Fritz Brun - Complete Orchestral Works on Brilliant Classics

[Alan Howe]

Absolutely right. Throw away CD11 if you must - and you still have an unbeatable bargain, all in modern sound.

[adriano]

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

[eschiss1]

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.)

[adriano]

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

[eschiss1]

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.)

[Gareth Vaughan]

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.

[eschiss1]

Hrm? Yes, that is the download price. Ok, sorry, was confused.

[adriano]

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 :-)

[UnsungMasterpieces]

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.

[wizardemiritus]

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.

[Tapiola]

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.

[Alan Howe]

Coming to grips with middle-period Brun is a challenge. That's what I like about his music.

[adriano]

@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.

[adriano]

@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

[Alan Howe]

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...