Joseph Lauber Symphonies Nos. 3 & 6

[Alan Howe]

It's definitely romantic, although late, as one might expect.

[Alan Howe]

There's no doubt in my mind that No.3 is the best of Lauber that we have heard so far. It is a score of marked contrasts, grand climaxes and huge dynamism. It is also highly original - I really can't think of anything like it. Yes, there may be Brucknerian references in the slow movement and maybe some of the open air quality of Dvorak, but really the synthesis is entirely Lauber's own. Unsurprisingly, this is most obvious in the stamping rhythms and sounds of nature evident in the third movement allegro scherzando - Mahler without the irony, perhaps? The finale sees the addition of tuba and contrabassoon in a movement that again has something of Dvorak, but all in a rougher-hewn musical context. Marked contrasts of dynamic and register feature constantly, with a 'big tune' threatening to dominate before the grandiose splendour of the coda brings the work to an end.

[Mark Thomas]

I can only agree with everything Alan has written. Although it retains the freshness and approachability of its two predecessors, this symphony is on an altogether grander scale, not it terms of its length, but in Lauber's individuality, which really does shine through in writing which is both imaginative and confident. It's a very welcome addition to the repertoire.

[Alan Howe]

Kudos, therefore to Kapar Zehnder, his excellent orchestra, Frédéric Angleraux, Graziella Contratto and all at Schweizer Fonogramm. And many, many thanks!

[terry martyn]

It took until yesterday for my copy to arrive, received by Graziella in the office down below me, and with a delightful handwritten note from Swiss Graziella. So, I have only just played it through, and Lauber´s is a distinctive voice indeed. His music speaks of the countryside, but I have to confess that if Magnus was interrogating me again (or ,maybe,Joseph Cooper), I would not have said the Third Symphony was Swiss, but would have guessed éast of,and south of, Prague. It  is not in the least Germanic and ,though the booklet notes reveal that Lauber hiked with Richard Struass, his music is closer to Johann in lightness of touch.  And,pressed on whom the composer was, I might have guessed that it was the work of a very young Kodaly!  And I didn´t mind the Sixth Symphony as much as I feared, and listened more than my prejudices about music  composed in my birth year would normally permit. I would have actually placed the date of the Sixth as post-Rite of Spring, but not by much. The Alpine Suite is most definitely Swiss-meets Eric Coates, but none the worse for that. Despite the booklet describing the Sixth as tinged with melancholy, an air of optimism shines throughout all these works. I really hope Swiss Graziella sends a copy to Musicweb for a decent review. In fact, as I am about to thank her for her note, I might prompt her,if she hasn´t already done so!

[terry martyn]

Apropos of the Third Symphony, I think that the reason Kodaly came to mind is that there is a zing to the music.

[Alan Howe]

That's a very insightful appreciation of the music. Thanks!

[Sharkkb8]

my copy just arrived, with another very sweet handwritten note-card:  "Dear Mr Wilson, Have an inspiring sound walk in Lauber's symphonic Nature".   Huge cd distributors certainly can't be expected to engage their customers on this personal level, but it certainly is wonderful when the smaller labels can (and do) choose to do so.

[Justin]

It is a score of marked contrasts, grand climaxes and huge dynamism.

I am having a tough time wrapping my head around the 3rd symphony as an entity, and I think those details are the reason why. The climax at the end of the 1st movement and the entire 2nd movement are both very attractive.

About one minute before the close of the 2nd, there is a unique style of pastoral sound with the woodwinds and strings, which I haven't heard before. This is certainly Late-Romantic in all of its glory! Fortunately I am slowly warming up to it through repeated listening sessions.

[adcsound]

Lauber Volume 2 on the WDR:

https://www1.wdr.de/mediathek/audio/wdr3/wdr3-tonart/audio-cd-kritik-sinfoniewerke-von-joseph-lauber-100.html
In German.

Cheers from Bern,
Frederic.

[Alan Howe]

Good to hear that this fine release is getting air time.

[adcsound]

Dear Friends,

This CD and the other one are both nominated for the International Classical Music Awards 2022!

https://www.icma-info.com/category/nominations/

The third and final volume with symphonies 4&5 will be released early next year.

Fred.

[Alan Howe]

Congratulations! Thoroughly deserved!

[Justin]

The only other label with multiple nominations in that category is Naxos. This shows that this new label is of the highest quality which is evident by their Lauber/Raff releases.

[Ilja]

I've been spending quite a bit of time with these works over the holidays. During the same period, we watched a few ballet performances, and it struck me how the Lauber symphonies sound like ballet music, with fairly concise development sections, and a very well-defined rhythmic basis. In fact, there's hardly a part of it I couldn't imagine as a ballet section in my head, even the slow movements.
On the other hand, this may be a case of a carpenter with a hammer seeing nails everywhere, so I was curious how you people thought about this.