Felix Draeseke's other Symphonies

[GoranTch]

I have the unfortunate impression that nobody either in the US or in Germany is really interested in actively promoting Draeseke's music to the wider classical music-loving public. I am afraid that this has largely been the case since the passing of Dr Alan Krueck back in 2010. We are fortunate to have much of his music on CD, but there are yawning gaps that no-one seems determined to fill.

I must confess that reasons for this are a mystery to me. Why would it be so difficult to program a Draeseke symphony once in a while instead of playing only Brahms, Bruckner etc. all the time? One doesn't even have to have a whole concert with just unsung works, what is preventing the programming directors or whoever is in charge of making these decisions to make a program which consist e.g. of Mendelssohn's Hebrides overture, Schumann's Violin Concerto and Draeseke's 2nd Symphony?

I cannot imagine that, on average, such a concert would draw an audience any smaller than your standard "well known names" only concert. Any ideas (or knowledge?) on why we have this sorry state of affairs?

[Gareth Vaughan]

Ignorance; extreme risk aversion; lack of imagination.
There is plenty of all three among those responsible for programming concerts.

[Alan Howe]

Sadly, Gareth is right.

[taxus_mre]

Unfortunately, the performance of the Gudrun Overture in Coburg on Draeseke's 190th birthday was canceled. Due to the death of an orchestra member, the program was changed and the deceased trombonist's favorite piece, approximately of the same length, was played instead.
Although the artistic directorate is just as familiar with Draeseke's published song collections as with the newly published orchestral works, there appears to be little ambition to perform his works, even in his hometown.
While the Draeseke Society is nominally based in Coburg, it has only a few members there, everyone an older person, so its lobby in the local music scene is apparently too small to exert sufficient influence.

One can only hope that the situation will improve at least by the 200th anniversary in 2035.

[Alan Howe]

This is desperately sad.

[semloh]

Sad, indeed. 

[Rainolf]

At least in 2026, to celebrate the 40th aniversary of the International Draeseke Society, there will be one concert in Coburg:

The Ballot Quintett will play the String Quintet op. 77 (together with the Schubert Quintet) on 4 October, 11 AM, at the Kunstverein Coburg building.



 

[eschiss1]

That- looks like it should be "Baillot Quartet"?...

[Rainolf]

That- looks like it should be "Baillot Quartet"?...

It is this ensemble who, in slightly different cast, has made this fine recording of Bruckner's quartet and quintet:

https://www.gramola.at/products/9003643992412

Rémy Ballot, the conductor who recorded Bruckner's symphonies during the last decade in Sankt Florian, is active as a violinist, too, and selects musicians from the Klangkollektiv Wien for chamber music performances.