Heinrich August Marschner (1798-1861)
Overtures and Stage Music – 3
Das Schloss von Aetna, Op. 95: excerpts (1830-5)
Lukretia: excerpts (1821-6)
Die Verlobung vor der Trommel, oder Der Mutter Ungedenken: Overture (1843)
Der Bäbu, Op. 98: excerpts (1837)
Sangeskönig Hiarne, oder Das Tyrsingschwert: excerpts (1857-8)
Janáček Philharmonic, Ostrava/Dario Salvi
rec. 2024, Kino Vesmir, Ostrava, Czechia
Naxos 8.574483 [72]

To the extent most of us know Heinrich Marschner, it’s for the Hans Heiling overture, which would turn up on the more intrepid overture collections. I remember its being pleasant enough, but little more about it. A Lied program I reviewed, decades ago, also left little impression. Now Naxos, in a half-baked version of “completism”, has been undertaking a systematic survey of, not the composer’s full stage works, but representative orchestral excerpts thereof; this is the first installment I’ve heard.

Unfortunately, the Overture to Das Schloss von Aetna makes for a left-footed start. It begins straightaway in a state of turbulence, shortly picking up speed; but the “dramatic” gestures, while producing a lot of racket, are routine and empty. Even lighter passages, like a cutesy clarinet march, are rather heavily accompanied, thus providing little contrast. The ensuing brief dance movements follow a similar pattern: simple themes followed by oddly busy answers. Why did the producers put this group first? The ordering isn’t chronological.

The Lukretia excerpts are fine. The Entr’acte unfolds patiently; the imperious Triumph March relies heavily on outlined triadic fanfares.

Then comes a nice surprise. The overture to Die Verlobung vor der Trommel, oder Der Mutter Ungedenken, its unwieldy title notwithstanding, is the best thing on the program. In particular, an extended sprightly passage reminded me of the “French” Donizetti – I could imagine Richard Bonynge having a great time with it on one of his old collections of obscurities. The excerpts from Der Bäbu are also winning, sometimes achieving a dancing lilt; unfortunately, the Overture and Entr’acte, which presumably move directly into other material, conclude unresolved. (I suspect there had never been any reason to supply any of these pieces with concert endings.)

The selections from Sangeskönig Hiarne, oder Das Tyrsingschwert – what is it with these titles? – are at a Lukretia level. The Overture is mostly square and padded: by the time some real dynamic music arrives in the home stretch, it’s too late to save it. Again, a couple of movements conclude “up in the air.”

The Janáček Philharmonic, a respected ensemble, sounds basically fine, though those tuttis in Das Schloss could have used a few more desks of strings – they’re “present,” but with insufficient heft, and tinny at forte. The cello solo in Sangeskönig Hiarne is thin; smudged wind attacks mar the Entr’acte from Lukretia. The engineering offers a surprising, and welcome, “layered” front-back perspective on the brass choir.

Stephen Francis Vasta
stevedisque.wordpress.com/blog

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