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5.0 out of 5 stars
Incredible Music, Brilliantly Recorded, Jan 12 2003
Anyone who has been impressed with Benjamin Frankel's ingenious film scores owes it to himself to hear the composer's other music, especially the symphonies. Composed from 1958-1971, Frankel's seven symphonies form an original, consistantly inspired body of work. For some listeners, Frankel seems to carry on the Mahlerian 'tradition', using a large, expressive orchestral pallette. But Frankel creates works much smaller in scale. Also in common with Mahler's symphonies is the suggestion of a private emotional world, private, but nevertheless accessible to the attentive listener. This is music by a top-drawer musical mind in absolute command of his material and resources. This expertly engineered CPO disc contains a relatively early orchestral work, MEPHISTOPHELES' SERENADE AND DANCE (1952) and two symphonies, No.4 (1966) and No. 6 (1969). There is no enormous stylistic difference between any of Frankel's symphonies and these are two of his most inspired. They both serve as an excellent introduction to the composer. A new listener has only to hear the opening movement of No.4 to recognize the sound of a major talent. Idiomatic writing for strings and winds, strangely evocative use of percussion, dramatic, but carefully managed climaxes and a sure sense of musical shape all characterize Frankel's orchestral writing. In terms of musical idiom, this is mainly music derived from atonal methods, particularly from 12-tone methods. As is often the case with neglected composers who utilized these styles, this music has been underrated. For decades, Frankel's symphonies have been ignored by a musical elitism that insists such methods 'must' produce arid, 'academic' art. The beauty of Frankel's ideas and the sometime awesome evocation of a strange, undiscovered world are proof that assumptions about any composer's style are dangerous. Those who would avoid an unfamiliar name, or a dreaded 'film music' composer will deprive themselves of incredible music, brilliantly performed by The Queensland Symphony Orchestra, led by Andreas Albert.
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