4 kleine Stücke für Orchester (1930)
(Four Short Pieces for Full Orchestra)

There follows another unexpected gem, the relatively brief Four Little Pieces for Large Orchestra (Four sketches for film). This is Schreker in illustrative mode, but using a musical language more akin to Hindemith and other more modernist rather than late-Romantic composers. It is worth remembering that before the ‘purpose-built’ soundtrack there was a sub-genre of mood-music whereby Silent Movie orchestral directors could stitch together from a library of pre-written pieces accompaniments to the action on the screen. Although there is no suggestion that Schreker imagined these specific pieces being used in that utilitarian way, I imagine that was his inspiration. Hence the titles of the four movements suggest differing ‘moods’; ‘Timoroso’, ‘Violente’,‘Incalzando’ [a chase] and ‘Gradevole’. Before being completely surprised at this seeming change of creative direction it should be considered that Schreker was one of the composers who contributed music for the project by German Radio in the late 20’s to provide a repertoire of works written specifically for the medium. These Four Pieces are similar is idea to the Kleine Suite für Kammerorchester that Schreker wrote in 1928. Compared to the large sprawling scores that are the more usual Schreker fare, these are emotionally terse, compact works. Possibly they signpost the direction Schreker’s music might have taken if he had lived longer. Again the version recorded here is my first encounter with this work and I find it fascinating and very effective, occupying a completely different sound world from other scores by this composer. Excellent and effective playing by the Deutsche Staatsphilharmonie Rheinland-Pfalz here as throughout the disc. [One big black mark to the proof readers at Capriccio - they manage to spell the name of the orchestra wrong – ! – on the back of the jewel case and the inside front cover of the booklet – Rehinland-Pfalz – in both cases].