Christel Borchers – Udo Samel – Günter Binge – Werner Buchin – Wolf Euba – Bruce Weinberger – Bavarian Radio Symphony Orchestra – ORF Vienna Radio Symphony Orchestra – German Symphony Orchestra Berlin – Beethoven Orchestra Bonn – Concert Choir Darmstadt – Muhai Tang – Dennis Russell Davies – Mathias Husmann – Wolfgang Seeliger

TYXart series "Modern Classics": Heinz Winbeck - The Complete Symphonies

Intense, exciting and uncompromising — these words aptly describe the orchestral work of the great symphonic com-poser Heinz Winbeck (1946–2019), a composer who revived the old form of the “symphony” with inner truthfulness, existential urgency and masterful craftsmanship.
This complete edition (directed by Heinz Winbeck in person!) is the first publication of all five symphonies in one volume — interpreted by renowned soloists, conductors, choir and orchestras, for the first time allowing a large audience to also hear and experience them on CDs (live and studio recordings).

Foreword by Dennis Russell Davies (Extract of the booklet text)
"Heinz Winbeck would not discuss the idea of a commission for a new work other than to state flatly that he didn’t accept commissions. However, he was always ready to reflect and investigate a musical idea or a historical impulse and on two memorable occasions I succeeded in planting a seed that Heinz nurtured until it became, in my opinion, a masterpiece. [...]
The second, Symphony #5 “Jetzt und in der Stunde des Todes”, represented Heinz's response to a long-held desire of mine to find a worthy conclusion, a fourth movement, to Anton Bruckner's 9th Symphony. After many years of intensive work with the Bruckner Orchester Linz on Bruckner's symphonies in their many versions, I asked Heinz if he wouldn‘t want to try to complete the 9th using the several sketches the composer had notated. I know of no musician who would have been better suited to this, with his knowledge and affinity for the spirit behind Bruckner's work (and Mahler's) than Heinz, who though seemingly doubtful, was willing to try. After more than a year of no news came the answer I had probably half expected: impossible, the sketches were not substantial enough to develop into a convincing whole, but Heinz had an idea that really excited him: he would use the sketches, and his work on them, as the impetus for a new work about the act of composing, specifically Bruckner's inability to finish the creative process. [...]"
[ Abstract of the booklet texts // Further info about the composer, his symphonies and the artists: see booklet inside! ]

Free audio samples of this recording!

REVIEWS & INTERNATIONAL PRESS COMMENTARIES:

Award - OPUS KLASSIK (formerly ECHO) - The German Award for Classical Music - "World Premiere Recording of the Year"
OPUS KLASSIK - Awardees 2020, Jury, official announcement (Sept 02, 2020)

Review and Recommendation
Newspaper SÜDDEUTSCHE ZEITUNG, Klassikkolumne, Wolfgang Schreiber, Germany/international (Oct 14, 2019)

Klassik Heute Recommendation!
Artistic Quality / Sound Quality / Overall Impression: Max. Score!
klassik-heute.com, Stefan Pieper, Germany/international (Oct 16, 2019)

Review and Recommendation
Newspaper FAZ Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung, Germany/international (Mar 30, 2020)

Review and Tip, "supersonic pizzicato"!
»[...] And so this box is certainly a discovery for every friend of symphonic music and not to be missed, all the more so as all performances have a high musical level and were performed under the direction of committed conductors who make these discoveries an indelible experience.«
pizzicato.lu, Journal about Classical Music, Remy Franck, BeNeLux/international (Oct 18, 2019)

Review and Recommendation
Newspaper WIENER ZEITUNG, Edwin Baumgartner, Austria/international (Oct 21, 2019)

FONO FORUM - CD Review
»Music: Max. Score! (5 Stars ✩✩✩✩✩ = Excellent)«
fonoforum.de, Germany/international (02/2020)

"Superbly musical testament"
»[...] This complete recording is a discographical occasion!«
Newspaper SüdWestPresse, Dr. Burkhard Schaefer, Germany/international (Oct 25, 2019)

Album Review and Tip!
Classical Music Sentinel - recommendations of the best in classical music recordings, Canada/international (11/2019)

klassik.com Recommendation!
»Interpretation, Sound Quality, Repertoire, Booklet: Max. Score! (à 5 Stars ✩✩✩✩✩ = Phenomenal)«
klassik.com, Germany/international(online, Dec 12, 2019)

"Christmas Recommendation"
Newspaper nmz "Neue Musikzeitung", Martin Hufner, Germany/international (12/2019)

Radio Broadcast "Musik als Universum: In memoriam Heinz Winbeck"
»[...] Heinz Winbeck was an "exceptional phenomenon in German musical life" in several respects.«
Kulturkanal Ingolstadt, Heike Haberl, Germany (Dec 29, 2019)

Review and Recommendation - Portal "Opus Klassiek"
»[...] In short, a larger memorial to Winbeck is hard to imagine. A stunning CD box that closes an extremely important gap in our knowledge of contemporary German music!«
opusklassiek.nl, Maarten Brandt, The Netherlands/international (12/2019)

TheArtsDesk.com - Review and Recommendation!
»[...] This Symphonies are a real find [...] excellent [...] A winner.«
The Arts Desk, Graham Rickson, United Kingdom/international (online, 05/2020)

MusicWeb INTERNATIONAL - RECOMMENDED!
»[...] All of the symphonies have been expertly recorded and make for a sonic spectacle. The vocal contributions are particularly fine. Tyxart is to be commended for preserving Winbeck's wonderful legacy. I hope conductors will be tempted to explore these interesting and enriching scores for future performance. I must make a special mention of the accompanying annotations, in German and English, which are thorough, detailed and informative.«
MusicWeb INTERNATIONAL, Stephen Greenbank, United Kingdom/international (online, 12/2019)

CD Programmes / Tracklists: