Early Wagner

[BerlinExpat]

We're nearly a quarter of the way through Wagner year and I can't really say there have been any interesting good quality releases of less known Wagner. Even EMI's The Other Wagner isn't complete and consists of many re-releases. This caused me to rake through my cassettes where I found a few items not included: the overtures König Enzio, Rule Britannia and Polonia. I then checked my Wagner catalogue list and discovered there are two extant Concert Overtures, in D minor (WWV20) and in C major (WWV27); both published by Schirmer (at least). The C major overture is available on CD but I can't find any trace of the D minor being recorded. Does anyone know if it has?

[Mark Thomas]

Colin, I have an radio recording of the D minor Overture and will upload it later on today.

[BerlinExpat]

That's great, Mark, thanks. I'm copying some other rarities at the moment, including an excerpt from Die Hochzeit, which I'll upload later.

[Mark Thomas]

Wagner's Overture in D minor is now available in the Downloads board.

[Josh]

I'm not really surprised that I really, really like this work, based on every other experience I've had with early Wagner.  Thanks so much for uploading it!!  Wagner's only completed symphony, from about the same time, is actually one of my all-time favourite symphonies.  I love every early Wagner work I've heard, then as time goes on, my liking of his music tapers off until it becomes actual dislike.  But something like this concert overture is a serious treat!

[Balapoel]

I, for one, was never overly thrilled by his early Romantic forays into absolute music (though I did like his Faust Overture, which originally was the first movement to a symphony in d minor). I have listened to about 11 of these pieces, including the two symphonies. He had not yet found his voice.

I was more impressed with some of his piano music, including the Fantasie in f# minor, Op. 3 (1831).

For completeness, I haven't found recordings for these orchestral items:

Overture in Bb, WWV 10
Polish Overture, WWV 11
Overture to the Bride of Messina, WWV 12
Overture in C, WWV14
Overture in Eb, WWV 17

[BerlinExpat]

Re Balapoel's post

As far as I am aware all these overtures are presumed lost, but one lives in hope. Wagner moved around so much in his younger days that there's no telling if the pieces actually survived. My records show WWV 11 as the Political Overture and not Polish which shouldn't be confused with Polonia WWV 39!

[ward1566]

Dear all,

I am a new member to the forum so forgive me if this goes on a bit! I have been researching rare/presumed lost and early Wagner for over 10 years now, so I have quite a lot of useful information on availability/non-availability of pieces. A list of what is available on CD and links to them is given below.

I have tried, and come close, to persuading a UK CD company to record a comprehensive collection of as yet unrecorded rarities, but this came to nothing due to funding issues. However, a German-based organisation called Pianopianissimo Musiktheater, which has made performing and recording Wagner rarities something of a speciality, has now made a number of these rarities available to buy as MP3s on their website. More are to be added apparently, but not so far. However, I have all their MP3s on my PC, so if you want to hear the others, let me know. The ones I have includes a recording of the Orchestral Overture in D minor (not the BBC Radio 3 recording).

Now I have some time I will be emailing Wagner Societies, the Wagner200 website and other people of note in the Wagner world to the Pianopianissimo Musiktheater recordings, which may persuade someone to undertake a proper recording project to capture these on CD.

Email me of you need more information. I would also be grateful if you could let me know of any bodies/groups etc that might be interested to know of the Pianopianissimo Musiktheater MP3s.

Yours,

Mark Ward

Pianopianissimo Musiktheater MP3s (http://www.pppmt.de/index.php?cat=MEDIA%20SHOP)
Antiker Chorgesang, WWV 113
Cantico anticcho italiano für Peter Cornelius, oWWV
Christus im Schiffe, aus: "Jesus von Nazareth", WWV 80
Weckruf für Cosima, oWWV
Es ist bestimmt in Gottes Rat
Wahlspruch für die deutsche Feuerwehr, WWV 101
In Tempo di Porazzi für das Album der Graefin Tasca, oWWV
Männerlist größer als Frauenlist, Duett 3 (Uraufführung), WWV 48
Polka und Ländler zum Sechselüten, oWWV
Einleg-Arie zu Joseph Weigls "Die Schweizerfamilie", WWV 45
Seinem Seraphinenpüppchen, oWWV
Zusätzliche Strophe Brünnhildes Schlussgesang (für Ludwig II)
Tribschener Kinderhymne, oWWV
Trinkgeld-Lied für Johann Rebel, oWWV
Volkschor zum Kaisermarsch, WWV 104
Wiegenlied für Eva, oWWV

Links to Wagner rarities CDs

Songs:

http://www.amazon.com/Hommage-Richard-Wagner-Lieder-Soprano/dp/B00004YLHH
http://www.amazon.com/Faust-Lieder-R-Wagner/dp/B000092R2R/ref=sr_1_2?s=music&ie=UTF8&qid=1309069929&sr=1-2
http://www.amazon.com/Berlioz-Wagner-Liszt-Romantic-Hampson/dp/B000002RU1/ref=sr_1_1?s=music&ie=UTF8&qid=1309069929&sr=1-1
http://www.prestoclassical.co.uk/w/20904

Overtures / marches / other orchestral/chamber works:

http://www.amazon.com/Die-Meistersinger-Orchestral-Tribute-Wagner/dp/B003ZBTETY/ref=sr_1_1?s=music&ie=UTF8&qid=1309183789&sr=1-1
http://www.amazon.com/Have-Heard-Said-Spirit-Enters/dp/B003D85DWG/ref=sr_1_1?s=music&ie=UTF8&qid=1309237165&sr=1-1
http://www.prestoclassical.co.uk/w/121215/Richard-Wagner-Albumblatt-f%C3%BCr-Cosima-Wagner
http://www.amazon.com/Wagner-Overtures-Richard-Classical/dp/B0001Z65J4/ref=sr_1_2?s=music&ie=UTF8&qid=1309069981&sr=1-2
http://www.amazon.com/Wagner-Wesendonck-Lieder-Schmickler-Philharmonic-Christmann/dp/B002XXCQH2/ref=sr_1_2?s=music&ie=UTF8&qid=1309070652&sr=1-2
http://www.amazon.com/Wagner-Marches-Overtures-Richard-Classical/dp/B00005AYEN/ref=sr_1_1?s=music&ie=UTF8&qid=1309070021&sr=1-1
http://www.amazon.com/Wagner-Preludes-Overtures-Orchestral-Works/dp/B00005UVAN/ref=sr_1_2?s=music&ie=UTF8&qid=1309070061&sr=1-2
http://www.amazon.com/Overture-Das-Liebesverbot-Symphony-Major/dp/B000002RWR/ref=sr_1_2?s=music&ie=UTF8&qid=1309070109&sr=1-2
http://www.amazon.com/Richard-Wagner-Symphonies-Major/dp/B0000034SQ/ref=sr_1_1?s=music&ie=UTF8&qid=1309070153&sr=1-1
http://www.prestoclassical.co.uk/r/EMI/5176192
The Porazzi Fragment - http://www.amazon.com/Have-Heard-Said-Spirit-Enters/dp/B003D85DWG/ref=sr_1_1?s=music&ie=UTF8&qid=1309237165&sr=1-1

Choral pieces /other vocal works:

http://www.amazon.com/Wagner-Cantatas-Overtures-Richard-Classical/dp/B0000059D0/ref=sr_1_1?s=music&ie=UTF8&qid=1309070228&sr=1-1
http://www.amazon.com/Wagner-Das-Leibesmahl-Apostel-etc/dp/B000006DDP/ref=sr_1_1?s=music&ie=UTF8&qid=1309070279&sr=1-1
http://www.prestoclassical.co.uk/w/147112
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B003Y1W9TW/ref=dm_sp_alb
http://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B003XTC7P6/ref=dm_sp_alb

Piano works:

http://www.amazon.com/Complete-Piano-Music-1-Wagner/dp/B000001STN/ref=sr_1_1?s=music&ie=UTF8&qid=1309070420&sr=1-1
http://www.amazon.com/Complete-Piano-Music-2-Wagner/dp/B000001STO/ref=sr_1_2?s=music&ie=UTF8&qid=1309070420&sr=1-2
http://www.amazon.com/Wagner-Siegfried-Idyll-Franz-Liszt/dp/B00005IA20/ref=sr_1_3?ie=UTF8&qid=1309237845&sr=8-3

[ward1566]

I will be downloading the following MP3s of Wagner rarities once I a) know how to do it and b) once I have permission to do so (which should be a formality).

Ihr Kinder, geschwinde, geschwinde (WWV 113)
Männerlist größer als Frauenlist, Duett 3 (Uraufführung), WWV 48
Einleg-Arie zu Joseph Weigls "Die Schweizerfamilie", WWV 45
Wahlspruch für die deutsche Feuerwehr, WWV 101
Es ist bestimmt in Gottes Rat (completion) WWV 92
In Tempo di Porazzi für das Album der Graefin Tasca, oWWV
Polka und Ländler zum Sechselüten, oWWV
Cantico anticcho italiano für Peter Cornelius, oWWV
Christus im Schiffe, aus: "Jesus von Nazareth", WWV 80
Weckruf für Cosima, oWWV
Seinem Seraphinenpüppchen, oWWV
Zusätzliche Strophe Brünnhildes Schlussgesang (für Ludwig II)
Tribschener Kinderhymne, oWWV
Trinkgeld-Lied für Johann Rebel, oWWV
Wiegenlied für Eva, oWWV
Dein ist das Reich (WWV 19A)
Albumblatt fur Judith Gautier
Concert overture in D minor (WWV 20)
Doch jetzt wohin ich blicke (WWV 33)
Norma, il predisse, o druidi (WWV 52 - this is available on CD)
Gruss seiner Treuen an Friedrich August (version for male choir - WWV 71)
Wilkommen in Wahnfried du heil'ger Christ (WV 112?113)
Sanfte Wehmut will sich regen (WWV 43)