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| Alban Berg: Lyric Suite | 
 enlarge | Artists: Kronos Quartet, Dawn Upshaw
Label: Nonesuch
Category: Music
List Price: $10.98
Buy New: $8.36
You Save: $2.62 (24%)
Buy New/Used from $6.87
Avg. Customer Rating:  (7 reviews)
Sales Rank: 50909
Media: Audio CD
Discs: 1
Shipping Weight (lbs): 0.3
Dimensions (in): 5.6 x 4.8 x 0.5
MPN: 79696
UPC: 075597969627
EAN: 0075597969627
ASIN: B0000AN4FJ
Release Date: August 19, 2003
Availability: Usually ships in 1-2 business days
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| Tracks:
| • | I. Allegretto Gioviale | | • | II. Andante Amoroso | | • | III. Allegro Misterioso | | • | IV. Adagio Appassionato | | • | V. Presto Delirando | | • | VI. Largo Desolato |
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| Editorial Reviews:
Amazon.com
There have been many recordings of Berg's Lyric Suite, written in memory of, or homage to, a brief, concealed love affair the composer had with a married woman. But this new Kronos Quartet single is the first to present it with the reconstruction, by composer and scholar George Perle, of the vocal part--a setting of a poem by Baudelaire--in the final movement, as Berg originally intended and which was only discovered in 1977. The whole work, coming in at about 27 minutes, is rich: the first movement is ardently communicative, lyrical, and occasionally joyful and the finale, now with text, ends in darkest gloom. In between, we have four other movements, one of which, marked "allegro mysterioso" is just that--mysterious and twitchy. Elsewhere there are quotes from a suite by Alexander Zemlinsky and Wagner's Tristan und Isolde, another doomed affair. The playing by the Kronos is expressive and warm throughout, and Dawn Upshaw's singing of the final movement, more outwardly emotional than is usual with this soprano, is heartrending. Berg's music isn't for everyone, but anyone who is interested in Berg at all will need this unique, beautifully played, sung, and recorded disc. --Robert Levine
Album Description
On this recording of Alban Berg's Lyric Suite, Kronos reunites with Nonesuch artist Dawn Upshaw in a rare recording of the work with a vocal part in the closing movement. Six movements. Slipcase. Nonesuch. 2003.
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| Customer Reviews: Read 2 more reviews...
 I hope the enthusiasts will forgive me ... April 27, 2006
3 out of 8 found this review helpful
... but there needs to be a warning here for casual listeners or those with more traditional tastes. If those describe you, this is not for you! However, this is a very emotional composition and I credit the Kronos Quartet for their masterful portrayal of the mental and emotional anguish that Alban Berg must have suffered as a result of the events which inspired this. I completely respect that, but to someone without advanced training in stringed instruments and early twentieth century classical music, it is, in a word, jarring.
 First recording of the vocal part as reconstructed by Perle. March 30, 2005
5 out of 15 found this review helpful
Nonesuch's advertising is in fact correct.
The packaging clearly states, "First recording of the vocal part to the last movement of Alban Berg's Lyric Suite, as reconstructed by George Perle, published by Universal Edition."
Vanda Tabery, in the Prazak Quartet recording of the work, does not sing Perle's reconstruction. She certainly does not sing the music published by Universal Edition, which would have been unavaiable to her at the time.
Perle had to make a number of important decisions about register-placement of the vocal line in preparing his edition. A leading Berg scholar as well as a terrific composer, Perle made these decisions based on his profound knowledge of Berg's style and of this score in particular.
Tabery's vocal line differs from Perle's in several respects, and her selection of registers seems at times primarily guided by the compass of her voice. There are registral leaps that break up lines clearly intended by Berg to remain intact. These sorts of details matter just as much as an unmotivated octave displacement in the middle of a Verdian musical line.
So: Perle's research, heard on the Nonesuch recording, is demonstrably superior to Tabery's. From the textual standpoint, the Kronos recording likely stands much closer to Berg's intentions than the Prazak's. Nonesuch, which was well aware of the Prazak/Tabery Lyric Suite, did not engage in false advertising.
 Neither the best, nor the first February 1, 2005
9 out of 19 found this review helpful
Unfortunately, Nonesuch's shoddy research shows here -- this was NOT the first recording of the Lyric Suite with a soprano singing Berg's secret text in the Largo desolato. That honor rightfully goes to Vanda Tabery with the Prazak Quartet on Praga Digitals, not currently available through Amazon.com. Tabery/Prazak were recorded in November 1999 and October 2000, while Upshaw/Kronos did not set down their recording until May 2001. Sorry, guys. Some of us recall when Nonesuch did not have to resort to false advertising to sell their product.
That said, this is not a bad recording at all -- but I find it way too smooth-smooth-smooth next to the Prazak. Besides, the Czech ensemble also gives you the Largo Desolato without soprano, and the Quartet Op. 3, and Webern's Quartet, the whole disc about twice the length (and admittedly twice the price) of Nonesuch's.
Of course, Nonesuch has the PR power of megacorp Warner Music behind it, which Praga has word-of-mouth among music fogies such as myself. You pays yer money and you takes yer cherce....
New way to understand a masterpiece March 1, 2004
18 out of 19 found this review helpful
The Lyric Suite is , undoubtedly , one of the most important work of chamber music written in 20th century. After the death of the people involved in one obscure affair of the composer's life , we know that this work describes step by step one impossible passion involving the composer and Hanna Fuchs, one rich married woman , sister -in - law of Alma Mahler. George Perle wrote in the seventies one article called " The Secret Program of the Lyric Suite ". As a result of this research , we can understand a lot of things:
I-the serie begins with F and ends with H ( Fuchs Hanna)
II-The numbers 10 and 23 are always together ( the numbers of Berg and Hanna)
III-The Quotation of Wagner's Tristan und Isolde
IV-The fast movements always faster , and the slow movements always slower - A consequence of the inevitable separation.
V-The tragedy in the names of the movements : Allegretto GIOVIALLE, Andante AMOROSO, Allegro MISTERIOSO, Adagio APASSIONATO, Presto DELIRANDO and Largo DESOLATO.Etc, Etc. But the most important of this research is the discovery that the last movement was conceived with a text in mind: One Baudelaire poem, translated by the German poet Stefan Georg. Like The Vine ( Der Wein, the Concert Aria ) , Baudelaire in a german translation. This recording is the first to use this research for the sake to have all the secrets revealed. And one Soprano with a string quartet is a normal ensemble for the Second Viennese School. Schoenberg has his Second Quartet and Webern has some short works for voice and String Quartet. In this sense this is a very important recording. And very, very well played and sang . The only problem , to me, is that it is a little strange to hear the soprano line always doubled by a instrument. In the works quoted above ( By Schoenberg and Webern) the voice is always independent of the instruments. As Berg wrote al notes only for the quartet Perle and the Players did what they though it was correct. The singer must sing with the same notes of the quartet. It sounds strange for me. But I think this is the best we can do in this case. We will never know how it would be a definitive version of this last movement. I prefer to listen the Quartet version. But this is really one important way to know more of a work so crucial . And, as I said before, The Kronos and Upshaw are fantastic. My only regret : why only 32 minutes in a CD. ? It would be perfect with Berg's Quartet opus 3 !
terrific recording! February 12, 2004
4 out of 8 found this review helpful
This is a must have for any Berg or 20th Century Music admirers.This CD is a winner of 46th Grammy Award in "Best Chamber Music" This is the most important 12-tone work with his opera "Lulu". Even so, he was used tonality in some passages (as usual in Berg).
This work tells about the composer's love story with Hanna-Fuchs Robettin, who daughter of an Austrian novelist Franz Warfel. Even so, Berg used an enigmatic thema that, in 3rd movement, the notes meaning H(anna) F(uchs) and A(lban) B(erg): H, F, A and B notes... This music is somewhere terrific, but somewhere romantic... Especially, the most beautiful movement of this work is the 3rd movement: Allegro misterioso. This music based on this form: first, music starts and continues etc... and then it arrives a centre of music and then, music runs backwards...! This is an essential recording. Highly recommended.
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