Why isn't there a complete Wagner non-operatic set recorded?

[Sean]

Or is there?

All other major composers have complete editions available...

[Wanderer]

Because there would be nothing complete or, worse, substantial about it.

[Sergeant Rock]

Or is there? All other major composers have complete editions available...

With the exceptions of the Wesendonk Lieder and Siegfried Idyll, his non-operatic music is just not that interesting (even for a Wagnerite like me). But if you really want to hear more, I suggest acquiring these CDs which will give you the symphonies, overtures (Columbus, Faust, Die Feen and Das Liebesverbot), marches and piano music:







Menuhin and the ASMF recorded Träume for Violin and Orchestra


Sarge

[ChamberNut]

And there you are Sean!  You can scratch another off your list.

[Opus106]

Wagner and piano?!

[ChamberNut]

Sarge

Sarge, I thought Wagner only wrote one Symphony, in C major, early in his career?  Didn't know about the one in E.  I like that pairing of the C major symphony and the Siegfried Idyll, I should put that on my list. 

[Josquin des Prez]

Wagner and piano?!

No. It's all a ruse. There is no such thing. Just move along and make believe it never happened.

[Opus106]

No. It's all a ruse. There is no such thing. Just move along and make believe it never happened.

Much better.

[Mandryka]

I love this one

[Brian]

Interested in any thoughts on the two symphonies... are they any good?

[Haffner]

With the exceptions of the Wesendonk Lieder and Siegfried Idyll, his non-operatic music is just not that interesting (even for a Wagnerite like me). But if you really want to hear more, I suggest acquiring these CDs which will give you the symphonies, overtures (Columbus, Faust, Die Feen and Das Liebesverbot), marches and piano music:








Sarge

Wagner and Rogner. I'm there dude.

[Dancing Divertimentian]

Wagner and piano?!

There's actually something very special about at least one Wagner piano piece: the Albumblatt for Piano (Dedication). 

What's surprising perhaps is its economy. A mere snippet comparatively speaking at only two minutes but in this instance that's all that's required. The piece is highly chromatic with a subdued quality and really says a lot with a minimum of effort.

[Sean]

My recommendation would be Das Liebesmahl der apostle, a fascinating choral work with orchestral entry only near the end (maybe similar to the Choral fantasia, and Bruckner's Helgoland): you can hear Wagner's early endless melody technique, and the controversial ongoing shapelessnes to it...

Really though, it's a complete disgrace to think there's no box set of the non-operatic works.

[Bulldog]

My recommendation would be Das Liebesmahl der apostle, a fascinating choral work with orchestral entry only near the end (maybe similar to the Choral fantasia, and Bruckner's Helgoland): you can hear Wagner's early endless melody technique, and the controversial ongoing shapelessnes to it...

Really though, it's a complete disgrace to think there's no box set of the non-operatic works.

Not really.  Given that Wagner's popularity resides entirely on his operas, it isn't even a mini-disgrace.

[Lethevich]

Really though, it's a complete disgrace to think there's no box set of the non-operatic works.

But the piano music is simply rubbish! Why wish for a box of dubious overall quality when you can pick and choose the better works seperately?

[Dancing Divertimentian]

But the piano music is simply rubbish!

Not all of it is rubbish. The Albumblatt for Piano (Dedication) I mentioned above is gorgeous.

[Sean]

We need to have the full picture of the man, rubbish or otherwise. And yes, I did buy the 2CD piano music set, which includes one or two interesting Lisztian efforts.

[Sean]

And have the Die Hochzeit fragments been recorded?

[Lethevich]

Not all of it is rubbish. The Albumblatt for Piano (Dedication) I mentioned above is gorgeous.

Hehe, I admit some overstatement. Like Nietzsche's piano music, there are a few neat works which would be fun surprises in piano recitials performed by a dedicated advocate. But their impression would probably be enhanced by removing them from the less inspired works...

We need to have the full picture of the man, rubbish or otherwise. And yes, I did buy the 2CD piano music set, which includes one or two interesting Lisztian efforts.

Music like this must require stronger advocacy than just a run-through as is common with neglected music, or it could be easilly dismissed as mediocre. A major problem with the box idea would be recording or licencing all these 'ideal' performances into a strong set. If done on the cheap (which it only could be, really - who would buy it?) it would be panned. This is why I figure that the lack of a box is not disgraceful, it's just impractical. If anyone wishes to pick among the scraps, they already can - and with the pick of the field, the performances you will be better than any cheapo complete edition could allow.

[Lethevich]

Aside from my previous post: I would like to see a Das Liebesmahl der Apostle/Wesendonck Lieder coupling, for a nice disc of quality vocal works. I am only familiar with DLDA through an oop disc coupled with Bruckner's Heilgoland. It could be an interesting project for a label like Hyperion...