Schmidt-Kowalski anyone?

[Peter1953]

For a reason unknown to me the CD's are only available in Germany. See
http://www.jpc.de/jpcng/home/search?fastsearch=schmidt-kowalski&rubric=classic&pd_orderby=score
I'm looking forward to the release of Thomas Schmidt-Kowalski's Piano Concerto and Viola Concerto!

[John H White]

Many thanks, Peter, for the information and the link. I've now orderd the 2 symphonies and the cello sonatas, making use of my 5 Euro voucher which JPC kindly sent me some time back.

[Alan Howe]

I'm resurrecting this old thread because I've been listening again to S-K's wonderfully lyrical and luminous 3rd Symphony, which I'd say was probably as good as anything he wrote. This is the CD involved:
http://www.amazon.de/Symphonie-Nr-3-Cellokonzert-Schneider/dp/B0000918QC/ref=sr_1_2?s=music-classical&ie=UTF8&qid=1421794244&sr=1-2&keywords=schmidt-kowalski
If you've had a bad day, the Cello Concerto coupling will do you a power of good too!

[Ilja]

I've been listening to the latter Schmidt-Kowalski symphonies for a while now, but it has left me curious for the first two. Can anyone tell me whether they've been recorded?

[Alan Howe]

Not as far as I can ascertain:
http://www.schmidt-kowalski.de/english/index_eng.htm

[Alan Howe]

It seems that interest in S-K's music has stalled since his death two years ago. While hardly surprising, this is a great shame...

[Mark Thomas]

It's the story of almost every Unsung we celebrate here....

[jerfilm]

Interesting, though.  I recently downloaded the cello sonatas based on what I heard in the symphonys.  I have to say that I'm not so sure that they, or at least part of them, even falls within the UC remit.  Anyone else have that experience??

Jerry

[Alan Howe]

I must demur, Jerry. For those who don't know this music, here are some audio samples ;
https://www.jpc.de/jpcng/classic/detail/-/art/Thomas-Schmidt-Kowalski-1949-2013-Sonaten-f%FCr-Cello-Klavier-op-41299/hnum/4889963

And here's the brief review at Records International:

The first two sonatas here date from 1978 and 1980, showing that Schmidt-Kowalski's adoption of a conservative, late Romantic style went back very early. We know he abandoned avant-gardism in his conservatory days but the opus number 4 proves that, if he composed anything in that vein, he did not acknowledge it. You'll know what to expect here from the three orchestral discs we offered last month: appetizing, high-calorie Germanic late Romanticism in a personal, non-pastiche style. (emphasis added)
http://www.recordsinternational.com/cd.php?cd=08N014

So, no problem with the idiom of these works falling within our remit...

[Gauk]

Worth noting that a subscription to the Naxos site allows you to listen to these pieces (one track at a time). They are also available on Spotify.

[UnsungMasterpieces]

I've seen some messages in this thread about Stockhausen. And when I read them, I just couldn't believe them.

Well, he passed away in 2007, so he probably is decomposed now, but still he's my favourite composer of all time, alongside Richard Wagner.
Stockhausen's electronic works are just incredible because they really remind me of ambient (and they sound like it as well), and so my favourite works of his are Freitag, Montag & Dienstag aus Licht, & Momente. Momente is something different, a cantata with lyrics I can't hear nor understand, but the harmony is absolutely well done.

Another great piece by Stockhausen is Orchester-Finalisten, which is scene 2 of Mittwoch aus Licht.

[Gareth Vaughan]

Stockhausen's electronic works are just incredible because they really remind me of ambient (and they sound like it as well)

Ambient what?

[eschiss1]

U.M.- there are, despite appearances, some posters (still) on this forum who do enjoy more than just one or two of the very many threads of the tapestry of 20th century music (not just neo-Romanticism)- though some of us, lately, tend to be a bit quiet about it based on past experience, which can give the impression that we don't exist. (It's still become a forum for the discussion of a quite limited slice of (even unsung) musical experience, despite the name of the forum, but that doesn't mean people who enjoy other portions of it aren't here, even actively here. One does hesitate of course to respond to irrelevant side-swipes; threads should be held on-topic...) 

Still, nil desperandum, or some such fake-Latin expression... &c &c &c

E

[Alan Howe]

...and so back to S-K, please. I'm sure there are plenty of other forums (fora?) where Stockhausen can be discussed. In any case, he's hardly unsung, is he?

[JeremyMHolmes]

Nope, just unsingable