Obscurities.

Doshea3

To be specific, obscure works by relatively well-known composers and also works by unfairly neglected composers. A few words about the composer and/or the piece would be a help.

I have a good few, but perhaps one at a time will work best...

Scriabin—Symphony No. 1. Very Romantic, not the sort of thing you'd expect if you're only familiar with late Scriabin. It's really excellent, worth a listen—one of those long pieces that holds my attention almost all the way through, and it's just short of an hour long! The sixth (!) movement in particular is remarkable with two vocal soloists (soprano and tenor) and a full choir which concludes the work by singing a fugue based on lines from Scriabin's (admittedly bizarre) poetry. Once you've listened to the first five movements the sixth movement is all the more beautiful when the orchestra takes up themes from the earlier movements about halfway through. Great stuff. I'm slightly obsessed with it at the moment.

If you like Beethoven's 9th symphony, Tchaikovsky or Rachmaninoff at all, then you'll like this one. I have a good recording by the Deutsches Symphonie-Orchester under Vladimir Ashkenazy.

Pianist2891

Do you know the Rachmaninov transcription of the Bach Violin Partita in E major?

Does anyone know it? If yes, then no point in going into detail!

Doshea3

There is such a thing?!

Which reminds me of the D minor chaconne Busoni transcription, which brings us by a commodius vicus of recirculation to Busoni's St Anne Prelude and Fugue transcription which I found in the library the other day. Interesting stuff to play, but perhaps not the best of transcriptions if you prefer real Bach. Still, worth a look. I always wished I were a good enough organist to play Bach works like the St Anne, but I suppose I'll have to be content with all those octaves in Busoni's piano transcription.

Pianist2891

Busoni - he was obviously insane. A freak. Still, good if you want to feel inadequate!

There is such a thing. I own it! AND I have a gorgeous recording of it. Off to play it *badly*.

Its really quite lovely in a sort of hackneyed best of rach/bach sort of way!! I like such things sometimes! Just when the Bach side is getting a bit much, Rachmaninov launches into a few sweeping chords and its all really quite tasteful methinks!

Doshea3

I'm glad someone else thinks that Busoni was a freak. I mean, Fantasia Contrappuntistica? Come on. Still, I'm inspired to listen to his music now anyway, for some reason.

Must check out that rachbach.