Unsung Composers

Tonight on Deutschland Radio Kultur:

Oper (Starts at 1805/1:05PM): Auditorium Maximum Bochum
Aufzeichnung vom 18.10.2015

Siegfried Wagner "An allem ist Hütchen schuld"
Märchenspiel in drei Aufzügen op. 11
Libretto: Siegfried Wagner

Hütchen, ein Kobold - Laura Lietzmann
Der Frieder - Hans-Georg Priese, Tenor
Das Katherlieschen - Rebecca Broberg, Sopran
Frieders Mutter - Julia Ostertag, Mezzosopran
Trude - Maarja Purga, Alt
Ein Hexenweibchen - Annamaria Kaszoni, Sopran
Der Dorfrichter - Lucas Vanzelli, Tenor
Der Tod - Ralf Sauerbrey, Bariton
Der Teufel - Axel Wolloscheck, Bass
Des Teufels Ellermutter - Julia Ostertag, Mezzosopran
Der Königsohn - Martin Schmidt, Bariton
Ein Wirt - Axel Wolloscheck, Bariton
Sein Eheweib - Maarja Purga, Alt
Der Müller - Martin Schmidt, Bass
Die Müllerin - Annamaria Kaszoni, Sopran
Der Sakristan - Kieran Carrel, Tenor
Die Märchenfrau - Maarja Purga, Sopran
Der Menschenfresser - Ralf Sauerbrey, Bass
Bochumer Symphoniker
Sonderchor der Ruhr-Universität Bochum
Leitung: Lionel Friend (3 hrs., 25 min.)

Luckily for those of you without timers, you can always rely on the kindness of strangers or indeed BerlinExpat.

QuoteThe next opera which the Siegfried Wagner Society plan to present is the highly dramatic Schwarzschwanenreich which I vividly remember from Rudolstadt in 1993. Set during the Thirty Years War the plot deals with a mother killing her illegitimate child.

(see download board)

I want to be believe it will be 'highly dramatic', but experience of Siegfried's music leads me to think me otherwise...

BerlinExpat replies:

I meant theatrically, Alan. In some operas, like Schwarzschwanenreich, a great deal more happens on stage than in his father's music dramas and I found Schwarzschwanenreich particularly arresting and a couple of the scenes have remained vivid in my mind since the Rudolstadt performances in 1993.

With the aid of the libretto I have now cue points for the scenes. There are 9 in acts 1 & 2 and 6 in act three. If anyone is interested I can post the timings for each act.

I find Siegfried's music second-rate at best, though - like watered-down Humperdinck. Am I wrong?

Hrm. I think I've heard his symphony and other late works (e.g. concertos) and am fairly sure that (1) I'd describe them among his best works (within my limited knowledge...) and (2) they didn't strike me as you describe, anyway (though they didn't make me an instant fan either- still, I'll try to get a relisten. So yes, with regard to the specific question of whether his music at best is like watered-down Humperdinck, I gather the answer is probably "no"...
(As to "second-rate", the meaning of that has always seemed a bit odd to me, since the category of "first-rate" is or should be very, very limited to be meaningful, making second-rate no insult... so that, at best, the best of the composers we discuss here, and for that matter of most known composers (with as noted only a literal (double? probably not) handful of exceptions upward to first), are second-rate, and many are third- but as often- wth do I know?)

I'll give him another go...

I'm a big fan of Siegfried's gloriously lyrical Violin Concerto (which uses material from "An Allem ist Hutchen schuld").....one of those works (like the Delius concertos) which seems rhapsodic and unstructured at first but is, in fact, highly organised. Of the operas, "Sonnenflammen" is full of wonderful music.

In my personal opinion, Siegfried Wagner's orchestral output (including his opera's overtures) is quite valuable; I just can't stand some of his opera's silly titles :-) - and perhaps some of the operas too... Schwarzschwanenreich: may this be his best one?

QuoteI find Siegfried's music second-rate at best, though - like watered-down Humperdinck. Am I wrong?

Siegfried Wagner
After listening to the recent broadcast of An allem ist Hütchen schuld I have re-listened to Herzog Wildfang, Banadietrich and Der Heidenkönig as it has been a long time since I have listened to a complete SW opera. Now I have to stick my neck a long way out and say that SW's music by no means is watered down Humperdinck!
The style of both composers is immediately recognisable and both distinctly different. If anything SW is more advanced than Humperdinck and there are moments in his music where he even approaches atonality. SW as conductor and producer was fully aware of the divergences in compositional style during the first three decades of the twentieth century. Peter P Pachl in his biography Siegfried Wagner - Genie im Schatten suggests that SW's music has a certain affinity to Schönberg, in particular to Von heute auf morgen and that his operas with their false dramatic structure of unnecessary effects are completely justified to be understood as Anti-Operas in the sense of Schönberg.
If you compare Humperdinck's Die Heirat wider Willen (1905) and Siegfried Wagner's Bruder Lustig (1905) I feel IMHO that there's no doubt that SW is the more advanced composer and the latter opera is not a watered down version of anything that Humperdinck wrote.
I have seen three of Humperdinck's operas and five of SW's and I loved them all. A musicologist can better form an intrinsic judgement than I as to whether SW is a better composer than the music world is prepared to admit because it continually judges him in comparison to his father rather than on his own abilities.
One may accuse SW for never developing stylistically and clothing a number of his operas perhaps unnecessarily in fairytale disguise, but nevertheless his operas contain a wealth of enjoyable music that I find never ceases to please. Listen with an open mind and ignore the fact that he is Richard's son!
As indication as to the one time popularity of SW's operas, it is interesting to note that in 1928 four of his operas were in the repertoire that season in the Rostock Theatre!

Hadrianus' comment about the partly silly titles of SW's operas is probably valid, but the titles and well as the names of many of his characters should maybe taken with a pinch of salt. SW was fond of jokes and making jibes at people within his own constellation of family, friends and acquaintances. For instance, Herzog Wildfang is a parody on Die Meistersinger von Nürnberg, so not even his father was sacred.

I rest my case!

So which one of his operas is the best place to start?

I started with "Sonnenflammen" because the CPO recording has received so many enthusiastic reviews. I wasn't disappointed. Here's my review:

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Siegfried-Wagner-Sonnenflammen-Ulricke-Schneider-x/dp/B000CETZ96/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1455470032&sr=8-1&keywords=sonnenflammen+wagner (http://www.amazon.co.uk/Siegfried-Wagner-Sonnenflammen-Ulricke-Schneider-x/dp/B000CETZ96/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1455470032&sr=8-1&keywords=sonnenflammen+wagner)

It's on order. It'd better be good  ;)

A threat!! But you don't know where I live, Alan!

Ve haff vays of finding ziss out....

Seriously, thanks for the recommendation. I'm sure I'll enjoy it.

...well I am enjoying it, without being totally convinced. What I often find with SW's operas is that something amazingly attractive in the orchestra is followed by long stretches of uninspired vocal writing - which is not to say that there aren't vocal highlights, but one does have to sit through a lot to get there. I wonder whether SW was really a born opera composer or whether his orchestral works are a better showcase for his somewhat slim compositional abilities.

Another problem, frankly, is the quality of the recorded performances of SW's operas. Sonnenflammen, at least, seems to be well sung and played, but reviews of other operas of his suggest that this is rarely the case. Can any contributor direct me to others of his operas that are well sung and played?

Do you know what I mean when I say "Sonnenflammen" gets better and better, Alan? Listening purely as music, Disc 2 has most of the work's best passages.

I'm afraid I don't, no. It's probably me. I want more from an opera than 'pure music'. I find the same, ultimately, with Schreker and Zemlinsky. Their Italian contemporaries wrote so much more gratefully for the voice...

Right, Alan, I am of the same opinion! :-)

...which is why I've been so grateful for your advice in exploring the Italian repertoire...

Thanks, Alan, and if you have more questions, just let me know  ;)

Thanks! So which other composers/operas should I consider?

Oh dear, I don't remember what already was the talk about... Did we discuss about some verismo operas? I would prefer you asking me specifically... I think we already discussed Giordano, Mascagni and Leoncavallo...
And don't neglect Respighi's less-known Operas like Belfagor, the lushy Semirama, Marie-Victoire (French libretto!) - or even his very early ones Re Enzo - or the two shorter ones I have recorded: Lucrezia and Sleeping Beauty.
But we could switch over one day to more unsung French operas, like the ones by Sylvio Lazzari (6 operas), Henri Rabaud (5 operas), Guy Ropartz (1 opera) and Eugène Ysaÿe (1 opera), etc.
Lazzari is strong music, listen to the recording of his Symphony I have made long ago - it's (unfortunately) available in full on YouTube... but the CD has been deleted...

Thanks: I'm going to start a new thread...

If you can...try and find a recording of S. Wagner's "An Allem ist Hutchen Schuld"  - a live performance from Hagen (1997).  No one writes better for the voice (that is, no 20th century German composer) than Siegfried Wagner.  And Anneli Pfeffer, as Katherlieschen, is as good as it's ever going to get.  Don't take my word for it...to quote from Thomas Luys of Opera Magazine - the audience was thrilled with Ms. Pfeffer, "who raised the part of Katherlieschen into the soprano heaven with her bell-like tones." 
Regarding CPO's "Sonnenflammen" - I wish I could be more enthusiastic, but Siegfried Kohler's live concert performance from Wiesbaden is far more exciting; once you adjust your ears to the obvious sonic limitations, you can appreciate Kohler's exemplary pacing, along with thrilling contributions from Gerlinde Lorenz (Iris) and Sylvia Meinardus as the Temple Dancer.
"Der Friedensengel" is available from Living Stage, in a world-class performance featuring soprano Hanne Lore-Kuhse; Act 2 is a knockout!

Perhaps some enterprising label should cobble together a "Siegfried Without words" release...

Thanks for pointing me towards the Siegfried Kohler version of "Sonnenflammen", Mr Schiller (and for your assessment of S.W.'s skill at writing for the voice). I was pretty impressed by the CPO recording in itself but can believe it could be improved upon.

On a long car journey today I listened again to virtually the whole of "Sonnenflammen" and I do think it's a wonderful piece. It is so rich melodically...and often diatonically so making the ideas not too difficult to assimilate. Both the orchestral music and the vocal lines are built on the same music so that the opera is integrated in the manner of "Hansel and Gretel". It's reminiscent of operas by composers who tried to combine the best feature of Italian (or French) opera (diatonic melodiousness) with the best feature of German opera (rigorous thematic or motivic argument in the orchestral writing).....some of D'Albert's operas, Charpentier's "Louise, for example. German opera is usually a bit more difficult to get to grips with than Italian or French opera and "Sonnenflammen", like most operas, is a bit uneven but do persevere!

I have to disagree, I'm afraid - at least about the vocal writing. Charpentier's Louise is at the opposite end of the spectrum from, say, Sonnenflammen: it's attractive and memorable in a way that SW doesn't even approach. The problem with SW's operas is that they often sound like extended orchestral works with vocal obligato. They must be extremely ungrateful to sing - and, of course, the fact that we don't have any recordings with top-flight singers doesn't help. Whereas with Louise, we can hear, for example, Ileana Cotrubas and Placido Domingo (unidiomatic, but glorious). Perhaps when someone persuades Jonas Kaufmann et al to sing SW I might change my mind. A great voice can make anything worth listening to...

As for the comparison with Humperdinck's great fairy-tale opera - well, there just isn't any. I can hear its tunes in my head here and now. I can't say that of Sonnenflammen, I'm afraid...

QuoteNo one writes better for the voice (that is, no 20th century German composer) than Siegfried Wagner

Erm, Richard Strauss? What did SW write that can be compared with the Four Last Songs? Or the great closing Trio from Rosenkavalier?

As a singer I can categorically say that Richard Strauss writes wonderfully for the voice. His songs are a joy to perform. I have never sung any Siegfried Wagner, however, so I cannot compare. But, as they say over the border, "I hae me doots."

Well, my head if full of tunes from "Sonnenflammen". Maybe they don't stand out as they do in "Hansel" and there is no real equivalent of "Depuis le Jour" but they are there, both in the vocal and the orchestral writing. To give just a few examples: What about the wonderfully strong melody that Iris sings when she dreams about her perfect hero (Disc 2, Track 1, 2 mins 41 secs). It returns in the strings later (Track 10, 6 mins 48 secs)? How about the extended version of the overture's first melody that Fridolin sings as he thinks of his home and childhood (Disc 2, Track 9)? What could be more grateful to sing than that?

As regards immediately catchy tunes, the ceremonial scene is full of them ( Disc 2, Track 5)...the one at the beginning, the tune sung when the courtiers mock Dandalo and, above all, the tune the chorus sings when they're cutting Fridolin's hair (Disc 2, Track 5, 10 mins 41 secs.)

And I've only scratched the surface...but then, I have lived with this opera for several months now!

I'm not convinced. Sorry!

O.K. Alan. I'll shut up now! Perhaps you'll come round one day. I persevered because I thought you bought the discs on my recommendation and your lukewarm response made me feel a bit guilty!

Oh, don't feel guilty at all. I'm very glad to have your enthusiastic recommendation - and I will persevere. (It was on offer at jpc...)

Thanks for your reasoned arguments too; it's good to be able to have a robust, yet courteous disagreement!! Much appreciated.

"Sonnenflammen" is being broadcast on Swiss Internet Radio ( aka Radiocrazy!) on Thursday afternoon.

Whilst I agree that Humperdinck is the better composer, it is unfair to compare such a popular opera as Hansel & Gretel with a work that even few of our members would have heard. How many tunes from Raff's Benedetto Marcello or Humperdinck's Die Heirat wider Willen can Alan remember ? As far as good tunes go, just listen to Roman Trekel's singing Siegfried Wagner arias on cpo.... magical!

I'll bet that Raff's opera has tunes galore! In any case, I didn't make any claims for Humperdinck's other operas, but he did at least compose one sublime masterpiece. I don't think SW did...

While Charpentier's Louise was universally praised for it's orchestration, the vocal writing was criticized as being 'ugly' - at least back in the early 1900s.  But, as you mentioned, a Thill or a Domingo can make it sound good.

Regarding Richard Strauss, he frequently stretches the voice beyond its natural limits, for my taste.

"An Allem ist Hutchen Schuld" is an adult's "Hansel und Gretel" and probably the only opera by Siegfried that bears any relation to Humperdinck.  The vocal writing for the heroine, Katherlieschen, is exquisite, but the performance with Anneli Pfeffer may be hard to find. I had to join the Siegfried Wagner Society to get it!

So, let's keep this within the realm of possibility:  Roman Trekel's S. Wagner recital should be available.  Sample the selections from Sonnenflammen, Die Heidenkonig, and Herzog Wildfang, and then tell me that Siegfried doesn't write beautifully for the voice.

"Die Heilige Linde" can be easily obtained - check out the duet for Autonoe & Arbogast in Act 2.  It's luscious!

Siegfried's grand scenas for soprano are equivalent to Wagner's, not only in length, but quality. 

1) Der Schmied von Marienburg: Act II - Friedlind's scene (Andrea Trauboth, soprano) - again, I had to purchase this from the SW Society, but Dagmar Schellenberger on CPO is almost as good.

2) Der Friedensengel: Act II - Mita's scene (20 minutes with chorus & Interlude)-Hanne Lore-Kuhse (available as part of the complete recording).

" I'll bet that Raff's opera has tunes galore! "

I've listened to it. It doesn't!

But the Humperdinck Die Heirat wider Willen does aplenty! It contains a really delightful whistling aria for tenor which although included in the commercial release sadly omits the whistling.

Re: Charpentier's Louise:

QuoteBut, as you mentioned, a Thill or a Domingo can make it sound good.

That's because it is good!

Re: Raff's Benedetto Marcello and whether it has tunes:

QuoteI've listened to it. It doesn't!

I beg to differ - and I'm listening to it now. Within the first minute of the overture Raff's at it - writing tunes, that is. Raff is, after all, one of the great tunesmiths of the nineteenth century. Really, I don't know what you were listening to. Here's an expert summary of its character written by Volker Tosta who runs Edition Nordstern, publishers of the opera:

With its small cast and a story of frustrated love, this work - almost a chamber opera - is more reminiscent of Rossini or Donizetti than German high romanticism. The style of musical writing is in keeping with the subject matter - melodious, sunny and light of touch.
http://raff.org/music/detail/vocal/marcello.htm (http://raff.org/music/detail/vocal/marcello.htm) (emphasis added)

QuoteSiegfried's grand scenas for soprano are equivalent to Wagner's, not only in length, but quality.

Really? That's quite a claim. One with which I completely disagree.

QuoteRoman Trekel's S. Wagner recital should be available.

Where, please? Can you provide a link? I don't see it on CPO.

It's deleted, unfortunately.

...but there are used copies at Amazon.de

Many thanks, Alan.

Aber bitte! I've ordered the two CDs of solo arias, so we'll see...

Re: Really? That's quite a claim....

Yes, it is...but, I think it will hold up in court.

I think not, but let's leave this particular aspect of the discussion at that.

I am currently listening to the Schellenberger/cpo CD containing the extract from Der Schmied von Marienburg, which is truly lovely, I must admit. Does it compare it, however, with the best of Richard Wagner - say, the Liebestod from Tristan und Isolde? Er, no. Not by a long chalk. For one thing, lovely though SW's music is, it does rather meander; by contrast his father's music has forward flow and an utterly memorable melody. I would feel more sympathetic to Siegfried's works if comparisons with his father's music were avoided.

The Schellenberger CD is without doubt the best possible advertisement for SW's music. For once, bleeding chunks work really well. Thanks to gene schiller for recommending this and the Roman Trekel CD (which I have yet to sample).

Much the same can be said of the Trekel CD which is a very fine compendium of SW's 'best bits'. The problem I have is not with these purple passages, but with the music in between. Nevertheless, as I said with regard to the Schellenberger CD, these 'bleeding chunks' would seem to be the best way of enjoying music whose overall level falls some way below that on these two CDs. It's the writing for voices between these purple passages that I find ungrateful and, frankly, tiresome.

By the way, it helps that these two CDs feature a first-class orchestra, well conducted. They are a pleasure to listen to in themselves.

I just received my copy of "An Allem ist Hutchen Schuld" from Premiere Opera. Italy, and it's a beauty.  A fine recording with  lush, luminous textures, it's worthwhile for the orchestral performance alone. It's well sung too, and overall should give you a good impression of the score. Wagner-lite? Whatever. There's many a magical moment here....but hearing is believing.  Experience for yourself!