To be released on April 23rd on CPO. A symphonic poem and a ballet.
https://www.jpc.de/jpcng/cpo/detail/-/art/oscar-straus-symphonisches-gedicht-der-traum-ein-leben/hnum/11171786 (https://www.jpc.de/jpcng/cpo/detail/-/art/oscar-straus-symphonisches-gedicht-der-traum-ein-leben/hnum/11171786)
(https://d1iiivw74516uk.cloudfront.net/eyJidWNrZXQiOiJwcmVzdG8tY292ZXItaW1hZ2VzIiwia2V5IjoiOTg1Njc4OS4xLmpwZyIsImVkaXRzIjp7InJlc2l6ZSI6eyJ3aWR0aCI6OTAwfSwid2VicCI6eyJxdWFsaXR5Ijo2NX0sInRvRm9ybWF0Ijoid2VicCJ9LCJ0aW1lc3RhbXAiOjE3NzMwNzE4Mzl9)
Quote from: Justin on Friday 03 April 2026, 23:02To be released on April 23rd on CPO. A symphonic poem and a ballet.
....just hook it to my veins.
Quote from: TerraEpon on Saturday 04 April 2026, 01:07Quote from: Justin on Friday 03 April 2026, 23:02To be released on April 23rd on CPO. A symphonic poem and a ballet.
....just hook it to my veins.
Ooh, courageous! :) But, yes, looking forward to this one.
I am assuming this is the premiere recording of both works (the ballet in full).
Digitized manuscript (https://www.digital.wienbibliothek.at/wbrobv/content/thumbview/3909942) of the E-flat major symphonic poem, btw. (Mentioned in 1924 Eagleton Dictionary.) (Ah ok, according to cpo it was composed - and premiered? - as early as March 1898 (and the link above I see says "März 1898 in Mainz - Symphonieconcert (Dirigent E. Steinbach)."). The orchestral work does seem unpublished, afaik.
Oscar Straus Der Traum ein Leben - Interesting it joins the Walter Braunfels opera and Felix Draeseke Prelude and Paul Maier (wind band) compositions on this subject by Grillparzer that I am aware of - maybe others?
A search on Worldcat suggests there's a few, yes. Joseph Gustav Mraczek (1878-1944), whose piano quintet I rather failed to scan well awhile back :), composed "Der Traum : Oper in 3 Akten nach Grillparzers Der Traum ein Leben" whose 300-page vocal score is available at over a dozen libraries, it seems- for example. Franz Mikorey's opera "Der König von Samarkand" is based on this tale, too.
The "Lexikon der musischen Künste" by Friedrich Leipoldt lists stage music by K. Kleemann (1918) and a symphonic poem by O. Neitzel (1906). No other details are given.
The Kleemann also shows up- if a new topic is more suitable, one can be created, though there may not be much to be said- his Op.12, "Musik zu Grillparzers dram. Mährchen Der Traum ein Leben : op. 12", published in 1922 or earlier. BTW the Grillparzer play was produced in 1834, and Adalbert Gyrowetz's music for it is listed in HMB with date 1835- possibly the earliest. As to Neitzel, Wikipedia only lists a fantasy on "Das Leben ein Traum" (op.33, published in 1908), which is a different work of course (Life is a Dream, by Calderon-Barca) - Felix Draeseke is probably not unique in writing works based on both (one apiece I mean, Op.45 and WoO 29) but I don't know of others (maybe Neitzel did, though)
Leipoldt's book is an interesting, but not always reliable, compendium, and I think as regards Neitzel Leipoldt was simply mistaken.
Quote from: jasthill on Saturday 04 April 2026, 18:55Oscar Straus Der Traum ein Leben - Interesting it joins the Walter Braunfels opera and Felix Draeseke Prelude and Paul Maier (wind band) compositions on this subject by Grillparzer that I am aware of - maybe others?
Draeseke's Prelude
Das Leben ein Traum (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xEOaqKJ8Op0) (1888), written as half of a "pair" together with
Penthesilea, Op. 50, was apparently inspired directly by Pedro Calderón de la Barca's dramatic poem
La Vida es Sueño (1635, translated into German as
Das Leben [ist] ein Traum). He later transformed the piece into a concert overture (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MdDCye_NpZA&t=331s) (1904), whose title page (https://imslp.org/wiki/File:TN-FDraeseke_Der_Traum_ein_Leben,_WoO.29_fs_ms.jpg) mentions Grillparzer's fairytale drama
Der Traum ein Leben (1831 and
also based on Calderón) as the inspiration. The pieces share material, but are very differently constructed; the overture is predictably more exuberant.
A reference to Grillparzer was evidently deemed more profitable in turn-of-the-century Germany than one to a relatively unknown Spanish Poet. I can't say in which way it's relevant that Draeseke would start re-working his prelude shortly after Straus premiered his piece, but it's
interesting.
Thanks for the background!
Ironic follow up to the compositions on the Grillparzer poem:
Life Is A Dream: Music Composed By Anthony Hopkins Philharmonia Orchestra, Gustavo Dudamel (https://www.prestomusic.com/classical/products/9889129--life-is-a-dream-music-composed-by-anthony-hopkins).
Definitely not related to Grillparzer, must be a vanity project - never knew Hopkins composed or was even performed. Impressive lineup of performers, however. I see Andre Rieu has recorded one of his waltzes.
Hard to tell at this time from the info available whether Life is a Dream is the title of the album or refers also to a work on the album in several movements that the track list provided merely describes by its movements and not the title...