Dmitry Vasiliev, the conductor on this album, has led the Siberian Symphony Orchestra since 2005 and has conducted numerous world and Russian premieres of works by various composers.
Composition History
This album features the first modern recordings of Julius Bittner's orchestral music, as he was largely ignored by the recording industry until now.
Composer's Artistic Vision
Julius Bittner was known as the 'Anzengruber of the opera' because he often based his opera libretti on Austrian alpine or peasant themes, similar to playwright Ludwig Anzengruber.
Composer Biography
Julius Bittner, a prolific Austrian composer, initially pursued a legal career, serving as a senior judge until 1920, while simultaneously composing.
Recording & Production
This album was recorded in July 2018 at the Omsk Philharmonic Hall in Omsk, Siberia, with Sergei Zhigunov as producer and recording engineer.
Compositional Technique
Bittner's symphonic poem "Vaterland" features an unusually rich woodwind section, a large brass group, and incorporates the Lutheran chorale tune "Ein' feste Burg ist unser Gott."
Composer Biography
Julius Bittner was a close friend and mentor to Erich Wolfgang Korngold, a younger composer, and even helped him financially by including his name on the score of the successful operetta "Walzer aus Wien."
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