Unsung extracts

[Reverie]

I seem to have accumalted a number of projects which are are "works in progress" but to date remain unfinished. Rather than leave them sitting on my PC for just myself to listen to I thought it only right to share them with others wishing to explore snippets of orchestral music unheard for over a hundred years.

There are four samples (each lasting about 4 minutes) from the following unsung composers:

Heinrich Esser,
Odon Mihalovich,
Ernst Rudorff
and Grzegorz Fitelberg.

What an eclectic bunch - some might say esoteric!

Anyway, have a listen. The scores are included as usual. And rest assured, one or more of these projects will eventually be completed.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kJJ_fsxdLlc

[Simon]

Some very mouthwatering samples I'd say! Thanks!

[adriano]

Thanks, Reverie :-)
Fitelberg's two Symphonies are, like his three symphonic poems, great music!

You may already know there other pieces:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oO_qem3sJYA
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rC5IO-kr2bg
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R5vuUCNJBuY

His symphonic poem "The Song of the Falcon" is also available on the EDA label.

... and this is a score:
https://imslp.org/wiki/Symphony_in_E_minor%2C_Op.16_(Fitelberg%2C_Gregorz)

See also:
http://www.karolszymanowski.pl/life/education-the-young-poland-movement/

Fitelberg was a friend of Szymanovsky, whose Second Symphony and First Violin Concerto he recorded in the 1950s (see a Dutton and a deleted LYS CD).
He also premiered the Second of Szymanovsky's Violin Concertos, both of which were first performed by Szymanovsky's intimate friend Pavel Kochansky. Fitelberg also orchestrated two short pieces (Nocturne and Tarantella for violin and piano) by Szymanovsky. The original version of latter two pieces are available on a gorgeous Chandos CD with Lydia Mordkovitch as a soloist - on the same disc there is also Szymanovsky's chamber masterpiece "Three Myths" and his First Violin Sonata. Their orchestrated versions are available on Naxos/Marco Polo

Fitelberg's son Jerzy (who emigrated to the USA) was also a composer. He also studied with Franz Schreker. He also made a new orchestration of Sullivan's "The Mikado"...
Chandos issued some of his chamber music on CD. His Double Concerto (for Piano and Trombone!) is available on the EDA label. He died in 1951, two yesras before his father.

---------
A personal notice: Let's hope we all will be allowed to continue enjoying to correspond and express our great love for music in this super forum - and not being just wirped-off from this earth, and having to die just because some Chinese did not wash or clean their market meat properly. Meanwhile the virus has also conquered Switzeland; and it looks as it spreads as quickly as in Italy. Yesterday our politicians at long last decided to shut down schools, public places and events - after they still had left the borders open for Italian commuter traffic! Now in one day only we had already 200 more positively tested cases! Due to my age of 75 I belong to the risk group...

[tpaloj]

Great examples, thank you! Might these time codes help if added to the video's description?

Esser - Symphony in B minor [00:00]
Mihalovich - Romeo and Juliet [03:58]
Rudorff - Overture zu 'Der blonde Ekbert' [08:29]
Fitelberg - Symphony in E minor [13:08]


I can also contribute to this thread with a few "works in progress" that for some reason or another are not finished but nevertheless others wishing to explore unsung music might find interesting. Stylistically the works should be within rules of this forum even if some are a little more recent. I hope it's ok to post them here. A fair warning, these soundbites are not fully proofread or perfect sounding (synthetic voices especially)!

Arthur Friedheim's "Transitions", symphonic poem. It's a massive piece which opens very promising but it devolved less into my liking the further it got, and I don't have much motivation to continue it.
https://www.dropbox.com/s/q31lwitzx0f3snh/Dorico3%20-%20Arthur%20Friedheim%20-%20Transitions%20Partitura%20-%20Flow%201.wav?dl=0

Ernst Linko's "Symphonie chevaleresque" and "Piano concerto no.1". I actually found out that there's a recording of Linko's symphony out there which is why I didn't continue it.
https://www.dropbox.com/s/jvow5gwzgijbjsu/Dorico3%20-%20Ernst%20Linko%20-%20Kavaljeerisinfonia%20-%20Flow%201.wav?dl=0
https://www.dropbox.com/s/2x8sc0rz8udyhn4/Dorico3%20-%20Ernst%20Linko%20-%20Piano%20Concerto%201%20-%20Flow%201.wav?dl=0

Väinö Raitio's operas "Kaksi kuningatarta" and "Lyydian kuningas". The latter work, a half-hour opera, has been recorded.
https://www.dropbox.com/s/1dzl74cy20lyq2i/Dorico3%20-%20V%C3%A4in%C3%B6%20Raitio%20-%20Kaksi%20kuningatarta%2C%20partituuri%20-%20Flow%201.wav?dl=0
https://www.dropbox.com/s/lsskh1p523pefsd/Dorico3%20-%20V%C3%A4in%C3%B6%20Raitio%20-%20Lyydian%20kuningas%20-%20Flow%201.wav?dl=0

Richard Wetz's opera "Judith".
https://www.dropbox.com/s/rqsbbar3jkitubt/Dorico3%20-%20Richard%20Wetz%20-%20Judith%20-%20Flow%201.wav?dl=0

Georg Andreas Henkel's "Wallenstein Overture". Reconstructed beginning from IMSLP parts. Does the full score survive I wonder?
https://www.dropbox.com/s/i12s9d88d9brghb/Dorico3%20-%20Henkel%20-%20Wallenstein%20Overture%20-%20Flow%201.wav?dl=0

Antoine Reicha's "Piano Concerto". Started reconstructing this from the parts way back but no need to continue since it will (has already been?) be recorded.
https://www.dropbox.com/s/ypkvfrg8m31xp7d/Antoine%20Reicha%20-%20Piano%20Concerto%20-%20Flow%201.wav?dl=0

[Mark Thomas]

Thanks for these, tpaloj. Can you provide a link to the Linko Symphony recording, please?

[tpaloj]

I would if I had it – it was conducted and recorded in 1955 by Nils-Eric Fougstedt & Helsinki Radio Orchestra. It's not commercially available I don't think. Have to keep an eye out for radio programming to catch it. Details of the recording, from YLE music archives: http://www.fono.fi/KappaleenTiedot.aspx?tekija=linko+ernst&rooliText=S%c3%a4velt%c3%a4j%c3%a4&tekijarooli=b0609405-162e-4866-8562-4723f8d415fe&ID=da53c4fa-0b81-4970-ba7e-e8b0815671c6

[Mark Thomas]

A shame, but thanks all the same.

[Alan Howe]

I'd really like to hear the whole of Esser's Symphony in B minor - which falls tantalisingly in the 'Dahlhaus gap' between Schumann 4 and Brahms 1.

Mihalovich's 'Romeo and Juliet' sounds rather like Wagner (he was known as a Wagnerian), although there may be some Tchaikovsky (Francesca da Rimini?) in the mix as well. Again, though, absolutely fascinating. 

Rudorff is a favourite unsung of mine. Once gain, this is really interesting music, well worth a hearing. A particular feature of his music is rhythmic ingenuity.

Fitelberg's Symphony in E minor sounds something like early Scriabin - absolutely marvellous stuff.

Thanks to Reverie for sharing these excerpts - wonderful!

[Santo Neuenwelt]

Soundbites from Ernst Rudorff's String Sextet in A Major, Op.5 can be heard here
http://www.editionsilvertrust.com/rudorff-sextet.htm

The original is for three violins, viola and two cellos an unlikely combination which certainly prevented it for gaining any traction. We have reprinted the parts to the original but also made a version for standard string sextet, i.e. 2 violins, 2 violas and 2 cellos in hopes of attracting a wider audience for this fine work.

The Sextet was recorded on MDG CD #948-1889-6 along with some other pieces for piano, his 3 Romances Op.48, Capriccio appassionato Op.49, and Six Pieces Op.52

[Reverie]

Thanks all.

tpaloj - some very interesting soundbites there. I agree with your feelings regarding pieces starting well and then fading into mediocrity.

Alan, Good summary!

The Esser symphony is very strong formally but lacks in variety of melody. But yes it's worth finishing.

Mihalovich's 'Romeo and Juliet' -  yes Wagner but Liszt too. His style is a bit rough around the edges and at times over reliant on repetition. Plenty of other scores to explore mind.

Rudorff - very uplifting opening I think and some cracking melodies.

Fitelberg - I didn't think of Scriabin but now you mention it. It's a little bit manic at times. He sometimes asks for ffff (ear drum blasting) However, it's powerful stuff even in the quieter passages.

[Alan Howe]

Again, Reverie, I'm extremely grateful to you.

[Christopher]

Thanks, Reverie :-)
Fitelberg's two Symphonies are, like his three symphonic poems, great music!

You may already know there other pieces:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oO_qem3sJYA
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rC5IO-kr2bg
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R5vuUCNJBuY

Thanks for these links Hadrianus.  With regard to the last one, the labelling on the youtube page says that this piece (Nocturne for orchestra) is by Jerzy Fitelberg (Grzegorz's son) - who lived 1903-1951.

[Christopher]

Thanks, Reverie :-)
Fitelberg's two Symphonies are, like his three symphonic poems, great music!

Are these recorded?  I can't find them on amazon or youtube...

[Alan Howe]

One of Mike Herman's exhaustive discographies over at MusicWeb indicates that the elder Fitelberg's two symphonies have never been recorded:
http://www.musicweb-international.com/Ntl_discogs/Balkan_symphonies/ECE_Balkan_Symphonies.htm

[adriano]

Yes, Christopher and Alan, unfortunately :-(
I have persued the scores years ago.

There is also some of Fitelberg's chamber music on CD:
https://www.clicmusique.com/grzegorz-fitelberg-lieder-trio-pour-piano-biegas-makowska-mokrus-kurzac-p-95263.html?language=en&osCsid=cip4nldk2gkjmmfh4fvume2ru1

Since now in Poland there is quite a revival of unsung Polish composers on CD, let's hope to get those Symphonies one day...