What Are You Listening To Now?

[Joy]

Via radio Beethoven's Piano Concerto No. 1 in C, Op. 15 with Pianist Piotr Anderszewski and the Swedish Chamber Orchestra and conductor Thomas Dausgaard.

[Preston]

Joy, I think I may have heard some of the same performance this morning via radio. Was it NPR's/American Public Media's, Performance Today, program?

[Joy]

Joy, I think I may have heard some of the same performance this morning via radio. Was it NPR's/American Public Media's, Performance Today, program?

Hi Preston, it was on Performance Today on last night here. Do you get this program in the morning then? Wonderful performance, wasn't it?

[Preston]

Hi Preston, it was on Performance Today on last night here. Do you get this program in the morning then? Wonderful performance, wasn't it?

Yes, it starts at 9am here on the east coast. Didn't get to here that much of the performance though.

[Peter]

Bruckner's symphonies 5 and 7. I've always had a problem with Bruckner, for me he is too repetitive and long drawn out - however like his idol Wagner he has glorious moments which I find primarily in the slow movements, though the finale of the 5th is stirring stuff. I also think overall that the 7th is his finest symphony and the one that I come back to most - any thoughts from Brucknerians?

[Hofrat]

I am a "Raffian" rather than a "Brucknerian." I find Raff to be more brilliant and certainly happier that Bruckner or Mahler for that matter. Then there is that old and undeserved adage that Bruckner did not write nine symphonies, rather one symphony nine times. You can not say that about Raff's 11 symphonies.

[Michael]

The only Bruckner symphony I have on CD is the Fourth. I have listened to it a few times over the years and have actually enjoyed it but not one theme or tune has lodged in my memory. Like Mahler, it's the sheer length of the symphonies that puts me off.

[Hofrat]

Michael;

Well, if the length and breadth of Bruckner's and Mahler's symphonies "put you off," then you will like Joachim Raff's symphonies. His 11 symphonies average 43 minutes a piece, have large and brilliant orchestrations but not bombastic (2+1, 2, 2, 2; 4, 2, 3, 0; timp; full strings), and most of all are tuneful and memorable.

[Sorrano]

As a Brucknerian, I will have to take a look at Raff's works. The 7th Symphony is probably the most popular, followed closely by the 4th. Brucknerians, as I understand, tend to favor the 5th Symphony. Personally, my favorite is the 8th, but then when I listen to each Symphony and enjoy it's greatest moments I have to be undecided as to favorites. If one listens to Bruckner, thinking to hear Brahms or Schumann, or any other of the Romantic Symphonists he will be disappointed. Think in terms of counterpoint and motivic development. Yes, the symphonies can be long, but with patience there is always a reward. Also, bear in mind that Bruckner was an organist and that the music is scored in an organistic fashion.

Are Raff's symphonies fairly available?

[Hofrat]

On eBay, you can find usually Raff's 1st "To Fatherland" and his 3rd "In the Forest" which seem to be the favorites. Ocasionally, a CD featuring his 3rd and 4th shows up there. Every now and then, a 2-CD set of his 8th, 9th, 10th, and 11th, nicknamed Spring, Summer, Fall, and Winter respectively, pops up there. I believe that Tudor has recorded all of his symphonies and overtures.

Raff's symphonies are great music to listen to. You will not regret having them in your CD collection. I have all of his symphonies and I love them.

[Peter]

On eBay, you can find usually Raff's 1st "To Fatherland" and his 3rd "In the Forest" which seem to be the favorites. Ocasionally, a CD featuring his 3rd and 4th shows up there. Every now and then, a 2-CD set of his 8th, 9th, 10th, and 11th, nicknamed Spring, Summer, Fall, and Winter respectively, pops up there. I believe that Tudor has recorded all of his symphonies and overtures.

Raff's symphonies are great music to listen to. You will not regret having them in your CD collection. I have all of his symphonies and I love them.

Do you have any personal favourites amongst his symphonies?

[Peter]

As a Brucknerian, I will have to take a look at Raff's works. The 7th Symphony is probably the most popular, followed closely by the 4th. Brucknerians, as I understand, tend to favor the 5th Symphony. Personally, my favorite is the 8th, but then when I listen to each Symphony and enjoy it's greatest moments I have to be undecided as to favorites. If one listens to Bruckner, thinking to hear Brahms or Schumann, or any other of the Romantic Symphonists he will be disappointed. Think in terms of counterpoint and motivic development. Yes, the symphonies can be long, but with patience there is always a reward. Also, bear in mind that Bruckner was an organist and that the music is scored in an organistic fashion.

Are Raff's symphonies fairly available?

Bruckner does intrigue me and I've purchased the 9th which joins my queue of new listening. I'm not particularly fond of the 4th, or rather my previous impressions have not been favourable. I do think the finale of the 5th is terrific and I agree with you about the 8th especially with regard to the Adagio. Bruckner seems inconsistent to me, wonderful moments like his idol Wagner, but dreary lengthy interludes. I am however becoming more favourable with age, but that is perhaps slightly worrying!

[Hofrat]

Hi Peter;

Of Raff's 11 symphonies, I like his 9th, entitled "In the Summer," the best. It is such an affirmation of life. Second best, in my opinion, is his 7th, entitled "In the Alps."

[Peter]

Hi Peter;

Of Raff's 11 symphonies, I like his 9th, entitled "In the Summer," the best. It is such an affirmation of life. Second best, in my opinion, is his 7th, entitled "In the Alps."

Thanks for that and I'll definitely add that those to my list, having heard some samples of Raff's very pleasant style at this useful site http://www.raff.org/index.htm

As I write this I'm very much enjoying listening to the vibrant finale of the Eggert symphony in C which will be uploaded later today for the benefit of all. Having listened earlier to Eggert's Eb symphony I found the first movement the most rewarding and I would say somewhat Schubertian rather than Mozartian, though I doubt he'd heard any Schubert!

[Sorrano]

The woodwind scoring is quite rich, too, in the 1st symphony. As I recall, in Schubert's earlier symphonies he scored more than normal for the winds, as well.