Wilhelm Berger - Symphony No.1 Op.71

[semloh]

... to describe Berger as a true Boston Bremen.

What does that mean, Eric?

[eschiss1]

A pun with "Boston Brahmin" (Wikipedia link) - a pun linked with the fact that he was born in Boston though his family very very soon after moved (back, I believe) to Bremen.

[Justin]

We're not that cultured, Eric. 

Very clever pun though!

[eschiss1]

I doubt I'd have heard the term if it didn't sometimes come up when the "New England School" is mentioned (and a look at that Wikipedia page doesn't mention any of them, so maybe it's used figuratively, or maybe it's a partial list of the "Boston Brahmin" families. Chadwick is sometimes mentioned in that connection, for instance. Anyway!...)
One thing about Berger, btw, is that a search for Wilhelm Berger brings up a few people- the Romanian composer of the same name, for instance. Anyway, do we know much about Berger biographically?

[Rainolf]

The standard book about Berger seems to be (I have not read it):

Wilhelm Berger. Komponist - Dirigent - Pianist, edited by Irmlind Capelle and Maren Goltz, Allitera Verlag 2013.

https://www.allitera-verlag.de/buch/wilhelm-berger-1861-1911-komponist-%C2%96-dirigent-%C2%96-pianist/


There is an older book about Berger's early years in Bremen, too:

Klaus Reinhardt: Wilhelm Berger. Eine Musiker-Jugend in Bremen, Verlag Hauschild 1989.

The appendix contains facsimiles of some early compositions and a short story by Wilhelm Berger sen.


Is it known if Berger ever travelled to America as a grown up? I have not found any source that he saw his native town again. It seems that he is connected to Boston only in the way as Pfitzner is connected to Moscow and Wilhelm Petersen to Athens.

[eschiss1]

Don't know. He did travel to Bournemouth to conduct both his symphonies during the 1902/3 season if I'm understanding something I'm reading (and according to the Musical News of November 1, 1902, the 2nd's first performance in England.)-- not the USA, but outside of German-speaking territory

[semloh]

Thanks, Eric. A new term to add to my glossary of Americanisms. 

[Richard Moss]

Having recently enjoyed listening to Martin's excellent rendition of this work, I was looking (via Google) for any further notes as to its background and structure and came across this link:   https://repertoire-explorer.musikmph.de/wp-content/uploads/vorworte_prefaces/1936.html

This gives a lengthy background to Berger and his music and a detailed account of the symphony itself (but with no extant recording to refer to, I presume the review of the work was based on the published score?)

Cheers

Richard

[Gareth Vaughan]

I presume the review of the work was based on the published score?

Well, it is the Foreword to the edition of the score published by Musikproduktion Hoeflich in 2017, so not really a review as such.

[Richard Moss]

Gareth,

Thanks for the clarification.  The reason I made the post was that, as a rank musical amateur, I was pleased at finding 'in-depth' information on a work for which there is no CD (whereas CDs usually have booklet notes from the label - e.g. NAXOS, HYPERION, CHANDOS - or reviews - e.g. MUSICWEB - from which I can get a better understanding of what I am listening to (it is now some 65 years since I was in my early teens and stopped playing the piano and listening to music with the score in front of me, so sadly I can no longer read a score - my fault!). 

Anyway, the comments from yourself (and all the other 'professional' contributors to UC) are very much appreciated.

Best wishes

Richard 

[terry martyn]

Echoed, Richard!

[Alan Howe]

Here is Martin's wonderful rendition of the entire work:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1xFXCf1xTF8

[Mark Thomas]

It couldn't be more welcome.

[M. Yaskovsky]

https://www.clicmusique.com/wilhelm-berger-symphonie-concerto-pour-piano-triendl-schuldt-p-109724.html?osCsid=9tk8s617e4000i8u58q51t1rt5

[John Boyer]

Can it be? It's not even on JPC yet, and CPO is their house label.