Mouvement Symphonique

On this CD:

1. Mouvement Symphonique, for trombone & organ
Composed by Leif Thybo
Performed by Erik Lundkvist, John Petersen

2. Concerto II per organo "St. Andrew's"
Composed by Leif Thybo
Performed by Inge Boennerup

3. Aus dem Stundenbuch, for soprano & organ Ich finde dich
Composed by Leif Thybo
Performed by Erik Lundkvist, Susanne Lange

4. Aus dem Stundenbuch, for soprano & organ Alle, welche dich suchen
Composed by Leif Thybo
Performed by Erik Lundkvist, Susanne Lange

5. Aus dem Stundenbuch, for soprano & organ Wenn es nur einmal so ganz stille wäre
Composed by Leif Thybo
Performed by Erik Lundkvist, Susanne Lange

6. Sonnengesant, for soprano & organ
Composed by Leif Thybo
Performed by Grethe Krogh, Susanne Lange

7. Sumer Is Icumen In, for organ
Composed by Leif Thybo
Performed by Grethe Krogh

8. Contrasti per organo
Composed by Leif Thybo
Performed by Grethe Krogh

Tracks:

Star Wars - Main Title
Space Fantasy
Pacific 231
The Unanswered Question
Aranjuez
Peer Gynt: Solveig's Song
Hora Staccato
The Sea Named Solaris

Customer Reviews:

One Of His Best.......2003-06-07

If one can get past the laughably bad Star Wars opening track, this album is a stunner. Though lacking the fluid continuity of his previous efforts, Tomita manages to select darker, more beautiful, and more moody pieces than before, creating an incredible dream-like atmosphere without resorting to the usual space-ship and "alien" sounds that tarnished The Planets and The Bermuda Triangle. His sound became larger, more ambient, and denser. The final Bach medley "The Sea Named Solaris" is Tomita's finest hour, and this album is a must for any fan or Tomita's work, or of electronic music. A flawed but still great work.

Complete list of Tomita's classical albums..........2002-03-05

This CD is fantastic, but a big box set of every classical Tomita album would be even better. Most of the CDs out of print for years are absolutely fantastic. Four of his albums would fit two on one CD. Here's the complete list...

Snowflakes Are Dancing 1974 (11 Debussy pieces) The newly remastered CD is an audiophile recording, adds Prelude To The Afternoon of a Faun and is available for a good price.

Pictures At An Exhibition 1975 (Mussorgsky)

Firebird 1976 (Stravinsky: Firebird. Debussy: Prelude To The Afternoon of A Faun. Mussorgsky: Night On Bald Mountain)

The Planets 1976 (Holst)

Kosmos 1978 (Star Wars Title. Space Fantasy- R. Strauss: 2001 Title, Wagner: Ride of The Valkyries and Tannhauser Overture. Honnegar: Pacific 231. Ives: Unanswered Question. Rodrigo: Aranjuez. Grieg: Solveig's Song. Dinicu-Heifetz: Hora Staccato. Bach-Tomita: The Sea Named Solaris)

The Bermuda Triangle 1979 (Sibelius: Valse Triste. And excerpts from... Williams: Close Encounters. Prokofiev: Romeo and Juliet, Scythian Suite, Symphonies 5 and 6, Violin Concerto 1. My favorite electronic CD.)

Bolero 1980 (Ravel: Daphis and Chloe. Pavane for A Dead Princess. Bolero. Mother Goose Suite)

The Grand Canyon 1982 (Grofe)

Canon of The Three Stars 1984 (Pachelbel: Canon. Rachmaninoff: Vocalise. Albinoni: Adagio. Bach: Jesu Joy of Man's Desiring. 4 pieces from Villa Lobos: Bachianis Brasileiras 2, 4, and 7)

Live At Linz, Austria 1985 (With speakers on both sides of the Danube River and live soloists. Includes 7 pieces from previous albums plus Stravinsky: The Rite of Spring. Japanese Traditional: Cranes In Their Nest. Vaughn Williams: The Lark Ascending. Wagner: Tristan Und Isolde-Liebestod. Beethoven: Ode To Joy with full Choir.)

Live In New York 1988 (Includes 7 pieces from previous albums plus Dukas: Fanfare. Mahler: Symphony 3 in D Minor - 5th Movement. Traditional: Chinese War Lord Going Home. Gershwin: Rhapsody In Blue. Fisher-Dvorak: Goin' Home. My favorite live concert CDs.)

electronic instruments, very good selections,.......1999-05-29

I have this album in vinyl, should be better without background hiss. Star Wars theme is quite interesting, lovers of "the force" should be impressed. Worth every dime.

Average customer rating:

Jean Cocteau, Erik Satie and Les Six

Manufacturer: Ltm / Boutique Nl
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

Ballets | Ballets & Dances | Classical | Styles | Music

Mazurkas | Ballets & Dances | Classical | Styles | Music

Waltzes | Ballets & Dances | Classical | Styles | Music

Preludes | Forms & Genres | Classical | Styles | Music

General | Classical | Styles | Music

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Classical | Imports | Stores | Music
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Satie: Orchestral Works

ASIN: B0007SMD78
Release Date: 2005-03-22

Average customer rating:

Powerful Classical

Classical Blast

Manufacturer: Denon Records
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

Suites | Forms & Genres | Classical | Styles | Music

General | Symphonies | Classical | Styles | Music

Modern & 20th Century | Symphonies | Classical | Styles | Music

General | Classical | Styles | Music

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The Most Uplifting Classics in the Universe
Thunder & Lightning
25 Thunderous Classics

ASIN: B00018U8VC
Release Date: 2004-01-27

Tracks:

Sehr Breit
Finale
Finale
IV. March To The Scaffold
Festival In Baghdad/The Sea/The Ship Goes To Pieces On A Rock Surmounted By A Bronze Warrior (Shipwreck)/Conclusion
A Night On Bald Mountain
IV. Ode To Joy

Tracks:

Toreador March
Finale
Prelude
Mars, Bringer Of War
Intrada
Pacific 231
Montagues And Capulets
Finale
Finale
Great Gates Of Kiev

Customer Reviews:

Powerful Classical.......2006-06-08

This is a collectional of Powerful, Brassy, Percussive Classics. This collection is similar to Heavy Classix and Classical Thunder. The recordings are good and the performances wonderful. The liner notes however are practically non-existent. I have no idea who these performances are done by but they have a lot of bravura. This collection is good for those listeners who like their classical music loud!

Honegger: Pacific 231, mouvement symphonique No1; Symphony No3

Average customer rating:

Honegger: Pacific 231, mouvement symphonique No1; Symphony No3

Manufacturer: EMI Records [All429]
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

General | Symphonies | Classical | Styles | Music

Modern & 20th Century | Symphonies | Classical | Styles | Music

General | Classical | Styles | Music
ASIN: B00000DNTD
Release Date: 1994-07-19

Tracks:

Sym No.2: I. Molto Moderato - Allegro
Sym No.2: II. Adagio Mesto
Sym No.2: III. Vivace Non Troppo - Presto
Sym No.3 'Liturgique': I. Dies Irae: Allegro Marcato
Sym No.3 'Liturgique': II. De Profundis Clamavi: Adagio
Sym No.3 'Liturgique': III. Dona Nobis Pacem: Andante - Adagio
Pacific 231: Movt Sym No.1

Honegger: Symphonies #1-5, Pacific 231; Michel Plasson; Orchestre du Capitole du Toulouse

Average customer rating:

This Honegger's Not Half-Bad

Honegger: Symphonies #1-5, Pacific 231; Michel Plasson; Orchestre du Capitole du Toulouse
Arthur Honegger , Michel Plasson , and Orchestre du Capitole du Toulouse
Manufacturer: EMI Classics
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

General | Symphonies | Classical | Styles | Music

Modern & 20th Century | Symphonies | Classical | Styles | Music

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Honegger
Carlos Chávez: The Complete Symphonies
Milhaud: La Création du monde; Le Buf sur le toit; Saudades do Brasil
Joseph Marx: Nature Trilogy
Honegger: Symphonies 1-5; Pacific 231; Rugby

ASIN: B0000CE7FR
Release Date: 2004-06-01

Tracks:

I: Allegro Marcato
II: Adagio
III: Presto
I: Molto Moderato - Allegro - Yan-Pascal Tortelier
II: Adagio Mesto - Yan-Pascal Tortelier
III: Vivace Ma Non Troppo - Presto - Yan-Pascal Tortelier
I: 'Dies Irae': Allegro Marcato - Calvin Sieb
II: 'De Profundis Clamavi': Adagio - Calvin Sieb
III: 'Dona Nobis Pacem': Andante - Calvin Sieb

Tracks:

I: Lento E Misterioso - Allegro - Lento - Allegro Molto Tranquillo
II: Larghetto
III: Allegro - Adagio - Allegro
I: Grave
II: Allegretto - Adagio - Allegretto
III: Allegro Marcato
Pacific 231 (Mouvement Symphonique No.1)

Customer Reviews:

This Honegger's Not Half-Bad.......2005-11-12

EMI has had their share of questionable reissues lately, but the label's new "Gemini" series is certainly something to get excited about. These two-disc titles feature first rate performances at a true budget price, even less expensive than the company's own "Double Forte" line. As I did not have a complete Honegger cycle in my collection, I decided to get this set recently featuring the five Symphonies and Pacific 231 (Mouvement Symphonique No. 1). These recordings by Michel Plasson and the Orchestre du Capitole de Toulouse from the late 1970s are enjoyable, if not stellar. I certainly don't prefer the accounts featured here to those I have by Karajan (Syms 2 & 3), Munch (Syms 2 & 5 with Boston and Sym 2 with Paris) and Scherchen (Pacific 231), but I'm still glad to have purchased it. At this low price, what's not to like?

Average customer rating:

Honegger's Greatest Hits.
I hope I'm reviewing the right CD!

Honegger

Manufacturer: Angel Records
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

General | Classical | Styles | Music

General | Chamber Music | Classical | Styles | Music

General | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music

Cantatas | Vocal Non-Opera | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music
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Honegger: Symphonies #1-5, Pacific 231; Michel Plasson; Orchestre du Capitole du Toulouse
John Adams - El Nino / Hunt-Lieberson, Upshaw, W. White, Nagano
Hodie / Fantasia on Christmas Carols
Arthur Honegger: Jeanne d'Arc au bûcher
Howard Hanson: Organ Concerto; Fantasy Variations; Nymphs and Satyr; Summer Seascape; Pastorale; Serenade

ASIN: B000006DE0
Release Date: 2002-11-05

Tracks:

Pacific 231, Movt Symphonique
Rugby, Movt Symphonique
Pastorale D'Ete, Poeme Symphonique
Une Cantate De Noel - Camille Maurane/Chor D'Oratorio Ey Maitrise De L'ORTF/Marcel Couraud/Henriette Puig-Roget

Customer Reviews:

Honegger's Greatest Hits........2007-06-30

The French-Swiss composer Arthur Honegger was one of the young musicians lumped together as "Les Six" in the 1920s, with Erik Satie as their musical godfather and Jean Cocteau as their press agent. Honegger, with his love of big orchestras, polyphony and large symphonic forms, probably was the one who owed the least to Satie as a composer. His work in general is bold and fiercely dramatic, but also with a certain playful element that puts him in line with his friends Milhaud and Poulenc. This disc by Jean Martinon and the Orchestre National de l'ORTF brings together Honegger's three most popular works--"Pacific 231," "Rugby," and "Pastorale d'ete"--with the rarely heard "Une cantate de Noel." All four works underline Honegger's flair for drama and for programmatic music. Personally, I think Leonard Bernstein's version of "Pacific 231" is more exciting, but Martinon's version is intelligent and pays close attention to the Bachian textures of the work. Martinon really shines, however, in "Pastorale d'ete," as dreamy and delightful a piece of musical Impressionism as has ever been recorded (and the piece for which I bought this disc). Particularly at its mid-list price, this import disc is a must-buy for anyone interested in Honegger's music.

I hope I'm reviewing the right CD!.......2000-03-11

Amazon doesn't specify whether there are additional pieces on this CD - I assume that aside from Pacific 231 and Rugby, both precise commentaries on two singled-out aspects of modern life, crisp and descriptive, this album includes Pastorale d'été and Une Cantate de Noël. This Christmas cantata blew me away and sent chills down my spine. So many composers and artists criticize our times, but Honegger here draws an ideal painting of what Christmas should be like, a joyful celebration of all nations, singing together unto the Lord. Carols keep popping up from behind the orchestra and interweave to a thrilling ensemble that I will most definitely play not only at Christmas!

Honneger: Symphony No. 5; Symphony No. 3; Pacific 231

Average customer rating:

Shamefully Neglected 20th-Century Master
"Pacific 231" never sounded so good!

Honneger: Symphony No. 5; Symphony No. 3; Pacific 231

Manufacturer: Chandos
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

General | Symphonies | Classical | Styles | Music

Modern & 20th Century | Symphonies | Classical | Styles | Music

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ASIN: B000000AS2
Release Date: 1994-07-26

Tracks:

Symphony No. 5 'Di tre re': I Grave
Symphony No. 5 'Di tre re': II Allegretto - Adagio - Allegretto - Adagio - Allegretto
Symphony No. 5 'Di tre re': III Allegro marcato
Symphony No. 3 'Liturgique': I Dies Irae. Allegro marcato
Symphony No. 3 'Liturgique': II De profundis clamavi. Adagio
Symphony No. 3 'Liturgique': III Dona nobis pacem. Andante
Pacific 231: Modere - Rythmique

Amazon.com

Arthur Honegger (1882-1955) was a member of the famous group of French composers-- influenced by Eric Satie's theories--called Les Six. Honegger's music, however, never followed any school or program. His Symphony 5, Di Tre Re, (1950) is a thoroughly modern update to the French symphony. His music is post-romantic with occasional elements of post-modernism thrown in. He wasn't afraid of the occasional modal clash. His Symphony 3 Liturgique (1946) is based on the Catholic liturgy, but contains many more dynamic elements, hardly liturgical at all. Pacific 231 describes a powerful train locomotive. The Chandos sound is absolutely spectacular. Recommended without hesitation. --Paul Cook

Customer Reviews:

Shamefully Neglected 20th-Century Master.......2005-09-12

I dare anyone to listen to the expansive, hauntingly beautiful slow movement of Arthur Honegger's Symphony #3 (subtitled "Liturgique") and not feel that we are dealing with one of the unjustly neglected composers of the last century. Although often grouped with LES SIX (the iconoclastic group of composers in 1920's Paris responsible for breathing a lot of fresh air into music), Honegger had little in common with them. By his own admission he had "no taste for the fairground [or] the music hall", and preferred to write serious-minded orchestral music, chamber music, and oratorios.

Like its predecessor the Symphony #2 for strings and trumpet, the Symphony #3 has strong extra-musical associations, having been composed at the end of World War II when Honegger was absorbed in pessimistic thoughts about humanity's self-destructive tendencies. Each movement bears a Latin inscription from Catholic liturgy. The first movement, "Dies Irae", is appropriately explosive and harsh, full of striking sonorities and Stravinksy-like (eg. SYMPHONY IN 3 MOVEMENTS) in its block-like structures. In the stunning second movement, "De profundis clamavi", the lyric floodgates open as Honegger spins out an inexorable thread of melody through various harmonic changes like changing clouds. The final movement, "Dona nobis pacem", brings back the barbarism of the first (reflecting "the rise of collective stupidity") before dissolving into a final prayer-like Adagio in which the flute, representing the "dove of peace", hovers serenely above the orchestra.

The more slight Symphony #5 ("Di tre re") pales a bit incomparison with #3, though it offers some striking block-like polyharmonies and kinetic energy.

PACIFIC 231, a short tone poem for orchestra written in 1923, shows the younger, brash Honegger. This piece, with its startlingly realistic depictions of a steam locomotive, created a sensation and became emblematic of the Age of Steel.

Of the "French Six", only Francis Poulenc - once the clown of the group and later masterful composer of sacred music and songs - has survived in the repertory. Many listeners will see why I feel that Honegger needs a revival and deserves a more prominent place in the early modern pantheon. His music combines French sensibility with Germanic feel for "message" and personal expression. His symphonies are surely some of the most important in a century that produced few works in that august genre. Honegger's music needs to be heard, and the third symphony is a great place to start.

"Pacific 231" never sounded so good!.......2001-11-26

Arthur Honegger may have been the greatest composer of the "Les Six" group. Francis Poulenc was certainly easier to listen to, and he was brilliant in his own right. And Darius Milhaud, an instructor of big-name jazz musicians and Burt Bacharach, had an extraordinary command of counterpoint and a flawless sense of form. But there seems to be something more substantial about Honegger's music, for all its sternness and sometimes turgid texture. His music is hard to warm up to, but, believe me, it is worth the journey.

Speaking of journeys (and on the same train of thought), the "Pacific 231" performance contained on this CD is beyond faulting. The recording engineer has refrained from adding any artificial effects to the mix, especially during the chromatically-descending polytonal slow-down near the end--every wonderful, crashing note shines through. I live for this moment when I listen to this piece. I envision a deer on the tracks and frantic cries of "Stop the train!" ("Gunsmoke" marathons on TVLand are to blame, here.)

Tracks:

Symphony No. 1: Allegro marcato
Symphony No. 1: Adagio
Symphony No. 1: Presto - Andante tranquillo
Symphony No. 2 'For Strings': Molto moderato - Allegro
Symphony No. 2 'For Strings': Adagio mesto
Symphony No. 2 'For Strings': Vivace non troppo
Symphony No. 5 'Di tre re': Grave
Symphony No. 5 'Di tre re': Allegretto. Adagio. Allegretto. Adagio. Allegretto
Symphony No. 5 'Di tre re': Allegro marcato

Tracks:

Symphony No. 3 'Liturgique': 'Dies irae' - Allegro marcato
Symphony No. 3 'Liturgique': 'De profundis clamavi' - Adagio
Symphony No. 3 'Liturgique': 'Dona nobis pacem' - Andante
Symphony No. 4 'Deliciae Basilienses': Lento e misterioso - Allegro
Symphony No. 4 'Deliciae Basilienses': Larghetto
Symphony No. 4 'Deliciae Basilienses': Allegro
Pacific 231: Mouvement symphonique
Rugby: Mouvement symphonique

Customer Reviews:

Absolutely brilliant.......2005-02-15

Excellent performances of brilliant symponies by an unjustly neglected great 20th C composer.

Lots of dissonance and energy in all these works.
Sym 1 alone is a very powerful work.

Strongly recommended.

Why is Honegger not more popular?.......2001-03-21

This is the only complete set of Honegger's symphonies. We are extremely lucky, then, that the performances on this album are so good. At the risk of repeating other reviewers I must say that I find it not only unjust, but inexplicable as to why Honneger is not more popular. His symphonies are varied, original and, with the possible exception of the fifth, of the utmost quality. From the youthful, often dissonant vigor of the first we move to tranquillity and absolute despair in the second, scored only for strings until the tension is relieved at the end by a solo trumpet. The third, like the second, was penned by an artist deeply affected by WWII. The fourth is a work of a completely different cut, with its delicate, almost chamber-like scoring and lighthearted material. The fifth is, in my opinion, his weakest, although it is by no means bad music. Rugby is a dynamic portrayal of movement in music, as is the overwhelming Pacific 231, a piece which paints a musical picture of a great steam locomotive. The sense of momentum Honegger creates in Pacific 231 amazes me every time I listen to it, if you close your eyes you can almost feel yourself hurtling across the countryside at hundreds of miles an hour. If you want a complete set of Honegger's symphonies this is the only option, and thankfully it's a very good one.

Unjustly forgotten music........2000-12-14

Here's one composer that has fallen into a relative obliivion. Among "Les Six" , a group of provocative young composers thriving in the ebullient Paris of the 1920's, Honegger (1892 -1955 ) was the one who achieved the widest fame and actually entered the international concert circuit. Among the others Milhaud also seemed to make the breakthrough, but his self-consciously "shocking" music soon outstayed its welcome while Durey, Tailleferre and Auric never produced anything substantial. Poulenc, instead, was regarded as a guilty pleasure, a charming but superficial composer whose allegedly shaky technique precluded him the big symphonic form. Big symphonic form that was exactly Honegger's forteè. After Honegger's death, though things began to change and now it's the once-ridiculed Poulenc that enjoys a far wider notoriety, thanks to the warmth of his music and its genuine intimate quality. Since the 70's (when Karajan's legendary account of the 2nd sym was recorded), Honegger's music slipped away from critical esteem, concert-halls and recording business. Suffice it to say that Dutoit's set is the only major digital cycle, and it was recorded in the mid 80's! Clearly, the post-war reaction again "conservative" music was a major reason for this but, also, I think Honegger's contradictions worked against him: he declared that he wanted to compose austere, highly serious music but, at the same time, he produced a huge number of works in almost any known form ( symphonies, oratorios, chamber music, movie scores) , with unavoidable unevenness of inspiration. At his best, though, Honegger is a highly rewarding composer. His music reflects a wide range of moods, being capable of lyricism and youthful exuberance, wild anger and desolation. Also, his evolution provides a rewarding variety of style, from the aggressive motorism of the 1920's to the austere Neo-Classicism of the later works. His orchestration is also very individual , featuring a peculiarly astringent, strongly contrasted sound, with original choices in instrumentation, like the frequent use of the saxophone. Luckily this set is not just an obligatory chioce but it's also highly recommendable. Not only is Dutoit at home with this repertoire, he also makes the Bavarians play this music as if it was their standard concert-fare. The peculiarly brilliant, silvery tone of this splendid ensemble sounds actually more attuned to the music than the sheen

provided by the Berliners for Karajan, that sometimes buried in gloss the details (e.g. the trumpet in the 2nd, that can be heard here thanks to a better textural control and absolutely first-class recording). I'll try a brief description of the works. Sym 1: it's the less known, but it's one of my Honegger favorites. It's an eminently abstract work, whose orchestral virtuosity and exuberance sound very appropriate to Kussevitzky's Boston SO, for which it was composed. It also has a ravishing, intimate middle movement. Sym 2 and 3 are very much "war" symphonies, even if a way very different from, say, Shostakovich 7th. Rather than the struggle for the final victory, they express endless anguish and pain (1941's second), but also the rage for the loss of so many lives and the search for solace (1946's third). It's no concidence that these two feature some of Honegger's most angry, dissonant music. Sym 4 was composed for Paul Sacher's Basle orchestra (hence the subtitle) and it's indeed delighful, almost Haydnian in its luminous textures and smiling irony. With Sym 5 we return to severity and broad symphonic canvases. This one is also a splendid work, with a prevailing note of pessimism , both personal ( Honegger just had a stroke) and general ( he didn' like the direction music was taking, maybe he foresaw his own fate). The subtitle ( "of the three D's ") refers to the fact that the work's three movements end with that note. In my opinion it's the work that features more prominently a peculiarly Honeggerian "dark transparency" in the sound. (I know it sounds weird but I swear it makes sense once you hear the music! ) The first two Mouvements Symphoniques are Honegger's most famous works. Suffice it to say that neither the shatteringly inexorable progression of "Pacific 231" nor the endlessly seductive rondo-like gestures of "Rugby" deserve to be downgraded as "descriptive" music, as they often are. My quibbles: the ridicolously scanty notes provided and the fact that they could not include two essential pieces, the striking Mouvement Symphonique n.3 that Honegger composed for Furtwangler and the caressingly beautiful "Pastorale d'eté" To hear those as splendidly performed by this same team you should buy the other Honegger release in this series (Ultima 3984-24244-2). That also contains Le Roi David by Dutoit and several orchestral pieces conducted by Marius Constant. That's a less essential release, but those two pieces alone would be worthy the expense. I strongly recommend this one to everybody interested in 20th century music.

The best complete set available.......2000-08-30

I bought these performances individually when they came out in the mid 1980s. They are probably the best played, most idiomatic performances of the Honegger symphonies conducted by the most noted conductor of French music today. Dutoit and the Bavarians bring out both the grit and the heartbreak in these deeply felt symphonies. If I have reservations about this compilation it is because they have eliminated some of the extra pieces that were in the original Erato releases, like the Pastorale and Mouvement Symphonique no. 3. However, with the major labels apparently scaling down their classical activity, I'm not going to quibble. You should probably get this one quickly before it goes out of print.

Good, but not Flawless.......2000-03-28

This is a convenient set of the very moving and expressive Honegger symphonies. The performances are good, but by no means perfect. Dutoit, I would normally not associate with conducting Honegger as he seems to prefer lighter and less violent music. However he handles the the works fairly well. The Symphony 1 is the composers harshest and most rythmically complex symphony. The orchestra does a fine job with these gawky rythms, but still seems somewhat restrained. The second and third symphonies are also given adequate performances though like the first the manic wildness of them is not fully released. By far the most passionate and intense recording of the second and third is Herbert von Karajan's version on the DG label. Probably the best performance on these discs is that of the Symphony 4. This is the most suited for Dutoit for it is the gentlest of the 5 symphonies. The orchestra does a beautiful job and the work absolutely sparkles with orchestral color. The fifth symphony is also given a solid performance. Included as a bonus is two of the Symphonic Movements: Pacific 2.3.1., and Rugby. Overall this a good buy for anyone wanting to get acquainted with symphonies of one of the twentieth centuries most underated composers: Arthur Honegger.

Honegger: Symphony No. 3 ("Liturgique"), etc.

Average customer rating:

Outstanding!
Sterling Honegger from New Zealand

Honegger: Symphony No. 3 ("Liturgique"), etc.

Manufacturer: Naxos
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

General | Symphonies | Classical | Styles | Music

Modern & 20th Century | Symphonies | Classical | Styles | Music

General | Classical | Styles | Music

4-for-3 Classical | 4-for-3 Music | Stores | Music

4-for-3 All Music | 4-for-3 Music | Stores | Music
ASIN: B0002JEG54
Release Date: 2004-09-21

Tracks:

I. Dies Irae: Allegro Marcato
II. De Profundis Clamavi: Adagio
III. Dona Nobis Pacem: Andante
'Rugby' Mouvement Symphonique: Allegro
Movement Symphonique No. 3: Allegro Marcato
'Pacific 231' Mouvement Symphonique: Modere
Pastorale D'Ete: Calme

Album Description

In an age of remarkable individuals, Joseph Boulogne, Chevalier de Saints-Georges, son of a French colonial planter and a beautiful Senegalese slave, occupied a unique position as athlete, swordsman, military commander, huntsman, violin virtuoso and conductor. Though written for his own use, the violin concertos are more than vehicles for mere virtuosic display. Lyrical, expressive slow movements are flanked by often highly original outer movements, quite unlike anything written by Viennese composers such as Haydn, Hofmann and Dittersdorf. Had Mozart seen Saint-Georges play the brilliant Concerto No. 10 while he was in Paris in 1778, he would have heard many things in it to admire.

Customer Reviews:

Outstanding!.......2006-07-09

J Scott Morrison pretty much said it all in the previous review but I would just like to reiterate that the performance from the NZSO is truly excellent. The woodwind, brass and percussion, in particular, play their hearts out and have a rollicking good time with these vibrant and occasionally astringent scores. Furthermore, the sound quality of the recording is excellent - the best I've ever heard from Naxos.

If you're not very familiar with Honegger (other than 'Pacific 231'), then this would be a great (and cheap!) place to start.

Note to classical saxophonists: the 'Mouvement symphonique no.3' features a (well-played on this recording) tenor saxophone solo midway through.

Sterling Honegger from New Zealand.......2004-11-16

I'm a latecomer to the appreciation of Honegger's music. With the exception of such things as the Fourth Symphony ('Deliciae Basiliensis,' an urban night-piece the equal of Vaughan Williams's 'London Symphony,' and 'Pastoral d'Été,' in a classic recording by Hermann Scherchen) I've known little of his music until fairly recently. I credit a friend whose judgment I admire and who kept after me about my having called Honegger a 'gray composer' that I've come to value much of his that I've heard in recent years. I've made up for lost time, but I'm far from an expert on his output yet. Still, I've heard the Karajan and Munch recordings of his Third Symphony and was pretty familiar with the work when this new release came my way.

Honegger wrote two war symphonies, the Second (1941) and this one, the Third (1945). Both depict the horror of war and each ends with some hope for the future, although I must admit that Honegger was clear-eyed about the after-war period not being all moonlight and roses. The Third, subtitled 'Liturgique,' is not actually a religious symphony in the usual sense of the word. Rather it uses Latin phrases from the liturgy to describe the feeling of each of its three movements: 'Dies irae,' 'De profundis clamavi' and 'Dona nobis pacem' ('Day of Wrath,' 'Out of the Depths We Cry,' and 'Give Us Peace'). The first movement is a furious allegro that is hard-edged and even ugly at times. This is angry, anguished music. The second, an adagio, is a heartfelt cry of supplication. The third is a bit calmer but still has more than a little resignation and cynicism about it, even though a kind of uneasy quiet is achieved at the end. There is one theme that occurs in all three movement, one that Honegger called 'the bird theme' and it can be thought of as representing the dove of peace. It is quoted in its most serene form at the end of the piece, but there is still the unease of diffidence about it. No wonder; Honegger's Fifth Symphony, the last he wrote, returns to this anguished outcry. Takuo Yuasa and his New Zealand Symphony Orchestra, in superb modern sound, turn in an edgy, committed and richly sonorous performance here. This is not easy music (to play to or to listen to) but it is important music and needs to be heard. I've never seen it in programmed in a live symphony concert but it has been recorded many times by such conductors as Jansons, Järvi, Luisi and Baudo. What a pity it's not often heard, particularly in these days of war.

Honegger wrote four symphonic movements that stand alone: 'Pastorale d'Été' (1920), 'Pacific 231,' (1923), 'Rugby' (1928), and 'Symphony Movement No. 3' (1933). It is supposed that he grew leery of programmatic titles when it came to the last one. 'Pastorale d'Été' is marked 'calme' and is a luscious string-dominated piece that features sensuous solos by various wind solos. 'Pacific 231' depicts a steam train of that name in motion, starting up slowly, gathering speed with much huffing and puffing and then chugging away. An exciting piece, excitingly played here, Honegger's 'Short Ride in a Slow Machine.' 'Rugby' is a scherzo with brilliant orchestration--it reminds me of Dukas in places--that has, among other things, a chorale theme that is stirring. I don't actually hear much here that sounds like a rugby match, but who am I to say? 'Mouvement symphonique No. 3' is rather more astringent than its brothers and features vigorous polytonal chords but also a plaintive tenor sax solo midway along.

If you don't know any of Honegger's orchestral music, this might be a good place to start. Naxos, of course, is a budget label and so it won't cost you much to make Honegger's acquaintance. For those of you have elderly versions of these pieces, you could certainly do worse than get this CD. I hope that the next issue from Yuasa and the New Zealand orchestra will contain the infectious, even light-hearted Symphony No. 4. It still remains my favorite of the four symphonies I know (I don't think I've ever heard Symphony No. 1).

By the way, Honegger was also a prolific composer of movie music back in the 1930s and his score for the 1934 French movie, 'Les Misérables,' is scheduled to come out on Naxos in a month or two; it had previously been released on Naxos's full-priced sister label, Marco Polo, and I can assure you it is a winner. Also on Marco Polo is his music for Abel Gance's legendary silent classic, 'Napoléon.'

Scott Morrison

Average customer rating:

First-class Honegger
Absolutely Brilliant
Great works by a great French composer!
underappreciated piece...
Scrunchily sympathetic, sonically spacious

Honegger: Orchestral Works

Manufacturer: Decca
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

General | Symphonies | Classical | Styles | Music

Modern & 20th Century | Symphonies | Classical | Styles | Music

General | Classical | Styles | Music

The Decca Records Store | Specialty Stores | Music
ASIN: B00000JNPL
Release Date: 1999-07-20

Tracks:

Rugby (Mouvement symphonique No.2)
Symphony No.2: Molto Moderato - Allegro
Symphony No.2: Adagio Mesto
Symphony No.2: Vivace non troppo - Presto
Mouvement Symphonique No.3
Monopartita
Pastorale D'Ete
Pacific 231 (Mouvement symphonique No.1)

Amazon.com

The best word to describe the music of Arthur Honegger would have to be gnarly. His style is restlessly contrapuntal and charged with dissonance, but this isn't a bad thing at all. In fact, his sharply etched instrumental lines and acerbic harmonies add a welcome touch of spice to a somewhat severe idiom, much as a pinch of hot pepper perks up an otherwise bland sauce. They give his fast music the power of a juggernaut, and fill his slower, quieter moments with ear-catching detail. What's needed in performance, and what David Zinman and his Swiss orchestra deliver in abundance, is rhythmic accuracy and clarity. In fact, there hasn't been such a fine Honegger disc since Herbert von Karajan's legendary recordings of the Second and Third Symphonies (currently on DG "Originals"). In the strings-only Second Symphony, the Zurich band hasn't the weight of Karajan's Berliners, but they are just as impassioned and incisive in attack. The other works--including all three Movements symphoniques ("Pacific 231," "Rugby," and No. 3, which has no nickname)--receive what are clearly their finest recorded performances. Pastorale d'été is as charming as ever, and there's a special bonus in the form of the rarely heard Monopartita, whose unfortunate name sounds like a disease but that is actually a vibrant suite of dances gathered in a single movement. Brilliant sonics, too. --David Hurwitz

Customer Reviews:

First-class Honegger.......2005-12-13

This is a compendium of the great orchestral works by the French composer Arthur Honegger. His music is hard to describe, but it is all rather interesting. His most famous works include the three Mouvement Symphoniques included on this disk.

The first entitled Pacific 231 is amazing to me. Devoid of any real melodies, or perhaps even form, the music describes with great reality, the sounds, and feels even, of a large, at first lumbering, but later, speedy, train. The music isn't pretty, nor is it repugnant, but instead, it is what it is, a very visual depiction of a train. It begins slow, in the station, with sounds of steam, creaks, and squeals, with eventual emphasis in the lower tessitura instruments and percussion (tuba, contrabassoon, bass clarinet, etc.). As it speeds up, the rhythms divide, slowly increasing the pace of the train, maintaining the tempo of he work, adding instrumental elements; the work eventually ends in a clamor. I find the 6 minute piece to be one of the most fascinating works I have heard in a long time. The second Mouvement Symphonique is entitled after the sport Rugby, and Honegger lets you know how he feels about the game. From the whimsical opening orchestral flourish, sometimes the game is rough, messy, and musically dissonant, other times he shows the gracefulness of team strategy through sweeping melodic lines. I believe his intent is a positive one, and the music conveys that well. The third one has no particular program, but is simply entitled Mouvement Symphonique No. 3. After a short rising introduction, the strings relay a jumpy, nearly heroic theme that comes back later. The music is very aggressive and dissonant, and eventually calms down in the end, featuring an alto saxophone solo. The music of these pieces use dissonance to their advantage and are sparse with melodic material, but the music speaks for itself, one of great visual and musical diversity.

Honegger's Symphony for Strings, or his Second Symphony, is one of great angst and struggle. While there is a peaceful calm and simple melody at the opening, the allegro shortly dispels the peacefulness. The second movement throbs painfully over a soaring melody, a melody of strife. The burly final movement has great industriousness, and not until the trumpet enters at the end, is there any glimmer of hope. Honegger aggressively set the strings in a compound meter with occasional manic duple chords, but in a whirlwind, after the chorale with trumpet, the last movement settles all of a sudden on a chord of bliss. A highly modern sounding piece, it is not a-tonal, but one of great dissonance rooted in the tonal world.

In stark contrast is the Pastorale d'ete, and eight minute work of great radiance and warmth. Written for strings and solo horn, oboe, bassoon, clarinet, and flute, there is a Spanish sumptuousness to the opening, with a slightly exotic dance feeling, along with a radiant oboe/horn melody. Lush, with interjections of nature, this is Honegger not yet heard on the disk, highly pastoral and soothing. The middle section is an upbeat rural feast, but it all goes back to the opening material. A small treasure on the disk.

The Monopartita is almost a fantasy of all the different styles we hear from Honegger on this disk. In six sections, here is a diverse assortment of textures, themes, and orchestrations, it really is a potpourri of ideas, and a great representative of the Honegger "sound".

Rarely does one averagely known composer get a CD to himself (aside from his symphonies), and certainly not such a first-rate performance. David Zinman and the Tonhalle Orchestra of Zurich play the snot out of these pieces (sorry for the highly technical term). The music is approached with such knowledge and rigor, the disk is an immediate success all around. If you are unfamiliar with the works of Arthur Honegger, especially his symphonic literature, this is the one to have. Listen to the examples to make sure you like this sort of music, it is not for everyone, I must admit; I find it entirely interesting. The performances and music are excellent and easily recommendable.

Absolutely Brilliant.......2004-10-21

I have about 7 recordings of Sym 2 and this is probably the
best. Solo cello comes out very strongly at end of 2nd movement.

Other works are all great too: excellent performances and recording.

Great 20th C works which are often dark and dissonant.

Strongly recommended for anyone wanting to try out Honegger.

The Karajan recording which everyone raves about (mentioned in amazon review above) is OK, but this one is heaps better.

Great works by a great French composer!.......2000-12-27

Arthur Honegger's remarkable works sound much more modern than most "modern" Classical music. His "Movements Symphoniques" are superior to anything Darius Milhaud achieved in a lighter vein, and his use of dissonance and 12-tone tonality are pure Bartok. Honegger seems to have shared Bartok's concept of a democratic half-step scale. How else to explain his remarkable, streamlined harmonic texture, which effortlessly veers between harsh note-clusters and smooth, consonant passages?

The performances and sound on this superb CD are beyond criticism, save for a "Pacific 231" that runs out of steam (pun intended) toward the end, and which features a muddy mix totally removed from that of the other tracks. Five stars. Don't deprive your collection of this wonderful recording!

underappreciated piece..........2000-12-10

How is it that everyone knows Honegger's first two "Mouvement Symphonique" pieces ("Pacific 231" and "Rugby"), but nobody has heard of the untitled third? Is it because it has no catchy, after-the-fact-programmatic title? It's an amazing piece, and I think it's better than the other two.

Scrunchily sympathetic, sonically spacious.......1999-08-25

The Zurich Tonhalle has hardly been in general LP or CD circulation, so it's good to see them appearing on a major label. They have always been my favourite Swiss orchestra, and this disc confirms that they are currently in very good shape. The tone of the orchestra is just right for Honegger's scrunchy music, and Zinman conducts sympathetically. The performance of the 3rd Mouvement Symphonique is the best I have heard. The 2nd Symphony also comes over well, with some very fine playing by the Tonhalle strings. Karajan's Berlin version remains my favourite here, but Zinman provides a valid alternative. Perhaps Pacific 231 (rather oversold on the CD's cover, incidentally) is the weakest performance here, but this piece has been given somewhat wider coverage over the years. The sound quality in the difficult Tonhalle acoustic is very good, with clarity mixed in well with the hall's spaciousness. Unlike the Karajan, the trumpet is actually audible at the end of the symphony, without being overbearing. In my view, this is not a world-beating collection, but it is a fine introduction for anyone unfamiliar with the music and contains one piece (Monopartita) not otherwise recorded. For me, this is in the higher level of the 4-star rating.

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