Braunfels: Verkuendigung - A Mystery in Four Acts and a Prologue

Braunfels, Walter, Chor des Bayerischen Rundfunks, Münchner Rundfunkorchester, Schirmer, Ulf, soliści

BR 900311

He was one of the much-played composers of the Schreker-Zemlinsky generation: at the time of the Weimar Republic, Walter Braunfels was regarded alongside Richard Strauss as an important representative of a moderate modern age. • "Zeitlos-unzeitgemäß" was the verdict on Braunfels' music, which became a fervent Catholic through World War II experiences and was removed from office and public perception in 1933 because of its Jewish roots. Accordingly, his works are characterized by a Christian-humanistic basic attitude. This was also the case with the mystery play "Annunciation", which was created in 1933 and reflected the great themes of the time in a medieval-historical way, such as the question of the meaning of suffering through no fault of one's own. • Braunfels paints a musical tableau with a wide spectrum of timbres and late romantic, sensual and reduced-archaic passages. The Munich Radio Orchestra under the direction of Ulf Schirmer will follow in its footsteps, with the leading roles being played by the renowned soprano Juliane Banse and the up-and-coming tenor Matthias Klink. • The Münchner Rundfunkorchester under Ulf Schirmer has already taken on the works of Walter Braunfels several times, a basis on which it can now present itself as a proven expert for the interpretation of Braunfels' music with the CD release of the "Annunciation".

CD

BR Klassik

25.08.2014

4035719003116