Spiegel im Spiegel by Arvo Pärt

Spiegel im Spiegel (lit. 'mirror(s) in the mirror') is a work for violin and piano from 1978 by Estonian composer Arvo Pärt (1935). He composed it just before his departure from Estonia (then part of the Soviet Union) to Austria, and later Germany. This minimalist piece is short, and also somewhat controversial. I've seen classical music lovers deride it as a snooze fest, or 'boring as hell', while others (including me) fall for its hypnotic qualities. It has certainly reached a wide audience, having been used in dozens of movies and TV series. The version shown above is by Tasmin Little and Martin Roscoe on an EMI CD. 

 

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Symphony No. 4 by Franz Schmidt

Symphony No. 4 in C major was completed in 1933 by Austro-Hungarian composer Franz Schmidt (1874 - 1939). It is the best known of his four late romantic symphonies. The composer called it "A requiem for my daughter", referring to Emma who died unexpectedly after the birth of her first child. Schmidt is often seen as a Nazi sympathizer, although the facts do not support that point of view. Anyway, this symphony is an excellent one, and can be considered the last in the long line of great Romantic symphonies from Austria and Germany. The version shown above is by the London Philharmonic under Franz Welser-Möst on an EMI CD.  

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The Curlew by Peter Warlock

The Curlew is a song cycle from 1922 by British composer Peter Warlock (actual name Philip Heseltine, 1894 - 1930) on poems by W. B. Yeats. It was written for singer and an unusual accompanying group of flute, cor anglais and string quartet. There are four songs, with a short instrumental interlude between the third and the fourth (see also its Wiki entry). When I bought the CD decades ago, it was to get the two Vaughan Williams cycles, but as good as they were, the Warlock turned out to be the real find. For me, bleak as it may be, it is one of the most beautiful song cycles ever composed. The version shown above is by Ian Partridge with the Music Group of London, including Janet Craxton on cor anglais, on an EMI CD.

 

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String Quintet No. 1 by Johannes Brahms

The String Quintet No. 1 in F major, op. 88, was completed in 1882 by German composer Johannes Brahms (1833 - 1897). It is a three movements work, scored for string quartet with a second viola. Brahms described the quintet to his friend Clara Schumann as "one of [his] finest works" and told Simrock, "You have never before had such a beautiful work from me." Indeed, it is a gem. The version shown above is by Members of the Berlin Philharmonic Octet on a Philips Classics CD.

 

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Symphony No. 6 "Chinese Poems" by Krzysztof Penderecki

 

Symphony No. 6 "Chinese Poems" for baritone and orchestra was completed in 2017 by Polish composer Krzysztof Penderecki (1933 - 2020). Its style is representative for the more mellow neo-romantic style of his final decades. It is in eight movements, and was obviously influenced to some extent by Mahler's Das Lied von der Erde. The symphony has an intimate character throughout. It comprises eight songs for baritone on Chinese texts, connected by solo intermezzi, played on the erhu (also known as the Chinese violin) - a fantastic idea even though it will limit public performances. The version shown above is by the Polish Chamber Philharmonic Orchestra Sopot under Wojciech Rajski, with baritone Stephan Genz and erhu player Joanna Kravchenko on an Accord CD.

 

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Tintagel by Arnold Bax

Tintagel is a tone poem completed in 1919 by British composer Arnold Bax (1883 - 1953). It is clearly his most famous tone poem, and also in my opinion one of the best. Bax stated that the piece "is intended to evoke...the castle-crowned cliff of Tintagel, and more particularly the wide distances of the Atlantic as seen from the cliffs of Cornwall on a sunny but not windless summer day." The version shown above is by the Ulster Orchestra under Bryden Thomson on a Chandos CD.

 

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Lyra Angelica by William Alwyn

 

Lyra Angelica is a concerto for harp and string orchestra in four movements from 1954 by the British composer William Alwyn (1905 - 1985). It is probably his best known composition, certainly after the American figure skater Michelle Kwan performed to it at the 1998 Winter Olympics. Alwyn stated his aim in writing this work as trying to sustain in the listener a "rapt mood ... by interweaving the solo harp and strings into a continuous web of luminous sound." At this aim the concerto is very successful. It is a full-length work of symphonic proportions, eminently listenable and inspiring. To my taste it is the best harp concerto ever composed. The version shown above is by Rachel Masters and the City of London Sinfonia under Richard Hickox on a Chandos CD).

 

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Knoxville: Summer of 1915 by Samuel Barber

 

Knoxville: Summer of 1915 is a work for voice and orchestra (or chamber orchestra) from 1947 by American composer Samuel Barber (1910 - 1981). The text is from a 1938 short prose piece by James Agee. Although the piece is traditionally sung by a soprano, it may also be sung by tenor. This beautiful piece is a poetic evocation of life in a hot summer as seen from the perspective of a small boy. The work is in one movement, and is described in detail in its Wikipedia entry. I came across this gem when exploring Dawn Upshaw's discography in the early nineties after attending a recital by her in Chicago. It was my first encounter with Barber other than his famous Adagio for strings - many more compositions followed though. The version shown above is by Dawn Upshaw and the Orchestra of St. Luke's under David Zinman on a Nonesuch CD.

 

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Shéhérazade by Maurive Ravel

 

Shéhérazade is a song cycle of three poems for (mezzo) soprano (or tenor) and orchestra (or piano), completed in 1903 by French composer Maurice Ravel (1875 - 1937). The songs are based on the exotic texts of the French poet Tristan Klingsor, and evoke Persia of days gone by. I have a strong preference for the female voice in this work, and an even stronger preference for the orchestral version rather than the piano. The version shown above is by Elly Ameling and the San Francisco Symphony Orchestra under Edo de Waart on a Philips CD. 

 

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From Me Flows What You Call Time by Tōru Takemitsu

 

From Me Flows What You Call Time is a concerto for 5 percussionists and orchestra from 1990 by Japanese composer Tōru Takemitsu (1930 - 1996). It fits in with the 20th century tradition of writing concertos for unusual instruments. The title is taken from a poem by the Japanese poet Makoto Ooka, titled “Clear Blue Water”. It's a beautiful and evocative piece that deserved to be better known than it is. The version shown above is by percussion group Nexus and  the Pacific Symphony Orchestra under Carl St. Clair on a Sony CD.

 

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Tapiola by Jean Sibelius

 

Tapiola, op.112, is a 1926 symphonic poem by Finnish composer Jean Sibelius (1865 - 1957). His seven symphonies are generally considered the highlight of his oeuvre, but he was also one of the most important composers of symphonic poems - and it is in that genre that we find my favourite work of his. Tapiola portrays Tapio, the animating forest spirit mentioned throughout the epic poetry of Kalevala. It was Sibelius's last major work, though he lived for another thirty years. The version shown above is by the Berlin Philharmonic under Herbert von Karajan on a Deutsche Grammophon CD.

 

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