# SS 21.02.15 - Berio "Sinfonia"



## realdealblues (Mar 3, 2010)

A continuation of the Saturday Symphonies Tradition:

Welcome to another weekend of symphonic listening!

For your listening pleasure this weekend:*

Luciano Berio (1925 - 2003)*

Sinfonia

1. I
2. II - Oh King
3. III - In ruhig fliessender Bewegung
4. IV
5. V

---------------------

Post what recording you are going to listen to giving details of Orchestra / Conductor / Chorus / Soloists etc - Enjoy!


----------



## realdealblues (Mar 3, 2010)

I've heard this work once before and found it pretty strange but not unlistenable. It will be interesting to hear it again. I only have one copy so that's the one I'll be listening to.

View attachment 64344


Pierre Boulez/Orchestre National de France
New Swingle Singers


----------



## GioCar (Oct 30, 2013)

One of my favorite works of the 20th century!

I'm thinking of listening to it twice:

First I'll go with an old LP of mine (inherited from my family) for the first version in 4 movements. I am still looking for a CD reissue of it...










New York Philharmonic conducted by the composer
The (Old) Swingle Singers

Then with a favorite of mine, for the final version in 5 movements:










Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra conducted by Riccardo Chailly
Electric Phoenix


----------



## Vaneyes (May 11, 2010)

*Berio*: Sinfonia, w. London Voices/Gothenburg SO/Eotvos. Recording: Konserthuset, Gothenburg, 4/2004. Balance Engineer:Michael Bergek.


----------



## D Smith (Sep 13, 2014)

I'll be listening to Gothenburg here, too.


----------



## ptr (Jan 22, 2013)

Hearing the two pre recording concerts of the Sinfonia in Gothenburg was some of my top ten concert experiences in the period 2000-2010! I've heard this recording numerous times, so I'll go for something else, Boulez was the first version I ever heard and bought and Berios own NY cut I had on a cassette bootleg for years, but I think I'll go for the latest release of this:










8 well known Finnish Singers, Finnish RSO u. Hannu Lintu (Ondine 2014)

/ptr


----------



## elgar's ghost (Aug 8, 2010)

It's a hoot - the speech, musical quotes and the overall collage feel to it remind me of Schnittke's 1st symphony and the readings from Ives's 'Concord' Sonata with a little bit of John Lennon's Revolution 9 thrown in for good measure.


----------



## Mahlerian (Nov 27, 2012)

Gothenburg/Eotvos for me as well:









The third movement is the most famous, with its quotations from everywhere in the orchestral literature from Bach to Boulez.


----------



## brotagonist (Jul 11, 2013)

Vaneyes said:


> *Berio*: Sinfonia, w. London Voices/Gothenburg SO/Eotvos. Recording: Konserthuset, Gothenburg, 4/2004. Balance Engineer:Michael Bergek.


While I used to own a few of the aforementioned versions on LP, it wasn't until I heard this one, when I bought it recently, that I decided that I really do like this piece. I will give it another go this weekend.


----------



## Haydn man (Jan 25, 2014)

Vaneyes said:


> *Berio*: Sinfonia, w. London Voices/Gothenburg SO/Eotvos. Recording: Konserthuset, Gothenburg, 4/2004. Balance Engineer:Michael Bergek.


New one again for me this weekend and have found this on Spotify


----------



## csacks (Dec 5, 2013)

I have no experience with Berio. I will look for it in Spotify. It will be a full new experience


----------



## Mika (Jul 24, 2009)

Lintu & RSO


----------



## Guest (Feb 20, 2015)

I get a lot of my Finnish fix from Ondine, so I keep seeing that record. I wondered if others would be trying it.


----------



## DiesIraeCX (Jul 21, 2014)

I just listened to Chailly's recording a few days ago, I enjoyed it, probably more than Boulez's.


----------



## Marschallin Blair (Jan 23, 2014)

D Smith said:


> I'll be listening to Gothenburg here, too.


Is it just me or does _Ekphrasis_ sound like something that can be tracked to a good science fiction film like Ridley Scott's _Prometheus_.

Great atmospheric music.


----------



## starthrower (Dec 11, 2010)

I don't own a recording. Giving the Mehta recording a listen on YouTube.


----------



## GreenMamba (Oct 14, 2012)

Berio himself with NYP and Swingle Singers. On Rdio.


----------



## Autocrat (Nov 14, 2014)

GreenMamba said:


> Berio himself with NYP and Swingle Singers. On Rdio.
> 
> View attachment 64468


I listened to that as well, on spotify. Never heard it before, now I'll be hunting down the 5-movement version.


----------



## Haydn man (Jan 25, 2014)

I believe Mahlerian on the Current Listening thread described this work as...
'Weird, Wild and Wonderful' or words to that effect.
I couldn't agree more


----------



## TurnaboutVox (Sep 22, 2013)

Goteborgs Symfoniker / Eotvos for me too. My first listen to this work, and very entertaining it is too.


----------



## csacks (Dec 5, 2013)

I did an effort, an honest one. Listened part of it, with Pierre Boulez and the Orchestre National de France. Sorry, too much for me. I felt anguished. It happens to me with Bach as well.


----------



## Albert7 (Nov 16, 2014)

I need to find this on iTunes.


----------

