartets (released in 2011 by ATMA with Molinari Quartet, Chamber Music vol. 1 ACD2 2634), as well as the three works featured on this volume 2.

"In the summer of 1989, when I was 15, my `love affair' with Alfred Schnittke's music began", recalls Daniel Hope. 3 years later the violinist became acquainted with the composer, studying with & performing for Schnittke many of his works over the next years.