Track Listing

Disc 1:

1. Passacaglia for orchestra, Op. 1
2. Movements (5), version for string orchestra, Op. 5: I. Heftig bewegt
3. Movements (5), version for string orchestra, Op. 5: II. Sehr langsam
4. Movements (5), version for string orchestra, Op. 5: III. Sehr lebhaft
5. Movements (5), version for string orchestra, Op. 5: IV. Sehr langsam
6. Movements (5), version for string orchestra, Op. 5: V. In zarter Bewegung
7. Pieces (6) for orchestra, Op. 6: I. Etwas bewegte Achtel
8. Pieces (6) for orchestra, Op. 6: II. Bewegt
9. Pieces (6) for orchestra, Op. 6: III. Zart bewegt
10. Pieces (6) for orchestra, Op. 6: IV. Langsam. Marcia funebre
11. Pieces (6) for orchestra, Op. 6: V. Sehr langsam
12. Pieces (6) for orchestra, Op. 6: VI. Zart bewwegt
13. The Musical Offering (Musikalisches Opfer), for keyboard and chamber instruments, BWV 1079: Fuga (Ricercata) a 6 voci
14. German Dances (6) for orchestra (arr. from Schubert): No. 1 - No. 2 (No. 1) - No. 3 (No. 1) in A flat major
15. German Dances (6) for orchestra (arr. from Schubert): No. 4 - No. 5 (No. 4) - No. 6 (No. 4) in B flat major
16. Im Sommerwind, idyll for orchestra

Disc 2:

1. Pieces (5) for orchestra, Op. posth.: I. Bewegt
2. Pieces (5) for orchestra, Op. posth.: II. Langsam (sostenuto)
3. Pieces (5) for orchestra, Op. posth.: III. Sehr bewegte Viertel
4. Pieces (5) for orchestra, Op. posth.: IV. Langsame Viertel
5. Pieces (5) for orchestra, Op. posth.: V. (Alla breve)
6. Songs (3) for soprano & orchestra: I. Leise Düfte: Leise Düfte, Blüten so zart
7. Songs (3) for soprano & orchestra
8. Songs (3) for soprano & orchestra: III. O sanftes Glühn der Berge
9. Symphony, Op. 21: I. Ruhig schreitend
10. Symphony, Op. 21: II. Variationen
11. Das Augenlicht, for chorus & orchestra, Op. 26
12. Cantata No. 1 for soprano, chorus & orchestra, Op. 29: I. Zündender Lichtblitz des Lebens
13. Cantata No. 1 for soprano, chorus & orchestra, Op. 29: II. Kleiner Flügel Ahornsamen
14. Cantata No. 1 for soprano, chorus & orchestra, Op. 29: III. Tönen die seligen Saiten Apolls
15. Variations for orchestra, Op. 30
16. Cantata No. 2 for soprano, bass, chorus & orchestra, Op. 31: I. Schweigt auch die Welt
17. Cantata No. 2 for soprano, bass, chorus & orchestra, Op. 31: II. Sehr tief verhalten innerst Leben
18. Cantata No. 2 for soprano, bass, chorus & orchestra, Op. 31: III. Schöpfen aus Brunnen des Himmels
19. Cantata No. 2 for soprano, bass, chorus & orchestra, Op. 31: IV. Leichteste Bürden der Bäume
20. Cantata No. 2 for soprano, bass, chorus & orchestra, Op. 31: V. Freundselig ist das Wort
21. Cantata No. 2 for soprano, bass, chorus & orchestra, Op. 31: VI. Gelockert aus dem Schoße

Disc 3:

1. Piano Quintet (Mässig)
2. Entflieht auf leichten Kähnen, for chorus, Op. 2
3. Songs (2) for soprano & ensemble, Op. 8: Du, der ichs nicht sage
4. Songs (2) for soprano & ensemble, Op. 8: Du machst mich allein
5. Pieces (5) for orchestra, Op. 10: I. Sehr ruhig und zart
6. Pieces (5) for orchestra, Op. 10: II. Lebhaft und zart bewegt
7. Pieces (5) for orchestra, Op. 10: III. Sehr langsam und äußerst ruhig
8. Pieces (5) for orchestra, Op. 10: IV. Fließend, äußerst zart
9. Pieces (5) for orchestra, Op. 10: V. Sehr fließend
10. Songs (4) for soprano & orchestra (or piano), Op. 13: Wiese im Park: Wie wird mir zeitlos
11. Songs (4) for soprano & orchestra (or piano), Op. 13: II. Die Einsame: An dunkelblauem Himmel
12. Songs (4) for soprano & orchestra (or piano), Op. 13: III. In der Fremde: In fremdem Lande lag ich
13. Songs (4) for soprano & orchestra (or piano), Op. 13: Ein Winterabend: Wenn der Schnee ans Fenster fällt
14. Songs (6) for soprano & ensemble, Op. 14: I. Die Sonne: Täglich kommt die gelbe Sonne
15. Songs (6) for soprano & ensemble, Op. 14: II. Abendland I: Mond, als träte ein Totes
16. Songs (6) for soprano & ensemble, Op. 14: III. Abendland II: So leise sind die grünen Wälder
17. Songs (6) for soprano & ensemble, Op. 14: IV. Abendland IV: Ihr großen Städt steinern aufgebaut
18. Songs (6) for soprano & ensemble, Op. 14: V. Nachts: Die Bläue meiner Augen
19. Songs (6) for soprano & ensemble, Op. 14: VI. Gesang einer gefangenen Amsel: Dunkler Odem im grünen Gezweig
20. Sacred Songs (5) for soprano & ensemble, Op. 15: I. Das Kreuz, das mußt' er tragen
21. Sacred Songs (5) for soprano & ensemble, Op. 15: II. Morgenlied: Steht auf, ihr lieben Kinderlein
22. Sacred Songs (5) for soprano & ensemble, Op. 15: III. In Gottes Namen aufstehn
23. Sacred Songs (5) for soprano & ensemble, Op. 15: IV. Mein Weg geht jetzt vorüber
24. Sacred Songs (5) for soprano & ensemble, Op. 15: V. Fahr hin, o Seel', zu deinem Gott
25. Canons (5) on Latin Texts for voice, clarinet & bass clarinet, Op. 16: I. Christus factus est
26. Canons (5) on Latin Texts for voice, clarinet & bass clarinet, Op. 16: II. Dormi Jesu, mater ridet
27. Canons (5) on Latin Texts for voice, clarinet & bass clarinet, Op. 16: III. Crux fidelis
28. Canons (5) on Latin Texts for voice, clarinet & bass clarinet, Op. 16: IV. Asperges me, Domine
29. Canons (5) on Latin Texts for voice, clarinet & bass clarinet, Op. 16: V. Crucem tuam adoramus, Domine
30. Traditional Rhymes (3) for soprano & ensemble, Op. 17: I. Armer Sünder, du
31. Traditional Rhymes (3) for soprano & ensemble, Op. 17: II. Liebste Jungfrau, wir sind dein
32. Traditional Rhymes (3) for soprano & ensemble, Op. 17: III. Heiland, unsre Missetaten
33. Songs (3) for soprano, E flat clarinet & guitar, Op. 18: I. Schatzerl klein
34. Songs (3) for soprano, E flat clarinet & guitar, Op. 18: II. Mein Kind, sieh an
35. Songs (3) for soprano, E flat clarinet & guitar, Op. 18: III. Ave, Regina coelorum
36. Songs (2) for chorus, clarinet, bass clarinet, celesta, guitar & violin, Op. 19: I. Weiß wie Lilien
37. Songs (2) for chorus, clarinet, bass clarinet, celesta, guitar & violin, Op. 19: II. Ziehn die Schafe
38. Quartet for clarinet, saxophone, piano & violin, Op. 22: I. Sehr mäßig
39. Quartet for clarinet, saxophone, piano & violin, Op. 22: II. Sehr schwungvoll
40. Concerto for 9 instruments, Op. 24: I. Etwas lebhaft
41. Concerto for 9 instruments, Op. 24: II. Sehr schwungvoll
42. Concerto for 9 instruments, Op. 24: III. Sehr rasch

Disc 4:

1. Poems (3) for voice & piano: I. Vorfrühling: Leise tritt auf...
2. Poems (3) for voice & piano: II. Nachtgebet der Braut: O mein Geliebter
3. Poems (3) for voice & piano: III. Fromm: Der Mond scheint auf mein Lager
4. Early Songs (8) for voice & piano: I. Tief von fern: Aus des Abends weißen Wogen
5. Early Songs (8) for voice & piano: II. Aufblick: Über unsre Liebe hängt eine tiefe Trauerweide
6. Early Songs (8) for voice & piano: III. Blumengruß: Der Strauß, den ich gepflücket
7. Early Songs (8) for voice & piano: IV. Bild der Liebe: Von Wald umgeben
8. Early Songs (8) for voice & piano: V. Sommerabend: Du Sommerabend! Heilig, goldnes Licht!
9. Early Songs (8) for voice & piano: VI. Heiter: Mein Herz ist wie ein See so weit
10. Early Songs (8) for voice & piano: VII. Der Tod: Ach, es ist so dunkel in des Todes Kammer
11. Early Songs (8) for voice & piano: VIII. Heimgang in der Frühe: In der Dämmerung
12. Songs after Avenarius (3) for voice & piano: I. Gefunden: Nun wir uns lieben, rauscht mein stolzes Glück
13. Songs after Avenarius (3) for voice & piano: II. Gebet: Ertrage du's, laß schneiden dir den Schmerz
14. Songs after Avenarius (3) for voice & piano: III. Freunde: Schmerze und Freuden reift jede Stunde
15. Songs (5) after Dehmel, for voice & piano: I. Ideale Landschaft: Du hattest einen Glanz auf deiner Stirn
16. Songs (5) after Dehmel, for voice & piano: II. Am Ufer: Die Welt verstummt, dein Blut erklingt
17. Songs (5) after Dehmel, for voice & piano: III. Himmelfahrt: Schwebst du nieder aus den Weiten
18. Songs (5) after Dehmel, for voice & piano: IV. Nächtliche Scheu: Zaghaft vom Gewölk ins Land
19. Songs (5) after Dehmel, for voice & piano: V. Helle Nacht: Weich küßt die Zweige der weiße Mond
20. Songs (5) from Der siebente Ring, for voice & piano, Op. 3: I. Dies ist ein lied
21. Songs (5) from Der siebente Ring, for voice & piano, Op. 3: II. Im windes-weben
22. Songs (5) from Der siebente Ring, for voice & piano, Op. 3: III. An baches ranft
23. Songs (5) from Der siebente Ring, for voice & piano, Op. 3: IV. Im morgen-taun
24. Songs (5) from Der siebente Ring, for voice & piano, Op. 3: V. Kahl reckt der baum
25. Lieder (5) nach Gedichten von Stefan George, Op. 4: I. Eingang: Welt der gestalten lang lebewohl!
26. Lieder (5) nach Gedichten von Stefan George, Op. 4: II. Noch zwingt mich treue über dir zu wachen
27. Lieder (5) nach Gedichten von Stefan George, Op. 4: III. Ja heil und dank dir
28. Lieder (5) nach Gedichten von Stefan George, Op. 4: IV. So ich traurig bin
29. Lieder (5) nach Gedichten von Stefan George, Op. 4: V. Ihr tratet zu dem herde
30. Songs (4) after Stefan George for voice & piano: I. Erwachen aus dem tiefsten traumes-schooße
31. Songs (4) after Stefan George for voice & piano: II. Kunfttag I: Dem bist du kind, dem freund
32. Songs (4) after Stefan George for voice & piano: III. Trauer I: So wart bis ich dies dir noch künde
33. Songs (4) after Stefan George for voice & piano: IV. Das lockere saatgefilde lechzet krank
34. Songs (4) for voice & piano, Op. 12: I. Der Tag ist vergangen
35. Songs (4) for voice & piano, Op. 12: II. Die geheimnisvolle Flöte: An einem Abend, da die Blumen dufteten
36. Songs (4) for voice & piano, Op. 12: III. Schien mir's, als ich sah die Sonne
37. Songs (4) for voice & piano, Op. 12: IV. Gleich und gleich: Ein Blumenglöckchen
38. Songs (3) from 'Viae inviae' for voice & piano, Op. 23: I. Das dunkle Herz, das in sich lauscht
39. Songs (3) from 'Viae inviae' for voice & piano, Op. 23: II. Es stürzt aus Höhen Frische
40. Songs (3) from 'Viae inviae' for voice & piano, Op. 23: III. Herr Jesus mein
41. Songs (3) for voice & piano, Op. 25: I. Wie bin ich froh!
42. Songs (3) for voice & piano, Op. 25: II. Des Herzens Purpurvogel fliegt durch Nacht
43. Songs (3) for voice & piano, Op. 25: III. Sterne, ihr silbernen Bienen der Nacht

Disc 5:

1. Slow Movement (Langsam, mit bewegtem Ausdruck), for string quartet
2. Movements (5) for string quartet, Op. 5: I. Heftig bewegt
3. Movements (5) for string quartet, Op. 5: II. Sehr langsam
4. Movements (5) for string quartet, Op. 5: III. Sehr bewegt
5. Movements (5) for string quartet, Op. 5: IV. Sehr langsam
6. Movements (5) for string quartet, Op. 5: V. In zarter Bewegung
7. String Quartet (1905)
8. Bagatelles (6) for string quartet, Op. 9: I. Mäßig
9. Bagatelles (6) for string quartet, Op. 9: II. Leicht bewegt
10. Bagatelles (6) for string quartet, Op. 9: III. Ziemlich fließend
11. Bagatelles (6) for string quartet, Op. 9: IV. Sehr langsam
12. Bagatelles (6) for string quartet, Op. 9: V. Äußerst langsam
13. Bagatelles (6) for string quartet, Op. 9: VI. Fließend
14. Rondo for string quartet
15. Movement for string trio, Op. posth
16. Pieces (3) for string quartet: I. Bewegt
17. Pieces (3) for string quartet: II. Langsam
18. Pieces (3) for string quartet: III. Nicht zu langsam
19. String Trio, Op. 20: I. Sehr langsam
20. String Trio, Op. 20: II. Sehr getragen und ausdrucksvoll
21. String Quartet, Op. 28: I. Mäßig
22. String Quartet, Op. 28: II. Gemächlich - Bewegt
23. String Quartet, Op. 28: III. Sehr fließend

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #67970 in Music
• Released on: 2000-05-09
• Number of discs: 6
• Format: Box set
• Dimensions: 1.30 pounds

Amazon.com
Pierre Boulez's Complete Webern Edition appears just over two decades after his last traversal. Well, it's not literally complete, but does have enough early works to set the mature ones in the right context. These days, Webern is no longer seen so much as a new music guru as he is a major composer, pure and simple--his expression as concise as it is intense. Performancewise, there's a quality of musicianship here that few previous recordings have matched; familiarity with the idiom certainly plays its part, but so does Boulez's belief that what we're hearing needs to be presented with conviction. Try the Passacaglia, sensuous music that combines the soundworld of Brahms and Mahler, or the string quartet or orchestra pieces--miniatures in duration, but whole dramas of expression.

Ease of performance doesn't always make this music easy to come to grips with: the song cycles need several listenings to grasp the meaning behind the compression, while the later instrumental and choral works have a luminous austerity that looks back to Bach and beyond to Renaissance masters such as Schütz and Isaac. While much of Webern's music has long been admired, only now is it becoming possible to respond to it through the heart as well as the brain. This set, superbly packaged and comprehensively documented, marks a major step forward, and deserves investigating by anyone keen to appreciate something of the music's quiet, calm essence in an often strident, dislocated century. --Richard Whitehouse

Customer Reviews

Five stars and a bullet
Pierre Boulez, the enfant not-very-terrible-any-more of French music, has surpassed himself. Twenty-two years ago, CBS released his Complete Works of Anton Webern, and it's remained the definitive Webern collection. Until, as they say in movie trailers, now.

This consists of the three Webern albums Boulez has recorded for DG over the past five years or so, plus everything else Webern ever wrote. It thus scores straightaway over the earlier CBS/Sony set, which was restricted to works that had opus numbers and filled three CDs. This one includes the charming early songs, the equally early "Im Sommerwind" for orchestra and a number of posthumous and otherwise non-Opus works that didn't make it onto the earlier set. Webern is a composer whose entire output takes about six hours to listen to in its entirety, and it's all here, on six CDs.

That's fine; is it any good? Well, it's digitally recorded, and if ever a composer was born for CD, it's Webern. The pianissimos are more ppp than ever, thanks to better recording techniques. Boulez himself has also unbuttoned a bit. His earlier set, recorded between 1967 and 1972, was high on austerity and, if it fell down at all, did so on emotion. The older Boulez (he's 75 this year) is more relaxed about letting tuttis blare and climaxes, well, climax. The result is both as intellectually satisfying as we've come to expect from Boulez, and warmly expressive; in general, a more moving and less didactic set of recordings than the previous lot. And all the better for it, as far as this composer (and this listener) is concerned.

There are many benefits of a digital set, not the least being the better registration of timbral variety, which Webern (as is well known) made into a compositional principle. Even those allergic to twelve-tone music can't help but be ravished by the intricate sweetness of his arrangement of the Bach six-part fugue from the "Musical Offering". The arrangement of Schubert's German Dances has been re-recorded, and can be heard now in all its sprightliness. (The CBS/Sony set has an archive recording conducted by Webern himself in the thirties, but dodgy sound quality prevented it from shining forth properly, despite Webern's witty conducting.)

This is, for my money, the best classical recording that's likely to be released this year, if not for the next ten years. I don't know whether it's a complement to the CBS/Sony set or a replacement for it, but either way it's a wonderful package. Congratulations to all involved.

Thank You Boulez
If you are a fan of the "New Vienna School" (Schoenberg, Berg, Webern) or 20th century "classical" or "serious" music, this disk set is very rewarding. Beautifully recorded and packaged, and with equally good liner notes, it is a treat to strap on the headphones and listen.

I debated between buying this or Boulez's older Webern set and went with this one. There is much more music on this set because pieces without opus numbers are included. They lend a lot of insight into his "published" works. I also went with this set because it is a modern digital recording, the previous set being from the early 70's. I will often side with a classic recording when needed-performance over sound. Here, I'm happy to report, the listener gets both. Every detail is captured.

Thank you very much Pierre Boulez and DG for making this project happen. Please keep the Schoenberg and Berg disks coming. And thank you Anton Webern for continually opening my ears.

5 Star music. Some very good performances, some are aimless.
Webern's music demonstrates a level of craft, in which few composers ever contend. The more that I listen to the works of Webern, the more I hear that each note must be just as it is. There is nothing wasted in this music. The expression is never vague, always intense. I do admire the works of many modern composers, but few are so discerning and meticulous in their works. Webern's craft is equal with the greats of music history; Guillarme de Machaut, Carlo Gesualdo, Claudio Monteverdi, J.S. Bach, Franz Joseph Haydn, Ludwig Beethoven. He is a towering figure. The music that is played here is first rate. However, I have not yet heard performances of many of his works that bring out everything that Webern's music has to offer. For example, the Op. 27 Piano Variations are seldom done justice. All of the movements are given `circa' tempo indications, but many take the movements much slower or faster than indicated. Unfortunately, on this recording the fast movement is slow and the slow movements fast. Presumably the slower tempo in the fast movement would allow for more accurate interpretation of the frequent changes between piano and forte. The problem is that the F's typically don't fade away fast enough and drown out the P's. The other option is to make the P's a little bit more like mezzo forte's. The recording that Pollini did of the work on Deutsche Gramaphon with the Boulez 2nd Sonata manages to reconcile the dynamics with the tempo. However, what I have not heard with the work is the full impact of the affect in the work. What the Pollini performance fails in is the coldness of the interpretation. For those interested, I believe that DG is currently putting out the Pollini performance with Stravinsky's Petruska and a Prokofiev sonata at a fairly low price. This recording brings together several performances of more `high profile' ensembles than the older recording on Sony, which mostly featured performances of musicians from Juilliard. The performances are often more colorful, but I can't say that I always think they surpass their predecessors. The interpretations of the works are a little bit `hit and miss.' The ensembles that Boulez conducts tend to bring out the same sorts of things in the works that the previous ensembles did with the last `complete Webern.' This is good in places; I appreciate the more resonant quality that the recent recording equipment affords, and Boulez conducts a comparable performance of the orchestral works such as the `Symphonie.' The recording of the `Konzert' for nine instruments is good. The performances of the early expressionist works, such as the `Five Orchestral Pieces,' are powerful. Boulez is less afraid to see the human in Webern and let the shocked silences speak. Furthermore, the peaks are less harsh, allowing more of the subtle affects to become visible. Some of the performances just lack a certain power of expression that the previous `complete webern' had; a viscerally that the strength of the `Webern - Vogue' afforded them. The musicians that played the previous complete were looking at Webern as a giant, they are young and virile performances. These performances sometimes view Webern as a curiosity, a historical anachronism, the way that your grandfather will tell you a strange story, of which he himself doesn't understand the point, but he relates as a bit of curio. All in all, I wouldn't say that this set of recordings is the final word on the majority of Webern's works. Many of the performances in the previous set are just as good, but neither do those constantly surpass these performances. Both have their faults. The previous set tended to be cold and more aggressive than was necessary in places. The new set tends to wander at times, as if the performer does not understand the point. It's always difficult to sum up a complete works set for a prospective buyer. Just as in `complete works' of Bach sets that I own, the performances are not always amazing. However, the strength of the compositions often overcomes my desire for a strong performance, and I'm just glad that I have a recording of someone performing that Bach work that I want to hear. Here, similarly, the performances aren't always the best, but there is a wider range of Webern's ouvre represented and many of the performances are quite good. I suppose my counsel would be that one should consider the price of this set vs. the older sony set. The sony set is less complete, but it does include all of the really monolithic, profound Webern works. You also get a view of the younger, romantic Webern in this new set, in addition to better sound quality. Certain performances are better in each set, and so you'll get some good and some bad in either choice. For those that already have a strong taste for Webern's music, try this set. For those who are looking for a starting place, you might try the sony set. The highlights of this set are the Boulez orchestral performances. He has honed his vision for Webern since the last set and they are `worth the price.' For those further exploring Webern, those performances should be heard.