Hans Sommer: Chamber Music

[Mark Thomas]

The CAvi label (a new one to me) will be issuing a CD of chamber music by Hans Sommer: his Piano Quartet, Piano Trio and a few other smaller pieces, played by Hartmut Rohde and Trio Image. Details (including audio examples) here. The Piano Quartet seems to be the same recording as I posted in the Downloads board a few days ago, so I have now removed that.

[Fsadharah]

And did you notice that the Theater&Philharmonie Thueringen, based in Gera and Altenburg, will present Hans Sommer (his 1904 "Ruebezahl") as an opera composer during the current season. The premiere is scheduled on 18 March, 2016.
More details in German you will find here.

Admin note: The link has been modified and now works.

[eschiss1]

might want to have another look at that link, there. !

[Mark Thomas]

I've now altered the link to work properly.

[Alan Howe]

My copy of the CD's just arrived. No major surprises in the two major works (Piano Quartet, Piano Trio); nevertheless this is finely wrought music with plenty of vim and vigour, as well as much melodic appeal. Really beautifully performed and recorded too - no hint of HIP here, thank goodness.

Sommer appears to be one of the composers who moved from his earlier conservatism to the more radical camp, although there's not much sign of this in the two major works featured here. Draeseke, for example, was writing chamber music far in advance of Sommer's idiom in roughly the same period. However, this is a CD containing some absolutely gorgeous music. I'm glad to have encountered it.

[Mark Thomas]

Can't see a download available anywhere yet, so I'll have to bide my time on this one...

[eschiss1]

Does anyone have an opinion of the CD of his orchestral songs (which Amazon -does- offer as a download)?

[erato]

It's very fine.

[Alan Howe]

The 29-minute long Piano Trio in E flat (ca.1882) is an absolutely gorgeous piece. Sommer has a real gift for long-breathed, almost vocal melody, particularly evident here in the slow movement. Wonderful - and a gift for any piano trio. It's superbly done in this recording which will be a candidate for my chamber music recording of the year.

[britishcomposer]

Alan, do you think the trio superior in inspiration to the quartet? A year ago I listened to the quartet and wrote a short note in my diary. I was impressed by its craftsmanship but complained about the poor melodic invention. The songs I found almost pointing to Hugo Wolf. I don't remember if that was meant to be a compliment.

[Alan Howe]

Well, the 29-minute, three-movement Piano Quartet in G minor (dated ca.1870/ca.1884) is definitely cut from the same musical cloth as the Piano Trio. It's chock-full of the most gorgeous melodies - if anything it's even more beautiful. Sommer also has the ability to effect the most heart-stopping modulations. I'd say without hesitation that both works are masterpieces of the highest order. Their neglect is unfathomable - indeed, a scandal.

[britishcomposer]

Well, perhaps I was too harsh. If there weren't so many new pieces to discover and so many to which I want to come back year after year...

[Alan Howe]

I daren't think how many times I've come to a piece later on only to find I'd missed something wonderful.

[Mark Thomas]

I'd like to hear them for the first time - no downloads available yet, unfortunately.

[eschiss1]

Now listed @ Records International, by the way... (as is a recording of the aforementioned Rubezahl.)