Franz Schreker

[eschiss1]

Of course, in the end it is a matter of personal experience of the music. However, I do trust some commentators more than others, e.g. Robert Layton and Malcolm (Calum) MacDonald.
Incidentally, one eminent musicologist wrote in a private e-mail to me (you'll have to trust me on this one!) on hearing Draeseke's Tragica recently for the first time:
Have listened to Draeseke 3; goodness what we hear. It's got that whackiness of Berlioz, all those melodramatic diminished 7ths in the 'storm-tempest' in the finale. The trumpet fanfares and fragmentariness of Mahler (to come), then suddenly you hit a frightfully four-square classical passage. Damned hard to play, poor piccolo at the very end, why do they make them play top Cs ppp ?? An exciting work. That scherzo with all its Dvorakian syncopations too. Like the way the opening comes back at the end.
In addition, Records International summed up the cpo recording of the Tragica as follows:
Draeseke's most famous symphony now receives its first modern recording as the first isssue in a complete series of the composer's symphonies. Dating from 1886, this work deserves a place alongside those of Brahms due to its impressive weight and seriousness, its memorable themes and their working-out and its impressive momentum, especially in the pulsating finale. The symphony's subtitle comes from its second movement Grave, as fine a funeral march as any since the Eroica but the remaining three are all dynamic and upbeat.
 
You pays yer money...

That first sounds like the fairly characteristic writing style of ... erm, anyway.
Definitely like the way the opening comes back at the end too, indeed several of those first comments seemed well-put... (To be a little more specific about just what I like best about the coda for those who don't know the work, as with Brahms 3's not-the-same recall, it's a most flexible quote, more an ecstatic reminiscence - I may have to listen again to be quite sure of myself in making that statement, but I think I'm right there )
(The finale upbeat? ... maybe.)  ... and I still prefer the cello sonata, string quintets, viola alta sonatas and 3rd quartet, but after I've come to like the symphony more and more too.

[john_boyer]

Leon Botstein, who has done so much for unsung music with his American Symphony Orchestra (what other orchestra in the last ten years has done Rubinstein's Ocean Symphony and Pfitzner's Violin Concerto?) will stage Schreker's "Der Ferne Klang" as part of the 2010 Bard SummerScape Festival. 

http://fishercenter.bard.edu/summerscape/2010/

Here's your chance.

[Alan Howe]

I'll look forward to a report from one or more of you in America...

[Albion]

It might be a matter of passing interest to some who don't already know that Schreker's name, which is usually mispronounced "Schrayker" (as it looks) was really Schrecker and the only reason why it is spelt without its second "c" is because it appears that way on his certificate of birth, a fact which is down to a misunderstanding at the office in Monaco where his birth was registered, due presumably to the registrar's lack of knowledge of correct spellings of certain Austrian surnames.

According to Christopher Hailey's excellent biography "It is, incidentally, on the published score of the [116th] Psalm [1901] that one first encounters the spelling of Schreker without the second 'c'" (p.15). He elaborates in a footnote: "The reasons for Schreker changing the spelling of his name are unknown. It is possible that Schreker wanted to avoid the connotation of Schreck (Fright) which 'Schrecker' might give. It should be noted that 'Schrecker' is pronounced with a short 'e' and 'Schreker' with a long German 'e', like the long 'a' in English." (p.30, fn 35)

The Schreker Foundation (http://www.schreker.org/neu/engl/biogra/essay/essay.html) also states that the change of spelling was a conscious decision on the composer's part: "Several of his early works and most of his songs were published (by this time Schreker had dropped the second "c" in his surname), and his Intermezzo won first prize in a competition sponsored by the Neue Musikalische Presse."

So "Shrayker" would appear to be the correct and fully-intentioned pronunciation.

[Pengelli]

I remember hearing Schreker's 'Der Schatzgraber' on R3,back in the mid 80's. The singer in the lead role had a simply glorious voice. When the opera was finally released commercially. The first Shrecker opera,I believe,ever to be commercially released,the singer used had a horrible voice. One critic describing her voice as being like a  scythe. Having used a scythe a couple of times I know exactly how he felt.
I had cassette tapes of this performance for a while,unfortunately,an indifferent radio cassette player,chewed the perishing things up. I think Lothar Zagrosek may have conducted it. The performance was c. 1985-86. Does anyone here know who the singer was? The performance was very good,and it realy would be rather nice if someone would release it commercially,one day.

NB: According to the Schreker foundation website,it was an ORF Vienna Radio Production,broadcast on May 23rd 1985.

[Pengelli]

Schreker! Sorry about the spelling mistake.

[Albion]

I remember hearing Schreker's 'Der Schatzgraber' on R3,back in the mid 80's. The singer in the lead role had a simply glorious voice. Does anyone here know who the singer was? The performance was very good,and it realy would be rather nice if someone would release it commercially,one day.

1985-05-23, Konzerthaus, Großer Saal Wien
Franz SCHREKER    Der Schatzgräber

    Josef PROTSCHKA (Tenor/tenor)
    Jan Frank DANCKAERT (Bass/bass)
    Magdalena PATTIS (Mezzosopran/mezzosoprano)
    Heidi EISENBERG (Mezzosopran/mezzosoprano)
    Jutta GEISTER (Alt/alto)
    Anton SCHARINGER (Bass/bass)
    Kurt RYDL (Bass/bass)
    Wilfried GAHMLICH (Tenor/tenor)
    Alfred MUFF (Bariton/bariton)
    Manfred HEMM (Bariton/bariton)
    Alfred SRAMEK (Bariton/bariton)
    Franz Xaver LUKAS (Tenor/tenor)
    Ana PUSAR (Sopran/soprano)
    Peter JELOSITS (Tenor/tenor)
    Heinz ZEDNIK (Tenor/tenor)
    Wiener Singakademie
    ORF-Symphonieorchester (Orchester/orchestra)

Dirigent/conductor: Lothar ZAGROSEK

More information on the singer in question can be found here: http://anapusar.com/zivljenjepis_e.htm

There are several other important radio broadcasts: I've tracked down non-commercial recordings of the revised version of Das Spielwerk (ORF, 26th February 1984) and the 1989 Singende Teufel from Bielefeld. It would also be wonderful to see the 2004 production of Irrelohe from the Volksoper.

[Pengelli]

Thank you,I did find some of that,but I didn't find the bit about the singer. Thanks. With a voice like that,she's a bit,erm.......unsung!! The orchestral playing was superb too. I wonder what the odds of performances like this being commercially released are? Who I should lobby? I notice that some radio stations seem to be releasing stuff from their archves,but I don't know,offhand,whether ORF,are?

[Pengelli]

NB What would be the best way of tracking down a non commercial recording of this.......for my own personal use,of course. (The only other person I know who would listen to it,anyway, would be my 78 year old mum!) Also,would you say the revised version of 'Das Spielwerk' is superior,in any way,to the cpo?

[Albion]

Unfortunately I've not come across the 1985 Schatzgraber recording, but in view of their ongoing Schreker series, it would be wonderful if CPO could license it for commercial release.

I'll have another listen to Spielwerk and let you know!

[Pengelli]

It's always awful when you lose a recording like that. I shall have to email or write to cpo,and query them about it. They have released some older recordings,haven't they? On an infinitely more positive note,when I listened to that broadcast back in 1985,commercial recordings,let alone dvd's of Schreker,were just 'pie in the sky'.

[Albion]

Not only are deleted recordings of Schreker demanding truly ridiculous prices - the seminal 1993 biography by Christopher Hailey, published by Cambridge University Press, is seemingly now one of the rarest books on the planet. In August 2009 it was tenth in the list of most sought-after biographies in America and accordingly has fallen prey to the usual price-inflation (http://www.bookfinder.com/search/?ac=sl&st=sl&qi=ANYeutO8G7OPN.OK2OezYa3ItZ4_8567981027_1:1:84&bq=author%3Dchristopher%2520hailey%26title%3Dfranz%2520schreker%252C%25201878%2D1934%2520a%2520cultural%2520biography%2520music%2520in%2520the%2520twentieth%2520century).

I obtained a review copy back in 1993 and would urge any other members who possess a copy to treasure it accordingly!

[Albion]

There are a surprising number of Schreker-related videos on YouTube, ranging from the sublime:

Prelude to a Drama (Die Gezeichneten) -
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=70q0F9g9X5A&feature=related
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=meEhIddbJ0A&feature=related

The Chamber Symphony (unfortunately incomplete) -

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iaCLZcHJqD4

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6V1d4mKGeUM&feature=related

to the, erm, not so sublime:

Die Gezeichneten in Palermo -

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f4jLr1dPrrY&feature=related

well worth exploring!

[john_boyer]

I'll look forward to a report from one or more of you in America...

Just returned from the two hour drive from Bard College, having seen the American staged premiere of "Der Ferne Klang".  (I believe the concert premiere was in 2007 at Lincoln Center, by these same forces.)

Owning two recordings of this work, as well as several of his other operas, I've felt that "Der Ferne Klang" was the most likely of Schreker's stage works to succeed in revival.  I wish I could report a stunning success, but...

The relative lack of success must be laid at the director.  While not exactly a Eurotrash production, the director's heavy-handed point of view reduced the first act to a grotesque Expressionist freak show, while the second act portrayal of the sleazy night club/pleasure island was so awash in spotlights and glitter that viewing it was, in the most literal sense, a painful experience.  We ran into some friends who were down from Vermont.  Their opinion after the second act was the same as my wife's: over the top...just over the top.

Only the subdued staging of third act really let the music ring home, providing at least an effective ending.

The production spared no expense, which may explain why the opera never crossed the Atlantic: it requires a huge chorus, on-stage orchestras, and several complete costume changes for the aforementioned chorus.  In short, it's a costly show.

The American Symphony Orchestra under Mr. Botstein was splendid, and the cast uniformly excellent.  As an ensemble production it far exceeded either of the two commercial recordings.  Soprano Yamina Maamar was a very fine Grete and, decked out to kill in the night club scene of act two, just to die for.  As the characters vied for her amorous affections in the song contest, I sort of wished I could offer my own entry, too.

[Albion]

The relative lack of success must be laid at the director.

Oh dear - why do Schreker and Korngold seem particularly prone to the 'excessive' school of stage production? I went to Germany in 2002 specifically to see Die Gezeichneten in Stuttgart and Der Schatzgraber in Frankfurt. The first was not really set in any period at all, but I remember a stage full of mirrors and water channels, and that there was blood - lots and lots of blood; Schatzgraber was shorn of its picturesque medieval setting and seemed to be taking place during a carnival for the stylistically-challenged, with characters wearing a bewildering array of 'imaginative' outfits (very much along the lines of Marietta's troupe in the 2001 Strasbourg Die tote Stadt).

The best Schreker production I have ever seen was the 1992 Opera North production of Der ferne Klang - the sets were comparatively realistic, as was the direction, and the music was allowed to carry the story. With these composers, the luxuriant aural experience is surely stimulating enough without adding visual overload.