Austrian and German composers

[Symphonic Addict]

No thread about Austro-German composers who probably don't deserve one for their own, so I'm starting one for those from any period.

This new release caught my eye. To be available on 6 November:




I had to remember who this composer is. Toccata released a recording featuring his Symphony No. 1 along with the symphonic poem Vaterland:



Two very good pieces as far as I can remember, so those quartets should be good too.

[Symphonic Addict]

To be released on 21 November:



Not familiar with this German composer (1855-1934) at all, but given how many surprises this label often delivers, it will be worth investigating for some people here, including this listener.

[Symphonic Addict]

To be released on 7 November:



The Piano Concerto had previously been released on Hyperion's Romantic Piano Concerto series, coupled with the one by Anton Urspruch. It's a very good work as far as I remember, the same goes to the Urspruch.

[Symphonic Addict]

To be released on 19 December:



The chamber music of this German composer is so tuneful and vibrant, so I have high hopes for this symphony (one out of two) and violin concerto in the form of a passacaglia.

[Symphonic Addict]

No new releases this time, but some brief impressions on Günter Raphael's string quartets instead. He wrote six quartets, but withdrew Nos. 4 and 5. It's quite nice to have recordings of those pieces. Nos. 1, 2 and 6 are performed by the Acacia Quartet and No. 3 by the Párkànyi Quartet. What about the music? Quite interesting, substantial and showing a palpable progression. No. 1 is redolent of Reger and perhaps early Hindemith, and includes some good counterpoint. Very well-written and attractive overall. No. 2 is a step forward in harmonic language and audacious writing, which definitely feels more personal. No. 3 not only reaches an even higher level of distinctiveness and sophistication, but also a pretty elegant and sometimes elusive quality. This is a formidable piece. And finally No. 6, a piece written in his late years, and for that it implies that it has a somewhat austere, reflective essence, something that many composers often imprinted in their last pieces, so this quartet feels more intimate than the previous three, like valedictory in nature. I find this kind of evolution from one piece to the next so rewarding, in this case making clear the composer's development from youthful vigour to humble resignation. Once again, the magic of music shining in all its splendour.