cpo have just released this once-popular opera by Hermann von Waltershausen (1882-1954)...
http://www.jpc.de/jpcng/cpo/detail/-/art/Hermann-Wolfgang-von-Waltershausen-Oberst-Chabert/hnum/1839576 (http://www.jpc.de/jpcng/cpo/detail/-/art/Hermann-Wolfgang-von-Waltershausen-Oberst-Chabert/hnum/1839576)
Hermann von Waltershausen is certainly intriguing with five operas and a number of substantial orchestral works to his credit, including an Apocalyptic Symphony, Op.20 (1924), a second symphony (or symphonic poem) Hero and Leander, Op.22 (1925), a Comedy Overture, Op.26 (1930) and Passion and Resurrection, Op.27 (1932). Apparently quite a number of his scores were destroyed during World War II.
Walterhausen studied in Strasbourg under Marie-Joseph Erb (1858-1944) and later became a prominent teacher in Munich, retiring in 1933. As with Schreker, he was the librettist of his own operas of which the Balzac-based Oberst Chabert (first performed at Frankfurt on 18th January 1912) was the most successful.
I've got a copy of the broadcast from Deutsche Oper Berlin (26 March 2010, broadcast 17 April 2010) and can thoroughly recommend the piece and the performance. :)
I'm about to order it - the excerpts at jpc sound very intriguing indeed.
It's fair to say that Walterhausen writing in 1912 was far more within the conventional stylistic mainstream than Schreker (whom you couldn't really imagine introducing La Marseillaise into one of his scores, even if it was set in France), but he writes passionately, dramatically and expertly for voice and orchestra and this is another work which CPO's release should bring to much wider attention. ;D
Now, when will they release their recording of Schreker's Der Schmied von Gent? ::)
If a digression is allowed, also Otto Klemperer introduced and used extensively La Marsellaise in his First Symphony of 1960 (in the second-last movement). You can hear it , together with the Second Symphony (1969) in a ......CPO release of 2003 (cond.A.Francis).CPO 999 987-2.
Quirky, but intriguing music, certainly not particularly "modern", but full of late romantic overtones (Bruckner, Mahler) mingled with Hindemithian hints).
I've got Klemperer Symphonies in LPs conducted by the composer.
Hermann Von WALTERSHAUSEN is interesting.I have found another recording of some instrumental music which one can get from - see b below;tonkuenstlerverband Bayern E.V.germany:
http://www.dtkvbayern.de/tondukumente-monographienreihe (http://www.dtkvbayern.de/tondukumente-monographienreihe)
these are recordings that were never released commercally.Interresting music.There is also the 5.symphony by ZILCHER .Clement von Frankenstein,is also in the catalogue.i.e.yet another forgotten opera composer.Worth investigating. greetings Christoph.
Do you know what "MC" stands for? I get the "CD". Some kind of cassette?
Shame they don't take credit cards. Transferring money overseas is a pain.
J
Does transferwise.com (http://transferwise.com) work in the US, Jerry? I use it all the time to pay direct from here in the UK into EU/Swiss bank accounts where the seller doesn't accept credit cards or PayPal, and it's so much cheaper than using an international bank transfer.
"MC" stands for "Musicassette", i.e. the standard cassette tape.
Thanks, guys. Will look into it.
Jerry
The complete opera OBERST CHABERT by Hermann Wolfgang von Waltershausen
is available in video (recorded at Deutsche Oper Berlin, 2010)
https://vimeo.com/115966050 (https://vimeo.com/115966050)
Musiktragödie in drei Aufzügen frei nach Honoré de Balzacs Comtesse à deux maris
Libretto von Hermann Wolfgang von Waltershausen
Uraufführung am 18. Januar 1912 in Frankfurt am Main
Konzertante Aufführungen an der Deutschen Oper Berlin am 26. und 28. März 2010
Musikalische Leitung: Jacques Lacombe
Szenische Einrichtung: Bernd Damovsky
Dramaturgie: Andreas K. W. Meyer
Mit Bo Skovhus, Raymond Very, Manuela Uhl, Simon Pauly, Stephen Bronk und Paul Kaufmann
Orchester der Deutschen Oper Berlin
I remember ordering the cpo set and finding the opera a complete and utter bore...