Steve Schwartz writes:

>I find Schrecker's music pretty but uninteresting - a lesser Korngold, who
>works the same idiom.

Hang on here, though I find Korngold to be a great technician, I don't
ever feel that he really takes off, (you know, that "sum of the parts..."
sort of thing), in the way that Schreker routinely does.  Please find me a
melody in Korngold that equals the one found at the end of Schreker's "Der
Geburstag der Infantin." (On the solo cello, BTW, for those convinced that
he's a blowbag.) The soundworld of "Der Ferne Klang" borders on that of Per
Norgard's 3rd symphony--no small feat considering Norgard's achievement in
rarefied sound.

I really recommend that you try the latest Chandos CD featuring Schreker's
music.  The recording and performance captures many individual lines that
are lost in other recordings and as a result, his music doesn't sound as
mushy or incoherent.

I like Korngold and snap up his works as fast as those of Schreker's but,
in a moment of high emotion here, I've got to set aside all my knowledge
of posts regarding taste vs.  value and say:

there *is* no comparison.

But thank you for the review on Grotz!

John Smyth