|
Audio Asylum Thread Printer Get a view of an entire thread on one page |
For Sale Ads |
147.69.43.203
I have downloaded some of his works but am just listening to "
LITURGIA DOMESTICA OP.79 " featuring brilliant bass singer Boris Christoff. Wow that music has atmosphere - one is transported into a Russian Church.
Here is an article on the singer lifted from http://rutracker.org/forum/viewtopic.php?t=531428
Boris Christoff (May 18, 1914, Plovdiv, Bulgaria - June 28, 1993, Rome, Italy) was a Bulgarian opera singer and actor, one of the greatest basses of the 20th century.
With his matchless stage presence and strong dramatic temperament, Christoff emerged as a worthy heir to the grand tradition of Slavonic basses. He sang mostly in Verdi and the Russian repertoire, although he also proved to be a refined performer of vocal chamber music. Among his most famous roles were those of Tsar Boris (Mussorgsky - "Boris Godunov"), Philipp II (Verdi - "Don Carlo"), Mephistopheles (Gounod - "Faust" & Boito - "Mephistopheles"), Ivan Susanin (Glinka - "La vita per lo zar"), Zaccaria (Verdi - "Nabucco"), Tsar Ivan (Rimsky-Korsakov - "Ivan Le Teribile"), Dosifei (Mussorgsky - "Khovanshchina"), Gomez da Silva (Verdi - "Ernani"), Fiesco (Verdi - "Simon Boccanegra"), Attila (Verdi - "Attila"), Padre Guardiano (Verdi - "La forza del destino"), Galitzky and Kontchak (Borodin - "Prince Igor") and others. Boris Christoff made standards in most roles that sang on stage.
He also has an enormous discography - studio recordings of 8 operas ("Don Carlo" and "Boris Godunov" twice each) and numerous live recordings (radio or stage performances). He was much admired as song singer and he recorded more 200 Russian songs by Mussorgsky (all his 63 songs - no one did this before), Tchaikovsky, Rimsky-Korsakov, Glinka, Borodin, Cui, Balakirev as well as traditional songs. Most of these songs are with piano accompaniment and are among the best of all his recordings.
Boris Christoff is one the very few singers who have the amazing ability to reach the highest level of interpretation in three completely different worlds - opera, songs, and church, orthodox in his case, music. The unmistakable timbre of his voice - dark and heavy - surprises the listener with its unbeliavable flexibility and its ability to express virtually all human emotions. Furthermore this outstanding voice is combined with great musical intelligence which gives him the oppotunity to "get into" every role and also in the inner world ot russian songs. This selection is very small part from Boris' recordings which are numerous but there are execellent examples in all three fore-mentioned worlds.
And a fascinating article on the composer at WikiPedia:
Gretchaninov started his musical studies rather late, because his father, a businessman, had expected the boy to take over the family firm. Gretchaninov himself related that he did not see a piano until he was 14 and began his studies at the Moscow Conservatory in 1881 against his father's wishes and without his knowledge. His main teachers there were Sergei Taneyev and Anton Arensky. In the late 1880s, after a quarrel with Arensky, he moved to St. Petersburg where he studied composition and orchestration with Nikolai Rimsky-Korsakov until 1893. Rimsky-Korsakov immediately recognized Gretchaninov's extraordinary musical imagination and talent and gave him much extra time as well as considerable financial help. This allowed the young man, whose parents were not supporting him, to survive. Out of this came an important friendship, which only ended in 1908 with Rimsky's death. As such, it is not surprising that Rimsky's influence can be heard in Gretchaninov's early works, such as his String Quartet No.1, a prize-winning composition.
Around 1896, Gretchaninov returned to Moscow and was involved with writing for the theatre, the opera and the Russian Orthodox Church. His works, especially those for voice, achieved considerable success within Russia, while his instrumental works enjoyed even wider acclaim. By 1910, he was considered a composer of such distinction that the Tsar awarded him an annual pension.
Though Gretchaninov remained in Russia for several years after the Revolution, he ultimately chose to emigrate, first to France in 1925, and then, at the age of 75, to the United States in 1939. He remained in the U.S. the rest of his life and eventually became an American citizen. He died in New York at the age of 91 and is buried outside the church at Rova Farms, a Russian enclave inJackson Township, Ocean County, New Jersey.
His music
Gretchaninov wrote five symphonies, the first premiered by Rimsky-Korsakov; four string quartets, the first two of which won important prizes, twopiano trios, sonatas for violin, cello, clarinet, piano and balalaika, several operas, song cycle Les Fleurs du Mal, op. 48 (setting lyrics by Baudelaire) and much other music.
Like Vladimir Rebikov, his position in the history of Russian music was mainly transitional, his earlier music belonging firmly in that earlier Romantic tradition while his later work is influenced by some of the streams that also affected Igor Stravinsky and Sergei Prokofiev.
Sketches for an unfinished sixth symphony from the 1940s exist.
He also composed a number of small scale piano pieces.
Most of Gretchaninov's manuscripts reside in the Music Division of New York Public Library for the Performing Arts.
And finally a comment on the CD at http://www.shopbulgaria.com/:
BORIS CHRISTOFF - Liturgia Domestica, A. GRETCHANINOV
Issued: 1996
Style: Orthodox music
Company: Balkanton ADD 050097
The CD contains15 orthodox songs performed by Boris Christoff and "Svetoslav Obretenov" Bulgarian National Choir, Bulgarian National Radio Chamber Orchestra. Soloist: Todor Grigorov - Teres - tenor, Grigor Yanev - tenor, Blagoi Spassov.
Alexander Gretchaninov' s masterpiece was performed by one of the best Bulgarian opera singers, B.Christoff, who would enthusiastically call Liturgia Domestica " an astonishing example of daring and great success in the interpretation of well known spiritual texts in our Orthodox Liturgy". The voice of B. Christoff, on the other hand, is also worth mentioning. Soaring between earth and heaven, it gives an absolutely unique interpretation of the theme of Resurrection and the rebirth of human spirit. Boris Christoff's artistic presence of extraordinary charm and power is present throughout the complete work.Conductor Georgi Robev has fathomed deeply into the singer's interpretative conception, subjecting to it the popular "Svetoslav Obretenov" Bulgarian National Choir coupled with the exceptionally favorable acoustics of the "St. Alexander Nevsky" Memorial Church. The result is more than remarkable.
Strongly recommended.
John
:
What can be more subjective than music? It reflects our individual tastes, says he enjoying 13,000+ albums on a Meridian Sooloos Server.
Follow Ups:
Been a fan of his since the 1960s and the EMI Boris Godunov where he sang all the major bass parts, a vocal tour de force, although most of the critics didn't like it from a purist's point of view. Listening to the death scene still gives me chills.
I pulled this set out, as I remember liking it a lot, but unfortunately my 78 rig is on the fritz. The first two songs on this YT video are from this set. My memory is that the sound on the 78's is much better, but you can get an idea. The video doesn't list Gretchaninov as the accompanist, but I'm sure it's the same recording.
Edits: 03/31/15
. . . many of which are not that technically demanding and are good, high-quality teaching pieces for students.
Maximilian Steinberg was Rimsky's son-in-law.From Steven Ritter's Audiophile Audition review a few days ago:
[Maximilian Steinberg's] Op. 13 Passion Week is his seminal work in the genre, actually more a collection of pieces selected from various Holy Week services that could be used outside of the opus whole. . .What does it sound like? Let me put it this way: . . . even though he [Steinberg] adheres to the original chants (especially the Znamenny, which is more melismatic, stepwise, and actually a lot harder to harmonize than the otherwise simpler and more harmonization-oriented Kievan Chant) his musical boundaries were expanding, resulting in superbly-arranged chants that are drifting quite conspicuously from what many recognize as that peculiar Russian sound. For example, one of the most popular hymns in the Orthodox Church is called The Noble Joseph, first heard during Holy Week on Good Friday. Perhaps the most popular version of this piece involves a Bulgarian Chant, originally a Byzantine-style melody that achieved great acclaim in Russia through its harmonization. Yet I will venture to say that few people hearing the Steinberg composition on a Holy Friday afternoon will have any clue that their beloved chant is hiding under the composer's clever, beautiful, and restrictive harmonies - you really have to be listening to detect the chant. No biggie - the Renaissance composers had been doing this sort of parody for hundreds of years. It's just unusual for a Russian Church piece to disguise its origins so thoroughly! The rest of the pieces are not so obscured, but it is obvious that the things he learned from Rimsky are on display in spades; this is music with sparkling harmonies and remarkably tight construction, all the while advancing the art of church music while maintaining a true and authentic vehicle for genuine piety and ecclesiastical use.
EDIT: I thought I'd add a personal note here. This is a really extraordinary work if you're susceptible to the beauties of Russian Orthodox choral singing. Even during the opening Alleluiya, when Steinberg develops the music from the opening unisons to increasingly textured and harmonized writing, the effect becomes otherworldly. Perhaps revelation is too strong a word for a musical discovery such as this, but perhaps not! I've heard it only on Spotify so far, but I do have an order in for the CD. There are also some excerpts on YouTube, if you want to dip your toes in - here's a sample (the opening Alleluiya I was just describing):
Edits: 03/30/15 03/30/15
...like several string quartets, a couple of piano trios and a cello sonata. These works have not left a lasting impression (haven't listened to any of them in a long time). I'm not a lover of choral works so when Chandos issued the symphonies some years ago I passed on them because they were coupled with choral works. If Chandos repackaged just the symphonies, I might pop for the set. I'm a sucker for second and third tier romantic composers.
Quote from Stereophile begins:
That, at least, is what I take away from Gretchaninov's Passion Week, remarkably well performed by the combined forces of the Phoenix Bach Choir and the Kansas City Chorale under their director, Charles Bruffy, on a tremendously well-recorded SACD/CD (Chandos CHSA 5044). The opening track, Behold the Bridegroom, is simply one of the most impressive bits of choral singing I have ever heard. And the recording is near-flabbergasting; the soundstage depth extends into the next zip code. The balance between direct sound and hall ambience appears to be perfect (the venue was Kansas City's Church of the Blessed Sacrament). Vocal ensemble-creamy and seamless, tuning, pitch security, breath control-is otherworldly. The combined choral forces number 52; that 15 of them are basses becomes apparent only minutes in. (I assume that, when Gretchaninov wrote Passion Week, the high parts would have been sung by boys. This recording has women singing the high parts, sweetly and smoothly.) All in all, an amazing recording, either to focus on or to let just wash over you (footnote 1).
Quote ends.
I listened to this several times and thought the sound was some of the better choral recording I've heard. I just couldn't sit through it more than a few times and so I wondered "Why buy an SACD that I can't bear to listen to?" Very tedious music. First fifteen minutes is heavenly, but the entire work at once is too much.
I have a CD of string quartets which is better music, or at least more interesting, if still not top tier.
Peace,
Tom E
.
"Life without music is a mistake" (Nietzsche)
I believe that Gretchaninov wrote this music for liturgies in Orthodox churches and not "concert music."
So, when you are within the context of a very long, very formal Orthodox liturgy, it's a different experience than sitting in front of a stereo.
The purpose of this music is to fill space and to take up time and carry people along in a sense of timelessness. It's not about Beethoven's Hegelian "Thesis-Antithesis-Repeat with Dynamic Contrasts-Unexpectedly Modulate" Game Plan for concert music.
Glad you liked the recording, though!
JM
Yes, it is ceremonial music for a very solemn ceremony, so of course it's somber and without much drama, other than the ultimate drama of its subject. I think it was meant to make people contemplative and sorrowful. It is certainly valuable music in that respect, but it does make for a loooong listening session even with superb sound.
I was only advising people to be wary. I borrowed a copy from the library (SACD with perfect playing surface--very rare!) and was glad I did. It was difficult to remove from my wish list because bits of it are strikingly beautiful. But ultimately, I wouldn't want to sit through it very often. Perhaps once per year?!
Peace,
Tom E
Grechaninov is not one of the stars. Passion Week is probably the best of his music. He wrote some music for cello (with orchestra and with piano) that is passable, but not really top tier.
"Life without music is a mistake" (Nietzsche)
He's on the definitive list of Russian composers.
-----
"A fool and his money are soon parted." --- Thomas Tusser
.... it is very listenable but not spine chilling stuff, on the one I sampled anyway. But I really should not comment until I've heard more of that and his other works.
I'll be interested to read opinion of others.
What can be more subjective than music? It reflects our individual tastes, says he enjoying 13,000+ albums on a Meridian Sooloos Server.
Somewhere in the several decades of my choral career I must have sung something by Gretchaninov, but I retain no impression of what it was like.
I have no recordings of anything by Gretchaninov, as far as I know, though there might be something or other on a choral compilation. Symphonies or chamber music--nothing, I'm sure. I will have to debate with myself whether I should remedy this situation.
I am listening his Symphony No. 4 on YT with the Russian State Symphony Orchestra under Valeri Polyansky, apparently a Chandos recording. It seems very varied and interesting, quite a good symphony.
-----
"A fool and his money are soon parted." --- Thomas Tusser
FWIW, I agree with you re his symphonies, but listening thru symphony 1 to hear Snowflakes and Missa Sancti Spiritus was really worth while. Chandos 9397. I'm really fond of Snowflakes!
Post a Followup:
FAQ |
Post a Message! |
Forgot Password? |
|
||||||||||||||
|
This post is made possible by the generous support of people like you and our sponsors: