Schoeck: Penthelisea
Soloists
Stuttgard States Orchestra
Ferdinand Leitner
This was a huge surprise. I don’t think that I had heard any of Schoeck’s music but I was aware that he was a a prolific songwriter in a late romantic idiom. So I was expecting something along the lines of a milder Richard Strauss. So it was a shock to hear a very violent percussive opening with as much speaking as singing. The orchestra includes 2 pianos and 8 clarinets and a big percussion section but only 4 violins. I couldn’t find a score or even a translation of the libretto so I can’t say that I really knew what was happening but it was a compelling experience which held my attention throughout the single 70 minute act.
This was a live recording from a performance in 1957 and although the sound was rather constricted it gave a good impression of the piece. I can imagine that in a live performance the effects could be quite overwhelming. Schoeck was of course Swiss but he was closely associated with German culture and like others in the part of the project had an ambivalent relationship with the Nazi authorities.
Next year’s project will concentrate on the song repertoire - I am sure that Schoeck will feature in that.
