Life was not easy for him; at least, that's how Richard Wetz (1875-1933) thought about it himself. He was born in a petty bourgeois environment in Silesia in which little music was played. Wetz tried to teach himself a few things, but received little support for it. Professional music study for him did not start until 1897, when he took lessons at the conservatory in Leipzig with Jadassohn and
… Reinecke. Their conservative opinions irritated him so much that he quit his studies within two months and started taking private lessons with a local choirmaster. A short apprenticeship in Munich also ended in deception, as did his first appointments as conductor and teacher. It was not until 1906 that he found an acceptable position in Erfurt, where he would remain for the rest of his life. In the meantime he had started composing diligently; several of his works were premiered, but they hardly achieved success, partly due to the sloppiness of Wetz, who often produced unclear or incorrect orchestral parts. In his later life, an unhappy love was also added. Just when that was playing, in the years 1920-1922, Wetz wrote his Symphony No. 3, Op. 48, which is performed here by the Symphonic Orchester Berlin, conducted by Erich Peter. As can be expected from the above, melancholy reigns. This symphony is certainly not a bad piece, but it is a typical example of an excess of emphatically displayed pathos that occasionally makes the listener gasp for breath. Even the Scherzo, which should be played 'mit Humor', hardly brings any relief. The overall impression is most reminiscent of Pfitzner's music. The performance is of reasonable quality, but it is doubtful whether this recording premiere will please many. (JvG) _more
