1. Just released: The Symphony for String Orchestra
and String Quartett in c minor now on CD
A bit later than expected, the tenth CD with music
by Hans Rott has been released these days; it focusses
on chamber music.
The very first recording of the Symphony
in A-flat major for String Orchestra - an early work - played
by the Strings of the Philharmonisches Orchester of
the Staatstheater Mainz with Enrico Delamboye conducting
turned out well in sound and interpretation. This CD
presenting the first German performance in March 2004
is also interesting for the members of the International
Hans Rott Society who got a recording (annual gift)
of the world premiere by the Cappella dei Giovani,
as the Mainz interpretation shows a completely different
approach.
The interpretation of the String
Quartet in c minor by the Mainzer Streichquartett is also of a high standard
and stands comparison with the recently released Mandelring
Quartett recording, all the more so as the Mainz musicians
frequently take clearly different ways.
The new CD is available from Acousence (ACO-DC 20205).
Members of the IHRG get this CD and others at special
prices; for details see Die
QUARTE.
You will find samples and further information at www.hans-rott.de/cdemz2.htm.
2. The World Premiere of the Suite in E major
On April 12, 2005 Hagen/Germany witnessed the world
premiere of the Suite in
E major. Hans Rott had written
this work which consists of two movements for an examination
in composition which took place on May 27, 1878, and
it counts among his most beautiful compositions. The
convincing interpretation by the Philharmonisches Orchester
Hagen with the young General Music Director Antony
Hermus conducting has been a great success with the
audience.
The
Suite (the concert began with Haydn's Symphony No.
22 in E-flat major "The Philosopher")
was followed by another premiere: For the first time
the Hagen audience was attending a performance of the
Hamburg version (1893) of Gustav Mahler's First Symphony.
In comparison with the well-known late version there
are some differences in the instrumentation, and the
most striking of them is the additional "Blumine
Movement" set between the first and the (nowadays)
second movement.
In
an introduction given before the concert as well
as in the programme booklet, Jörg Rothkamm pointed
out the relations of motif and theme between Mahler's
Symphony and Rott's Suite in E major. What strikes
one most is the fact that the choral theme of the finale
of Mahler's Symphony, played by the horns as from bar
388 on, is almost identical with the first half of
the main theme of Rott's Suite, viz. in the interval
as well as the rhythm sequence. All Mahler did was
to add just one note in the beginning. Rothkamm raises
the question whether Rott could be the one Mahler mentioned
as the hero of this Symphony.
Read
more about this question, the work in general and
its world premiere in one of the next issues of
DIE
QUARTE.
It is very good news that the concert has been recorded
and both works by Rott and Mahler will be available
on CD. We will let you know the date of release as
soon as get the information.
3. World Premiere of Works for the Piano
Only
recently we have learned, that the Italian pianist
Gregorio Nardi performed in public almost all playable
compositions for the piano as well as some fragments
by Rott in Florence on September 15, 2004. Besides
13 works by Rott the programme included compositions
by Robert Schumann, Richard Wagner, Anton Bruckner,
Hugo Wolf, Arnold Schönberg and Alexander von
Zemlinsky. IHRG members will learn more about the pianist
and his concert in the next issue of DIE QUARTE.
There are now only a few works by Rott awaiting their
world premiere.
4. A Short Review
A total of six performances of the Symphony
No. 1 in E major by the Neue Philharmonie Westfalen with
Johannes Wildner conducting (Gelsenkirchen, Kamen,
Papenburg, Recklinghausen and Dortmund, all in Germany)
in March had been a success with audience and reviewers.
The
five performances of the Symphony
in A-flat major for String Orchestra in Sweden had been successful,
too. The Huaröds Kammarorkester's interpretation
- conductor Mats Rodin - is said to have been very
interesting.
5. Outlook
Within
the next few days there will be three performances
of the Symphony No. 1
in E major by the NDR Sinfonieorchester
and Alan Gilbert conducting in Northern Germany (Hamburg,
Kiel and Lübeck). The Hamburg concert will be
broadcasted by the radio station NDR Kultur on May
16, 2005.
On August 16, 2005 Thomas Staudinger (baritone) and
Klaus Laczika (piano) will perform Lieder by Hans Rott
and other composers in St. Florian/Upper Austria.
On
October 27, 1005 Erwin Horn, Vice President of the
International
Hans Rott Society, will give a lecture
on Hans Rott ("The Madman and his Symphony")
in St. Moritz/Switzerland.
The performance of the Symphony No. 1 in E major in
Kassel/Germany (Orchester des Staatstheaters Kassel,
conductor Rasmus Baumann) which was originally planned
for April 17, 2005 had to be postponed on short notice
and will now take place on February 6, 2006.
A good twelve months after the Asian premiere, Tokyo
will see another performance of the Symphony No. 1
in E major: On February 16, 2006 Christian Arming will
conduct the New Japan Philharmonic Orchestra.
On
June 10 and 11, 2006 there will be even two orchestral
works by Rott to be heard in one single concert in
Berlin: The Berliner Sinfonie-Orchester with Sebastian
Weigle conducting will perform the Symphony No. 1 in
E major and the Prelude
to "Julius Caesar".
For more detailed information please see, as always
www.hans-rott.de/whatson.htm.
Martin Brilla
martin.brilla@hans-rott.de
www.hans-rott.de
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