Anton Beer-Walbrunn (1864-1929)

[Wheesht]

Anton Beer-Walbrunn, 29 June 1864 –22 March 1929, was a major influence in the Munich music scene in the first three decades of the 20th century, but today he is almost completely forgotten.
His is another of the names I have come across in a 1911 book by Friedrich Jansa that has a huge number of short biographies of composer and musicians: Deutsche Tonkünstler und Musiker in Wort und Bild. I am awaiting delivery of a CD containing works for cello and select songs by Beer-Waldbrunn and one of his pupils, Furtwängler. Beer-Walbrunn was a prolific composer in nearly all genres, but especially of vocal music. The majority of his compositions, quite a lot is in manuscript form, is held by the Music Library of Munich City Library. There is an Anton Beer-Walbrunn Art and Culture Association, and its chairman, Martin Valeske, has written a comprehensive biographical essay about the composer (in German) that is available online (scroll down to "Anton Beer-Walbrunn – Der begnadete Melodiker") and contains a comprehensive work list at the end. Here is a quote from the essay in English – by the contemporary musicologist Oscar Sonneck, ,,Anton Beer-Walbrunn", in: Suum cuique: Essays in Music, New York / London 1916, pp. 157–174

,,In Beer-Walbrunn's art one is struck first of all by the fact that Wagner's (Lohengrin) appears to have been the ultima Thule of his formative period, barring some reminiscences of later visions that flow into every composer's pen. He apparently drew no real nourishment from Brahms. Even the last Beethoven appears to have sown few seeds. Mozart, more than any other master, seems to have stood godfather to his ideals, and there can be little doubt that he enjoyed Mendelssohn immensely in the formative period of his life und that he came under the lasting spell of Schubert and Schumann. A provincial Bavarian, he did not escape Lachner and later Rheinberger. Therefore, the basic foundation of his style is far removed from the ,New-Germans' of the Weimar fraternity and cannot appeal to those who fail to see in a man like Rheinberger more than a mere conservative or even reactionary schoolmaster. But Rheinberger is really underestimated nowadays. [...] At any rate, he was an excellent model for acquiring mastery of form, solidity of workmanship and a delicate ear against unnecessary contrapuntal noise and melodic harshness. Oddly enough, Beer-Walbrunn does not figure among his favorite pupils. This is not surprising, since he, though working on the same basis, reached out for harmonic and orchestral combinations which Rheinberger instinctively felt to be beyond his own time and horizon. Thus Beer-Walbrunn, below a somewhat archaic surface, is modern in spirit and quite as progressive as some of his better known contemporaries. [...]" Sonneck was convinced: "that a composer of Beer-Walbrunn's unbending individuality, of his cerebral and emotional depth, is bound to make his way, not towards remunerative popularity perhaps, but towards the circle of those who are capable of welcoming a master from whatever direction he comes."

[Martin Eastick]

I have just received a copy of the new CD with cello music from Martin Valeske, and have just had a quick listen to the Beer-Walbrunn cello sonata which I have to thoroughly recommend, certainly at a first hearing! Obviously it would be great to hear other of his works, especially those for orchestra!

[Alan Howe]

Could you post details of the CD and how/where to get hold of it, please, Martin?

Is it this one on Bayer Records?>>

[Wheesht]

Yes, that's the CD. It was to have been officially released this Spring, but the pandemic has delayed the release, and the CD is currently only available from Mr Valeske: https://www.beer-walbrunn-kohlberg.de

[Alan Howe]

Thanks!

[Martin Eastick]

Wheesht has beaten me to it, Alan! I had ordered my copy directly from Martin Valeske - he also informed me that a further CD of unpublished piano works by Beer-Walbrunn is in the pipeline! I wonder if those at CPO may have any intention of looking at the orchestral music at some time, although we will probably have to wait ages to hear anything!

[Alan Howe]

Unfortunately the CD can only be purchased by bank transfer, which for me is impossible.

[Mark Thomas]

Try using transferwise.com, Alan. It doesn't use your bank and is both quicker and a lot cheaper.

[Alan Howe]

I'm investigating - thanks!

[Wheesht]

I have now received my copy of the CD as well and I agree that the Cello Sonata is a very attractive work that I will return to often. I also enjoy the other pieces on the CD, which should become generally available soon. The Bayer Records website is currently unavailable as it is being revamped.

[Alan Howe]

Could those who have the new CD tell us what the Cello Sonata is like, please? Conservative, like Brahms, or more 'neudeutsch', like Draeseke?

[Wheesht]

To my ears it sounds more conservative, and none the worse for that, but I'm sure Martin could give you a better assessment. Have you not been able to order the CD then, Alan?

[eschiss1]

Those adept-ish at music reading can find a few of his works at IMSLP, by the way (including piano quartet op.8 in F (pub.1897), quartet no.3 in G (1894) op.14 and violin sonata in D minor (published 1911) op.30.) As to the sound of these works, haven't had a look yet myself though to compare Beer-Walbrunn to Brahms or Draeseke might be difficult for -me- even given -much- better knowledge of AB-W's music, given how often "Draeseke of the New-German school" reminds me of Schubert rather than Wagner (except wholly -without- the issues that snobbily sometimes prevent my full enjoyment of Schubert - so... freshness -and- form -and- melodic beauty -and- etc., that is...*),  it's a distinction I would unclear.

*Possibly because the Draeseke works I'm most familiar with, unusually, are his chamber works...

[Alan Howe]

The CD's on its way, thanks. Just curious...

[Martin Eastick]

I would hesitate to categorize the cello sonata as either Brahmsian or more akin to the likes of Draeseke! Perhaps closer to Brahms but quite distinctive in its own right - I would also put Rheinberger into the mix just to complicate things a little more! I would certainly like to hear more of Beer-Walbrunn's chamber music.