Hans von Bulow

[Reverie]

A renound and highly accomplished conductor and pianist. In 1857, he premiered Liszt's Piano Sonata in B minor in Berlin. He conducted the priemieres of Tristan und Isolde and Die Meistersinger. He also conducted the revised version of Brahms Symphony No 1. He was the soloist in the world premiere of the Tchaikovsky Piano Concerto No. 1 in B-flat minor in Boston in 1875.

Not a bad CV is it!

He also composed. His works are definitely unsung. Very few recordings. Wagner thought his efforts were highly commendable.

Do offer your opinions. I hear the influence of Tchaikovsky myself (although Wagner is ever present of course).

The Overture to Shakespeare's Julius Caesar (1867)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WGcTcYKzTt0

[Mark Thomas]

... and probably Raff's greatest friend and supporter, too!

Thanks Reverie for another fascinating and thought-provoking digital realisation. There are commercial recordings of a few more orchestral works: Des Sängers Fluch and Nirvana, and there's also an off-air dub of his Vier Charakterstücke floating around. None of it bad music, but he was clearly at his best as an inspired interpreter of the music of others. For me this overture displays the same characteristics as the others: it's anonymous, rather rambling and thematically uninspired - in fact Wagner's comment that "his efforts were highly commendable" is the sort of faint praise which I think von Bülow's music merits. But that said it's also great to hear another example of it so well realised, thanks.

[Alan Howe]

I agree with Mark, while possibly liking it rather more. I think the piece would be well worth an occasional hearing, but it's just not as distinguished as the music of the composers he championed. Nevertheless I'm very grateful to have encountered it - thank you!

[Jonathan]

There are also 2 piano music CDs on Nimbus (IIRC) which are well worth a listen.

[Mark Thomas]

while possibly liking it rather more

I don't dislike it at all, I just don't think it (and the other works by von Bülow I've heard) is anything special.

[Alan Howe]

Agreed.

[Reverie]

Marche des Imperiaux

A twin to the Ouverture héroïque. To me it sounds like a somewhat grotesque but skillfully orchestrated piece.

LINK:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_ZLsnMd6k0M