Johanna Senfter 1879-1961

[Glazier]

Any opinions on this composer?

She was a student of Reger and won the Arthur Nikisch Prize for composition in 1910.

Quite prolific:

9 symphonies, 3  Piano Trios, 1 Piano, Violin and Viola trio, 2 Piano Quartets 6  String Quartets

Also unusual combinations:

Tonstück for 8 wind instruments in E Major, Op. 60
Trio for Piano, Horn and Clarinet, Op. 103
Two pieces for Violin, Viola, Cello and Harp, Op. 111
Quintet for Clarinet and String Quartet, Op. 119

[Alan Howe]

A number of recordings are listed by jpc here...

http://www.jpc.de/jpcng/home/search?fastsearch=senfter&rubric=classic&pd_orderby=score

...by the sound of it the music is pretty cluttered harmonically - one can tell she was a pupil of Reger. Not sure I would listen to it with unalloyed pleasure...

[eschiss1]

Hrm. Rather than place this in the Women unsungs thread (though perhaps I should?) -
I still think it would be great to see what a Reger student would do with full-scale symphonies (9 of them apparently, details unknown about no. 9 -
details at p. 418 of http://books.google.com/books?id=IvoQQU1QL_QC, search for Senfter ) - also 3 violin concertos, one piano concerto (there at least, with the concertos, we know Reger's take. Of course this is assuming Senfter sounds like Reger.)
(Also, Reger's sinfonietta is a full-scale symphony, but... details. )
"She composed in a late-Romantic style and the formal design of the symphonies reveals the influence of Bruckner" - not unusual I find among Romantic-influenced 20th century composers. (Early Wellesz...)
I recall, though I can't find this in Google Books scans, finding a Senfter symphony (no. 6 in Eflat I think???) mentioned (as having been recently performed, or about to be performed) in an issue of the Neue Zeitschrift I was looking through at the university library (yes, I used to do that.) Somewhere in my notes I think (unless I scanned them in before my hard drive got wiped and didn't back them up) are the issue and page.
Eric

[Gareth Vaughan]

The CPO clips make her sound like Reger at his worst. Like stirring mud!

[John H White]

I'm glad I'm not the only one who doesn't care for Reger. I thought it was just me!

[eschiss1]

I'm glad I'm not the only one who doesn't care for Reger. I thought it was just me!

I gather it's a lot of critics too (Not me, I quite like a lot of his music. I've definitely seen a lot of negative criticism, it's certainly not just you.)

[britishcomposer]

I have uploaded a recent broacast of Johanna Senfter's Sextet op. 44.
I haven't listened myself yet but maybe someone is interested.

[minacciosa]

Don't feel bad; Reger is for grown folks!

[minacciosa]

Definitely interested in the Sextet.

[JimL]

Her 4th Symphony is on YouTube.  Two contributors have provided the movements.

[Alan Howe]

Reger is for grown folks!

And for the very patient.

[eschiss1]

Though it depends- if that extends to Reger's earliest works too, I suppose I'd be interested in the why of it

[Mark Thomas]

Thanks fr the Sextett, Mathias, much appreciated.

[Gerhard Griesel]

A brief scan of the 4th on YouTube impresses me tremendously. Its heady stuff, though, sounding like Bruckner, Mahler, Rott and Reger, difficult to follow. But very imposing and of the same quality. The recording which is used on YouTube does not seem to be available on the internet. Pity there is no piano or organ concerto.

[semloh]

Ah, that reassuring, Gerhard. I completely agree with that summation but was reluctant to say it.
In my own mind I had it as 'abbreviated Bruckner', and I rather like it.