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Date: | Mon, 21 Jun 1999 09:55:23 -0700 |
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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
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