Kurt Hessenberg(1908-94): a Catalogue of the Orchestral Music

[Dundonnell]

Hessenberg seems to have been an acceptable composer to the regime in Germany in the 1930s and the war years. His music-much of it choral-has received very little exposure outside Germany since 1945 however.

KURT HESSENBERG: A CATALOGUE OF THE ORCHESTRAL MUSIC

1931:      Chamber Concerto for Harpsichord and String Orchestra, op. 3
1933:      "Struwwelpeter-Suite" for small orchestra, op. 7: 15 minutes
1934-35:Cantata "Gelobet seist du, Jesus Christ" for soprano, contralto, chorus, organ and orchestra, op. 9
1935-36/79:Symphony No.1, op.11: 31 minutes
1936:      Little Suite for orchestra, op.14: 14 minutes
1937:      "Wunderhorn" for soprano and small orchestra, op.15a: 25 minutes
1938:      Concerto Grosso(Concerto No.1) for Orchestra, op. 18: 22 minutes    +   (Cassandra cd)
1938-39:Suite for Shakespeare's "The Tempest" for orchestra, op.20: 21 minutes
1939-40/56:Piano Concerto, op.21: 29 minutes
1939-40:Cantata "Fiedellieder" for tenor, chorus and orchestra, op.22: 70 minutes
1942-43:"Weihnachtskantate" for soprano, contralto, chorus, organ and orchestra, op. 27: 30 minutes
1943:      Symphony No.2 in A major, op. 29: 45 minutes   +  (Cassandra cd)
1945-46:"Psalmen-Triptychon" for soprano, baritone, chorus, organ and orchestra, op. 36: 101 minutes
1946:     Cantata "Es lebet all's durch Liebe" for soprano, baritone, chorus and orchestra, op.40: 20 minutes
1947:     Concertante Music for Two String Orchestras, op.39: 15 minutes
1948:    "Drei Lieder nach Worten" fr mezzo-soprano and small orchestra, op.32a:9 minutes
             Cantata "Vom Wesen und Vergehen" for soprano, baritone, chorus and orchestra, op. 45: 30 minutes
1949:   "Struwwelpeter-Kantate" for children's chorus, flute, piano, brass and string orchestra, op.49: 32 minutes
1950:   Concerto for Two Pianos and Small Orchestra, op.50: 21 minutes
1950-51:"Weinachtsgeschichte" for soprano, tenor, baritone, chorus, flute, oboe, violin and string orchestra, op. 54: 13 minutes
1951:   "Lieder eines Lumpen" for tenor and orchestra, op.51a: 21 minutes
1954:   "Spielmusik" for strings, op. 61: 11 minutes
1954/78:Symphony No.3, op. 62: 22 minutes
1955:   Intrada and Variations on a Theme of Jakob Regnart for orchestra, op. 65:20 minutes
1956-57:Three Choral Ballads for children's chorus and small orchestra, op. 69:19 minutes
1957:   Concerto for Orchestra No.2, op. 70: 22 minutes
1958-59:Cantata "Weinlein, nun gang ein!" for tenor, men's chorus and orchestra,op. 72: 23 minutes
1959:   Sinfonietta No.1 for string orchestra, op.73: 13 minutes
1960-61:"Heitere Ouverture", op.75a: 4 minutes
1969:   Variation-Suite for chamber orchestra, op. 86a: 15 minutes
1971-72:Concertante Variations on a Theme of Robert Schumann for Piano and Orchestra, op. 88: 15 minutes
1973:   Chamber Concerto for Oboe and Small Orchestra, op. 92: 18 minutes
1975:   Cello Concerto, op. 96: 25 minutes
1976:   Violin Concerto, op.100: 24 minutes
1977:   Passion of St. Luke for mezzo-soprano, tenor, baritone, bass, chorus and orchestra, op. 103: 82 minutes
1978:   Sinfonietta No.2 for chamber orchestra, op.104: 15 minutes
1979:   Concertino for Bassoon and Small Orchestra, op. 106: 11 minutes
1980:   Symphony No.4, op. 109: 26 minutes
1981-82:Mass for four soloists, chorus and orchestra, op.113: 73 minutes
1982-83:Sinfonietta No.3 for small orchestra, op. 117: 14 minutes
1984:     Sinfonietta No.4 for brass orchestra, op. 122: 14 minutes
1985-86:Psalm 103 for soprano, contralto, baritone, chorus, organ and orchestra, op. 126: 20 minutes
1986:   Symphony for String Orchestra, op. 129: 17 minutes


Source:

http://www.kurthessenberg.de/en/index.htm

[mjkFendrich]

The Suite for Shakespeare's "The Tempest" for orchestra, op.20 has been released in 2008 on a DGG CD
played by the Kammersymphonie Berlin, cond. J.Bruns
http://www.kammersymphonie-berlin.de/index.php?id=82&type=98&cd=HESSENBERG%20/%20LARSSON

[eschiss1]

Definitely a composer I hope to hear more of. A good acquaintance/friend mentioned an LP of the 6th? (string) symphony and planned to send it my way, I think, but nothing seems to have come of that- so goes (he's dead now ). More familiar with his chamber music, though. I think there's been some recordings of that and I seem to recall seeing a recording of "Struwwelpeter-Kantate" Op.49 mentioned but will have to look again... ah, that seems to be a cassette, not a CD , recording; and the newish recording of op.51 is of the piano-accompanied version. Hrm.