Felix Draeseke's other Symphonies

[GoranTch]

Yes, I have all his symphonies in my collection.  I am going to give numbers 1 and 2 another spin,in the light of your strong recommendation.

I fear that the Third will never be for me,and I listened to Alan's YouTube recommendation the other day. I was shaken,but not stirred.

Especially if you are in for some wonderful slow Draeseke, no better place to start than the Adagio of the 1st Symphony... but I would go with Hanson's recording for this one (I find it "softer" and more thoughtfully paced, Weigle is sometimes too rushed for me, though I very much enjoy the panache with which he executes e.g. the Finale).

[GoranTch]

The Violin Concerto only exists in a violin & piano reduction - the original orchestration is lost, but a replacement was produced about a decade ago by Draeseke expert and pianist, Wolfgang Müller-Steinbach.
Please refer to this webpage: https://www.draeseke.org/news/IDG2009VC/index.htm

Christus is, I am afraid, a monumental bore. The only available recording probably doesn't help, but, on this occasion, I agree with that rather damning verdict.

Thank you for that information on the Violin Concerto.

Christus - I presume you have that only available recording, is it this one?

[Alan Howe]

Yes, I've had it for years. All I can say is: don't bother. It's an interminable bore. And I'm a Draeseke fan!

[Alan Howe]

no better place to start than the Adagio of the 1st Symphony... but I would go with Hanson's recording for this one

Yes, unequivocally. The slow movement's far too rushed in Weigle's performance.

[eschiss1]

... if you're in for some wonderful slow Draeseke and have a range beyond the symphonies that are the topic of this thread, find a recording (there's only one commercially, but I think there may be another on YouTube) of the viola alta sonatas and hear the slow movement of the 1st (C minor). Or... well, there's quite a few, really (that I, anyway, rate above any of those of the symphonies. He had a knack for melting chamber slow movements.)

[Alan Howe]

From memory the commercial recording on AK Coburg features a rather wiry-toned soloist; I'd choose an alternative, if you can find it...