Finding the key to a composer that time forgot
mainAn old Melodiya recording sleeve informs me that ‘unfortuately, his works are hardly known, even in his adopted home of Russia. However, his work is highly valued and has been much admired amongst other composers and musicians.’
How is it possible, you wonder, that the composer who was closest to Dmitri Shostakovich, in both friendship and style, could remain unknown to a world that reveres Shostakovich?
Well, the ice is breaking and Mieczelaw Weinberg is finally starting to get heard.
But where should a new listener begin?
I try to answer both of the above questions in a sinfini composer guide. Click here to read.
His given name was Mieczysław, surely, and he was otherwise and later known as Moishe? And it might have been nice to acknowledge here that bbc radio 3 have just devoted a week of programmes to him!
Finally Weinberg’s time has come! It was well worth waiting for; too late for him, but not for his music.
Mieczyslaw (not Mstislav) Weinberg’s (know as well as Moishe Vainberg) Piano Trio, Op. 24 from 1945 is a marvelous work for cello, violin and piano that ought to become a staple of the repertoire.
There has been a lot about Weinberg recently and everybody mentions the ENO production of The Passenger, but nobody ever mentions the Opera North staging of The Portrait in 2011. Then of course to London critics anything outside of London doesn’t count.