Schreker, Franz - Orchestral Music from the Operas - Royal Swedish Orchestra

With the premiere of his opera Der ferne Klang in Frankfurt in 1912, Franz Schreker earned a reputation as one of the most important composers of his time. His symbolist, often erotic themes and luxurious harmonies were a triumph, and he was considered one of the most prominent representatives of new music – Arnold Schönberg even called him “one of the leading figures among us.” From the 1930s onwards, however, his music fell into almost complete oblivion, and it is only in recent years that it has been heard more frequently again. One reason for this neglect is that Schreker, like many other composers, found himself lagging behind the musical developments of the 1920s, but equally important was probably the persecution he suffered at the hands of the Nazis because of his Jewish ancestry. Schreker composed almost exclusively operas and, with a few exceptions, his own librettos, which ensured that his subjects were suitable for musical treatment – in fact, they demanded it. In many of Schreker's works, music plays an important role in the plot itself – in both Das Spielwerk and Der Schatzgräber, a magic instrument plays a central role, and in Der ferne Klang, the elusive "distant sound" so desperately sought by the composer Fritz is a symbol of true love.