Wolfgang Rihm - Symphonie 1 & 2; Nachtwach etc.

Even if I’ve developed a taste for avant-garde music over the years, I have to admit Wolfgang Rihm doesn’t come easy with me, especially not when he composes for large orchestral settings, as is the case here. Heavy blasts follow upon ethereal sounds, romantic climaxes alternate with ugly dissonances, and whenever you think you there’s something resembling a theme to be found, it vanishes abruptly. In short, it all seems like disconnected fragments whirling around after an explosion.
And they do so with the volume up to the max! Rihm definitely has a reputation of being a loud composer.
Good thing about it, the music won’t bore you.

Tracks:

Symphonie op. 3 für Orchester (1969)
01. Appasionato [0:03:41.32]
02. Adagio [0:06:42.03]

Symphonie für grösses Orchester (1975)
Erster und letzter Satz
03. Erster Satz [0:10:19.74]
04. Marcia Funebre [0:05:03.71]

Nachtwach
05. Nachtwach [0:11:17.43]

Vers une Symphonie Fleuve
06. Vers une Symphonie Fleuve [0:23:04.39]

Raumage
07. Raumage [0:05:01.65]

Performers:

Radio-Sinfonieorchester Stuttgart des SWR – Jonathan Stockhammer/Gianluigi Gelmetti

Barbara van den Boom – soprano
Alexandra Lustig – soprano
Ute Wille – alto
Susanne Meissner-Schaufelberger – alto
Rüdiger Linn - alto
Hubert Mayer - alto
Bernhard Hartmann - bass
Mikhail Shaskov - bass
Angelika Frei - tombone
Martin Huber - tombone
Michael Peuse - tombone
Heinrich Gölzenleuchter - tombone
Marcus Creed – woodblock

SWR Vokalensemble Stuttgart – Marcus Creed/Rupert Huber