Can a Sung Composer have Unsung works such as Saint Saens first two symphonies?

[Alan Howe]

...although we do occasionally allow the unsung compositions of sung composers - e.g. the reconstructed Grieg PC.

[Mark Thomas]

Indeed.

[sdtom]

I was sharing with the forum members what I discovered in the new series of recordings from Saint-Saens. I feel a level of comfort here and the knowledge I've required is priceless. Having said that do I really belong here?
Tom

[Gareth Vaughan]

Of course you do, Tom. Don't be silly! 

[sdtom]

Thanks for the encouragement. I feel a bit overwhelmed at times kind of like playing chess with a ranked player.
Tom

[Gareth Vaughan]

Nonsense. You are a valued member of this forum, as I'm sure others will agree.

[Alan Howe]

Seconded!!!

[giles.enders]

Some years ago I tuned into R3 and heard this amazing piece of music and was discovered it was a cantata by Janacek Na Solani Cartak.  Haven't heard it since.

[giles.enders]

Not sure if this counts as 'unsung'  perhaps 'rarely heard'; Hyperion are releasing a new recording of Schoenberg's Gurrelieder in July.  I am really looking forward to hearing it.

[Alan Howe]

It's not unsung these days.

[adriano]

Naxos are, as far as Saint-Saens' first two Symphonies are concerned, not at all pioneering! In 1975 they were already recorded by French EMI (conducted by Jean Martinon). This LP was a great success and had sales worldwide. The complete (4) Symphonies (including the early A major item) have been reissued on a French double CD in 1989. I think, this is all other than unsung music!

[eschiss1]

I agree. With other discs, however, I'd say they are. (Again, if one -were- to expand the definition of "unsung" past the remit of this forum, that would not need argument; they released only the 2nd ever recording of Quincy Porter's first few string quartets - not counting the several-times-recorded 3rd - and rather soon after the first ever recording of all of them; their recent recording of Bacewicz string quartets might be only the 2nd ever recording of her quartet no.1; within the Romantic period, their Liszt series may contain some recordings of works very hard to find outside the Hyperion complete series, especially if they continue with it; the new Martucci trios are not premieres but the earlier CDs are not so easy to find that a new (good) recording shouldn't be welcomed (I admit I am a fan of his better music, though); I gather the recordings of Isasi's string quartets fall more or less within premiere(ish?) and Romantic-style; likewise premieres or near-premieres of early Bax works... etc. ...-

actually, is that (implication) really in question, or are you having us on?

[vicharris]

Of course the answer is yes, I am sure the "successes" were far fewer than the pieces written by the "sung" composers. Having just read a biography of Tchaikovsky I realized how many operas he wrote, as well as the fact that I had not listened to his four suites for far too long. Enjoyed making that right!

[adriano]

Don't worry, eschiss1 :-)
I reacted in here whilst remembering exciting moments on exciting "unsung" LP releases of many many years ago - in my 20s. As an old man of 71, I now have become terribly nostalgic. In my student years I was using money reserved for food to buy (mostly "sung") LP's. The first ever was a coupling of Nutcracker and Sleeping Beauty Suites, the second the Giulini Romeo and Francesca (quite "unsung" at that time) and Dvorak's "New World". The later top exciting events were caused by those immortal Karajan Beethoven and Brahms sets on DGG! I was having sleepless nights, not only for the excitement of having the money soon to buy them (Later onI was selling LPs in a Zurich music shop on a temporary basis), but also afterwards while listening. The first "unsung" item I got at that time may have been Tchaikovsky's "Hamlet", a Melodiya LP received as a gift from a lady curator of the Klin Tchaikovsky House. The Karajans changed my life completely... And a Brams addict I still am. Sorry for this semi-private and out of theme interlude...

[MartinH]

On Brahms: my favorite unsung Brahms, and one of my favorite indulgences of all, is the Schoenberg arrangement of the g minor quartet. Schoenberg's Gurrelieder isn't unsung but his orchestral gift of the Brahms sure doesn't get played often enough. Fortunately, there are several terrific recordings.