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Jamie   10/2/2002	Subject: Schneider's symphonies on Marco Polo Message: Luis asked if someone would be willing to rate the available Raff recordings, so l'd like to weigh in with my impressions of Schneider's Marco Polo recordings of the symphonies. l'll never forget the day in 1990 or so when l found the recording of 3/10 in the "R" bin at my local Tower Records. Until that moment, l never thought l'd ever hear any symphonies other than 3/5. l loved both, though little did l know at the time that the finale of 3 was mutilated by a very long cut (the entire development and recapitulation were missing). l still prefer his reading of 10, with its elegaically beautiful slow movement. The recording of 2 is OK, but it's not one my favorite symphonies. IMHO, Raff didn't hit his symphonic stride until "Im Walde". The 4/11 coupling is again OK, but l believe is outclassed by Wetton in 4 and the Tudor recodring of 11. In "Lenore", no one will ever surpass Bernard Herrmann's phenomenal trailblazing 1970 recording, which seems to be responsible for our becoming "Rafficianados" today. Both 6 and 7 are excellent (of course, they have no competition), with 6 being one of special favorites with its portentous program and glorious funeral march slow movement (which l prefer to Beethoven's in the Eroica). l also prefer his recordings of 8 and 9, even though there's a large cut in the finale of 9 (also present in the Tudor version). The performances of the scherzi in both symphonies will have have you applauding. The horror of Walpurgisnacht is admirably portrayed in 8, and the fairy-like elfin delicacy of 9 has to be heard to be believed.
John Boyer   12/2/2002	RE: Schneider's symphonies on Marco Polo Message: Sorry to read that an un-cut 9th is not available. You didn't mention "Lenore", other than praising Herrmann's. Granted, Herrmann is hard to beat, but how does Schneider's "Lenore" sound? I've seen no consensus among the magazine critics, so one more opinion would be helpful.
Jamie   12/2/2002	RE: Schneider's symphonies on Marco Polo Message: I haven't heard Schneider's interpretation of "Lenore", and have only read some not-so-complimentary reviews, so I was never motivated to buy it. I also have Butt's and Stadlmair's versions, with the Stadlmair being far more preferable. However, they still don't measure up to Herrmann, whom l feel has set the standard for all time in recordings of "Lenore". lt's a shame that his recording is essentially unavailable. l treasure my old LP and the CD that l received as a gift in 1991.
Mark   15/2/2002	RE: Schneider's symphonies on Marco Polo IP: Logged Message: I guess that my views on Schneider's Marco Polo performances are pretty clear from what I've written about them in the CD buyers guide pages on the web site. They'll do, in the absense of anything else, but they're hardly representative of what Raff can sound like in the right hands. Interestingly, though, I was lucky enough to hear Schneider conduct a live performance of the "Alpine" symphony in St Gallen last year and it was an impressive 40 minutes. The outer movements in particular were inspired and I've never regarded this work as one of Raff's best creations - certainly not up to the standard of "Lenore". So, perhaps part of the blame for the CD interpretations should be laid at the doors of the recording engineers and the middling orchestra. Of course, the impression which even this work made on an audience largely ignorant of it is also a huge tribute to the power of Raff's music in the concert hall! Cheers...
David N. Currey   21/2/2002	RE: Schneider's symphonies on Marco Polo IP: Logged Message: I too first became aware of Raff through Herrmann's 5th. I ran across the recording in the U. Texas book store in Austin, Tx in the early 70's while working towards my bachelor of music degree. I was enticed by all the negativity and wondered what his music was really like. But what I will always remember was in the early 90's when I had quit the record stores because they no longer sold LP's. I had not heard of a new Raff recording in about 18 years. On the way home from work I had the classical station on, but wasn't paying attention. Suddenly I snapped to--"Did the announcer say 'Raff'?" A symphony began playing. It was unfamiliar, but it sounded like it could be Raff. I couldn't get home fast enough. I jetted into the apartment and jammed a cassette into my stereo and recorded the remainder of the first movement and the symphony. Sure enough, the announcer said it was Raff--a "Yo-ah-keem" Raff--I'd never known the correct pronunciation! My joy was undescribable. I phoned the radio station. A day or two later, I went to a "record" store in Houston, and was flabbergasted to find about 4 or 5 CD recordings of Raff symphonies. I bought one even though I owned no CD player. I borrowed a co-worker's player at work, and listened to my Schneider 3rd. Goose bumps during the ending. I may be a force of one, but I highly regard Raff as one of the great composers. His music speaks to me like no other composer. I often find myself listening to non-Raff music--I do once in a while--and saying to myself, "Raff would have done that a little better." History has done an injustice to this man and his work, but I believe that will slowly change from here on out. Long live the Raff Society. Dave "The Train" Currey
Dr. Markus A. Grassow   27/4/2002	RE: Schneider's symphonies on Marco Polo IP: Logged Message: Liebe Freunde, es mag ja sein, daß die Schneider'schen Aufnahmen des Raff'schen Oeuvre nicht das Gelbe vom Ei sind (auch ich hätte gerne eine Vergleichsmöglichkeit zwischen sagen wir Solti, Bernstein und Karajan). Man sollte aber dankbar sein, daß es überhaupt möglich ist, wenn man etwas von diesem Komponisten zu hören bekommt. Mir ist kein anderer Komponist bekannt, der von Seiten der "Fachwelt ?" mit soviel Hass und Gehässigkeit verfolgt wird. Freuen wir uns also, daß es eine Kompletteinspielung gibt und hoffen wir, daß sich auch die ganz großen des Konzertlebens irgendwann nicht mehr zu schade dafür sind, mal etwas anderes als Bach, Brahms und Beethoven zu spielen.
Mark   28/4/2002	RE: Schneider's symphonies on Marco Polo IP: Logged Message: Hi, I just wanted to pick up on part of Markus' message in which he says (and excuse my German translation) that Raff is "pursued by "the profession" with so much hate and spite". A truly memorable phrase and one which I fear remains true to some extent. I am always surprised by the willingness of some academics and writers to condem Raff's music. Hopefully the upsurge of interest in Raff, fuelled by all the growing number of concert performances and CDs and their generally favorable reviews in the music media, is eroding this closed inherited mind set. It is amazing that Raff's music was effectively supressed for nigh on a century by "experts" who had never actually read or heard a note of it. What a waste! Sorry, but I was just in the mood for a rant!
Dr. Markus A. Grassow   01/5/2002	RE: Schneider's symphonies on Marco Polo IP: Logged Message: Dear Mark, sorry for my message written in german, but my english is too deficient to write long and magnificent essays (in school I was only taught in classical languages). In my letter from 27/04 I wrote, that I would be happy to have any comparison with Raff-CD-Publications from e.g. Bernstein, Karajan or Solti. But nowadays the great Orchestras of the world prefer to play the music of Bach, Brahms and Beethoven and all the beautiful artists working around will be not good enough to be performed. Otherwise I don't know any other composer, who is pursued in such a unqualified and hateful matter by the musical "experts". I think it's much meritorious to play a Raff Symphony, than a few fragments of Beethovens Tenth or other nonsense. Best greetings from the Raff Town Wiesbaden/Germany from Markus (Note, this message is written by a goodd freind, whose english is as good as my latin or classical greece).