Search - Barber, Schenck, New Zealand Symphony :: Fadograph of a Yestern Scene

A fine sampling of Barber

Thomas Martin | USA | 11/26/2006

(5 out of 5 stars)

"'Fadograph of a Yertern Scene' is late Barber, but it demonstrates that no matter how withdrawn the composer became in his final years, he was still a master. The 'Third Essay' is given a fine performance here (I am still looking for the enterprising label/conductor who will program all three 'Essays' on a single CD). For those listeners who are not familiar with the art of Andrew Schenck, I highly recommend this disc. He would have been a conductor of the first rank had he not been taken-away soon soon. Highly recommended."

A Beautiful Barber Disc

D. A Wend | Buffalo Grove, IL USA | 11/14/2007

(5 out of 5 stars)

"Conductor Andrew Schenck favored the music of Samuel Barber and conducted some great recordings of his music. I can recall when he came to Chicago to conduct the CSO in The Lovers and Prayers of Kierkegaard, which was recorded for Koch. This disc has some late Barber - the Third Essay and Fadograph of a Yestern Scene, both composed after the debacle of Anthony and Cleopatra. My favorite piece on this disc is the Medea suite. From the ominous opening bars you know you are in for an outstanding performance. The ballet was written in 1946 for Martha Graham and performed under the title The Cave of the Heart. The suite was later arranged in 1947 by Mr. Barber for concert performance. The sections of the suite are arranged like a Greek play with the first section called Parados and Medea's dance forming the center of the suite, concluding with the Exodus movement. I am always unprepared for the beginning of the Medea section which Barber also arranged as a single movement under the name Medea's Dance of Revenge and this recording always makes me pause whenever I hear the sinister opening bars. Maestro Schenck attains the intensity of the famous Thomas Schippers recording of the Dance and the entire suite is well-played.



The Third Essay is a marvelous piece for percussion and here is receives a truly excellent, nuanced performance. The Fadograph is beautifully played with its quiet passion nicely conveyed and the tempi are well-judged. I only wish there were more music on the disc, which at 46:38 is very much shy of being filled.



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