Hausegger from cpo

[Ilja]

I have the greatest sympathy for cpo's mission and products, particularly after interviewing Burkhardt Schmilgun for MusicWeb a few years ago. But their prominence is also a double-edged sword.

The problem with cpo's long production times isn't so much the wait as the fact that once they've recorded a piece and it awaits release, no one else will invest in a recording of it. And because of cpo's reputation in producing complete cycles of symphonies or concertos, no one will touch the same composer's other works either. For example, Sterling gave up their Atterberg series once cpo concurrently started one.

Their releases are usually very rewarding once they're available, but it can be frustrating up to that time and I can make out no logic in their release schedule. Sometimes recordings are available within a year or so (e.g., the Van Gilse symphonies), and sometimes it can take up to a decade. And sometimes they just seem to be sitting on their material (e.g., the Sträßer symphonies).

That is not cpo-bashing. Quite the reverse: it is an honest desire to hear more from them.

[Gareth Vaughan]

I didn't know CPO had recorded the Sträßer symphonies.

[eschiss1]

I'm not sure if we know that they have, but the lineup of artists in the broadcasts available of symphonies 1 & 2 suggests that there might be a forthcoming commercial release at least of those 2 symphonies from cpo, which often cofunds and records with those artists/orchestras/radio/etc.

[Gareth Vaughan]

Thanks, Eric. I see what you mean.

[mjkFendrich]

I didn't know CPO had recorded the Sträßer symphonies.

@ Mark Thomas:

Could you perhaps be so kind an reupload (or provide a new download link for) the Sträßer symphonies?
That would be great!

BTW: I would consider recordings with the Nordwestdt. Philharmonie conducted by W.A.Albert much more likely to originate from the 1980s rather
than being new productions for cpo.

[Mark Thomas]

Could you perhaps be so kind an reupload (or provide a new download link for) the Sträßer symphonies?
That would be great!

I've posted mp3s of the off-air recordings of the first two symphonies (and the Concert Overture for good measure) in the Downloads Board here.

[mjkFendrich]

I've posted mp3s of the off-air recordings of the first two symphonies (and the Concert Overture for good measure) in the Downloads Board here.

Thank you, Mark!

[Ilja]

BTW: I would consider recordings with the Nordwestdt. Philharmonie conducted by W.A.Albert much more likely to originate from the 1980s rather
than being new productions for cpo.

While Albert's tenure as a principal conductor with the NWR ended in 1971, he has made various recordings with them afterwards (with works by Pepping, Nicodé, Korngold, Volkmann and others) until the 2000s. From what I heard, the two Sträßer symphonies were recorded in the late 1990s, and were always intended to be released on CD.

It should perhaps be emphasized that cpo doesn't "order" recordings from radio orchestras. I have read amazement that "cpo recordings" are broadcast by radio stations, but that is part of the agreement. These regional orchestras' missions usually include recording the work of regional composers, and they work together with the radio station that they're associated with, and cpo, on recording projects. Something like this is the case for other labels, too, and cpo can be regarded as a "house label" for most of these regional broadcasting stations. This explains how some cpo recordings are available on streaming services, or as downloads, and others aren't – the licensing agreements differ. And some situations are beyond cpo's control. But they might be a bit more open about it from time to time.

[Alan Howe]

...and with that, back to Hausegger. My copy's on its way...

[Alan Howe]

One thing we must be grateful for is to have a thoroughly first-class orchestra playing this unfamiliar music, in this case the wonderful Bamberg Symphony. The depth and range of sonority of which they are capable are absolutely right for this spectacular late-romantic music. I'm not (yet) sure about the staying power of the music, but it couldn't be better presented than here...

[Alan Howe]

Listened to Aufklänge first - often subtle, often sonorous music, beautifully orchestrated - and utterly unmemorable. I can see why it hasn't 'stuck' - it's not a patch on, say, Richard Strauss. Anyway, full of hope, I'm moving on to the other pieces on the CD...

[Ilja]

Well, not immediately memorable perhaps. I've owned the radio dub of this performance for a year or so, and Aufklänge has really grown on me. Having said that, it's certainly doesn't possess the catchiness of the Dionysische Phantasie, which may be my favorite Hausegger piece now.


Can't wait for a decent version of Barbarossa, though.

[Alan Howe]

Oh dear. I so wanted to like this music. And in a way, I do. I admire the orchestration, the sonorities conjured up, the ambition. Hausegger doesn't just huff and puff, he can also be very subtle. But I just don't warm to his actual material. He doesn't draw me in - the themes are mediocre, there's barely a hint of a memorable tune. There's plenty of incident, but it's all too generic sub-Wagner/Strauss for me. I prefer the genuine articles.

So, what have I missed?

[Ilja]

You don't like it. Nothing wrong with that, is there?


Personally, I've had more instances where I don't get the appeal for music everyone tells me is great, or at least interesting. Marx is a good example. Hausegger, I would say, isn't for everyone, even if I love almost everything I've heard from him.


While I don't subscribe to the "personal taste is everything" mantra (it would negate the need for this forum, for starters), it is vital that your aesthetic sense allows you to appreciate a piece of art.

[Droosbury]

Does anyone have any idea when cpo's Hausegger disc will be available in the UK? I keep expecting it to pop up on "a well-known online store" but, so far, to no avail. cpo's UK distributor, Select Music, have yet to list it in their new releases either. The label's Pfitzner opera has still to get a UK release too. Does cpo usually have this delay time between Germany and UK?