Richard Wetz(1875-1935)

[André]

I'd start with Symphony No 1-3 on CPO. For example, this recording:
[asin]B00004HYO0[/asin]

That's the one I chose to start exploring his symphonies. I have the other two still wrapped waiting in the pile. In the past I've enjoyed his subdued, low-key Requiem (is that an oxymoron ?  ).

I've read about his life, his style, in various articles, reviews and the booklet notes from the CPO disc. There is a bit of Bruckner in the symphony, esp. a near quote of the adagio of the B7 in the 1st movement, but generally I don't detect much else in terms of a putative influence. The very start of the work made me think initially of Dvorak's 6th (first mov.) but upon the 3rd listening I decided it was Delius, not Dvorak that was the closest to that beautiful beginning. Date-wise it is entirely possible Wetz may have heard some Delius (he was well regarded in Germany), but it seems he settled in provincial Erfurt in 1906 and spent the rest of his life there. Was Delius played in Erfurt ? In the third movement there is more angularity, even hints of chromaticism that signal an awareness of contemporary developments.

I was drawn to the work for a second and then a third listening. Nothing bold or striking, just a feeling of appreciation for the composer's obvious thematic gift and his talent for developing his material logically and with assurance. There were a lot of German composers in the post-romantic era (say, 1910-1935) who steadfastly composed in an idiom that harked back some 50 years as if nothing had happened in the interregnum. The advent of the War and the violent drive toward modernism that followed effectively buried the reputation these composers may once have enjoyed. We have to thank CPO for letting some air and light in the dungeon of artistic oblivion. I don't think we'll see composers such as Braunfels, Boehe, Weingartner and Wetz in symphony programs outside of Germany, but at least we have the recordings.

[vers la flamme]

Cross post from "What are you listening to" thread

Richard Wetz: Symphony No.2 in A major, op.47; Kleist Overture, op.16. Werner Andreas Albert, Staatsphilharmonie Rheinland-Pfalz

Wow, I'm really enjoying this disc. I don't often go for the "unsung late Romantics", but there is something in Wetz's music that speaks to me. Clearly, he drew much influence from the music of Anton Bruckner, but there is maybe something more intimate or even sentimental in Wetz's melodicism, and perhaps more early 20th century color to his orchestral pallet. I would love to hear more, though little has been recorded.

I'm enjoying this CPO disc a lot. Anyone listening to Wetz recently?

[André]

Cross post from "What are you listening to" thread

I'm enjoying this CPO disc a lot. Anyone listening to Wetz recently?

Hugely impressed by the first symphony:



There are strong hints of Bruckner all right, but also premonitions of Braunfels. I found the work engrossing on all levels: melodic, harmonic, rythmic - Wetz ticks all the boxes here.

[vers la flamme]

Hugely impressed by the first symphony:



There are strong hints of Bruckner all right, but also premonitions of Braunfels. I found the work engrossing on all levels: melodic, harmonic, rythmic - Wetz ticks all the boxes here.

I've never heard any Braunfels.

I have the complete CPO set of Wetz's symphonies now, but still have only listened to the 2nd. I've also heard the 3rd as conducted by Erich Peter. It's more challenging I think, quite a bit longer. Excited to check out the 1st, now.

[vers la flamme]

Bump for a composer I've been greatly enjoying lately.

I doubt Wetz's music will ever gain much traction, being that he was a card-carrying Nazi, and wrote in a somewhat anachronistic idiom. But I am finding much of his music to be very interesting when in a particular mood. I think I have just about everything that has been recorded: the symphony cycle on CPO, plus the Christmas Oratorio and Requiem on two separate discs. Now I just need to track down the old Mannheimer Streichquartett recording which features one of his quartets.

My favorite is, I think, the 3rd symphony, although I like the 2nd quite a bit too, and the Kleist Overture. I've listened to the Requiem a couple of times too and found it very attractive.

[Maestro267]

Well that's even more reason to ignore him then.

[vers la flamme]

Well that's even more reason to ignore him then.

I expect many will share this belief.

[Scion7]

I'm not happy about his wartime politics - he seemed to be drawn by a desire to restore the German Empire to greatness (reunification) rather than the racial philosophies - however, he had to have known what National Socialism represented.

Setting that aside, there is nothing in the music that promotes said philosophy.  He was a decent enough romantic tunesmith/craftsman.

I put him in the same category as Atterberg.