Weinberg Edition, Vol. 1

MIECZYSLAW WEINBERG (1919-1996): Symphony No. 6 for Boys' Choir and Orchestra, Op. 79 (Vienna Choir Boys, Vienna Symphony Orchestra; Vladimir Fedoseyev), Sinfonietta No. 1 in D Minor, Op. 41 (Voralberg Symphony Orchestra; Gérard Korsten).

Description: We didn't notice that the Weinberg Requiem offered last month had "Weinberg Edition, Vol. 3" on it (endless listening, reading notes, taking orders, packing orders, paying bills, leads to major lapses in attention). It's not clear how big this edition is going to be but it starts off with live recordings from last year's Bregenz festival. The Sixth, a six-movement work from 1963 which was previously only available on a Melodiya recording by Kondrashin from 1966, was written around the same time as Shostakovich's No. 13. This is also a lament for the suffering caused by war but Weinberg's voice is softer, less shrill and angry with the poets of the three texts he sets (one shot by the KGB in 1952, one imprisoned but finally released in 1960 and the other a classic example of horrible official Soviet poetry) speaking silent, subversive volumes about the composer's actual intent. The Sinfonietta (also on a 2004 Chandos release) of 1948 was based on Jewish material which the composer treated in the manner of Bartók. SACD hybrid