Paul Graener (1872-1944) - Works for Piano Trio from cpo

[M. Henriksen]

cpo starting the new year with a disc with chamber music by Paul Graener. A followup to last year's fine Sterling disc with orchestral works by the same composer. Details can be found here:

http://www.jpc.de/jpcng/cpo/detail/-/art/Paul-Graener-Werke-f%FCr-Klaviertrio/hnum/8777627

Hopefully cpo will continue their excellent releases of unsung repertoire for years to come!


Morten

[Alan Howe]

Hmmm. I'm not sure about Graener, The Sterling CD was welcome, of course, but the music isn't all that great, I fear. Still, maybe the chamber music will be better...

[M. Henriksen]

We'll get an impression when the sound-excerpts are available.
Myself being a orchestral music-afficiando, this disc will not enter my house.
I'm saving my money for the upcoming Havergal Brian discs from Toccata and Dutton!


Morten

[eschiss1]

The trio is available (though not very visible, I think, if you're not in Canada- not sure) on IMSLP here. (Actually, I should see if Hofmeister provides a more accurate date...)
(actually, even if it was published after 1922, it's PD-US because of a USA law having to do with the lack of a copyright notice effect on public domain character of works published in that period etc.)-Eric

[petershott@btinternet.com]

I propose a limited thumbs up to Paul Graener to counter the doubts expressed above. I very much enjoyed the first opportunity I've had to encounter his music from the recent Sterling disc.

The opening Allegro of the symphony bursts with radiant energy and is full of the most gorgeous melodies. It is followed by a lovely and graceful Andante, and ends with a noble finale in which the brass are a joy to hear. The whole symphony is very well worked out and its ideas are skillfully developed. True, Graener is not in the league of Strauss, but anyone who relishes late German romanticism ought to relish this disc (which like the best of Sterling CDs is wonderfully recorded and presented). Shame on those who profess misgivings!

And one of the smaller pieces on the disc - the Turmwachterlied - is a real gem.

And heavens, Morten, why on earth do you say, speaking of the forthcoming CPO chamber music disc, that 'this CD will not enter my house'?. Now I happen not to eat slaughtered animals. And I confess to going about saying such things as 'dead animals in the form of sausages or steaks shall not enter my house'. In this case I'm acting on the principle that because human animals are continuous with non-human animals, then since we wouldn't treat the former as a means to our own gratification (let alone inflict pain on them), nor should we so do with the latter.

This site is hardly the forum for a debate on that, and all I'm illustrating is that specific judgments should be grounded on general principles, and failure to do so amounts to not being fully rational. So let me ask, Morten, on what principle are you acting in seeking to keep Graener and chamber music out of your house? Is it a principle that admits of a robust defence? (Fear not, I am but in a teasing mood!!)

Incidentally, if anyone is misguided enough to respond to this, could we PLEASE keep off the topic aired earlier of: should properly enlightened folk listen to music composed by a probable Nazi? Graener's actual involvement in that movement is uncertain, and there is now insufficient evidence upon which to erect definitive judgments. To my mind, the more we understand what went on in those dark days in Berlin in the early 1940s the greater our understanding shall be. Did any OB (= old boy) like me go to a truly fascinating and thought-provoking exhibition on German Romanticism held in the Hayward Gallery on London's South Bank about 20 years or so ago? As you walked around (took me about 4 hours, and even then I had to go back the next day) you started by drooling over manuscripts (behind bullet proof glass) in the hands of Goethe and Schubert (incredibly moving to feast the eyes on them). And then, slowly, steadily and convincingly you were led on through later manifestations of romanticism and nationalism towards some repugnant movements that erupted in Nazi ideology, racialism, master-races, blood-cleansing and all the rest of it. (All of those things in fact that Nietzsche anticipated so acutely when staring ahead into the forthcoming century). Because the exhibition was arranged so well, a whole continuous spectrum of cultural and artistic ideas and artifacts, you could grasp very clearly that all of the latter first had their seeds in the former. Both frightening and awesome.

Apologies for my obvious lapse into utter loquacity. All I intended was: do give Graener a try!

Peter

[M. Henriksen]

OK Peter! I will answer why records of chamber music can be counted on one thumb in my collection, because I was not trying to be offensive against Graener in any way. I don't care about what might have been his political views.

No, the reason is quite simple: Economy!

I'm very fond of the symphony orchestra as a medium for expression and therefore I prioritize records of orchestral music.
So for example I have all of Dvorak's orchestral music, but none of his Quartets, piano pieces, songs etc. Not because I dislike the music, I just can't afford to buy all those CDs. Simple as that.
I can understand that the sentence "the disc will not enter my house" could be based on political views or even my impression of Graener's music. But it's not so. I'm just saving my money for some other records.


Morten

[petershott@btinternet.com]

A perfectly adequate defence, Morton. And no need to defend your buying habits and choice of music - I was just out to have some mischievous fun!

Hey, wouldn't life be grand if we were richer men? If you were seriously rich, then, dammit, you could build a small concert hall extension to your house, hire string quartets, listen all day to the wondrous Dvorak quartets - and then both you and I would be very happy! Best wishes to you,

Peter

[M. Henriksen]

No problems! When it comes to defending my classical music buying habits to friends and family, I've given up years ago.
Here on this forum, we don't need to defend the passion for classical music and why we spend to much money buying records. Which is great, of course!
If we were richer men, we could have even bigger record collections. Unfortunately, money can't buy more time to listen to it all


Morten

[Alan Howe]

Oh, I like the symphony - but it's really rather small beer. Nice, but nothing more than that, I'm afraid.

[Mark Thomas]

I have several music loving friends who rave about it and another who thinks it "desperately feeble stuff". Myself, I think it's a pleasant listen but wouldn't put it higher than that. I suspect that it's one of those works which provokes whatever the opposite of consensus is, and no doubt Graener's alleged politics doesn't help with some people (not me).

[febnyc]

Hey, wouldn't life be grand if we were richer men? If you were seriously rich, then, dammit, you could build a small concert hall extension to your house, hire string quartets, listen all day to the wondrous Dvorak quartets - and then both you and I would be very happy! Best wishes to you,

Peter

If I were a rich man,
Ya ha deedle deedle, bubba bubba deedle deedle dum.
All day long I'd biddy biddy bum.
If I were a wealthy man.
I wouldn't have to work hard.
Ya ha deedle deedle, bubba bubba deedle deedle dum.
If I were a biddy biddy rich,
Yidle-diddle-didle-didle man.

I'd build a big tall house with rooms by the dozen,
Right in the middle of the town.
A fine tin roof with real wooden floors below.
There would be one long staircase just going up,
And one even longer coming down,
And one more leading nowhere, just for show.


OK, so Tevye the Milkman had different ideas how to spend his fortune, if he had one.  Instead of a concert hall-extension, he wanted to fill his yard with chickens and ducks.  And rather than listen all day to Dvorak, Tevye would opt for the time to sit and discuss the holy books with the learned men.  Ahhh, we all aspire to being a rich (richer?) man!

[Alan Howe]

Try this wonderful piece from this CD...
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zcDLctbz9UU

[izdawiz]

Thanks! ..Nice!!