Will not replace originals but stands on its own musical fee
F. Behrens | Keene, NH USA | 06/20/2000
(5 out of 5 stars)
"The question of the value of transcriptions always rests on the question of whether the result can stand on its own as an independent piece of music. On a lovely Nonesuch release of Dohnanyi's and Brahms' (79545), we have Dmitry Sitkovetsky and the NES Chamber Orchestra playing transcriptions of those two works. So what we have is a trio and a sextet re-orchestrated for a full chamber orchestra, and I think the results are spectacular. Mind you, not for one moment do they replace the originals any more than the old lush Chopin-for-orchestra replaced the piano pieces. But these transcriptions give us a new look at one old favorite (the Brahms, of course), and perhaps will induce one to hear the Dohnanyi piece in its original."
A Fresh Look at Some Old Favourites
bibliomane01 | 06/22/2001
(5 out of 5 stars)
"This recording features trancriptions for string orchestra of Dohnanyi's early Serenade in C Major for string trio and the magnificent Brahms String Sextet No.2 in G Major. Some transcriptions have become classics in their own right, such as Mahler's transcription of Schubert's "Death and the Maiden" string quartet and Schonberg's of the Brahms Opus 25 Piano Quartet. The success of these experiments lies in their ability to take a fresh look at the original work while remaining true to its essential character. The Dohnanyi transcription is a great success because it does precisely that - it is faithful to the Hungarian charm of the original while exploring its potential for lush string orchestration and a wider range of tone colours. As for the String Sextet, I think it takes a brave person indeed to take liberties with the work of the formidable Dr. Brahms, but Dmitry Sitkovetsky succeeds in his effort to present a convincing reinterpretation of that ambiguous and complex piece of music. Perhaps I prefer the Sextet version in the end, but I will return to it with a deeper understanding of its true nature and a greater appreciation of its subtleties.The recording is excellent."