Richard Flury

[ecureuil]

Hello,

I've run a quick search and found that no one has ever mentioned Richard Flury in this forum.

Does anybody know any of his music? I only know his two piano concertos, which I really like. I have discovered him many years ago browsing through the classical CD collection of my town's public library.

By the way, I'm new to this forum. I've been reading it for quite some time now, but until now I've never actively participated in the discussions. Let me say that I'm really happy to have found a place to discuss and discover less known composers.

Regards,

Nick

[eschiss1]

I believe I'd heard his name passingly but very rarely. Interesting biography on the German Wikipedia (though good to have a web browser that can attempt to translate if like me one's German is dusty.)

[Amphissa]

How interesting. Yes, it is surprising that we've not discussed Flury here before. Maybe on the old (now gone) site.

I have accumulated quite a lot of music by Flury over time. Some symphonies, the piano and violin concertos, and assorted orchestral works. His music is an amalgam of romanticism with an occasional "wrong note" passage that gives it a more modern flavor. Never abrasive or disconcerting. And he does offer some rich and beautiful melodies in his music. The Violin Concerto No. 1 has some lovely themes, the 3rd movement of his 4th symphony is captivating to me. The symphonies that I've heard show some influences of Bruckner and Wagner as well as Strauss, with some flashes of what I can only describe as "20th century urban." But all within the context of solid melodies. Quite an interesting amalgam.

In the end, he had a unique voice, deeply rooted in romanticism, despite the fact that he was born in 1896 (I think) and died in 1967. His music is perhaps not the most challenging, but I find it quite enjoyable.

My only real reservation is that the audio of the recordings and playing of the orchestras are not exactly up to today's standards. Nothing awful, just not modern high fidelity sound. I'm not sure what recordings are still in print. But he's worth seeking out.

BTW - his son is also a composer. I have never heard anything by him. But if he's got caught up in the Swiss modernish style of Martin, etc, maybe not of great interest to us here.

[eschiss1]

of Martin?... (yes, I know his work varies greatly in style over his career, but... erm... surely there are closer examples of Swiss modernists...)

[Greg K]

Flury's Violin Concerto No.1 (on a Gallo CD) always strikes me as perhaps the very saddest violin concerto I've heard, - written, I believe, under the impact of a broken marriage.  Forlorn and inconsolable in my experience of it, with only the dimmest and most fleeting glimmer of hope.  Quite a beautiful work, however.

[ecureuil]

Ah yes, the violin concerto. I had forgotten about it, but it's also part of my collection. And yes, it's a very beautiful one!

Nick

[ecureuil]

By the way, it seems that the CD containing both piano concertos and the violin concerto has been re-issued lately (http://www.vdegallo.ch/cd_det.asp?NoCD=865). I was just able to buy it on Amazon.

Regards,

Nick

[rbert12]

If you like this kind of works(I do) I recommend the mystery play St.Urs und St.Victor, in a vein similar to Willy Burkhard, composed in 1945 but not performed til 1996. It was included in a CD issued by Musikszene Schweiz, conducted by his son Urs Joseph.
You can find also some concertos and a ballet issued by Gallo (I think) in emusic.

Best regards,

Romà

[Alan Howe]

Welcome to the forum, Nick and Romà!
Flury wrote some beautiful music. The collection of concertos on Gallo is certainly a good place to start.

[mikehopf]

Thanks so much for the impetus to listen to Flury's orchestral music. I've just listened to Die Alte Truhe & 6 Einzelstucke and loved them!

Any chance of hearing the symphonies that you have in your collection.

If not, could you let me know how to get the CDs.

Thanks in advance!