Oskar Posa String Quartet/Violin Sonata/Lieder

[Alan Howe]

A 2-CD set:
https://www.jpc.de/jpcng/classic/detail/-/art/oskar-c-posa-lieder-violin-sonata/hnum/12281658

His dates: 1873-1951. Information about the composer here: https://www.flaneriesreims.com/en/evenements/lincroyable-destin-doskar-posa-compositeur-oublie/

[Wheesht]

Thanks. How interesting. A name that was utterly unfamiliar to me before – as is the label.

[Mark Thomas]

Intriguing. Well, we shall see in September.

[Alan Howe]

Here's the finale of the Violin Sonata (pub. 1902 and dedicated to Grieg), played by the same artists as on the new recording:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ASsA8GFM4GY&list=RDASsA8GFM4GY&start_radio=1&rv=ASsA8GFM4GY

The second subject is stunning...

Btw the composer's original surname was Posamentir.

[Simon]

Here's a podcast (in French) on Posa, including other excerpts that should appear on the upcoming recording.

https://www.couacs.info/p/sur-les-traces-dun-compositeur-disparu?fbclid=IwZnRzaAMX8PJleHRuA2FlbQIxMQABHlR1IcUfkecocwGREQOPohuu_5RMnf3GBT4Jxsc9U9rNwyIHDCzJdbZaXaMv_aem_FNW6DCgOQ1JC6HADGiZy8A

[Alan Howe]

Many thanks! It seems that Posa was well-known among his fellow composers, but has been totally forgotten. He was Jewish, of course.

[Simon]

One more (too short, but sumptuous) excerpt from the first movement of his Violin Sonata :

https://www.facebook.com/share/r/178PcEe1Y9/?mibextid=wwXIfr

[Simon]

Olivier Lalane, artistic director and producer at the new record label Voilà (the record label releasing Posa's music), said during another podcast that coming projects for the label include recordings of music by Alfred Bachelet (1864-1944) and Paul Dupin (1865-1949).

https://www.instagram.com/voilarecords/

[Mark Thomas]

Here's the finale of the Violin Sonata [...] The second subject is stunning...

If this movement is anything to go by, Posa is a very welcome rediscovery. It's real quality music.

[4candles]

For those interested, Posa's musical legacy is housed in the Vienna City Library and includes chiefly lieder (some with orchestral accompaniment), orchestral songs, some works for orchestra, and a few chamber and piano works. Much of this material is in manuscript.

• Posa's legacy is catalogued here.

[Alan Howe]

Thanks, that's very helpful.

[olivierlalane]

Dear music lovers, thank you for your kind words and curiosity about Posa's music. The recording is now available on all streaming and download platforms, and will soon be released in physical format on September 19.

I warmly encourage you to have a look at the booklet, the result of five years of research, which sheds light on this utterly unknown figure — a life both fascinating and full of twists, at once joyful and tragic.

Among other things, the booklet reveals how the Violin Sonata collapsed at its premiere — nothing short of a catastrophe — and how the career of the one once hailed as "the great hope of the Viennese Lied" gradually veered toward conducting, shaped by encounters and events with Schoenberg, Mahler, and Zemlinsky. I truly believe he is well worth rediscovering!

[Alan Howe]

There is no doubt in my mind that this is very important music. The Violin Sonata is hyper-romantic: chromatic, certainly, but nothing like as densely so as, say, Reger. The melodies are simply breathtaking. Not only is the performance evidently superb, but the sonics are beyond reproach. And then we have the presentation in a classy hardback book containing all the information about the composer's life and compositions that one might wish for. Luxury indeed.

An absolutely stunning release. I hope it sells really well.

Download now available here:
https://www.prestomusic.com/classical/products/9810253--oskar-c-posa-lieder-violin-sonata-string-quartet

[Febct]

Is the physical CD available?  Cannot locate it presently.

[Droosbury]

I bought mine via jpc. As Alan says, the book it comes with is exceptional so I thoroughly recommend getting on CD if you can.

Only played through once so far, but the music is undeniably strong - the string quartet and Lieder in particular - the latter, as a critic said at the time, being like virtuoso piano pieces with vocal accompaniment - a really striking approach. Fascinating to hear his setting of Schliesse Mir die Augen Beide, better known as one (or rather two!) of Alban Berg's loveliest songs. I would love to hear his orchestral works: perhaps this enterprising release may soon prompt some adventurous conductor.