# schnittke's septet



## dzc4627

just saw this in concert yesterday. it was an amazing experience. after it gets into a certain 'groove' of instruments playing different cells, repeating, it gives a trance-like feeling of the first few minutes of the rite of spring. i recommend it to any fan of schnittke or even chamber music.


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## elgar's ghost

I wish the only album that it's on would come down in price a bit - I've been after it for ages.


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## Guest

Nice work on a nice album


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## musicrom

Interestingly, Schnittke appears to not be a huge fan of his own Septet.



> "I'm sorry, but I'm loath to listen to my work," the Russian composer Alfred Schnittke declared in 1981, preventing a scheduled performance of his Septet. "It's a terrible composition."


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## starthrower

Strange piece that septet is. I wouldn't have guessed Schnittke.


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## elgar's ghost

musicrom said:


> Interestingly, Schnittke appears to not be a huge fan of his own Septet.


But he didn't think it so terrible as to suppress it altogether, presumably heh heh... He may consider it a minor or substandard effort but I think he's being a bit hard on himself. As Starthrower says, it doesn't sound like typical Schnittke on first acquaintance but it's still interesting enough. Besides, I want that Chandos album for two of the other works as well.


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## dzc4627

yes yes they mentioned that at the performance! ahah. go figure


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## starthrower

elgars ghost said:


> But he didn't think it so terrible as to suppress it altogether, presumably heh heh... He may consider it a minor or substandard effort but I think he's being a bit hard on himself. As Starthrower says, it doesn't sound like typical Schnittke on first acquaintance but it's still interesting enough. Besides, I want that Chandos album for two of the other works as well.


The music of the septet was odd at the beginning, but there is a lot of beauty in the piece as a whole. Another piece on that Chandos CD entitled In Memoriam, is also available on a Sony CD which also includes the second cello concerto.


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## elgar's ghost

starthrower said:


> The music of the septet was odd at the beginning, but there is a lot of beauty in the piece as a whole. Another piece on that Chandos CD entitled In Memoriam, is also available on a Sony CD which also includes the second cello concerto.


Yes, I've got that Sony disc. It's an excellent coupling. In Memoriam... is a powerful orchestration of the Piano Quintet but I still favour the latter, probably because I've been hearing it for much longer.


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## Vaneyes

FWIW I did a *cursory* search for the Chandos *Schnittke* Septet CD, which is OOP. This was the premier recording of the Septet, and to this day, may be the only recording of.

Via Amazon US Marketplace, a very good condition CD is available for $9.99. However, postage to the UK would be $14.95. $24.94 total, or 16.37 GBP.

Another option is via Chandos Archive. For 13.25 GBP a CDR is made of it. Postage is .99 GBP. Total 14.24 GBP. :tiphat:


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## elgar's ghost

Vaneyes said:


> FWIW I did a *cursory* search for the Chandos *Schnittke* Septet CD, which is OOP. This was the premier recording of the Septet, and to this day, may be the only recording of.
> 
> Via Amazon US Marketplace, a very good condition CD is available for $9.99. However, postage to the UK would be $14.95. $24.94 total, or 16.37 GBP.
> 
> Another option is via Chandos Archive. For 13.25 GBP a CDR is made of it. Postage is .99 GBP. Total 14.24 GBP. :tiphat:


Thanks, V - good of you to look.


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## dzc4627

oh they also performed in memoriam at that concert, pretty cool as the second violinist was playing from behind the seating area.


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## MoonlightSonata

Do I sense the presence of another Schnittke-lover?


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## dzc4627

really? where? O:


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## Lord Lance

dzc4627, thank you for pointing this Septet out. After enjoying some of his symphonies, this septet should prove to be intriguing.


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