Augusta Holmès Symphonic Poems

[eschiss1]

I was thinking more albums like this which were generally programmed, or intended to be programmed, one work at a time (the choral symphony is several tracks.) (Mind, intention and effect aren't necessarily associated; Chopin only programmed his preludes a few at a time but they work just fine played as a set. But these weren't, to my knowledge, even thought of as a big one-hour set, and the review gives me the impression that's how they were listened to.)

[terry martyn]

I had a twinkle in my eye,and my tongue firmly in my cheek,when I mentioned Lachner's Prize Symphony,Eric, but now I am nonplussed.  Choral?

[eschiss1]

Isn't Roland furieux a choral symphony? Hrm. Probably had it confused with something else, sorry.
Ah yes, Wikipedia lists a number of choral-orchestral works by her - Lutèce, e.g. - but Roland isn't one of them. My bad.
Roland apparently exists in a few manuscripts, partial and complete, from what I can tell.

[terry martyn]

Whew!   I am relieved!    I thought you were referencing the Lachner.  The thought of turning it into a choral symphony (think, Berlioz Grande  Symphonie Funebre et Triomphale) conjured up all sorts of wacky ideas.

[eschiss1]

... meep, good point. Wouldn't be unknown for his contemporaries, after all.
As to Holmès, and avoiding silly obvious puns besides...
IMSLP has the vocal score of the ode-symphonie Lutèce, but BNF Gallica has what may be a complete manuscript full score. So maybe that's something that could be recorded.)
Ludus pro patria is a choral-orchestral work (ode-symphonie, 1888)- what's on the CD is an orchestral interlude.
I should see if Bruzane has any Holmès-related plans to record any of her ode-symphonies/cantatas or operas...
(And "Ducky" Tepper isn't wrong to advocate for Berlioz' requiem and similar works, which I think I heard for the first time just recently, better late than never. Stunning- in more ways than the one, of course.)

[eschiss1]

Oh right, her La montagne noire was performed back in January (also April and May) in Dortmund and is at the PBZ site, this was mentioned earlier this year but not reviewed very well. (I shouldn't mind hearing it, of course...) and from late 2023 they list a program with her clarinet fantasy (no.1).
I wonder if PBZ wants to know about two Bonis-containing programs in Ithaca or do they only list programs they organized... (one was earlier this year and contained her flute sonata, one is next year and contains a different chamber work. This is not so usual in Ithaca to have so much music by Romantic Unsung Composers performed, but I shouldn't mind.)

[terry martyn]

Well,the new recording of her works has finally arrived.  It is a bit of a curate's egg, but there is surely no doubt that the orchestra is at least one notch up from the one playing on the comparable Naxos release.  I hear a composer greatly in debt to Liszt, but haven't checked yet to see what the booklet says. To my ears, there are two superb works and three undistinguished ones. The CD starts with the "symphony" Roland Furieux. Shades of Guiraud here,and Cesar Franck's symphonic poems. I thought it to be a sparkling find,played with elan. Unfortunately,the bulk of the CD contains the actual symphonic poems alluded to in the title of the CD,and I can't find much merit in them,although I might have been biased against the third one,Andromede,because of the banality of patches of the previous two, Irelande (surprisingly vacuous) and Pologne (it suffers in comparison with Elgar's take). Redemption comes at the end of the CD with a symphonic intermezzo that sounds familiar and endearing,akin to one of Beecham's lollipops.

[Alan Howe]

Yes, a mixed bag. But a well played and recorded mixed bag. Not much music of substance, I can't help thinking.

[JanOscar]

Not much music of substance? Really? I don't agree at all. This is breathtaking music at its best. Beautifully orchestrated. Powerful, yet subtle. Holmes comes straight to the chase. The Allegro feroce (from Roland Furieux) is a masterpiece on its own.
I listen to it on repeat...

[Alan Howe]

We'll have to agree to disagree, I'm afraid - but that's OK and it's good to have your view of her music, for which many thanks.

[semloh]

A pupil of Franck, admired by Liszt and Wagner, and a leading figure in late 19thC French artistic life, Augusta Holmes consciously set out to show what women could achieve in music. Certainly, not on a par with her musical heroes, but still a huge talent. Perhaps Ethel Smyth's comment sums it up quite nicely: "jewels wrought by one who was evidently not among the giants, but for all that knew how to cut a gem."

BTW, according to the RCM website (https://www.rcm.ac.uk/research/archivedprojects/augustaholmes/) the performance on YT, of her Allegro feroce (1876), by the BBC Concert Orchestra, cond. Jane Glover (8th March 2018), was actually that work's premiere. Unsung indeed!