Hausegger - Aufklänge

[britishcomposer]

To be broadcast the coming Wednesday evening, between 8 and 10 pm.

http://www.br.de/radio/br-klassik/programmkalender/ausstrahlung-334570.html

Perhaps another Hausegger CD in the making?

[Mark Thomas]

I do hope that it has more in common with Wieland der Schmied and Barbarossa than it has with the Natursinfonie.  Unfortunately, as it was written only a year before that behemoth, I suspect that it won't.

[Rainolf]

Anyone here, tired of the permanent Natursymphonie-bashing?

[Alan Howe]

No bashing here, just realistic evaluation. Mind you, I take my hat off to cpo for recording the piece.

[Mark Thomas]

Sorry Rainulf, but I certainly wouldn't complain if you sang its praises.

[Rainolf]

Dear Mark, dear Alan!

Yes, in this case our opinions differ very strong, and you both have made clear, here and in other threads, that the Natursymphonie never may be one of your favourite pieces. Naturally we all react to Music in our own ways and differences in taste vivify the Musical life. So it's not my aim to convince you of this Piece I like very much and you don't.

But what is "realistic evaluation", Alan? In another discussion here, you wrote, that the Natursymphonie isn't "memorable". I must confess, that, thinking of the work now while writing this the many main motives of the three movements are sounding through my head: The horn call of the opening, the Scherzo and Trio themes of the first, the funeral march of the second, the entry of the Chorus and the contrapuntal pianissimo section of the final part, and some more. Belief it or not, this is all pretty memorable Music for me!

We agree about Wieland der Schmied, but please, tell me what are the Advantages of the Finale of Barbarossa?

[Gareth Vaughan]

May I just add that I personally enjoy the Natursymphonie, though I can readily understand that it would not be everyone's cup of tea.

[Alan Howe]

It's not that I don't like it - it's that I don't rate it. I'll give it another listen, though.

[Mark Thomas]

Rainolf, I'm really not going to get into an argument about this, because it all comes down to a question of taste. For me, in comparison with Wieland and Barbarossa, the Natursinfonie's material is unmemorable, and von Hausegger's self-indulgent treatment of it further weakens the work's impact. But, like Gareth, I can quite see why you would think otherwise and I respect your opinion. I just don't share it.

[Alan Howe]

Well, I'm listening to the Natursymphonie as I type and I'm afraid my opinion hasn't changed at all. So much huffing and puffing to no great purpose - gorgeously orchestrated, of course, but I just don't find much to hold my interest, apart from all the orchestral effects. Compare, for example, Strauss' Alpine Symphony and you find not only masterly orchestral writing and magnificent effects, but one memorable passage after another. In comparison Hausegger simply meanders from one climax to another. Several unsung composers do this sort of thing so much better too - Zemlinsky, Marx, Alfven - even Reger (4 Böcklin Tone Poems) - among them. So my hope is that Hausegger is more interesting in his less ambitious pieces.

[jerfilm]

Yes, Joseph Marx is the master at rambling around among climaxes - but he's still high on my list of desert island composers....

I, too, like the Hausegger symphony.    But then, I was a fan of the Three Little Pigs in another era and that's full of huffing and puffing as well.....

J

[Alan Howe]

Oh, but Marx's material is so much more attractive. Hausegger's just isn't. He just heaves - unmemorably. Might be fun to play - but it's utterly exhausting to listen to. Marx's Herbstsymphonie, on the other hand, has so much more sense of purpose - and exhilaration.

[FBerwald]

I agree with Alan. Marx is way more attractive.

[Gareth Vaughan]

Well, it's all a matter of taste in the end. After all, some people like Webern. I am not amongst them (though I did try hard at one time!).

[Alan Howe]

I like a couple of pieces by Webern. One is the early (1904) Im Sommerwind - marvellous stuff. And not overblown...