Music's loss (2)
A. G. Plumb | Melbourne, Australia | 01/14/2010
(4 out of 5 stars)
"When E T A Hoffmann redirected his output from music to literature the world gained a lot. Not only did his literature have great impact with other writers, but his stories became the source of much musical inspiration (Wagner, Offenbach, Tchiakovsky, Hindemith, Schumann, Busoni, Delibes .....). But listening to this CD made me realise the world lost a lot as well, because Hoffmann was a very talented composer. I had previously heard some of Hoffmann's chamber music and viewed them as pleasant but not memorable. The music on this CD has contributed to a changed view for me - this orchestral music is strong, vibrant, energetic and melodious.
Other recommendations:
Hoffmann's short stories, and his novel 'The Life and Opinions of the Tomcat Murr'
E.T.A. Hoffmann: Chamber Music, CPO CD (especially for the six duettini italiani)
"