Augusta Holmès Symphonic Poems

[Alan Howe]

...forthcoming from cpo:
https://www.prestomusic.com/classical/products/9640018--augusta-holmes-symphonic-poems

[TerraEpon]

Mostly the same as the old Marco Polo disc, but of course being a modern CPO release it's likely to sound better and have better playing.

[terry martyn]

I admit that I had never heard of her until now, but I will chance my arm!

[semloh]

She's popped up several times on UC, Terry, including a couple of dedicated threads (e.g. https://www.unsungcomposers.com/forum/index.php/topic,7155.msg76057.html#msg76057). I'd say that the reaction to her music has generally been rather lukewarm.

[terry martyn]

Thanks!  In that case,I will try and listen to excerpts before buying. Not sure I would be fond of proto-Strauss, as I don't care for the real thing.

[Alan Howe]

Liszt and Wagner are probably closer matches for her music than Strauss.

[Alan Howe]

CD now available from jpc:
https://www.jpc.de/jpcng/cpo/detail/-/art/augusta-holmes-orchesterwerke/hnum/11165023

[Gareth Vaughan]

Most of these symphonic poems have now been recorded more than once and, while I am very glad to be able to hear them (and, for the most part I enjoy them greatly), it would be good to hear one or more of her large scale choral/vocal works. After all, the attractive 5 minute final track on this CD is taken from her Ode-Symphonie "Ludus pro patria" for soloists, chorus and orchestra. Other works, similarly scored and large in scale are the two "Symphonies Dramatiques", Lutece and Les Argonautes. There is also the orchestral song cycle "St Therese" for soprano and orchestra, and a number of other works in the same vein. These might give a more balanced picture of her talents as a composer. She is certainly for me a most interesting person and I hope Bru Zane will issue a recording of her opera "La Montagne Noir", which at one time seemed a possibility.

[Alan Howe]

These are strikingly original works, heavily influenced by Wagner and Liszt. The problem with them - for me, at least - is that there is only so much one can take of their relentless noise and bombast; in other words, they're best listened to in small doses, one work at a time. Less is definitely more - and the reverse is also true!

However, they're very well done here - aren't the (so-called) second-tier German orchestras fabulous?

[Alan Howe]

Whatever one thinks of Liszt, he had the ability to compose over a longer time-span, developing and transforming themes in more creative ways. And Wagner did the same, but on a much greater and more sophisticated scale. Holmès, by contrast, apes the orchestral manners of Liszt and Wagner, but not their compositional processes.

[eschiss1]

I get the impression that listening to 5 of them at once in one sitting was tedious. I was considering going to a concert that contained one of those works a year or so ago in NYC and while I was unable to get to it, still find this a cause for regret all the same.

[Alan Howe]

As I said, less is definitely more...

[terry martyn]

On order.     We shall see!

[eschiss1]

I was thinking more along the lines of, not every album is meant to be heard all at once, but ok.

[terry martyn]

Unless it's Lachner's Fifth,Eric, of course..................