Jan Brandts Buys - Poetical Excursions, Op. 50

Jan Brandts Buys

 (Zutphen, 12 September 1868 – Salzburg, 7 December 1933)

 Dutch-Austrian composer who came from a long line of Dutch organists and composers

of protestant church music.

Poetical Excursions, Op. 50          

Orchestral suite "Poetical Excursions" [Poetischer Spaziergang], Op. 50, written in 1930.

00:00 - I. Das Bächlein
02:47 - II. Hirten in öder Einsamkeit
07:45 - III. Begegnung
10:37 - IV. Das Grammophon in der Schenke
12:43 - V. Was die Schloßruine erzählt
17:57 - VI. Ein wunderlicher Passant
20:25 - VII. Vorüberziehendes Gewitter

Dutch composer Brandts Buys composed many songs, but also composed piano music and orchestral works. In the latter category is the curious "Poetischer Spaziergang" from 1930. It consists of a group of seven non-too-distant parts that each are a musical representation of something that could happen during a walk. However, the subjects are such that they would be difficult to capture in a single walk. Four parts are clearly outside, located in the great outdoors: Brandts Buys, like Mahler, was a passionate lover of nature, for example excursions No. 1, "Das Bächlein" [The Stream], No. 2, "Hirten in öder Einsamkeit" [Shepherds in harsh solitude], No. 5 "Was die Schloßruine erzählt" [What the castle ruin tells] and No. 7, "Vorüberziehendes Gewitter" [Passing thunderstorm].

A creek and a storm, where have we heard these before in classical music? In Beethoven's Pastoral symphony for example, and lonely shepherds playing a melody on the chanter? In Berlioz' Symphonie fantastique. A castle ruin? Listen to Mussorgsky's Pictures at an Exhibition. Still, Brandts Buys borrow only very little from this earlier (well-known) examples, but a similarity in sphere can not be denied. For the other three episodes a city walk is required. No. 3 "Begegnung" [Meeting] sounds like a breezy stroll at the beginning, but in the middle part a passage with powerful chords seem to suggest it was not an entirely pleasant encounter. No. 6, "Ein wunderlicher Passant" [A curious passerby] has an airy character from beginning to end. Here Brandts Buys represents himself, or rather, he makes fun of himself, walking through the streets of Salzburg. And finally, there is No. 4 "Das Grammophon in der Schenke" [The gramophone in the tavern] where Brandts Buys suddenly incorporates the new American jazz and ragtime of the 20's, quite revolutionary for his standards! Apparently there was need for a lighthearted spirituous middle excursion, so to speak.

These poetic excursions are quite memorable, and should be played more often, especially since they

are feasible for amateur orchestras as well.

The composition is dedicated to "Herrn Gen.-Musikdirektor Robert Manzer".

Poetische Promenade-Suite, Op. 50

Movements:
1. Das Bächlein (0:00)
2. Hirten in der Einsamkeit (2:43)
3. Begegnung (7:41)
4. Das Gramophon in der Schenke (10:33)
5. Aus die Schloßruine erzählt (12:40)
6. Ein wunderlicher Passant (17:55)
7. Vorüberziehen, das Gewitter (20:24)

Played by the Promenade Orkest, conducted by Jan Stulen

Illustration: Salzburg, ca. 1900. CC-BY Wikimedia Commons.