The symphonist Fritz Brun

Who has ever heard a symphony by Fritz Brun (1878-1959)? You may still recognize his name, as he was chief conductor of the Bernische Musikgesellschaft (now the Bern Symphony Orchestra) for over 30 years. But few people know this: Brun was the most important Swiss symphonist of the early 20th century, although not the most important Swiss composer of his time. Others, such as Arthur Honegger, Frank Martin and Othmar Schoeck, carried more weight. But Fritz Brun was the only one to devote himself primarily and with eminent talent to symphonic music, comparable to Anton Bruckner, for example - even in his underestimated importance. It is to be hoped that this will soon come to an end. The publication of Fritz Brun's complete orchestral works in this recording could provide an impetus for him to finally receive the recognition he deserves. It is true that many Swiss symphony orchestras have performed works by Brun in recent decades, there have also been radio recordings, and some of his symphonies have been released on LP and CD. But it is not without irony that an outsider conductor has had to bring his work to the public's attention, and with two foreign orchestras to boot.

The conductor is Adriano, born Adriano Baumann in Fribourg in 1944. He realized this complete recording with the Moscow Symphony Orchestra and the Bratislava Symphony Orchestra in the period 2003-2015. After studying music at the Zurich Conservatory, Adriano worked as a film music composer, editor of Honegger's film music and prompter at the Zurich Opera House. At the suggestion of Ernest Ansermet and Joseph Keilberth, he finally turned to conducting and from then on devoted himself to the interpretation of little-known works under the stage name Adriano, including the film music of Arthur Honegger as well as orchestral works and operas by Ottorino Respighi. He also champions little-performed Swiss composers such as Hermann Suter, Albert Fäsy, Pierre Maurice and Emile Jaques-Dalcroze.
The idea of a complete recording of Fritz Brun's symphonic oeuvre was born in 2002, when Adriano approached Hans Brun, Fritz Brun's son, with a request for financial support for his project. He and subsequently the Brun heirs, now represented by the composer's grandson, Andreas Brun, provided significant support for the ambitious undertaking over the following years.

The result now available is something to be seen (and heard!): a complete recording of Brun's orchestral works comprising eleven CDs. Adriano has combined all of Brun's published works for the ten symphonies, including the Rhapsody for orchestra, the symphonic poem From the Book of Jobthe concertos for piano with orchestra and violoncello with orchestra. Plus the vocal cycles 3 Songs and chants for alto and piano by Othmar Schoeck (orchestrated by Fritz Brun) and Brun's 5 songs for alto and piano - arranged by Adriano for mezzo-soprano and string sextet.

This comprehensive appreciation is a unique achievement that allows us to get to know Brun's oeuvre as a whole. Like many of his composing contemporaries, Brun began in the footsteps of Beethoven, Schumann, Bruckner and Brahms; he developed his style independently in the area of gradually expanding tonality, without ever questioning it. He found his personal musical language as early as 1901 in the First Symphony and remained true to his style until the Tenth, which he composed at the age of 75.

Characteristic of Brun's style are the chamber music structures that loosen up the orchestral flow and give it character, the tangible shaping of large movements and the rich late Romantic harmony. This is particularly evident in the first movement of the Fifth, which Brun himself considered problematic. In movements 2 and 4, he creates virtuoso fugati with twelve-note themes in the free tonal space, as Bartók and Hindemith also did.

This publication is enriched by a recording of the Eighth, which Fritz Brun realized in 1946 as conductor with the Beromünster Studio Orchestra. And the Variations for string orchestra and piano on an original theme can be heard in a recording by the Collegium Musicum Zürich under the direction of Paul Sacher and with Adrian Aeschbacher from the same year.

Fritz Brun: Complete Orchestral Works.
Moscow Symphony Orchestra, Bratislava Symphony Orchestra
Adriano, conductor
(11 CDs) Brilliant Classics 8968194