Schmidt-Kowalski anyone?

[petershott@btinternet.com]

Greetings! Anyone with any particular axe to grind on Thomas Schmidt-Kowalski? A German composer, born 1949.

There are three Naxos CDs devoted to his music (Symphonies 3 and 4, Cello Concerto, Violin Concerto 2, and some Symphonic Poems), but Naxos has - for reasons unknown to me - restricted the distribution of these CDs to Germany. Hence I sneak him in since he is at least unsung in the UK.

Ever curious, I obtained one of the CDs - and was glad I did. Hardly at the cutting edge of contemporary composition, but nonetheless rather affecting, sincerely expressed music, and firmly rooted in the romantic tradition. And good performances and a splendid recording to boot.

Being of a mischievous inclination I'd rather like to blindfold colleagues on this site, tell them I was going to play a new and undiscovered composer of whose work Sterling had released a recording, and sit back and see what happens. But doubtless my mischief would bring about a rebuke!

Anyone listened to this stuff?

Peter

[Alan Howe]

Peter: some while ago - on the previous forum before it got hacked - we had a long and very fruitful thread on Schmidt-Kowalski. In fact, contact was made with the composer himself.

It seems that S-K is something of a one-off: a contemporary composer writing music in an idiom that is an extension of late-Romanticism. Extraordinary and quite wonderful: memorable melodies galore, wonderfully rich orchestration and real feeling. 

[wunderkind]

A wonderful composer he is.  And a while back he offered to send, gratis, autographed copies of his CDs.  I have every one produced by Naxos and have had no disappointments listening to his lovely music.

[Mark Thomas]

Yes, plaudits from me too. Long may he compose.

[Alan Howe]

As opposed to my wish for Stockhausen: Long may he decompose!

[petershott@btinternet.com]

Many thanks Alan, Mark and Wunderkind for those immediate and very positive responses.

I was unaware of the discussion on the previous forum, and now feel chuffed that my hunch that this was music of real quality has been amply vindicated. I phased my initial enquiry in a somewhat cautious way. Having no knowledge at all of Schmidt-Kowalski or the estimate of others about his works, I was confronted by the dilemma of deciding between: 1 This really is significant music of very real worth, and 2 My judgment is gone to pot and is quite defective. Being very much an amateur (but one hopefully with a pair of discerning ears) I thought maybe option 1 is less probable than option 2.

I should be more confident! What perhaps held me back was my general view that much recent & contemporary composition is either outrageous or self-consciously 'clever', and once one has seen through the gimmicks, there's not much of substance there to be found; or the stuff is written in a traditional way but when its saccharine qualities are abstracted, then again there's not a lot to be found. OK, a mere generalisation and there are sharp exceptions to be found (for example, in my view, David Matthews), but I'm prepared to put my head on the block as to the general truth of that generalisation! So when I encountered Schmidt-Kowalski I thought, struth, this is exceptionally well crafted music, is deeply serious, and is wonderfully affecting. Thus, given it goes against the former generalisation, it must be more probable that my critical faculties have gone gaga.

Hence, whacko and a reason for joyfulness: another contemporary composer to celebrate! Thanks for your patience in my voyage of discovery.

And very naughty of you, Alan, to take a swipe at Stockhausen. Thoroughly agree. But actually I think there are certain figures around right now who are not yet decomposing - but I really wish they would speed up a little and get to that state! Most naughty of me to think such things!

Peter

[wunderkind]

I notice the mention of David Matthews.  After listening to the music offered on the Dutton discs - I'd say that Schmidt-Kowalski is a composer head and shoulders above Matthews.

There's another interesting name to ponder - Jon Ward Bauman.  His orchestral music (symphonies and tone poems) - not up to the S-K quality - is affecting and quite well-crafted, and it also sounds nice.   

[petershott@btinternet.com]

Many thanks for the tip, Wunderkind - generous of you to take the trouble.

In fact I have somewhere the CD of Jon Ward Bauman's 4 string quartets. But, helas, I didn't find it rewarding. I'll dig it out and try again. My memory was of an American academic composer: all very slick but not hugely interesting. Maybe I missed out on something.

Peter

[Amphissa]

 
Allow me to add my voice to this chorus of accolades for S-K. I have very much enjoyed his CDs. I don't know whether he gets performed in concert much, but I sure hope he begins receiving more recognition. Compared to the other drek by living composers that I have to sit through in concerts, S-K's music would be a genuine relief. And I can imagine that most audiences would much prefer his music to the latest aimless ambling "atmospheric" music that seems currently in vogue.

[wunderkind]

Many thanks for the tip, Wunderkind - generous of you to take the trouble.

In fact I have somewhere the CD of Jon Ward Bauman's 4 string quartets. But, helas, I didn't find it rewarding. I'll dig it out and try again. My memory was of an American academic composer: all very slick but not hugely interesting. Maybe I missed out on something. Peter

Peter:  The orchestral music is better than the quartets.  None of it rates top billing, and some could be described as more or less "academic."  However, the symphonies - especially Symphony No.4 - Archangels Symphony - are entertaining.  And, they are unsung - which qualifies them for inclusion hereon.   

[petershott@btinternet.com]

Thanks again, Wunderkind. Your persistence has paid off. I shall increase my debts by ordering the 4th Symphony. It always takes quite a campaign to get me to try anything American. One of my many prejudices - and I expect the missiles to come flying thick and fast - is that so much American music is woefully dull if not downright silly stuff. Much of it is composed with fluency, and sometimes real cleverness, but ye gods, is superficial and tiresome to listen to. No matter how hard I try I experience blank incomprehension when it comes to Elliott Carter, and wonder if the Carter enthusiasts and I live on different planets. (But I do make an exception with Ellen Zwillich - I find her compositions satisfying. Likewise with the works I know of Benjamin Lees). I find the same, for that matter, with American literature. This, after all, is the chap who almost came to fisticuffs with an American literature professor when I declared the only American novel worth anyone's attention was 'Moby Dick'. But I don't apologise for the prejudice: I just think of all those supposedly 'great American novels' and groan deep inside. I ramble - and that indicates I should shut up! Thanks again for your valiant attempts to expand my horizons!

Peter

[wunderkind]

Re American music - it's really not all that bad.      (Although, in general, I am with you on Carter - except for his First Symphony.)

You ought to try the marvelous Piano Concerto of Vittorio Giannini.  This is a lush, powerful work in the style of Rachmaninoff.  It's on Naxos, coupled with a very good Symphony No.4. Here are sound clips - http://www.classicalarchives.com/album/636943935224.html

And, also, the upbeat and echt-American music of Don Gillis.

(PS - Peter - I would take serious issue with you re American  novels.  But that's another subject!)

[monafam]

I was fortunate to have received four of his CDs.  Sometimes you feel transported to era of the past and then you think...why aren't more people writing like this?

Great stuff.

[John H White]

I certainly agree with you, Wunderkind, about Don Gillis. I find his music very entertaining and, unlike some 20th Century moderns, he doesn't take himself too seriously.

[John H White]

Could someone please give me full details of the Naxos Schmidt-Kowalski CDs . I've been unable to find them on the Europadisc web site either under the composer's name or under "symphonies". Sadly, I missed that special offer from the composer last year.