NDR Radiophilharmonie; RSO Berlin; Heidi Wolf; Gabriele Rossmanith; Iris Vermillion; Jurgen Sacher; Brigitte Lindner; Christian Elsner; Cord Garben; Klauspeter Seibel; Michail Jurowski - Franz Lehar: Symphonic Works; Piano Sonatas; 39 Lieder

Operetta composers have a difficult lot: the more successful they are in their light genre, the more their reputation suffers with the serious guild, such as Franz Lehar. Yet just one look at his scores shows that he really was one of the great masters of his craft: the orchestral treatment and the harmonic garb are always of the utmost sophistication. And his symphonic works also feature ingenious musical means that we otherwise only know from Mahler or Strauss. Now you can get a taste of the other Lehar with his best orchestral works, his piano sonatas and his lieder.