Hermann Goetz: Orchestral Works; Concertos

Hermann Goetz (Composer), Werner Andreas Albert (Conductor), NDR Philharmonic Orchestra (Hannover) (Orchestra), Radio-Philharmonie Hannover des NDR (Orchestra), Volker Banfield (Performer), Stephanie Stiller (Performer) | Format: Audio CD

Product Details

• Performer: Volker Banfield, Stephanie Stiller
• Orchestra: NDR Philharmonic Orchestra (Hannover), Radio-Philharmonie Hannover des NDR
• Conductor: Werner Andreas Albert
• Composer: Hermann Goetz
• Audio CD (March 18, 2003)
• SPARS Code: DDD
• Number of Discs: 3
• Label: Cpo Records
• ASIN: B000087DWT
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (1 customer review)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #206,479 in Music (See Top 100 in Music)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

14 of 16 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Tuneful, Beautifully Crafted Music, July 19, 2007

By 

T. Beers (Arlington, Virginia United States) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Hermann Goetz: Orchestral Works; Concertos (Audio CD)

I'm not a big believer in the "undiscovered masterpiece" phenomenon ... about 40 years ago a temporary craze for 19th century "forgotten masters" dredged up a great mass of thoroughly mediocre stuff by the likes of Raff, Kalkbrenner, the Scharwenka brothers, Henselt, and others. Most of it dropped back into obscurity once the craze passed. But Hermann Goetz was a genuine discovery then and remains one today. His music is not brilliantly assertive, but it is impeccably written and boasts lovely melodies and superb orchestration that by its deft transparency invites comparisons with Mendelssohn and Berwald. Goetz died at age 36, the victim of tuberculosis, and we will never know whether he would have developed into a great composer. As it is, he earned the respect of Brahms who was not known for tolerating mediocrities. (Goetz's setting of Schiller's "Naenia" predates Brahms's version and it is noteworthy that Brahms deferred publication of his own masterpiece for some time out of respect for Goetz's superb composition.) If you love the music of early Romantic masters like Schumann, Mendelssohn and Berwald, hear this music. I am sure you will be delighted. Goetz's symphony is awash with a springlike freshness; ditto the one-movement violin concerto. But all of the music on these three very reasonably priced CDs is worth hearing. Performances and recorded sound are nothing less than superb.