Eduard Erdmann (1896-1958)

[Alan Howe]

I have had a (Koch) CD of Erdmann's Rondo Op.9 and first two symphonies for a while, but can't have listened to it properly before...
...and so I'm delighted to report that the Rondo is an orchestral tour-de-force which would kick off any concert with a heck of a bang; added to that, the one-movement Symphony Op.10 is a veritable kaleidoscope of post-Straussian, post-Mahlerian music, reminding me of a rather harder-edged version of Marx. Very enjoyable indeed. Here's a link to a couple of used copies (it's long gone, of course)...
http://www.amazon.co.uk/Erdmann-Symphony-No-1-2/dp/B00005S3MC/ref=sr_1_24?s=music&ie=UTF8&qid=1305496358&sr=1-24

[eschiss1]

I think cpo has recorded a few of his orchestral works, also. I've heard the Koch CD too, if memory serves and agree.

[britishcomposer]

The Rondo and Symphonies 1 and 2 are certainly impressive. The later two symphonies, though masterfully written, suffer a bit from over-elaboration to my mind. A change from Straussian opulence to Schönbergian austerity. (No, I am not against modernism in general but I think that it was achieved at the expense of individuality in many cases.)