Sutermeister: Orchestral Works, Vol. 1

Featuring

Rainer Held
Bruno Cathomas
Royal Philharmonic Orchestra
Heinrich Sutermeister

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Notable Performances

The Romeo und Julia Suite is the only work by Heinrich Sutermeister that he himself conducted, in a 1956 studio recording with the Vienna Large Radio Orchestra.

Composer Biography

Heinrich Sutermeister, the composer, moved to Vaux-sur-Morges in 1942 to escape the "hideous mentality" of German-speaking Switzerland.

Compositional Technique

Sutermeister's works, including his pioneering radio opera Die schwarze Spinne, feature accented rhythms, lyrical cantabile passages, soloistic Sprechgesang, large choral scenes, and extensive percussion.

Compositional Technique

Heinrich Sutermeister is primarily known as an operatic composer, with ten stage works and several radio operas forming a dominant part of his output.

Composer's Artistic Vision

Sutermeister, the composer, proudly identified as a "typical Burgundian," reserving fantastical elements for his stage works while maintaining objectivity in relating personal experience to historical events.

Composition History

The 1940 premiere of Heinrich Sutermeister's Shakespeare opera Romeo und Julia brought him international recognition, which was solidified by subsequent operas.

Composer Biography

A study visit to Paris, where he encountered the music of Debussy, Ravel, and his countryman Arthur Honegger, led Heinrich Sutermeister to dedicate himself entirely to music.