Janos writes:

>There is a cryptic note about Bruno Weil, on his way to conduct the Carmel
>Bach Festival, that he revived in Cologne Walter Braunfels' 1920, `Das
>Vogel,' and that it was the first time for the opera since banned by the
>Nazis in 1933.  Period, end item.  That's frustrating -- what's the story
>here? A quick Web search got only a reference to the Cologne performance,
>only the name and date!

Actually there is a recorded version on the Entartete series w/Lothgar
Zagrosek and the DSO Berin.  I checked it out when I was going through my
"looking for love in all the wrong places" stage: looking for all of those
neglected late-romantic composers as good as Strauss and Mahler, but
eclipsed by them.

The title should give you an idea of the never-never land-esque musical
"bird", (word), painting and Braunfels definitely knows what to do with a
big orchestra.  Undeniable beauties include the overture, which immediately
captures one's attention with a magical descending violin phrase that is
suddenly lifted again with billowing strings and arpeggiated harps.  If
only I had never heard the Fantasy Island soundtrack....

Upon listening to the whole opera, I felt a little unsatisfied, as if
Strauss had left an early opera unfinished and it was completed by a
student--only hinting at what could have been.

There is an Entarte series highlights disc that includes just the overture
if you want to sample.

Well, before I get fired, gotta go!

John Smyth