Christoph Eschenbach conducts this generous survey of the sumptuous, hyper-Romantic music of Austrian composer Franz Schreker. Not only was he the pre-eminent opera composer of his generation, he also, says Eschenbach, “took Mahler’s symphonic writing to a whole new level”. The album includes the ecstatic “Nachtstück” from Der ferne Klang, the exquisite Chamber Symphony and some ravishing orchestral songs, featuring Chen Reiss and Matthias Goerne.

The Orchestre national d'Auvergne invite us to dive into the lyricism of the musical universe of Berg, Webern and Schreker. In the heart of Vienna, at the twilight of romanticism, Webern and Schreker embrace their beginning careers. With much spirit and expression, their works convey a surprising melodic breadth, as the first lights of expressionism loom on the horizon. On the other side, Berg's Lyric Suite echoes Beethoven and Mahler but also reveals all the extent of the serial modernism. The Orchestre national d'Auvergne, conducted by Roberto Forés Veses, brings us to Vienna as the musicians perform this programme with an exceptional verve.

Following on from their critically acclaimed albums of Stravinsky, Elgar and Tchaikovsky, the award winning team of Vasily Petrenko and the Royal Liverpool Philharmonic Orchestra turn to Zemlinsky and Schreker. Premiered in 1905, Zemlinsky's Die Seejungfrau (after Hans Christian Andersen) was almost ignored by the reviewers. Considered too conservative for the progressives, and too progressive for the conservatives, Zemlinsky struggled to overcome the negative reviews of this masterpiece and withdrew it in the immediate aftermath of the premiere. Vasily Petrenko for this recording uses the original version of the score which restores the "bei der Meerhexe" episode to the 2nd movement. One of the most progressive of the Viennese composers of this period, Schreker's dance pantomime Der Guburtstag der Infantine (story by Oscar Wilde) was given it's premiere in 1908 and was his first big success.

As part of Decca's acclaimed Entartete (German for Degenerate) series devoted to either suppressed or forbidden music during the first half of the 20th century, Franz Schreker's opera Die Gezeichneten (The Branded) is a period masterpiece. This story of a dying woman painter Carlotta betraying here longstanding faithful lover Alviano for a newer more physically attractive Tamare and the consequences that ensue is certainly intriguing. Lovers of expertly-crafted, infectiously beautiful orchestration however will simply rejoice in the massive 120+ member ensemble Schreker requires assembled here. All of the vocalists deliver energetic, passionate performances throughout and Decca's sound is state of the art. All in all a remarkable achievement!