Search - Brun, Wagner, Lauber :: Symphony 2 in B Major

Forgettable rarities and a very fine performance of the Sieg

G.D. | Norway | 01/21/2009

(3 out of 5 stars)

"On first encountering this issue an immediate question arises: Why include a performance of such a standard work as the Siegfried-Idyll with a less famous orchestra and conductor when the space could be filled up with another rarely heard work? For I guess most people would acquire this disc for the Brun and the Lauber. Turns out, however, that it is a little more difficult to pass judgment than that.



Brun's second symphony is a conservative, sunny and pleasant work, but desperately unmemorable. Lauber double bass concerto is conservative as well, but at least includes some mildly interesting instrumental effects - the end result isn't much more memorable than the Brun, though. Both works are decently played and recorded.



But the performance of the Siegfried-Idyll is surprisingly fine, beautifully shaped and played if lacking the last bit of involvement and textural brilliance to make it the front-runner in a well-filled catalogue. A disc it is somewhat hard to make up one's mind about, then, but I don't think anyone acquiring it and not expecting too much will be wildly disappointed."