Walter Braunfels' Bullpen

[kyjo]

I'll revoke my quasi-dismissal of Braunfels' orchestral music, as I remembered how much I enjoyed this Dutton CD:



The Sinfonia Brevis (not so "brevis" at around 30 mins. in length) is a late work, overall quite dark in tone and unsettlingly chromatic in language. Stylistically, it reminded me a bit of the two substantial Sinfoniettas by Zemlinsky and Otakar Ostrcil. Not an immediately memorable work, perhaps, but a compelling one.

The two other works on the disc, the Symphonic Variations on a French Children's Song and the Suite from The Glass Mountain, are much earlier and lighter in tone, full of tunefulness, glittering orchestration, and a naivety of spirit (as befits the subject matter). Really charming stuff, but at the same time never too facile or "cutesy". So, it's very much a disc of two contrasting halves, both equally rewarding and convincingly performed.

[Symphonic Addict]

I'll revoke my quasi-dismissal of Braunfels' orchestral music, as I remembered how much I enjoyed this Dutton CD:



The Sinfonia Brevis (not so "brevis" at around 30 mins. in length) is a late work, overall quite dark in tone and unsettlingly chromatic in language. Stylistically, it reminded me a bit of the two substantial Sinfoniettas by Zemlinsky and Otakar Ostrcil. Not an immediately memorable work, perhaps, but a compelling one.

The two other works on the disc, the Symphonic Variations on a French Children's Song and the Suite from The Glass Mountain, are much earlier and lighter in tone, full of tunefulness, glittering orchestration, and a naivety of spirit (as befits the subject matter). Really charming stuff, but at the same time never too facile or "cutesy". So, it's very much a disc of two contrasting halves, both equally rewarding and convincingly performed.

The other day I was listening to the another recording of the Sinfonia brevis and I agree, a marvelous, substantial and serious work that has nothing of 'brevis'. Another work with a misleading title is Reger's long and stodgy Sinfonietta, a symphony in all but name.

[Symphonic Addict]

To be released on 6 September. The second recording of this opera.

[ritter]

To be released on 6 September. The second recording of this opera.

Interesting! The older recording, also conducted by Honeck and with Juliane Banse as well —on Decca— is unobtainable.

I'm not the greatest fan of Braunfels (I remember disliking the Te Deum that has so many admirers here on GMG), but these Francophile works of his intrigue me (I should revisit Verkündigung, his "mystery" based on Claudel).

[Le Buisson Ardent]

Interesting! The older recording, also conducted by Honeck and with Juliane Banse as well —on Decca— is unobtainable.

I'm not the greatest fan of Braunfels (I remember disliking the Te Deum that has so many admirers here on GMG), but these Francophile works of his intrigue me (I should revisit Verkündigung, his "mystery" based on Claudel).

I wouldn't say that the Decca one is unobtainable as I bought a copy not too long ago via Discogs. You might want to try there before springing for this newer one on Capriccio.

[J.Z. Herrenberg]

Just want to say that after seeing the name 'Walter Braunfels' on a German book in my Amsterdam music library during the latter half of the 1970s, I have finally come round to listening to him... The first thing I heard today was his orchestral piece 'Phantastische Erscheinungen', a set of variations on a theme from Berlioz' 'Damnation de Faust'. Incredible music, right up my alley. Colourful, inventive, unpredictable, lively. He might well become a new favourite composer if his other works are just as good.

It just goes to show that you can discover something wonderful as long as you remain open to it.

[lunar22]

I'll revoke my quasi-dismissal of Braunfels' orchestral music, as I remembered how much I enjoyed this Dutton CD:



The Sinfonia Brevis (not so "brevis" at around 30 mins. in length) is a late work, overall quite dark in tone and unsettlingly chromatic in language. Stylistically, it reminded me a bit of the two substantial Sinfoniettas by Zemlinsky and Otakar Ostrcil. Not an immediately memorable work, perhaps, but a compelling one.

The two other works on the disc, the Symphonic Variations on a French Children's Song and the Suite from The Glass Mountain, are much earlier and lighter in tone, full of tunefulness, glittering orchestration, and a naivety of spirit (as befits the subject matter). Really charming stuff, but at the same time never too facile or "cutesy". So, it's very much a disc of two contrasting halves, both equally rewarding and convincingly performed.

I thought I listened to this a few years ago without it making a huge impression. Like you, I've not in general been as convinced by his orchestral music as some other areas so must go back to this.

[Symphonic Addict]

Just want to say that after seeing the name 'Walter Braunfels' on a German book in my Amsterdam music library during the latter half of the 1970s, I have finally come round to listening to him... The first thing I heard today was his orchestral piece 'Phantastische Erscheinungen', a set of variations on a theme from Berlioz' 'Damnation de Faust'. Incredible music, right up my alley. Colourful, inventive, unpredictable, lively. He might well become a new favourite composer if his other works are just as good.

It just goes to show that you can discover something wonderful as long as you remain open to it.

Glad you have discovered such a compelling composer. The Phantastische Erscheinungen is tremendous fun indeed. Other works with orchestra of his I warmly recommend are Don Juan Variations, Variations on an old French song, Te Deum, Sinfonia brevis and Piano Concerto.

[J.Z. Herrenberg]

I'll be listening to anything I can lay my hands on. Spotify comes in very... handy. Looking forward to all those treasures!

[André]

I'll be listening to anything I can lay my hands on. Spotify comes in very... handy. Looking forward to all those treasures!

The Don Juan variations are incredible fun. His chamber music is also remarkable (try his brucknerian string quintet). And if you're not allergic to church music, try his oratorio Verkündigung, the Great Mass and of course the Te Deum with its ecstatic, vaulting choral lines ...

[SurprisedByBeauty]

To be released on 6 September. The second recording of this opera.

Speaking of which: I was at that concert (Notes from the 2013 Salzburg Festival ( 5 ), Jeanne D'Arc • Walter Braunfels and it was the one of the most memorable Salzburg events for me. (I love the Decca recording also and perhaps having two Jeanne's is overkill --- there is so much other Braunfels to be discovered, for most listeners, that I would direct their attention to that, instead --- but Honeck did a marvelous job here, too, and so did the orchestra and the Salzburg cast is fabulous right down to the small roles.)

And, while talking about that recording: I've been part of a little YouTube podcast (#ClassicalDiscoveries) where we explore, well, music worth discovering... and I was wondering if I could show it here, to get some feedback and especially criticism (maybe a bit beyond "you guys suck", although I can see that, too) from people well into that sort of thing. And perhaps take cues as to what we should be doing and covering.

(I don't quite know where to post this, without being obnoxious, but I thought this might be the right thread. I will also post our video of Miklos Rozsa "Beyond Ben Hur", Mahler (his Beethoven "Retuschen") and Schnittke ("Film Music for 'Little Tragedies'") in those composers' threads.)

Classical Discoveries - #001 JEANNE D'ARC by Walter Braunfels