Susan Juhl wrote:

>I'm leaving in a week for a month-long trip.  A highlight is attending
>Busoni's Doktor Faustus at the Salzburg Festival.  The only recording on
>CD was published by DG, but it's been deleted.  I tried Berkshire and the
>usual suspects but can't find a copy, therefore haven't heard it.  Anybody
>have info on this opera? Thanks.

I waited a while to reply thinking someone else would, since I hadn't
heard this in a while.  Since no one has, unless I've missed it, I'll
do what I can.

By all means go.  Busoni was an innovator for his time, late 19th
century-early 20th, influenced by Liszt but not so much by Wagner.  Born
in Italy, he was half Italian and half German.  His opera represents a kind
of fusion of the two, which is one reason for its interest, though to me it
is mostly early 20th century German in style.  (The libretto is in German.)
It is hard to describe.  I keep thinking I hear a touch of what was to be
Hindemith in it, but I wouldn't push it too far.  It is colorful, but not
in any Straussian way, more dry, again, Hindemith comes to mind.  Busoni
was always a bit of a modernist, but Faustus is never "hard" to listen to.
One thing that makes it fascinating is the number of disparate elements and
effects in it, from standard scenes and arias, to "echo chamber" effects,
to interludes and arias with organ, marching chorus, etc.  It is all over
the place in its way, from Hindemith to Weill (though without the jazz
elements), but never "difficult" or unapproachable.  I'd love to see it,
frankly, and enjoy you your opportunity, because the recording suggests a
lot of very interesting ideas and scenes.

Busoni never finished the opera, though he worked on it for much of his
life. A student had to do the honors.

Roger Hecht