Wolfrum: Weihnachtsmysterium

[mikehopf]

Here's a rarity for Christmas day by Philipp Wolfrum 1854 - 1919
On NDR Kulltur

SPECIAL PROGRAM: Das Konzert
Philipp Wolfrum: Weihnachtsmysterium
Joo-Anne Bitter, Sopran / Anne Schuldt, Alt
Paweł Brożek, Tenor
Martin Berner und Hans Christian Hinz, Bariton Hamelner Kantorei an der Marktkirche
Jugendkantorei Hameln
Nordwestdeutsche Philharmonie
Ltg.: Stefan Vanselow
Aufzeichnung vom 30. November 2019 in der Marktkirche St. Nicolai in Hameln (2 hrs.)

[mikehopf]

Should read: NDR Kultur. Starts at 11.00 am Berlin time.

[Alan Howe]

Thanks, Mike. I've corrected it.

[BerlinExpat]

Translated from the NDR Kultur homepage:

The rediscovery of the Christmas mystery
His opus magnum, "A Christmas mystery based on the words of the Bible and the people's games" for soloists, choir and orchestra was performed in numerous German and European cities within a few years after its premiere in Heidelberg in 1898. With the First World War, the late-romantic composers, and with them Philipp Wolfrum, were ousted by representatives of modernism, such as Schönberg and Hindemith. Interest in Wolfrum's Christmas mystery has only recently increased again.

Wolfrum breaks the borders of the genus Oratorium
His conception is influenced by medieval mystery games and the Wagnerian Gesamtkunstwerk. With elements from drama and opera, it pushes the boundaries of the oratorio genre. In addition to dramatic and narrative passages, there are always long orchestral interludes. Musically, Wolfrum's "Christmas Mystery" is at the height of his time: his polyphonic typesetting, the highly chromatic harmony and late romantic melody as well as the colourful orchestral treatment remind us of Wagner's operas or Liszt's symphonic poems. Nevertheless, a certain folklore was important to the composer, which is reflected in the inclusion of well-known Christmas carols.

[Mark Thomas]

I have a recording of the broadcast, but won't be able to do anything with it for a little over a week or so. I'll post it in our Downloads board then, unless someone beats me to it (which they're very welcome to do).

[Mark Thomas]

Thanks for the upload, BritishComposer!

[Alan Howe]

Problem: My anti-virus software won't allow me to download the second part. Has anyone else had this issue?

[Mark Thomas]

No problem at all for me. I'm sure it'll be a false positive, Alan.

[Alan Howe]

I'm only seven minutes in and I'm already climbing the wall of my study with boredom. Nevertheless, I shall persist...

[Alan Howe]

...but as I persist I am reminded of other (for me) yawn-inducing monsters such as Rubinstein's Moses and Draeseke's Christus. Sorry, I doubt if this is for me.

[Mark Thomas]

That doesn't sound much like the Christmas spirit to me, Alan. Maybe you need a glass of another sort of spirit to help you along....

[Alan Howe]

Bah, humbug! As I think we have all to admit, not all unsung music has been unjustly forgotten. Some positively deserves to be consigned to oblivion.

[eschiss1]

"95% of -everything- is %%%%". (Thanks, Mr. Sturgeon.) My point has been to find the 5% of music sung _or_ unsung that does it for me.

[Alan Howe]

Agreed. I think.

But the broader point here, it seems to me, is the difficulty of sustaining inspiration over the course of such a long composition. Wolfrum doesn't manage it - and most of these late-ish romantic monsters don't make the grade either.

[eschiss1]

possibly as many as 95% of them, yes.