Rauchenecker Symphony No. 1 in F minor, etc.

[Mark Thomas]

I think Ilja's correct, it varies. Most are available digitally after three or four months, some even come out as downloads before the CD, and some don't appear at all as downloads. There must be some sort of policy driving it, and the most likely one is that it's dictated by their partners, the broadcasters.

[Alan Howe]

How on earth can this extremely attractive, tuneful, magnificently orchestrated symphony have been neglected for 90 years (according to the booklet notes it was last played in Elberfeld/Wuppertal in 1932)?

[Ilja]

I just received the symphony two days ago, and after several listenings I can largely support Alan's conclusion as far as three of the four movements go. My favorite is probably the opening movement; I was prepared for the Wagnerisms, but not for a few passages that sound almost Tchaikovskian (at around 6:40). It's an absolutely stunning piece.

As for the bad: I feel the work as a whole is held back by a sub-par middle fast movement (Tempo di Minuetto - trio). It's only five and a half minutes in length, but I found it difficult to sit through: there's a whole lot of action, but musically very little happens. 

No complaints about the orchestra or the sound engineer. This could probably not have been handled much better by either. 

[Alan Howe]

It's only five and a half minutes in length, but I found it difficult to sit through

I found it concise and highly attractive. Just saying...

[Reto Schärli]

Dear all!

Sorry for having been absent for quite a while! (My music theory studies and lots of projects as conductor - thank God they are coming back, after all! - kept me very busy).

First of all: I'm very happy to read the lively discussion on here about the recent release of Rauchenecker's f minor Symphony, coupled along with the "Symphonisches Tonwerk" and the "Oriental Fantasy". And I'm happy that finally we can share our thoughts on it, based upon listening! I'm enthusiastic about your all your positive acclaim of the recording!

Now, there's a little story I'd like to share with all of you, concerning this recording:

As some of you might know, I did a pre-concert talk in October 2020 when the pieces were played (without audience - for reasons well-known...) here in Winterthur. My interest in Rauchenecker dates back to 2010, when I did my thesis and edited the "Symphonisches Tonwerk" (which I conducted myself with Musikkollegium Winterthur in 2013). The conductor of the recording, Howard Griffiths, invited me to work as his assistant during the recording session in October 2020, we had some good conversation about it all, work was pleasant with him! He then suggested me to cpo, the label in charge, to write program notes for the booklet. So I did, both in my mother tongue (German) as well as in English. It's a rather lengthy text (they didn't specialise any length, so I included some information I found interesting about the composer. After all, he's not established in concert life and needs suiting promotion!).

This was all done in 2020/21, we (seemed to!) agree on a reasonable fee with cpo. However, I never got any response on the text after sending it in (I asked whether there was anything to add/shorten/lengthen). They just took the text and never replied. I heard from a close friend that cpo is storing a lot of recordings and it might take a long time until they issue something. So I was patient and thought they would come back to me, when issuing would be getting closer.

Yesterday, I got a message from a complete stranger, asking me something about the "Oriental Fantasy". I was rather confused because on the one hand I hadn't heard about the remainders of the recording for over one year, on the other hand the person didn't specify how he got aware of this piece. I though - naively as I was - this MUST be some guy from cpo itself, as I didn't know about any issuing of the CD. (the content of the very short message was basically just the question of who played in the recording of the "Oriental Fantasy". Obviously there was some mistake: The guy said the piece is for Solo Violin und QUINTETT, but he only read about the Sarastro QUARTETT playing...). I honestly replied to him that in both the recording and the concert in Winterthur there was Sebastian Bohren (Solo Violin) playing together with the Sarastro Quartett, accompanied by double-bassist Josef Gilgenreiner (himself a member of Musikkollegium Winterthur Orchestra).

In order to answer as precisely as possible to the question, I googled the Sarastro Quartett and all of a sudden was taken to cpo's website. So, after all even I learnt that: CPO HAD ALREADY ISSUED THE RECORDING IN JULY! NOBODY THERE NEITHER TOLD ME ABOUT THIS NOR DID THEY CONTACT ME IN ORDER TO SEND THE FEE WE AGREED ON FOR MY BOOKLET TEXT! (the very booklet text Alan Howe was citing from and that is - at least in some shortened form - publically visible on cpo's website...)

On the one hand I'm very happy the recording is now out there for everybody to listen to! We can finally talk about it and discuss it on here. I am also considering drawing David Hurwitz' attention on it; I know he's terrible busy and probably won't put up with it, but we could try. On the other hand, I'm just shocked at cpo's behaviour! It's a shame and a scandal at the same time! (I obviously didn't even receive a copy of the CD, I was never offered anything alike; now am trying to get my money - wish me luck, they are super bureaucratical with it all!)

[Reto Schärli]

I remember about 15 years ago I looked for the 2 piano concertos but at that time failed to find any material (though the 1st was supposed to have been published). I see now, however, that the orchestral parts for no. 2 are available on IMSLP. Does anyone know if either the solo piano part or the full score has surfaced. And does anyone have information about the 1st PC, please?

We know that the piano concertos were played often in concert by Raucheneckers daughter Helene, herself being an excellent pianist/teacher. Unfortunately, the solo parts seem lost currently, a full score isn't available either at the moment. Griffiths also asked about this, because he wanted to couple it with an instrumental concerto. However, currently the only "solo thing" that exists for more than solo and piano is the "Oriental Fantasy".

Rauchenecker wrote a lot of concerti (see list on IMSLP/Wikipedia!), but mostly we have only piano reductions (so no orchestral scores/parts) or we have - as in the case of the piano concerti - only fragments of the parts. But hope persists    Maybe these parts will show up somewhere. Anyway, we'll for sure be in contact about it!

[Alan Howe]

I'm sure I speak for all of us at UC when I say our sincere hope is that cpo will do their duty by you and recompense you properly for your invaluable work on this important project.

[Gareth Vaughan]

I must say, I am surprised. The only time I wrote some booklet notes for CPO (Holbrooke: 3rd Symphony, etc.) they paid the agreed fee quite promptly, without having to be chased. I hope very much that they will be fair and honourable with you.

[Alan Howe]

Now listed by Presto:
https://www.prestomusic.com/classical/products/9371706--georg-wilhelm-rauchenecker-orchestral-works

[Mark Thomas]

Not having the patience to wait for cpo to issue the mp3s and with Alan's enthusiasm nagging away at me I bought the CD. Wow! This symphony is indeed an absolutely cracking piece which should gladden the heart of any UC member.  After three hearings my enthusiasm for it, if anything, is even greater - I just adore it (yes Ilja, all four movements). As Alan has said, one marvels that it has been ignored for 90 years and thanks are due to Reto and everyone involved in getting it recorded.

I am also grateful to you, Reto, for clearing up the question of whether the violin soloist in the Oriental Fantasy is accompanied by a string quartet or quintet. I'm surprised that cpo made such a basic error, but I guess that, had they treated you properly, they'd have sent you copies of the booklet proofs for checking and you'd have been able to correct it.

[Febct]

I've just received the CD from JPC but have not opened it yet.

There is no mention, on the outside, of Herr Gilgenreiner as accompanist to the Sarastro Quartet.

To be clear - the Oriental Fantasy is then, in fact, for soloist and string quintet?

[Alan Howe]

I just adore it

It's just fab, isn't it?

[Mark Thomas]

To be clear - the Oriental Fantasy is then, in fact, for soloist and string quintet?

Quite so. Here's the score.

[Febct]

Quite so. Here's the score.

Many thanks for that.

[Ilja]

After three hearings my enthusiasm for it, if anything, is even greater - I just adore it (yes Ilja, all four movements).

I can live with my minority position   . And to be sure, I don't think it's bad in any sense, for me that movement just doesn't live up to the (high) standard of the other ones.

By coincidence I played the Rauchenecker back to back with Julius Bittner's 1st symphony today, and it struck me how similar their soundworlds are despite the 25+ years difference.