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I was prompted to listen again to Urspruch's Symphony in E flat today (a recording of the radio broadcast which cpo will be issuing). At 50 minutes it is long - but I have to say that I was transported often by the memorability of its themes (they've been going round in my mind all day) and the many utterly magical moments scattered throughout. The first movement in particular is semi-Dvorakian in its open-air feel (think Symphony 6) and the whole thing is beautifully orchestrated, as befits a pupil of Raff. I realise that I am a sucker for this period, but I'm sure I won't be the only one...

I hear from cpo that the following have definitely been recorded:

- The opera 'Das Kätchen von Heilbronn' (1881) by Carl Reinthaler (1822-96).

- The Symphony in E flat and Piano Concerto in E flat (both from around 1882) by Anton Urspruch (1850-1907) - currently 'being produced', i.e. in preparation.

I hear from cpo that the Herzogenberg CD should be out in late autumn.

The Klughardt VC has also definitely been recorded - but no release date yet.

Yes - lovely stuff. Can't go wrong at Naxos' price either!

The performance of Draeseke 3 on cpo is better played than the one on MDG - so it's Weigle on cpo for me. That said, the performances themselves are pretty similar.

Good question - I have the score (a photocopy of the manuscript of the piano/violin version from the SLUB Library in Dresden) and it looks intriguing.

The VC by Draeseke is unfortunately only extant in this form: the orchestral score seems to have been lost before or during World War 2 and has not yet been rediscovered.

Nevertheless, being a member of the Draeseke Society, I should have some news for you about the premiere in a week or two...

How kind, Jim. Now that would be a challenge - and a pleasure!

Hahn's VC - hmmm. Probably interesting. But my choices would be Gernsheim (x2), R. Becker (x2) and Brüll first. Especially Gernsheim. Everything I have heard by him suggests an unsung great, or at least near-great. And he wrote a Piano Concerto...

This is a very insightful review, Peter. I think you have captured the essence of the Draeseke PS - and I am sure that you are right about Liszt having neglected Brahms' sonatas, but then Liszt and Brahms were ideological opponents.

Thanks for those comments, Mark. Very enlightening - and spot-on as to the limitations of the offerings available. For myself, I would thoroughly recommend the expansive Bargiel Piano Sonata and thought the Heller Sonata No.2 also worth pursuing.

Wow, Strauss' early Symphony with the BPO...! That must have been something!

It's Heller's Piano Sonata No.2 in B minor on the RD disc - I ought to listen to it again, although I must say that the quality of the recording is a major barrier (boxy, living-room acoustic and a hiss level which goes up and down according to how loud the music is - peculiar, but the other CD I have from this source is the same.)

Don't worry, Peter, The Bortkiewicz PCs are much more like Rachmaninov than Medtner!

Yes, why not start another thread on Heller? It'll make me listen again to his very interesting Piano Sonata on Romantic Discoveries recordings.

The Glazunov VC debate has now been made into a separate thread...

OK: Grove 4 has two entries, as follows:

- Vol.2: "Op.73 Violin Concerto in A minor" (wrong opus number)
- Supp. Vol: "Op.82 Violin Concerto in A" (wrong key)

I suggest that these two entries actually refer to the same work. Glazunov's Op.73 is in fact his Solemn Overture for orchestra (1900). The (single) entry should read:

"Op.82 Violin Concerto in A minor"

It is surely a case of two wrong entries - or maybe the VC originally had a different opus number which was later changed. At all events, there is absolutely no mention anywhere of another VC - see this full list of his works:

http://home.wanadoo.nl/ovar/glazun.htm