The Box will look like this and be available from April 1st.
https://www.mediafire.com/view/64t2ueo2qwamcy4/BRILLIANT%20CLASSICS%2095784%20-%20Fritz%20Brun%20-%20Complete%20Orchestral%20works.jpg
That's very interesting news indeed! I'm really considering to order it when it's available.
I wonder if there are any other premiere recordings here, because these pieces were available on Guild earlier.
No, this is all the Guild and the Sterling program. Sterling was commissioned only for Symphony No. 3, all the remaining recordings were financed and commissioned to Guild. And bonus disc 11 (with the historical recordings) was originally a gift item (also issued by Guild) commissioned by the Zurich Central Library. All the masters have been financed and are owned by the Fritz Brun Estate. Without this full sponsorship neither Sterling nor Guild would have been in condition to produce this production.
Unfortunately all my (revised) introductory notes (in German and in English - some 60 pages each in total), the songtexts, the artist's biographies and additional photographic material will be availbale only as downloads (Brilliant's website).
This same material can already be found in the Brun chapter of my own website:
http://adrianomusic.com/styled-10/styled-13/index.html
It'll be a fine bargain for those who haven't bought the individual releases of this remarkable composer's symphonies.
A sure buy, can't wait.........
The Brun Box can already be ordered from jpc:
https://www.jpc.de/jpcng/classic/detail/-/art/fritz-brun-complete-orchestral-works/hnum/8968194
Nice price for 11 CDs!
I can also add that CDs of Symphonies 1 and 2 have been re-mixed upon my own suggestions. The balance of the first was totally overdriven and the strings of the second were unsufficiently present. You have no idea the many "surprises" I had to experience sometimes when the CDs came out and I had still the original master as a comparison!
At last, a sure buy and a bargain
"Recording 1946 (Disc 11)"
Well that's a nope from me.
It is only that disk which is an historical recording. All the others are modern, and the material on disk 11 is found in modern sound elsewhere in the set.
Here are the contents of the box to confirm what Gareth says:
https://www.mediafire.com/view/64t2ueo2qwamcy4/BRILLIANT%20CLASSICS%2095784%20-%20Fritz%20Brun%20-%20Complete%20Orchestral%20works.jpg# (https://www.mediafire.com/view/64t2ueo2qwamcy4/BRILLIANT%20CLASSICS%2095784%20-%20Fritz%20Brun%20-%20Complete%20Orchestral%20works.jpg#)
@TerraEpon
You should be happy to have this historical Bonus CD 11, since it contains the only surviving sound document of Brun conducting a symphony orchestra!
Exactly.
Quote from: Gareth Vaughan on Monday 11 March 2019, 06:26
It is only that disk which is an historical recording. All the others are modern, and the material on disk 11 is found in modern sound elsewhere in the set.
Sure. It's still a disc in the set that I have no interest in. It's weird that people are so accepting of box sets which they only have partial interest in. In this case I know price is a factor but still....if I'm going to buy an album (be it one disc or twenty) I want to be able to enjoy all of it. If it's mono, it's not enjoyable. It's bad enough that the Sibelius Edition has the one it does (which I actually was kinda worried in the middle of them making the sets about and asked BIS if they'd be including anything and they said they wouldn't...) but at least that's a single track.
Quote from: hadrianus on Monday 11 March 2019, 10:10
@TerraEpon
You should be happy to have this historical Bonus CD 11, since it contains the only surviving sound document of Brun conducting a symphony orchestra!
Um....I fail to see why I'm supposed to care about that. Fine, it exists, great. But I don't have a desire to pay money to listen to it.
TerraEpon, sorry, but I don't understand you.
CD No. 11 is a (free/gift) bonus disc (and the only historical one of the whole set)! All remaining 10 CDs are digital recordings - also including the same two work of that historical disc in new digital re-recordings, so you can even compare their interpretations!
You can throw this extra CD away if it disturbs you so - and still enjoy Brun's complete orchestral works in digital stereo.
But, frankly, if you think like this, I won't even try to encourage you further to buy this really cheap box.
People affirming that mono is "not enjoyable" are, in my opinion, unfair music lovers; I call them sound fetishists. You are unfair to Toscanini, Furtwängler, Maria Callas, as well as to the early Schuricht, Karajan, Ansermet, Fischer-Dieskau and many others.
There are so many excellently recorded and mixed mono recordings of the 1950's which are better than some modern would-be-sophisticated stereo or digital mutlichannel products.
€3.45 each for 11 CDs, or €3.80 each for the 10 you want - it's still a ridiculously good bargain.
Absolutely right. Throw away CD11 if you must - and you still have an unbeatable bargain, all in modern sound.
JPC now make a limited special offer for 30 Euros!!
https://www.jpc.de/jpcng/classic/detail/-/art/fritz-brun-complete-orchestral-works/hnum/8968194
The next step would be just for free :-)
Here again cover and contents:
https://www.mediafire.com/view/64t2ueo2qwamcy4/BRILLIANT%20CLASSICS%2095784%20-%20Fritz%20Brun%20-%20Complete%20Orchestral%20works.jpg
Presto Music has this set listed for May 17th. I'm not yet a customer of theirs but still, neat :) (maybe I'll look into getting a gift certificate in a few months though...) (OTOH I see Amazon has it at the end of -this- month for $8.99, a not unusual price for a Brilliant Classics multi-CD album- I've bought several digital albums from that label that way at that price, including a fine Tallis reissue, Dvorak very complete quartets reissue ... ...) (Of course, that might be the preorder price only, hrm.)
jpc have a special offer for EUR 29.99 till 31.05.
Amazon DE - without special offer, but surely not for US$ 8.99!
Amazon UK for £ 31.84
Amazon FR for EUR 50.01
Amazon USA no offer yet
In Swiss record shops it will cost about CHF 55.00
Re Amazon, if we're talking about the same box, I think I noticed an offer but it may only last until release, not sure ($8.99 for the box.)
Are you sure it is not a download price, Eric? Amazon UK is offering mp3 download of the complete set for £7.99, pre-order.
Hrm? Yes, that is the download price. Ok, sorry, was confused.
This the official Brilliant Classics link to my Brun Box:
https://www.brilliantclassics.com/articles/f/fritz-brun-complete-orchestral-works/
The booklet has 164 pages. And it's my artwork too :-)
My copy of the Fritz Brun boxset arrived two days ago, and I've finished the first two discs.
So far I'm finding the music very enjoyable.
I was fortunate to acquire all of these CD's in their previous incarnations. They represent a trove of music that is wonderful to listen to.
As a side issue, does anyone know where I can get/purchase scores of the Brun symphonies for study purposes. I'm interested in how the music is put together. I've been searching the net without any luck.
If no one else can, Perhaps Hadrianus can point me in the right direction.
I explored the symphonies some time ago. I remember liking the first two (these were really exciting and strong) and the last two (IIRC), the rest was tough I'm afraid. The music was too dense and not particularly memorable, a bit similar to that of Reger. But they were my first impressions. I guess if I listen to them again I'll have new elements to judge them better.
Coming to grips with middle-period Brun is a challenge. That's what I like about his music.
@wizarddemiritus
You can't buy them. Only Symphonies 2-4 have been published (as you can read in my liner notes) - all other are MS. And the published ones are barely "useable" since they were printed on very cheap paper. I have digitized them to be more easily available in case of performances. But I am not allowed to duplicate them - or send them around. When I turned the first page of the 4th Symphony, it remained in my hand and fluffs of paper débris were flying around.
There are no pocket scores of these, so you have to apply for a perusal conmtract with Hug representatives.
You must consider that Hug, at that time, had decided to stop further editions because the Symphonies were not enough performed. Only Symphony No. 2 brought in some money.
The MS versions are with the Sacher Foundation, but they don't allow copies, so you will have to go to Basle to study them. And only musicologists are welcome.
MS copies are at the Zurich Central Library. Perhaps this way may be easier to obtain copies. But permission is needed by the Brun Estate, with a declaration for what purpose.
To hire the material for perfomancs, Hug asks for some 4000 Euros per Symphony. No comment. Even the Brun heirs had to pay when I recorded them, but Hug, after many discussions, "generously" went down to 2000 per score.
I know this is all very complicate. I am struggling since 2003 that this would find easier issues.
But one must also understand that, since Brun is still under copyright, everyone concerned with his works must be careful. There is a lot of abuse, especially because of the internet.
I consider the Sacher Foundation just as a "fridge for manuscripts". Today's responsibles are rather high-nosed persons - and always suspicious. The Brun heirs made the biggest mistake to donate these manuscripts to them; they were hoping that it would help to promote Brun. But, unfortunately, this donation took place happened before I made the acquaintance of Brun's son...
Sacher himself (I once made his acquaintance) was one of the biggest and unsympathetic music mafiosi Switzerland ever had, not to speak about the fact that he was all other than a great conductor. He commissioned works under condition that he would keep the manuscripts for himself - and he was not a generous payer. Brun got not much money for his "Variations for piano and strings" (I have made a new edition of this score, including parts - if anyone would be interested, he can contact me, as in the case of the Festive Overture and the piano scores of the Cello and Piano concertos, which are also my editions).
Sacher was but a greedy collector, he never cared to have "his" manuscripts being published. He was immensely rich (and stingy), but all the money came from his wife.
He was controlling the Swiss music scene like a dictator and inquisitioner, intriguing all the time. Once the Wintherthur orchestra wanted Scherchen as a chief, Sacher wrote letters to all Swiss composers and conductors that "this German" should not be admitted, that a boycott should be raised against him. Of course this did not work and Scherchen got his post.
Among others, the Sacher Foundation is in possession of the whole Stravinsky Estate. Stravinsky used to sell him his works in order to be able to pay his doctor's and dentist's bills. A couple of years ago, a very limited (and expensive) facsimile edition of "Sacre" was published by the Sacher Foundation - libraries bought it.
As you see, also the classical music world of peaceful Switzerland shows up with some dark chapters.
@SymphonicAddict
What do you mean by "particularly memorable"? That you cannot sing the tunes yourself - or is it a general negative classification of this kind of music? I hope it has more to do with your personal taste and linkings. In any case "tough" is the best judgement! There is a lot of "tough" music from those times too, fortunately! And "tough" music keeps the world awake. Berlioz was quite "tough" for his time - and what about Gesualdo's daringly dissonant harmonies, just to quote two examples?
As far as Brun's music is concerned, I am continuously warning (also in my liner notes) that this is not an easy affair. Certainly not fit for a Sandrigham House suite, for candellight or incense sticks, and that one must get into it slowly - or just leave it. Already during the composing progress of his 1st Symphony, Brun wrote to his mother that this would not be fully understood by normal concert-goers, but that he needed to write it down to remain sincere, he could not compose music just to display his skills or to entertain. At the premier performance he received a lot of compliments from the orchestra players. The more so he was surprised that the reviews were excellent... But this was just the beginning!
The 2nd Symphony was a homage Othmar Schoeck, that's why it was written in a more Romantic style. Read my notes!
I hope that my liner notes will help a little to an easier approach.
As far as personal taste is concernd, everybody is free, but one should never make generally condemning judgments, they should admit: "I don't like it". Unfortunately there are many authors of negative reviews - just because they don't like the music - and this is unfair.
Once again, here is my booklet:
https://www.brilliantclassics.com/media/1621710/95784-brun-booklet-download-file.pdf
As I said, this is often challenging music. But who wants pap all the time? Certainly not me. Draeseke's a similar case in an earlier generation...
@hadrianus, thanks for the interesting feedback. I'm aware about desincouraging people by negative commentaries, and I hope mine don't give a bad impression on the composer's music. I sometimes don't know how "to measure" my words when refering to music, they are not always accurate, I'm simply a classical music fanatic listener with no musical education.
What do you mean by "particularly memorable"? That you cannot sing the tunes yourself...
Not necessarily, it also depends on the development, the kind of atmosphere, comfort, thrill, enjoyment and pleasure music gives me. There is music that is exciting but lacks tunes, it's still memorable for me, or it has a brooding atmosphere but it's not so exciting, even so the music is memorable too, etc.
Some Brun's inner symphonies (4-7 or so), have an intricated development, which made my listening experience somewhat hard, and yes, there are no memorable melodies/tunes, which helped to not like them or appreciate them better. Curiously, I remember that the last symphonies (8-10) somehow made more sense for me. I haven't said I'm going to give up either. I intend to listen to the complete symphonies to get better ideas of them.
Finally, it would be quite rewarding to read your liner notes since you are the Brun expert and you conducted the works. Thanks for reading!
Quotethere are no memorable melodies/tunes
Well, this isn't Tchaikovsky. There's memorable
material, but it's often tough. This music takes work - that's what makes it so rewarding.
SymphonicAddict wrote:
Quoteit would be quite rewarding to read your liner notes
Hadrianus' booklet notes can be downloaded from the Brilliant web site here (https://www.brilliantclassics.com/media/1621710/95784-brun-booklet-download-file.pdf).
@SymphonicAddict et al.
You are right, Symphonies 8-10 could make "more sense" to many music lovers, since they are more melodically conceived. This can be explained: Brun had retired from his conducting post and could finally enjoy the love of his wife and children 24 hours a day - in his beautiful house in Southern Switzerland (I was there several times). All of his friends and colleagues travelled down there to visit, the guestbooks have a lot of entries by famous Swiss artists of that time. And valuable painting and scupltures by those friends are placed in all rooms.
The composer reveals his source of inspiration of those three Symphonies (8-10) in his program notes (see booklet). In other words, such an atmosphere must inspire to more lyricism.
His Piano and Cello Concertos are also from that period.
Here is a short video I've made about this house, which at the beginning was but a little Grotto Ticinese (restaurant)
(German texts are only at the beginning; the rest is just music):
https://vimeo.com/242782145?activityReferer=1
Like Mahler and Furtwängler, for example, Brun could not spend a lot of time for composing.
During his 1903-1941 career as a permanent conductor of the Berne Symphony Orchestra, as a leader of two choirs, as a chamber music player and as a Lieder accompanyist, Brun had not always an easy life. A lot of studying, reherasing - and many struggles with his orchestra manager as far as the programming is concerned - and all the bureaucracy in connection with adminstration activities at the Schweizerischer Tonkünstlerverein.
In Berne there was the "rival" orchestra of the Bernischer Musikverein, offering more progressive programs including more works by Strauss, Mahler and music by various Russian composers (Stravinsky was very well-represented there). Brun's "Bernische Musikgesellschaft" had a more traditional repertoire - and the maestro was not always very happy to have to preserve this image. Only in the 1930s more "modern" or "unsung" works were finally included (there is, for example, a concert program of 1937 featuring Shostakovitch's First Symphony). Brun could perform several Beethoven and Brahms cycles, but with Bruckner and Schumann, for example, he achieved complete cycles only over several years. These were reasons for him to get furious by seeing that his competitors were doing a complete Mahler cycle - and that he had already to struggle for "Das Lied von der Erde" and Mahler's Fourth. Still, he was allowed to perform almost all of Berlios works - one of his beloved composers. He adored "La Damnation de Faust".
Brun's aim was also to perform/premiere various works by contemporary Swiss composers, including Hermann Suter's "Le Laudi" (a work he not only performed in Berne's Cathedral, but also (in 1926) at the Paris Trocadéro in presence of the composer and in front of an audience of 5000 perople).
Incidentally, he was also responsible for the Italian premiere (1923, in Rome) of Bach's Mass in B Minor!
Besides the Berne subscription concerts with his ensemble, Brun also performed a lot of big choral works in Berne's Cathedral and dozens a-cappella and with piano-recitals with his choirs - in another Berne Church. As far as I remember, Beethoven's "Missa Solemnis" five times and Bach's and Händel's great oratorios repeatedly too. In the same cathedral, Berlioz's and Verdi's Requiem and Wolf Ferrari's "La Vita Nuova" were als performed with great success.
At the occassion of great choral concerts, Brun had schedules like this: Friday: dress rehearsal (audiences were allowed) - Saturday morning: choral matinée with various programs and Brun at the piano or conducting - Saturday evening: the main concert - Sunday afternoon (or evening): a repetition of the concert. Those matinées (also in the Cathedral) had various and very unusual programs, not necessarily in accordance with the pricipal concerts.
Once Brun had programmed Stravinsky's "Symphony of Psalms" and Caplets "Le Miroir de Jésus. Just before the concert-hall doors were opened, there was an announcement that this concert had to be cancelled because not enough tickets had been sold; this was a unique case in Brun's career. On the other hand, Brun's "rival" orchestra never had problems with Stravinsky - that may have been an intrigue thing. Since he loved the Caplet piece (requiring a smaller ensemble), Brun performed it later in one of his matinées. The management would not risk a Stravinsky again with Brun - so the choirs had rehearsed "Symphony of Psalms" for nothing. With other, similarly demanding contemporary choral works, there were no problems like this...
This just to let you have a glimpse of Brun's years in Berne.
Price change! https://www.jpc.de/jpcng/classic/detail/-/art/fritz-brun-complete-orchestral-works/hnum/8968194
I find the conducting repertoire of musical figures I'm interested in to be itself very interesting (Liszt's, too, comes to mind), so thank you.