Julius Bittner (1874-1939), Austrian composer

[LateRomantic75]

I have recently been intrigued by Austrian late-romantic Julius Bittner (who was an exact contemporary of Franz Schmidt, to whom Bittner was a close friend). He was primarily an operatic composer (he composed at least ten in a post-Wagnerian style), and his opera Der Bergsee (The Mountain Lake, 1911) has been recorded and has a brief thread here. I am not particularly fond of operas, so I have not investigated it, also being rather discouraged by the three-star review on Amazon. However, as indicated by Wikipedia, he was versatile in all forms, composing two symphonies, two symphonic poems, Austrian Dances for two pianos and orchestra, incidental music, chamber works (including two string quartets and a cello sonata), a Great Mass and Te Deum, numerous operettas, three ballets, and many songs. Apparently Mahler and Bruno Walter were enthusiastic promoters of his music.

One can find some bits of his music of YouTube: the Prelude to Der Musikant, an excerpt from the opera Das Höllisch Gold and the Austrian Dances nos. 1 and 3 for piano.

Bittner's Wikipedia article: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Julius_Bittner
Works of his held at IMSLP: http://imslp.org/wiki/Category:Bittner,_Julius

Anyone know more about Bittner?

[Alan Howe]

...his opera Der Bergsee (The Mountain Lake, 1911) has been recorded and has a brief thread here. I am not particularly fond of operas, so I have not investigated it, also being rather discouraged by the three-star review on Amazon.

Problem is, it's a historic recording, so one probably wouldn't get much enjoyment out of it. Still, it wouldn't cost much to find out. Here are some excerpts:
https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B004PCSK2E/ref=dm_cd_album_lnk

[brendangcarroll]

I just joined this forum and was delighted to find posts about Bittner because I'm currently writing a book about him and was responsible for the YouTube items mentioned here! I have been trying to get the recording industry interested in making some modern recordings of his work for at least 30 years now but without success. His chamber music is very beautiful, if there are any chamber groups that visit this forum!

[Greg K]

I was about to say Bittner's Piano Trio had been commercially released on CD some time ago and was an attractive work, but at the last moment realized I was thinking of FRANZ MITTLER.  No scoop after all.

[semloh]

I just joined this forum .....

It's a great pleasure to have you join the UC forum, Brendan. It is always heartening to learn of someone advocating for the unsung composers and urging the recordng companies accordingly (as a number of our members do).
I must listen to the YT examples of Bittner's music - of which I'm sorry to say I know nothing!

[mbhaub]

Has anyone else heard the terrific new Tocatta recording of Bittner's 1st Symphony and the symphonic poem Vaterland? Wonderful stuff. Seems Mr. Carroll's persistence paid off. Yes, Bittner may be a bit out of the time frame for UC, but his music is clearly in the late-romantic style of other composers on the site. The symphony is marvelous and I sure hope No. 2 is given an outing. And it would be nice to have an opera!

[Alan Howe]

We're ahead of you! Please see this thread:
http://www.unsungcomposers.com/forum/index.php/topic,7076.msg75614.html#msg75614

[mbhaub]

Oops! Sorry. I did a search but didn't see this thread.

[brendangcarroll]

I am delighted that folks here have enjoyed the new Toccata CD. Of course, the BBC has seen fit to ignore it so far - I have tried to get CD Review to at least mention it, but -no response.

We would love to record the second symphony but at the moment, this is unlikely as the score is currently missing. Following its world premiere in September 1934, it was never published (the reasons are somewhat obscure) and the manuscript is not among Bittner's estate archived at the Wiener Staatsbibliothek.

If anyone has any idea where it may be, please do let me know.....

[Alan Howe]

Perhaps you'd consider Wilhelm Berger's 2nd? That's an absolute masterpiece - miles and miles better than Bittner 1.

[mbhaub]

So the score is missing to the Bittner 2nd - but is there a set of parts? If so, send me a copy and I'll put it in Finale!

[eschiss1]

I see that his Grosse Messe mit Te Deum in D (_1925_, per manuscript via ONB's catalog, I think, despite Toccata's claim of 1926 - which is only on some of the published scores, others have 1925...) is available in manuscript and in published vocal score at the library at Vienna, but that may be asking for too much

[brendangcarroll]

The unpublished Mss score of Bittner's 2nd symphony is missing from his estate and no set of parts have yet been discovered. But thank you for the offer of help.

[scarpia]

There will be a live performance of the Prelude to Der Musikant at Bard with Leon Botstein conducting next week at the Bard Music Festival. That's such an awasome festival. I get to hear all kinds of things that never get played.