CD REVIEW
– SUPPÉ : Fantasia
Symphonica
Orchestral Overtures . Preludes
Tonkünstler-Orchester . Ola
Rudner
Naxos
8.574538 [63:38]
Franz von Suppé
(1819-95), born Francesco
Ermenegildo Ezechiele Cavaliere
Suppé-Demelli, was an Austrian
composer of operettas –
coming midway between operas and
musicals – and other theatre
music. Readers will probably know
of him for his overtures, and two
of the most popular top and tail
this album.
The main reason
for its release is the previously
unrecorded 'Fantasia
Symphonica', recently
rediscovered in Viennese archives
by Swedish conductor Ola Rudner.
Its 31’56” is described
as displaying masterful
orchestration and distinctive
melodies.
Two other rarer
6½ minute pieces from the pen of
this renowned light and
entertaining works composer
complete the album. These are The
Prelude and Dance of the
Cabin Boys from 'The
Sailor's Homecoming'; and Overture
to 'Exhibition at the
Carltheater', which receives
its first recording. The Vienna
theatre's auditorium, where
Suppé was MD and 19 of his
operettas were premiered, was
almost entirely destroyed in a
wartime bomb attack and
completely demolished in 1951.
The orchestra is
one of Austria's largest and its
traditional Sunday afternoon
concerts in the famous Wiener
Musikverein go back more than 70
years. It has its own record
label founded in 2016.
Interesting liner
notes are written by Robert
Ignatius Letellier, who is a
cultural historian and academic,
specialising in the history of
music, Romantic literature and
the Bible.
Although it has
taken a while to arrive, I was
fortunate to acquire this CD at a
big reduction on the then Naxos
price, before its latest
increase. Be aware: what once
would have been a budget price of
£5-£6 is now a full-price issue
of £11.99 on their website.
©
Peter Burt, February 2024
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