Siegmund von Hausegger: Natursymphonie

[UnsungMasterpieces]

I was looking for some composers on a YouTube channel called UnsungMasterworks when I stumbled upon this symphony.
It was written by an Austrian composer I had never heard of before, his name is Siegmund von Hausegger (1872 - 1948).
While writing this post, I am listening to this work and up till now I'm really impressed!
Wikipedia says that the composer's father Friedrich, who Siegmund initially studied with, was one of the first in Austria to recognize the greatness of Richard Wagner, and his works show a strong Wagnerian tinge.

He also had a reputation as conductor, being the first to conduct Bruckner's Ninth Symphony in its original form.

Siegmund von Hausegger was talked of in the first years of the 20th century as one of the great next talents after Strauss and Mahler, but still he was forgotten, despite his multiple successes, and his full-blooded post-Wagnerian style went out of fashion.

Tell me what you think of it. I can't give download link because it's available on CD now.

[Alan Howe]

Welcome to UC. You may like to try a site search for more discussions on Hausegger; meanwhile here's one previous thread:
http://www.unsungcomposers.com/forum/index.php/topic,1001.msg13173.html#msg13173

[djarvie]

Quite a coincidence - I was halfway through listening to the YouTube version of the symphony when I read this thread, and had just ordered the CD from JPC!

[Alan Howe]

For me the Natursymphonie is a magnificently orchestrated piece of late romantic exotica, but not terribly memorable. If you want this sort of thing Strauss, Schoenberg, Zemlinsky and even Marx do it rather better. Nevertheless, an enjoyable wallow - and a marvellous recording on cpo. In that respect it's a must-buy.

[ncouton]

For me the Natursymphonie is a magnificently orchestrated piece of late romantic exotica, but not terribly memorable. If you want this sort of thing Strauss, Schoenberg, Zemlinsky and even Marx do it rather better. Nevertheless, an enjoyable wallow - and a marvellous recording on cpo. In that respect it's a must-buy.

I completely agree with this statement. The poverty of the melodic material is alas very disappointing and contrasts very much with the high purpose and the orchestral treatment. Too bad.

[Mark Thomas]

Yes, Alan is quite right, the Natursymfonie is rather a let down. Much more rounded, in matching the quality of his melodic inspiration to his very capable treatment of it, are Hausegger's earlier Wieland der Schmied and Barbarossa.

[Gareth Vaughan]

I haven't heard Barbarossa, but I completely agree with Mark re. Wieland.

[Ilja]

Agreed that, although I enjoy the Natursymphonie tremedously at times, it is an inferior piece to both Wieland and Barbarossa. But to rate it lower than Marx's symphonic efforts is a bit of a stretch IMO. Both (Natursymphonie vs. Herbstsymphonie) suffer from comparable problems, but Marx's overly dense orchestration makes it so much more difficult to discern or remember the melodic stucture of the piece.

[Alan Howe]

I can recall the Marx, but not the Hausegger. That's all I meant.

[adriano]

I had proposed to record this Symphony to Klaus Heymann already in the mid 1990s, but he never was interested in this composer. His two tone poems "Barbarossa" and "Wieland der Schmied" are equally excellent!