Caspar Joseph Brambach: Piano Sextet and Piano Quartets

[Tapiola]

Available from February 6th on:

https://www.prestomusic.com/classical/products/9837470--caspar-joseph-brambach-complete-piano-quartets-piano-sextet-op-5

Never heard of this composer before. Looking at their lengths, those seem to be substantial pieces. These CPO releases definitely intrigue me a lot.

[Mark Thomas]

I've been hoping to hear something by Brambach for many years. Thanks for the update.

[eschiss1]

Same. Mostly know of him from IMSLP - including scores of the piano quartets and violin sonatas and some oratorios, iirc (also an intriguing worklist at German Wikipedia) - but similarly have been wanting to hear the music.

[eschiss1]

jpc actually gives a release date of this past Thursday Anycase, again, intrigued.

[Tapiola]

This new release has proven to be quite satisfying overall. The music is filled with considerable craftsmanship. The slow movements are particularly gorgeous. The early sextet and piano quartet show a sort of proximity to Mendelssohn, whereas the next two piano quartets sound somewhat closer to Schumann. Each piece seemed more sophisticated than the previous one, culminating with an impressive piano quartet in G minor that might be considered as a masterpiece. The other pieces don't reach that category from my personal perspective, but they do contain fine material in the end. A very appealing recording where all the works were sympathetically played.

[semloh]

Tapiola sums up my own reaction to these works. They are full of sweeping lyricism and on first hearing each one kept me fully engaged. There's a feeling of balance within them, and you sense the composer exercising fine control over his creative impulse. Emotion is expressed without loss of structural integrity, and the slow movements in each work are beautiful without becoming saccharine. I was actually disappointed when the first movement of the G minor quartet ended - I was so totally engrossed. I share Tapiola's view that it's an impressive work, and a fitting climax to a consistently enjoyable issue.

[Tapiola]

I echo your sentiments, semloh; the elements of balance and structural integrity make much sense to me, certainly.

[Wheesht]

There is also a new 3-disc set published by Hänssler, with the complete chamber works by Brambach, performed by Oliver Triendl et al.

A German language interview with Oliver Triendl about these Brambach recordings can be found in Rondo Magazin.

[tpaloj]

A German language interview with Oliver Triendl about these Brambach recordings can be found in Rondo Magazin.

In addition to the overture "Tasso" being referred by Triendl (I'm presuming), there is also a pretty decent overture to the opera Adriane, Op.57.

[Tapiola]

Those Hänssler performances are a tad faster than the ones on CPO. It would be interesting to compare both recordings.

[eschiss1]

That's actually Ariadne, probably as in the daughter of Minos and Pasiphae, rather than as in Adriana. (As Theseus is listed among "Personen" in the vocal score - at Hathitrust, uploaded by Cypressdome to IMSLP - this seems confirmed; apparently the title is short for Ariadne auf Naxos, so despite the pun I wrote in earlier, there's no minotaur to be found as this regards later events in that tale.)

Not only the overture but the 2nd act Marcia giocosa (vocal score, pp.84-88, would need a concert ending) of the opera look like they might be excerptable for orchestral use...

[tpaloj]

Heh, thanks Eric. Ariadne it is, of course, silly me  Martin has transcribed the overture for Noteperformer on his youtube channel, as well.

[eschiss1]

Thanks for the heads-up!