Van Bree: Symphonic Fantasy

[mikehopf]

This is just gorgeous:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WTMnSqes7iQ

[Ilja]

Agreed.Van Bree is among the greats of Dutch music, but was unable to fulfill his potential because of several reasons (economic, social, and to be honest lack of ambition). We're fortunate that his Allegro moderato for four String Quartets is still able to keep its fingernails into the repertory. It's a piece you have to undergo in a live performance, as the experience doesn't translate easily to recordings.

[mikehopf]

As suggested on the website, we need recordings of his symphonies #1 & #2.

[Mark Thomas]

According to the YouTube notes "It is sad that the two symphonies by Van Bree (1801-1857) still have not surfaced". Does that mean that they're lost?

[M. Yaskovsky]

There's a Cd with 2 overtures by van Bree. It's on NM Classics, nr. 92090 (issued 1999), and contains his Concert overture in B minor and the Overture Le Bandit. Nederlands Radio Symfonie Orkest under Jac van Steen.

[eschiss1]

Those aren't (... probably) the 2 symphonies if they still exist, but they are interesting works, thank you.