Composer of the Year

[John H White]

No doubt the BBC has already named its Composers of the year,with Mendelssohn and Chopin springing to mind as front runners, but whom should we name as our unsung Composer of the Year?

[Amphissa]

 
What are the criteria for nomination/selection?

[Mark Thomas]

As you say, Amphissa, on what do we base our nominations, John? Of course, you all know who my composer of the year is, but ours? That's a very different question!

[Peter1953]

A simple question, but quite tough to answer. And maybe we will not come to an unanimous nomination for our Composer of the Year.

The release of Raff's Grand Quintuor and Suite for Piano and Orchestra is for me again a confirmation that Raff is a truly great composer. Antoni Stolpe died when he was only 21 years of age. Listening to his music makes me wonder what kind of sublime compositions he could have written, if... Suppose that Rufinatscha made concert tours throughout Europe, maybe he could have become one of the nowadays celebrated famous composers of the romantic era.

But here is my Composer of the Year: Sergei Bortkiewicz. What a find: his Piano Concertos 2 & 3, the 6 CD set of piano music, both Symphonies, chamber music and the stunning Violin and Cello Concertos.

[Alan Howe]

Can we assume that we should be choosing someone with an anniversary of some sort this year?

[John H White]

My idea for a Composer of the Year would be one involving a special anniversary, usually of his or her birth or death, e.g. 50, 60, 100, 150, 200 years.

[Peter1953]

Norbert Burgmüller...

[thalbergmad]

But here is my Composer of the Year: Sergei Bortkiewicz. What a find: his Piano Concertos 2 & 3, the 6 CD set of piano music, both Symphonies, chamber music and the stunning Violin and Cello Concertos.

Up until 30th December I would have agreed.

Then I heard the Rozycki Piano Concerto and it took me all of 2 minutes to change my mind.

Thal

[peter_conole]

Hi all

Raff surely. I note Mark's comments on a couple of major releases. There has been a bit of a sea change over the last 4-5 years (I think). There is no doubt in my mind he deserves to be ranked among the handful of truly great music masters - I suspect that possibly that view is gaining a reasonable degree of credence. Mark, your fingers have your fingers on the Raff 'reputation pulse' on a continuing basis. Now that the new year is upon us, how do you think things stand with the 'only begetter' of these forums?

regards
Peter   

[Amphissa]

Up until 30th December I would have agreed.

Then I heard the Rozycki Piano Concerto and it took me all of 2 minutes to change my mind.

Can you provide a link for the CD?

[thalbergmad]

It was only a Radio Broadcast.

I sincerely hope that a record label will record this masterpiece. It is complete genius in my humble opinion.

Thal

[Mark Thomas]

Peter Conole wrote:

how do you think things stand with the 'only begetter' of these forums?


As far as Raff's star is concerned, I think that things look pretty rosy at present. There's a string of CDs in the pipeline to continue those issued over the last couple of years, continuing a trend which began in the last decade but which slowed slightly in its fourth quarter. On German radio at least, recordings of his music are regularly programmed. The number of performances is also substantially on the increase, as a look at the concert announcements on the web site would show.

Most significantly, though, I detect that in academic circles there is a real shift in the way Raff is viewed. To be sure, he isn't accorded the status which I for one feels he deserves, but neither is he dismissed as a hack any more. He is seen as being "interesting" at least and his historical role, if not the real value of his music, is starting to be acknowledged. The fact that Peter Brown's seminal series The Symphonic Repertoire devoted 112 pages to discussing all 11 of his symphonies is a significant straw in the wind. Maybe I'm kidding myself, but I think that for Raff at least the tide is turning.

[DennisS]

Hi all

My composer of the year is, surprise,surprise, Raff! 2009 saw the release of his Opus 200, a work I really love! I believe this work is going to open many classical music enthusiasts's eyes and will help to see Raff in a new light and, hopefully, Raff will start to get the recognition he so richly deserves! I love to listen to his music but sometimes, it is tough deciding on my choice as there is so, so much to choose from!:the proof, in my book, that Raff is a great composer!
Cheers
Dennis

[Peter1953]

This month, February 8, it's Norbert Burgmüller's bicentenary anniversary.

To celebrate this fact a CD coupling both symphonies is released by the Carus lable, see http://www.jpc.de/jpcng/classic/detail/-/art/Norbert-Burgm%FCller-Symphonien-Nr-1-c-moll-op-2-Nr-2-D-Dur-op-11/hnum/1237043

I suppose most members already have the Sterling CD coupling Burgmüller's 1st with the Staehle (also a wonderful symphony!) and the MDG recording of the 2nd, the PC and an Overture.
What a very beautiful symphonies Norbert Burgmüller wrote! But we have discussed this in another thread.

[Alan Howe]

Be warned: the Carus/Burgmüller CD contains a couple of very period-instrument sounding performances. The Sterling (No.1) and MDG (No.2) performances are far more mainstream and, dare I say it, attractive...