Braunfels: Carnival Overture, Scottish Fantasy, Hölderlin Songs & Prelude and Fugue

Album Description

Dive into the rich and vibrant world of Walter Braunfels with this captivating collection of chamber music, the fifth volume in Capriccio's dedicated Braunfels Edition. This album showcases the composer's remarkable range and depth, offering a journey through his early successes and lesser-known gems.

The album opens with the lively "Carnival Overture, Op. 22," a piece that marked Braunfels' early triumph in 1908. This is followed by two songs from "2 Gesänge, Op. 27," settings of poems by Friedrich Hölderlin that demonstrate Braunfels' mastery of vocal composition. The first, "An die Parzen," is a reflective and introspective piece, while the second, "Der Tod fürs Vaterland," is a stirring and patriotic anthem.

One of the highlights of the album is the "Scottische Fantasie, Op. 47," a virtuosic viola concerto that remains surprisingly underappreciated. This piece offers a unique blend of Scottish folk influences and classical sophistication, providing a delightful contrast to the other works on the album.

The album concludes with the "Prelude & Fugue, Op. 36," a testament to Braunfels' skill in contrapuntal writing. This highly structured piece showcases the composer's intellectual rigor and technical prowess.

Performed by the Staatsphilharmonie Rheinland-Pfalz under the baton of Gregor Bühl, with soloists Barbara Buntrock and Paul Armin Edelmann, this album offers a compelling introduction to the music of Walter Braunfels. Whether you're a longtime admirer of his work or a newcomer to his compositions, this album is sure to captivate and inspire.

3 nov 2017

2017 CapriccioNR

About Walter Braunfels

Walter Braunfels, born in Frankfurt in 1882, was a pivotal figure in German music, renowned for his contributions as a composer, pianist, and music educator. Hailing from a musically inclined family, Braunfels' early education was nurtured by his mother, a great-niece of the celebrated composer Louis Spohr. His formal training began with piano studies under James Kwast at the Hoch Conservatory in Frankfurt, followed by composition lessons with Ludwig Thuille in Munich. Braunfels' career flourished between the two world wars, during which he was one of the most frequently performed opera composers of his time. His notable works include the opera "The Birds," based on Aristophanes' comedy, and a rich repertoire of orchestral, chamber, and piano pieces. Despite facing adversity during the Nazi era, when his music was banned and he was labeled a "half-Jew," Braunfels' legacy endures. He also served as the founding director of the Cologne Academy of Music until 1933. His compositions, steeped in the German Classical-Romantic tradition, continue to captivate audiences with their depth and emotional resonance.