Should a recording be mainly remembered for its liner notes?While I appreciate the 8 pages of information within CPO's physical media, my memories of Eckhardt van den Hoogen's musings are akin to a drug-fueled nightmare.
There are more asides present than a Family Guy episode, and by the time we get anywhere near information relevant to Hausegger's Nature Symphony, I've given up hope for a better day.
Something only experienced to be appreciated, I suppose. I suspect something is lost in translation, however, I also suspect more at play...
The actual piece of work is notable for it Resurrection Symphony style conclusion; the finale makes the long journey worth the wait. Not that it is a bear to get through, but late Romanticism was never my favorite of Classical music genres.
That makes this recording all the more valuable, for I never need to check my watch, nor fold laundry in order to get through it. Of course, I can't remember a time I've done either of those during a dedicated listening.
A review from 2023
German
composer Siegmund von Hausegger’s magnum opus must be his Nature
Symphony. Nearly 60 minutes in length, the symphony has a large and
varied orchestration, plus pipe organ, bolstered by a surprising choral
peroration. Suffice to say, the work is an event to be experienced.
I
don’t normally go in for late-Romanticism, I generally find its music
meandering and formless to my ear. Hausegger’s Natursymphonie mostly
rises above it all by setting some memorable musical moments across its
runtime.
The opening craggy melody, played heroically on horn,
boldly opens the work, but its leaping theme lays some doubt on what
kind of musical experience this work has in store. It eventually leads
into some lovely scurrying and pastoral wind work, only pausing for some
broad lyrical string moments.
Movement two is taken over by a
slightly-exotic, trudging march that would fit the traveling theme of
the Three Wise Men in a Christmas oratorio; it is the dramatic, ear
catching centerpiece of the entire work and a most unexpected one at
that.
The 3rd movement is a vigorous affair, and along with the
lengthy first movement, shows a cinematic flair in Hausegger’s harmonies
and percussion-laden orchestrations. The final ten minutes are
dedicated to chorus and orchestra, bringing the work to an all-stops-out
triumphal paean.
My only hesitation lies with in liner notes
that come with the physical media. While there are 9 pages with 17
columns of text, a kingly amount of information, much of it is
bloviatingly self-important, with knowing asides that leave the reader
unknowing, and somehow rambles without informing the reader much about
anything. The worst!
On the other hand, the Cologne performers
are all top notch, and CPO captures Hausegger’s colours clearly and with
firm impact. There aren’t any other recordings of this work that I am
aware of, so it is a real treat to have such a fine recording. Kudos to
all involved!
Works
Natursymphonie
Ensembles
WDR Radio Choir Cologne
WDR Symphony Orchestra Cologne
Ari Rasilainen, conductor
Label: CPO
Year: 2008
Total Timing: 56.37
At what point as a Classical Music listener does one get
around to a work like Hausegger's Nature Symphony?
If I were smarter, perhaps earlier, but would I have been ready for a work like this? Possibly, but it is not my favorite genre, yet it has many more moments of greatness than not.
Find more Hausegger recordings HERE!
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