Pál Hermann

[brendangcarroll]

I would like to introduce this forum to the music of Pal Hermann, a name that does not appear to have benn mentioned before on these pages!

A new recording, due APRIL, is the reason - many of these are world premieres.

His music is very beautiful - in that late romantic style of the fin de siecle period, - and I recommend you give him a try...

As the website states:

Born in Budapest in 1902, he was not only one of the leading cellists of his generation: he was also an important composer, one of the major figures in Hungarian music in the generation after his teachers Bartók and Kodály. But since only two of his works were published before his early death, in 1944, at the hands of the Nazis, and many more of them were lost, he has not had the esteem that he deserves.....................

See link below:-


https://toccataclassics.com/product/pal-hermann-complete-surviving-music-volume-one/

[Alan Howe]

Thanks for bringing this to our notice, Brendan.

[Gareth Vaughan]

The soundbites on Toccata's website are luscious, particularly those of the orchestral music.

[der79sebas]

I just heard the CD and I am not at all impressed by the music...

[Mark Thomas]

Care to tell us why?

[der79sebas]

Hard to tell after listening to the CD only once. For my ears, the voice of Pal Hermann does not sound very individual (although laboured). The two orchestral works have been orchestrated/reconstructed/composed Fabio Conti - maybe he is the person to blame here; in any case, the orchestration sounds rather clumsy. But also the string and the piano pieces on me made the impression that they will not make any impression on me after listening more often. But I will keep trying.

[Alan Howe]

It's the Cello Concerto that interests me...

[eschiss1]

The manuscripts of many of the original unorchestrated versions (and some of Conti's orchestrations - Hermann's cello concerto and Ophélie, with his permission AFAIK!) have been uploaded to IMSLP.

Not to be confused with German composer Paul Hermann (1904-70).

[semloh]

I agree, Gareth, the Toccata soundbites are beautiful. Dare I say that to me they sounded very English pastoral! I certainly feel the CD/download would be worth buying. Thanks, brendancarroll, for bringing it to our attention.

[Ilja]

There's also a disc with chamber music by the Black Oak Ensemble - it all sounds quite Bartókian.