Schnittke: Music for the Movies

Contents

My past and thoughts (Filmmusik-Suite) 1. Petersburg 2. Madonnen 3. Schatten 4. Menuett 5. Das Ende der Revolution 6. Trauriges Thema 7. Wind 8. Cancan 9. Finale

Agony (Fimmusik-Suite) 1. Einleitung 2. Walzer 3. Tango 4. Finale

The end of St. Petersburg 1. (ohne Satzbezeichnung) 2. (ohne Satzbezeichnung) 3. (ohne Satzbezeichnung) 4. (ohne Satzbezeichnung) 5. (ohne Satzbezeichnung)

The Master and Margarita (Filmmusik-Suite) 1. Meister und Margarita 1 2. Voland 3. Foxtrott 4. Tango 5. March funèbre 6. Bolero 7. Meister und Margarita 2

Alfred Schnittke as film composer He was one of the most frequently played contemporary composers and one accepted by the general public: Alfred Schnittke. Surely one of the secrets of his success was that he had no elitist fear of contact. His music always seeks the strong expression that immediately captivates the listener. No wonder, then, that Schnittke also regarded film music as an adequate medium of expression. He has composed over 60 film scores and has worked with such important directors as Elem Klimow, Larissa Schepitko and Alexander Mitta. Schnittke saw composing for the film as an opportunity for his artistic work and also stood in line with great Soviet composers such as Shostakovich and Prokofieff.

Unfortunately the material of the film music is very complicated. Many handwritten Scores are still not accessible and printed editions do not exist. I am therefore very happy to be able to make at least four of Alfred Schnittke’s film music suites available to them on CD for the first time. They are music for the films: “The past and the thoughts”, “Agony”, “The last days of St. Petersburg” and “Master and Margarita”. With Frank Strobel, Schnittke’s personal friend and proven film music specialist, the best possible conductor could be won for this project. The Rundfunk-Sinfonieorchester Berlin plays.