Unsung Tone/Symphonic Poems?

[Alan Howe]

It's rather better than 'vanilla' or 'pleasant enough', isn't it? It evokes nature rather beautifully. Gentle rather than vanilla, surely.

Of course written when the world was a little different

You mean, when life expectancy in Europe was roughly half what it is now, when untreatable diseases stalked the continent, and when there had been roughly ten European conflicts since the Franco-Prussian War? In other words, when life for most people was short and rather brutish - i.e. far worse? Or did I misunderstand your meaning?

[Justin]

Absolutely. Thank you. And here's Blech's gorgeous piece, exactly as described:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BqojnQsV28s

I found another post of the same performance, but it sounds less cluttered: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=klNURNlTP_A

I can't tell if this is from a different source, or if it is the result of some noise reduction. Is the actual orchestra a bit more muffled, or is it just me?

It is also 20 seconds shorter, so someone posted theirs with tape speed issues.

[Justin]

Update:

The Aachen Theater in Germany will be performing both "Waldwanderung" and "Trost in der Natur" along with others works in April/May 2021.

https://theateraachen.de/de_DE/produktionen/6-sinfoniekonzert-wanderlust.1277395
https://theateraachen.de/de_DE/produktionen/7-sinfoniekonzert-schillernde-naechte.1277396

[FBerwald]

I just heard "Waldwanderung"  for the first time. Beautiful evocative music indeed - To describe this as vanilla is a mistake i feel. Imagine the hard-work and thought that went into writing the multiple layers that make this beautiful rather impressionist work; quite intrigued by this composer. Wiki entry on Leo Blech fails to mention his non-vocal works. Eg. Did he write symphonies, concertos?

[Wheesht]

The German Wikipedia entry mentions two other orchestral works "The Nun" and "Consolation in Nature" (plus two military marches):
_Die Nonne. Symphonische Dichtung für großes Orchester, angeregt durch das gleichnamige Gedicht von Otto Julius Bierbaum, op. 6. Entstanden Aachen, 1898
Aufführungen: Gustav Kogel, Frankfurter Museumsgesellschaft (Frankfurt a. M., 29. Januar 1899); Blech, Orchester des Kgl. deutschen Landestheaters (Prag, 4. Januar 1900); Ernst von Schuch, Königliche Kapelle (Dresden, 21. Dezember 1900); Karl Panzner, Blüthner-Orchester (Berlin, 16. November 1908)
_Trost in der Natur. Barcarole für Orchester, op. 7 [Nr. 3]. Vollendet Aachen, 3. Juni 1900
Uraufführung unter Blech, Orchester des Kgl. deutschen Landestheaters (Prag, 24. Januar 1901); weitere Aufführungen: Richard Strauss, Tonkünstler-Orchester (Berlin, 10. Februar 1902), Ernst von Schuch, Königliche Kapelle (Dresden, Frühjahr 1902), Willem Mengelberg, Concertgebouw-Orchester (Amsterdam, 15. Oktober 1905)

There is a 1985 thesis on Blech which contains a work list, but I have not seen this.

[Jonathan]

There is now the newly rediscovered orchestral version of Tausig's Das Geisterschiff which is described as a symphonic poem. I'm very fond of the solo piano version and would dearly love to hear how it sounds arranged for orchestra. I've mentioned it to a well known record label founder in the hope that it might be recorded.

[sdtom]

As many of you remember the Unsung Tone Poems use to be my specialty until I contracted Parkinson's and my daughter leaving me for dead threw my entire collection of CD's  in the dumpster leaving me with nothing but YouTube to listen to. Somehow I recovered and sitting at the computer today I saw Alan Howe's name and it registered with me. I was listening today to the Charles Munch recording of Le Chausseur audit, a seldom played Franck piece. What a bright snappy recording, perhaps dated in the audio department but a piece that reminds me of a Star Wars movie soundtrack. Glad to be back.
Tom

[Alan Howe]

So glad to welcome you back, Tom. How are you?

[sdtom]

Other than losing everything in my CD collection I had, I have some of my health back. I wanted to listen to my Liadov CD this morning which included Enchanted Lake another unsung tone poem this morning. Oh well.
Tom

[Alan Howe]

Which Liadov CD was this, Tom?

[sdtom]

Naxos 8.555242
Do you have it? Could you make a digital file?
Tom

[sdtom]

Continuing on my Unsung/Symphonic Poems I'm listening to Reinecke's King Manfred Overture. Probably one many of you haven't heard before.

[eschiss1]

There's a new recording of it on a CD we were recently discussing, one of 2 recordings of the overture I'm aware of I think- which one are you listening to?

[sdtom]

Alas, the old one on Marco Polo # 8223117. Walter and the Rhemish one of the few that didn't get thrown out. While not necessarily the best quality I had over 100 of them in my collection including Arensky, Spohr, Moyzes, Faneli (our Adriano), and tons of others.
Tom

[Wheesht]

Does anybody know the Lehár Symphonic Poems? I didn't even know he'd written them (early in his career): Il Guado and Fieber are available on a CPO disc from 1997.