Beat Furrer’s latest projects include two works for completely different instruments, both of which have the reputation of being close to the human voice: his Concerto for Violin and Orchestra is premiered by Ilya Gringolts (violin) and the Munich Chamber Orchestra, conducted by Clemens Schuldt on 15. October 2020 in Munich. The work explores the possibilities of the violin, investigates “what melody could mean for the violin”, and scans the full sound space of the instrument from the highest, noise-like sound to the lowest possible note. His Concerto for Clarinet and Ensemble is composed for the multiple voices of the clarinet’s multifaceted sound. The complete version will be premiered by Martin Adámek (clarinet) and the Ensemble intercontemporain conducted by Matthias Pintscher on 18. December 2020 in the Boulez Saal, Berlin.

Philipp Maintz’s Organ Concerto “de figuris” based on Albrecht Dürer’s Apocalypse has just been successfully premiered in Brussels. Now, first performances of several other works follow in quick succession. On 4 October, for the postponed consecration of the organ in St. Stephan’s Vienna, “herrgott – kommentar zu einem wienerlied für brandneue domorgel” (Lord God – commentary on a Viennese song for the brand new Cathedral organ) with Konstantin Reymaier; on 9 October in Graz, the first performance of the revised version of Maintz’s Piano Concerto with Joonas Ahonen (piano) and RSO Wien conducted by Marin Alsop, and last but not least, on 25 October, “Clamationes Colonienses” for 11 brass instruments with members of the Gürzenich-Orchester. (photo: Robert Reimann)

The complete recording of the five symphonies by composer Heinz Winbeck (1946–2019) by German and Austrian radio orchestras on the TYXart Records label has received the OPUS Klassik World Premiere Recording of the Year award. This exemplary CD was also nominated in two further categories – 20th/21st Century Symphonic Recordings, and Editorial Achievement. Prizes also went to the first recording of Manfred Trojahn’s “Rhapsodie pour clarinette et orchestre” by Annelien Van Wauwe for her album “Belle Epoque” (Pentatone). The Belgian clarinettist received the OPUS Klassik up-and-coming artist of the year award.

Just before the publication of Paul Prévost’s ground-breaking new edition of the original 1859 version of Charles Gounod’s “Faust”, the first recording of this version was chosen by the Opus Klassik 2020 awards as the most convincing new recording in the 19th century opera category. It is on the Palazzetto Bru Zane label (Les Talens Lyriques, conductor Christophe Rousset, with Benjamin Bernheim and Veronique Gens). This reconstruction of the 1859 version with spoken dialogues and some only recently rediscovered vocal numbers is much more imbued with the esprit of Opéra Comique than the later through-composed version, the one which is performed in theatres throughout the world. It is available exclusively from Bärenreiter. The printed score will be published in the “L’Opéra français” series in October. A prominent staged first performance has already been secured: Oper Köln stages Johannes Erath’s new production, directed by chief conductor François-Xavier Roth on 23 May 2021.

More information about the edition

The manuscript of Richard Wagner’s “Parsifal” which he called “Ein Bühnenweihfestspiel” has been meticulously reproduced in a valuable facsimile edition. This will be published by Bärenreiter in October (BVK 2418, EUR 696.00) in high-quality four-colour print and will present the extensive score in its original size. Wagner wrote the autograph almost entirely in violet ink, a colour he preferred to use in the last years of his life. He laid out the pages with great care and finally gave the autograph to his wife Cosima as a gift. This always remained in the family's possession as a guarded treasure. Ulrich Konrad explains the special features of the work and the manuscript in an accompanying text.

More information

Fittingly coinciding with the commemorative year in 2021 to mark the 100th anniversary of Camille Saint-Saëns’ death, a rediscovered choral work by the composer will be published for the very first time. “Super flumina Babylonis” will then be available in three versions.

Da noch einige Zeit ins Land gehen dürfte, ehe wieder große symphonische Werke der Spätromantik und Moderne in ihren Originalbesetzungen in geschlossenen Räumen erklingen können, suchen Orchester nach Stücken für Streichorchester, Kammerorchester, größere Bläserformationen und klassisches Symphonieorchester, die unter den Bedingungen der Corona-Pandemie ins Programm genommen werden können. Ein neuer Katalog bietet nun eine Auswahl aus den bei Bärenreiter | Alkor erhältlichen Werken. Wie in dem unlängst erschienenen Katalog mit Bühnenwerken in kleiner Besetzung steht hier weniger das wohlvertraute Kernrepertoire im Fokus, sondern Kompositionen, die seltener gespielt werden und damit die Möglichkeit eröffnen, dem starren Aufführungskanon neue Facetten hinzuzufügen.

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Wenn die Opernhäuser und Konzertsäle wieder öffnen, werden klein besetzte Werke sicher eine große Rolle spielen. Aus diesem Grund haben Bärenreiter und Alkor eine Auswahl aus ihrem Repertoire zusammengestellt: Sie reicht von Händels genialischer Minioper Aci, Galatea e Polifemo, die der blutjunge Komponist 1708 in Neapel komponiert hat, über ein zu wenig bekanntes Meisterwerk der Opéra comique, Le Toréador, Adolphe Adams im Theatermilieu spielender Hymnus auf eine nicht ganz reine Liebe zu dritt, bis hin zu Opern des 20. und 21. Jahrhunderts, die das Thema Isolation aufgreifen und verarbeiten: Räumlich in Günter Bialas’ Aus der Matratzengruft (nach Heinrich Heine), akustisch in Miroslav Srnkas Make no noise und spirituell in Thomas Daniel Schlees Ich, Hiob.

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