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Lachner& Brüll: great. Yes, please!
Senfter: possibly (but not enthusiastic).
Woefl: rather early, I'd have to sample it first.
Busch: no thank you.
Conti: way too early
Regarding the Lachner, I have to say that I'm just as curious about whatever the booklet has to say about the apparently convoluted origin and history of the 7th symphony. And whether it corresponds with Tuomas' rendition (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NrSIbxAuyBM) of this "Elegy in the Form of a Symphony".
The Senfter works we already know from earlier recordings, of course, although they haven't been commercially available to my knowledge. While on the one hand I'm glad they will be now, I can't say that the music itself is likely to do much. Her first symphony possesses some attractive Weigl-esque quirkiness, but by the time she got to number two (1918, perhaps not coincidentally) all attempts at levity had clearly been replaced by an earnest dead seriousness which, combined with the most noodly chromaticism, kicks out any potential enjoyment for me personally.
Interestingly, and not for the first time, it seems like cpo and Capriccio have started competing cycles for Senfter's symphonies.
QuoteInterestingly, and not for the first time, it seems like cpo and Capriccio have started competing cycles for Senfter's symphonies
I noticed this too, and I can't think why. I find her music catatonically dull and dreary - but that's just me. There are other neglected composers who wrote far more engaging stuff IMHO: Jakob Gyula Major, for example.
Senfter's First is the exception, I think: while one hears pre-echos of her later excesses, it retains enough momentum and accessibility to keep things interesting. If you like works such as Schreker's Kammersinfonie, Heymann's Rhapsodische Symphonie or even Tournemire's De la montagne, you're probably going to like this.
From the 2nd Symphony onwards, it gets deadly serious and entirely impenetrable (for want of a better word). Surprisingly, the 9th, written in 1949 and adorned with an apocalyptic subtitle from the chorale "Aus tiefer Not schrei ich zu Dir" (Out of deep distress I cry to Thee) is far easier to digest. It doesn't sound particularly tragic, with a scherzo that might even be termed "jolly" at times, although times are not regular enough to make it a regular listen. perhaps a consequence of writing without career considerations?
Conversely, what cpo is about to release shows Senfter at her most ambitious and therefore chromatically obsessive and I'll be giving it a pass. Personally, I blame Reger, the perennial killjoy.
As someone who's been enjoying the Senfter symphonies I'm going to have to put them on my buy-don't-just-use-my-streaming-services list. (But then, I enjoy "the perennial killjoy" a whole lot, as perhaps indicated by some writing about his music some years ago.)
Any idea if cpo intends to conclude the Lachner set with the 2nd?
QuoteAs someone who's been enjoying the Senfter symphonies I'm going to have to put them on my buy-don't-just-use-my-streaming-services list. (But then, I enjoy "the perennial killjoy" a whole lot, as perhaps indicated by some writing about his music some years ago.)
I was referring to Reger's personality, and his austere, dogmatic aestheticism, rather than his music - although even there i find it very difficult to like him, even in his more accessible compositions.
Quote from: eschiss1 on Tuesday 15 September 2026, 09:33Any idea if cpo intends to conclude the Lachner set with the 2nd?
Considering that cpo prides itself on its complete editions of symphonies in particular, I'd say so, yes.
For some reason I can't satisfyingly explain (maybe the process of trying to clear the currently available old recording up in Audacity forced an impression of the work on me) I listened to the Senfter 4th a lot. Not really enjoying it but came to like it, especially the most Brucknerian first movement (even if I'm not a fan of Bruckner). A listener will find that movement use materials that highly resemble those in the first movement of the Bruckner 9th.
Also I adore the slow movement of her 2nd Symphony and detected strong Tristan and Isolde vibe in it.
Of course, some of us are just going to be in the minority on these things even in a group devoted to the unsung- I know I'm, for instance, going to dislike, for whatever reason, some items that have the rest of the group singing, and going to adore to the utmost some music that has not just the personal dislike but even the aesthetic contempt of not just one or two but most of the members here. (OTOH Alan's untiring promotion of Draeseke's wonderful cello sonata led eventually to my possibly annoying the heck out of anyone passing me in the street yesterday*, e.g. while listening to the only extant CD and humming along as contrapuntally as I could ;) . )
*To be fair, did they really need them? (later edit for comprehension: the hecks out of which I probably annoyed them, I mean.)
QuoteI'm, for instance, going to dislike, for whatever reason, some items that have the rest of the group singing, and going to adore to the utmost some music that has not just the personal dislike but even the aesthetic contempt of not just one or two but most of the members here
... and it's really good that we can air those differences of opinion or taste here, without falling out with each other. Long may that continue.
I have a soft spot for Senfter 4. To me it tells a story developing from Bruckner (1st mov.) to Reger (2nd mov.) and Senfter (3rd and 4th mov.).
Yes, I agree, you have to give some licence to ascribe a personal style to Senfter, but I really like the 2nd subject of the finale which despite being only a short motive immediately captures my attention.
The piano concerto hasn't disclosed its secrets to me yet. 😉
Thanks. The Lachner symphony is eagerly awaited. While the front covers are standard displayed, it is the back cover more informative.
Though cpo's are less so than some other companies' (cpo, like Nimbus, tending to list works but not movements), this is still true.
For some reason the cpo website hasn't been opening in my browser for the last few months. May I know the details of the Lachner release? it's not even mentioned on Presto.
There's nothing yet about this release at jpc.de (https://www.jpc.de/s/franz+lachner).
These threads seem to contain information I can't find until a month later, not that that means anything! :)
FYI, in any case the Lachner symphony release has appeared on https://www.prestomusic.com/classical/products/9991200--franz-lachner-symphony-no-7-entr-actes-1-9
For whatever reason, the timing is 5 minutes shorter than the YouTube video
We won't really be able to really tell until we hear the full thing, but the middle movement is played a lot (almost two minutes in quite a short movement) quicker by Schmalfuss than in Tuomas' rendering.
Admittedly setting tempi for scherzo movements in my realisations is something I've struggled for ages and with this Symphony, speaking with hindsight, it probably was no different. I very much look forward to hearing the recording and finding out how the conductor has solved these timing issues and how the work has come out on the whole.
Oh, it's also possible with the middle movement that some repeats in the trio could have been omitted to shave off time.