Steve Schwartz writes:

>I disagree.  The RC keeps changing, except to those obsessed with
>permanence in their lives.  The acceptance of much of Brahms, for example,
>is about 70 years old.  Raff is no longer the genius the 19th century
>thought him.

And in Raff's case I have no idea why.  I think his music is outstanding.
The Lenore symphony is said to be his masterwork (Gee I didn't know there
was a rec with Bernie Hermann!), but I think even the large bred 1st
symphony "An das Vaterland" is masterful building.  Raff is one of some
"forgotten" composers I propagate for, whom aren't famous mostly ecause the
fell in the shadow of a Beethoven, Haydn etc.....In this row we have above
all:  Dussek, Hummel, Raff, Spohr and Wetz to name the most interesting.
I notice that CPO has done great efforts to share this fine music with us,
all Spohr's Violiniconcerti are represented (and they are many, 18 or so),
with a Berlin orchestra, and Ulf Hoelscher as soloist.  Now Spohr was in
right place in right time to lead the upheawings of Romanticism, but he
didn't get away with it.  Pwerhaps he took too much time play the violin.
Still I notice that his opera "Faust" is on CPO with Bielefeld/Geoffrey
Mould.  The opera is an interesting alternative to Wagner....Hummel and
Dussek probably suffer from having avoided to write
standardrepertoiregenreworks, yet I would welcome a Dussek series or
Hummel.  I wonder what exchange CPO might have from offering such nice
recordings?

Didrik Schiele (who is a bit behind in the digests)