Braunfels Suite from Fantastic Apparitions of a Theme by Hector Berlioz in NYC

[eschiss1]

Noticed that Manfred Honeck will be conducting the above in early January '13 with the New York Philharmonic. Haven't seen this mentioned, thought I would...

[Mark Thomas]

This is a, literally, fantastic piece of early Braunfels dating from 1914-17. It's available on a  cpo recording.

[petershott@btinternet.com]

.....and that CPO recording is a rather fine one (golly, now over 10 years old. Tempus fugit!)

Manfred Honeck also gave us a splendid recording of the Te Deum - a glorious work in my view - together with, more recently, the opera (dating from the war years when Braunfels went into self-imposed exile) Szenen aus dem Leben der Heiligen Johanna.

Slow but sure, there seems to be a revival of interest in Braunfels. For me that couldn't be more welcome.

[eschiss1]

the public library here has the recent recording of Busch's sextet and Braunfels' quintet (played by that fine ARC Ensemble of Toronto which also has Röntgen, Laks and Weinberg in their repertoire.) Haven't listened to the whole thing yet and even then only almost-once but sounds like a really good disc.

[Rainolf]

Yes, Eric, it is a fine disc, well played, with very good music (the Busch sextet is maybee the best work of this composer).

Honeck did much for Braunfels in the last years. I hope he would make more comercial recordings of Braunfels' in the future. There're many works remaining: Prelude and Fuge, Don Juan variations, Sinfonia Brevis, 2 piano concertos, not to mention the Great Mass and several cantatas.

Has someone listened to the new CD with the organ concerto (Oehms Classics)?

[petershott@btinternet.com]

Rainolf just beat me to it! Yes, Eric, it is not only a fine disc - but in my view an exceptional one with first rate performances of two remarkable works. The Braunfels F-sharp minor Quintet was one of my great discoveries last year. I think it a work of staggering quality. Can't understand why this RCA disc is its first and sole recording!

[eschiss1]

Hrm... and another Braunfels work (a concerto Op.38) is mentioned as a new release @ MDT (from 1927, judging from the worklist, coupled with the 1909 variations op.15 and a Toccata, Adagio & Fugue.)

[eschiss1]

Re the Braunfels quintet and sole recording - there's a new recording now, of an arrangement for string orchestra. See MDT.