Albums by artists who knew that their death was imminent

[Rick Robson]

I thank Koreabruce too for that pretty complete Tchaikovsky biography, many things there that I just now happened to know about his life.

Just about 12 years ago I started a Classical Music re-digging binge. During those times, due to my mother disease (Alzheimer's) we together discovered that we were given the gift of playing music 'just by ears' on her casio electronic keyboards, and from then on classical music grew forever in my days.
As Interbellum, I listened to much Classical Music when was a child, because of my father. He had just lost my grandmother who was a big lover of this music, so he put it everyday, often at a high volume. One of my favourite Classical works back then was the Tchaikovsky's Piano Concerto No.1, which I today still cherish as one of my beloved powerful rides. I still don't know his other Piano Concertos, so I'm looking forward to purchasing them recorded by the conductor Yevgeny Mravinsky, my favourite Tchaikovsky interpreter.

I just aknowledged that Tchaikovsky ultimately abandoned his Symphony in E-flat in 1892, intended initially to be the composer's sixth symphony, but, in 1893, started to rework it into a piano concerto, before abandoning all but the first movement, which he completed as a concert piece for piano and orchestra, a single-movement Allegro Brillante, now known as the Piano Concerto No. 3, his last completed composition.

[Koreabruce]

Thanks for that, Rick!

Tchaikovsky's Symphony No. 5 in E minor was the first big work I fell in love with as a child. That one also interweaves a kind of dark foreboding throughout although, being Tchaikovsky, he manages to work in an earful of highly memorable melodies, and the 4th movement ends triumphantly - some would even say too much so! This was in 1888, and he lived until November 1893, so I wouldn't suggest that he knew at this time that he was going to die in the next few years. On the other hand, understanding just how moody and tormented he was throughout most of his life, one could probably make a case for this as well as other works beyond just his 6th symphony. Emotionally, he seemed to be teetering on the edge much of the time, and this is reflected in many of his best-known works. In fact, the naked emotions undoubtedly are what make his music so endearing to so many people although there are also many critics who slate these kinds of overt displays of sentimentality. Count me among the permanently enthralled.

Glad you mentioned the Piano Concerto No. 1 in B-flat. That is also one of my all-time favorites. I like the 1941 version with Vladimir Horowitz on piano with Toscanini conducting the NBC Symphony Orchestra. This work probably ranks among the top 10 orchestral warhorses, but there's good reason for that.

Incidentally, like you I was also raised in a household where (so-called) classical music reigned supreme, and minus most of the opera stuff, I thoroughly enjoyed having that kind of aural education!

[Rick Robson]

Cool Koreabruce!

And enjoyable to hear your opinion about the Symphony No. 5 though I don't know it yet, but is the next I'm looking forward to, so far I own only the 4th and 6th: enlightening recordings of the latter - '76 Karajan w/ BPO, and '60 Yevgeny Mravinsky w/ Leningrad Philharmonic Orchestra (my favourite today, I like even more the intense and beautiful vibratos from that orchestra.) From the 4th I only acquired the '57/58 Beecham w/ RPO, but this is also a great conductor imo, in this recording he stunningly managed to bring out so vividly the Tchaikovsky's characteristic dramaticism, as well as those beautiful kindof ballet rythms on that scherzo. As you said, enthralling melodies are one of Tchaikovsky's trademarks, which I find present in the Symphony Nr.4 too.

Looking forward to another recording of The Piano Concerto No. 1, that one you own must be a very especial one, as I believe that Toscanini was probably one of the greatest conductors that ever existed, add to that Vladimir Horowitz' high reputation (I've though listened to him on rare occasions, alas.)
I have the '63 Karajan w/ VSO and Sviatoslav Richter at the piano, another really great pianist as well whose performance made for a memorable recording too.

[yoyiceu]

The way Bowie died just after completing and releasing Blackstar when he knew he was going to die made me remember that his former guitar player, Mick Ronson, also battled against time while suffering from liver cancer with the recording of what was to be his last album, Heaven and Hull, released posthumously in 1994.