Country : Austria Label : Deutsche Grammophon Genres and styles : Classical / Modern Classical Year : 2020

Alban Berg Ensemble Wien

· by François Vallières

At the beginning of the twentieth century, it was common for some composers to reduce the instrumentation of their works for large orchestra, to simplify the logistics of things. As a result, originally large-scale works could be heard in private salons or clubs by music lovers of all kinds. The three members of the Vienna School (A. Schoenberg, A. Berg and A. Webern) used this procedure and arranged many orchestral pieces composed by their colleagues, their predecessors, or even their own works.

Written during this period, Gustav Mahler’s Adagio from the 10th Symphony (1910), Arnold Schoenberg’s Chamber Symphony Op. 9 (1906) and Richard Strauss’s The Knight with a Rose (1911) are three masterpieces from the standard repertoire. The three composers are, however, at different stages in their respective lives: Mahler is at the brink of death, Schoenberg at the beginning of his career, and Strauss at the peak of his art.

The Alban Berg Ensemble Wien offers us here clear, well-chiselled and stylistically sophisticated interpretations. The inherent loss of orchestral power finds compensation in the agility, virtuosity, and reactive speed of the Vienna ensemble. Special mention must be made of the composer Martyn Harry, who arranged the Mahler and Strauss, respectful of the original versions while demonstrating an abundance of originality. 

Latest 360 Content

Transforming Hiroshima mon amour into contemporary opera: Christian Lapointe and Rosa Lind tell the story

Transforming Hiroshima mon amour into contemporary opera: Christian Lapointe and Rosa Lind tell the story

Sparks – MAD!

Sparks – MAD!

“Hiroshima, mon amour”: An Evening to Remember

“Hiroshima, mon amour”: An Evening to Remember

Peter Murphy – Silver Shade

Peter Murphy – Silver Shade

Ken Pomeroy – Cruel World

Ken Pomeroy – Cruel World

Art of the Line: Klangkarussell’s Euro Vision at SAT

Art of the Line: Klangkarussell’s Euro Vision at SAT

Festival des Saveurs | Closing With Reggae

Festival des Saveurs | Closing With Reggae

Centroamérica – a powerful docu-play about truth and connection in an age of distance and denial

Centroamérica – a powerful docu-play about truth and connection in an age of distance and denial

Lido Pimienta – La Belleza

Lido Pimienta – La Belleza

Tamir Barzilay – Phosphene Journal

Tamir Barzilay – Phosphene Journal

The best ‘’Candlelight concert‘’ ever.

The best ‘’Candlelight concert‘’ ever.

Men I Trust – Equus Caballus

Men I Trust – Equus Caballus

The Halluci Nation – Path of the Baby Face

The Halluci Nation – Path of the Baby Face

A lap steel guitar choir and an angel to end the Innovations en concert 24-25 season

A lap steel guitar choir and an angel to end the Innovations en concert 24-25 season

The OSM and Abel Selaocoe: Evenings When You’d Like to Stop Time

The OSM and Abel Selaocoe: Evenings When You’d Like to Stop Time

Reaching for the sky: Francis Choinière’s challenge to end his OPCM’s 10th season

Reaching for the sky: Francis Choinière’s challenge to end his OPCM’s 10th season

Piknic 3: A Little Bit of Everything Under the Sun

Piknic 3: A Little Bit of Everything Under the Sun

Cazzu – Latinaje

Cazzu – Latinaje

Stereolab – Instant Holograms On Metal Film

Stereolab – Instant Holograms On Metal Film

SMCQ | In memoriam Jocelyn Morlock

SMCQ | In memoriam Jocelyn Morlock

Abbey Road at Festival Classica

Abbey Road at Festival Classica

Mira Choquette – Hier encore

Mira Choquette – Hier encore

Jared Dunn; Anna Gorecka – Gorecki’s World of the Piano

Jared Dunn; Anna Gorecka – Gorecki’s World of the Piano

Subscribe to our newsletter