Rott Symphony, Mahler Blumine, Bruckner/Krzyzanowski on DG

[vesteel]

https://www.prestomusic.com/classical/products/9361848--hans-rott-symphony-no-1-mahler-blumine-bruckner-symphonisches-praludium

Deutsche Grammophon's new upcoming album features Hans Rott's Symphony, Mahler's Blumine, and the spurious Symphonisches Präludium played by the Bamberg Symphony Orchestra conducted by Jakub Hruša. To be released on October 14th 2022 according to prestomusic.

Yet another Hans Rott Symphony recording to be heard, but what I'm most interested in here is the Symphonisches Präludium. Current consensus suggests that this work was sketched by Bruckner as an orchestration exercise for his student Rudolf Krzyzanowski. However, virtually all performances of this piece uses the "Mahlerian" orchestration by Albrecht Gürsching (who falsely thought the piece was by Mahler). Only 1 commercial recording of Krzyzanowski's original orchestration exists (by a School Orchestra!)

I wonder if this new recording will finally use Krzyzanowski's original, or use the Gürsching like all others.

[Alan Howe]

I shall probably buy this, but I can't help feeling that we now have enough recordings of the Rott (interesting, but no masterpiece), that the inclusion of 'Blumine' is of no real interest and that the only piece of real significance here is the Symphonisches Präludium, whatever its provenance...
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Symphonic_Prelude_(Bruckner)

DG would have been far better employed recording Grimm's utterly magnificent Symphony rather than this mish-mash.

[ewk]

I agree, Alan, there are quite some good recordings available! However, I am very tempted to buy this CD as well (I only have 1 CD of the Rott until now) – but mainly by the idea that top orchestras/conductors and major labels pick up the Rott. Of course, there is the Paavo Järvi recording – but a DG recording brings attention to a work that might already be in the periphery of the minds of some conductors, making it more likely to hear it in live performances (which is still a rare thing in my experience).

I.e. it might be a sign of the work entering into at least peripheral repertory which I greatly appreciate – I'd say it is at least between "interesting" and "unsung masterpiece", but that's for personal taste obviously.

For the Prelude – I dare to think that it will be the Mahlerian orchestration, as this would – despite some similarity to Bruckner's sound in Rott – fit Rott's musical language better. But there is still hope as the promotional text explicitly mentions Bruckner. Can you compare the two versions for us, vesteel?

PS: Of course, a DG Grimm recording would be greatly appreciated with an effect of its own – I just think it is too far outside the repertoire to have a comparable possible impact on the "repertoirity" of the work. But it could be a starting point, of course. But that would not make a good recording less valuable, of course.

[TerraEpon]

DG would have been far better employed recording Grimm's utterly magnificent Symphony rather than this mish-mash.

This is a very 'major label' release as it were. I'm kinda reminded of that Stravinsky release on Decca where they recorded the newly discovered Funeral Song, Op. 5 and included Op. 2, 3 and 4. Op. 1 (Symphony in Eb) could easily have been included....but they included Rite of Spring.

[Alan Howe]

You're right, of course. Except that the 'major labels' are mere shadows of their former selves and that it's the myriad of smaller labels that are now doing all the important recording work. The major labels are now of minor importance.

Example: of the dozen or so CDs in one pile on my desk at present, only one is from a so-called major label (Decca).

[Rainolf]

This is good news. Jakub Hruša is one of the most gifted conductors of our time, and it is fine to see that he has turned towards the Rott symphony. Not long ago he recorded a 4 CD collection of all versions of Bruckner 4, which is very enjoyable.

[Alan Howe]

Hrusa is a fine conductor, I agree. I just wish he'd commit himself to recording more neglected repertoire. I mean, he's also doing Brahms and Dvorak symphonies - yawn.

[MartinH]

Another Rott...oh joy. I'm all for unusual repertoire, but I think we've had enough Rott. There's so much else, even better, to explore. I'm still waiting for the ultimate Gliere 3rd.

[Ilja]

Rott's symphony is an interesting illustration of how much the live performance repertoire has become detached from the recorded repertoire. Spotify lists seven recordings, which puts it almost outside of the "unsung"; yet it remains almost entirely absent in concert halls.

By the way, I see five recorded Murometzes (although there must be more), which puts it close to Rott. Whether any of those is the "ultimate" I leave to others, but surely there are more unjustly neglected works to receive a decent first recording. Or even a second one (the Bendix symphonies, for one).

[MartinH]

I would like to know this: do recordings of a neglected work ever result in more live performances? Maybe some of the early Mahler records helped? I don't know. Despite many recordings of the Gliere, it's still extremely rare in concert - and a lot of that has to do with the huge resources needed I'm sure. There are numerous recordings of the Bax symphonies. Has anyone heard one live? I have heard live performances of Raff, Alwyn, Gal, Atterberg, Parry and others, but mostly because of one conductor and his orchestra and their mission statement: to play rare and unusual repertoire. But the major orchestras? Forget it. I've given up any hope of ever hearing a live performance of Bax and Balakirev. But maybe the Rott will get more play time. I hope so. But the many recordings of the Korngold symphony haven't made it more popular - and DG has it in their catalog.

[Alan Howe]

I would like to know this: do recordings of a neglected work ever result in more live performances?

I've no idea. I expect the answer is both 'yes' and 'no', depending on the work involved. I've lived long enough to remember that recordings of early Bruckner symphonies were virtually unknown and that they certainly weren't encountered in the concert hall.

[chriss]

You're right, of course. Except that the 'major labels' are mere shadows of their former selves and that it's the myriad of smaller labels that are now doing all the important recording work. The major labels are now of minor importance.

Example: of the dozen or so CDs in one pile on my desk at present, only one is from a so-called major label (Decca).

The DG tries to sell CDs in a shrinking market. I've read recently that their most succesful albums are the John Williams CDs. I must admit that the recent one with the Violin Concerto No. 2 is wonderful and the playing of the Boston Symphony Orchestra gorgeous.

I hope they record the original orchestration of the Symphonic Prelude, it's a fascinating work. They could have chosen a more interesting album program but it's obviously a "Pupils of Bruckner" CD. There must be countless of those student pieces in the archives. I've heard on german radio that there are over 1000 unperformed symphonies from the late romantic era in german archives. But it must be difficult to find the good ones and to have the music performed. There was even a broadcast of a historic performance of a march-like movement from a symphony from 1936. An awful composition which was written for a "Parteitag".

[Alan Howe]

I've heard on german radio that there are over 1000 unperformed symphonies from the late romantic era in german archives. But it must be difficult to find the good ones and to have the music performed.

A quick trawl through this website - and especially the many excellent computer-generated realisations of 19th century symphonies - would be a good place for them to start.

[chriss]

There's also a new recording of the Symphonic Prelude on Oehms Classics transcribed for organ. It's again attributed to Bruckner there.

https://www.jpc.de/jpcng/classic/detail/-/art/anton-bruckner-saemtliche-symphonien-in-orgeltranskriptionen-vol-3/hnum/10836756

[Ilja]

DG and other previously "major" labels mainly rest on their laurels these days, in an almost literal way. Their biggest asset is a huge archive of recordings which can be continually re-released in various contexts on the cheap.