Elgar in Switzerland

[alberto]

On Saturday 30th August I had the luck (not by chance, by choice) to attend in Luzern to a (IMHO magnificent) performance of Elgar's Second Symphony conducted by Andris Nelsons with the City of Birmingham SO. BTW the Symphony was a "first performance" for the Festival (born in 1938).
The hall was full. Nobody-as far as I saw- went away after the first half (Beetfoven's Emperor with Buchbinder). And it would be meaningless to go to Luzern (the audience is international, just for a minority local) to hear half concert. (I just saw two persons leaving almost at the end of the finale: who knows their reasons?).
I had the impression that the audience was mainly unfamiliar with the work, but attentive.
At the end the response was very good, I would say warm (prompted by Nelson standing motionless for a longish moment after the last bar).
Warm, but slightly mitigated in comparison to the reactions after two "grand repertoire" symphonies I attended to: Beethoven Seventh (Nelsons again) and Tchaicovsky Sixth (Gergev and Mariinsky Orch.).

[Alan Howe]

I wonder whether that means that Elgar 2 had never been played in Lucerne before?

[alberto]

In theory Elgar's Second could have been performed outside the Festival ; exists a Luzern Symphony Orchestra (no connection with the Luzern Festival Orchestra), which has a long history and helds its regular season. But I doubt that it happened. 

[eschiss1]

I see reports saying "Elgar a brave choice for Lucerne" and things like that. Dream of Gerontius was performed in Lucerne last year in the same hall (KKL Hall Lucerne) and the cello concerto in the last 2000s. Rare, but not unprecedented, I assume. (There are few obvious Swiss symphonists/choral writers from the turn of the 20th century of similar reputation - Suter, Huber, and among symphonists Andreae and Juon have much less international reputation (Huber being closest to being a contemporary of Elgar's - b.1852; Suter is nearly the next generation already, really, and Juon is 2 years younger still.  With Andreae (b.1879), Schoeck (b.1886)...)

[Alan Howe]

Which of these composers is of Elgar's stature, though? Huber? Surely not. Suter? No. Juon? Maybe - but none is a symphonist to be compared with Elgar.

[eschiss1]

Agreed; one has to go a few generations forward - arguably to Martin and Honegger - for a composer who can hold their head so high. The point I was thinking of but got lost in, was that British performances of Swiss turn-of-the-20th-century composers seem to be as rare, as I can make out, as Swiss performances of British turn-of-the-20th-century composers (Elgar, Stanford, the lot) (there are, it seems, some international performances of Huber, Juon, etc. this coming year, though mostly in one dedicated concert at the Jupiter Symphony Chamber Players in NYC.) 

Elgar's music rightly has a fair list of upcoming performances (see An Elgar Diary) in any case.

[adriano]

Hi Alberto and hi Alan
During many years there was a problem with the Lucerne Festival in connection with bad train connections. We were used to see people running away eralier in order to get to the nearby station, otherwise they would have had to wait much longer, or even risk not to be able to go home the same night. In the 70s I remember there was a real corruption affair between concert-goers and wardrobe people, in order that those hurried people could get to the station. There was even the talk that the city of Lucerne had "arranged" this with the train company in order to have more hotel bookings, but I suppose today this is no more such a problem.
Fritz Brun has - in some movements - Elgarian passages and I compare him to this composer, although he is more "modern" sounding. But his noble and grandious music message is similar.
Nelsons is not at all my taste, although I could not listen to his Elgar.

[Alan Howe]

Brun's symphonic oeuvre takes him considerably beyond Elgar in terms of idiom, harmonic complexity, etc. Although I rate him highly, I haven't (yet) found anything as memorable as Elgar's two symphonies. I must clearly listen to him again.

[adriano]

Hi Alan
Brun's work for piano and orchestra have just been released. That's his more "Romantic" side.
As far as harmonic complexity is concerned, Brun has definitely more than Elgar - soemtimes even a bit too much for untrained music listeners. Elgar has a "grand souffle" breathing through his Symphonies, Brun is more fragmentary, but his souffle is more sanguinic and undiplomatic. In Elgar we recognise the noble Englishmen's character and culture. Brun is wild and often uncontrolled. Let me consider him one of the few composers who also really reached to "swear" in music.

[Alan Howe]

That's a fascinating comparison.

[eschiss1]

(Hrm. A point here if I may. Nobility is a part of some of Elgar's music, but if one supposes him hemmed-in by it, I think the listener makes a mistake. Admittedly the first example that comes to mind is opening of the unfinished 3rd symphony - an opening entirely by Elgar, though - though there's this and that elsewhere, too (some briefer pieces, including vocal ones; the finale of the string quartet?)

[alberto]

I understand that Simon Rattle will conduct "The Dream of Gerontius" with the Wiener Philh. at Luzern Festival  on 13/9/15 (soloists Magdalena Kozena, Toby Spence, Gerald Finley). I think it will be a "first performance" (for the festival) much more daring than Symphony n.2. 

[Aramiarz]

Dear Adriano,  very interesting your comments!  I wish soon get this wonderful recording!,
What will be your next release?

[adriano]

Hi Aramiarz and thanks for your interest 
In November, Brun's Fourth Symphony will be realased (as usually on Guild, and coupled with his Rhapspdy for Orchestra) and in Spring, his Second (coupled with his fabulous Symphonic Prologue - a masterpiece).
In January 2015 I will record Brun's Eighth (coupled with his orchstration of 3 piano songs by Schoeck) and in August 2015 his Cello Concerto, coupled with two works for choir and orchestra - and with an own arrangement for string sextet of a piano song cycle. After this, which will be the final CD of my Brun series (and the Scherber Symphony - which will be also released next year), my star as a conductor will sink rapidly, since there are no further sponsors around to support me. Today, nothing can be realized wihtout financial support, especially in the domain of odd repertoire, and, since I am not a concert star (agents categorically refused me since the time I was working for Naxos-Marco Polo - and just because of this) and still today, because I am not interested in conducting repertoire pieces in concert.

[Aramiarz]

Dear Adriano!

     Thank You for share your next released! Very interesting
I have a lot interest in these cd's. I have some much cd's from You (Marco Polo, Naxos, Sterling, etc),
I think that your legacy is historic. It's Unbelieve it the attitude the orchestras And agents to personas as You. Few artist have the wish of rescue the forgotten treasures of the past. Some much play the traditional repertoire. But always, there are people as us, with great wishes to see forward.
I hope And wish that You follow forward with your attitude And projects!
You are one great researcher And artist. We have some much to do!