Braunfels - Der Traum ein Leben

The opera Der Traum ein Leben (Life is but a Dream) was composed between 1934 and 1937, after Braunfels had been removed from his position of Director of the Cologne Music Academy and his compositions were banned. He moved to Bad Godesberg and spent the war years there, writing three operas, a cycle of cantatas and some chamber music, with no hope of ever hearing them performed. Indeed, the world premiere of Life is but a Dream took place as late as 2001 in Regensburg. Der Traum ein Leben is a dramatic tale by Franz Grillparzer (1791–1872), the libretto was written by the composer.

Guido Johannes Rumstadt, who is credited with conducting the first stage performance, contributed an article to the programme book in which he commented on the music. “If you hear Der Traum ein Leben for the first time, you may be surprised by the many reminiscences as well as by the great ‘beauty’ of this music. If one addresses oneself to a proper study of the score, any accusation of eclecticism vanishes. What may have put one in mind of Wagner turns out to be an unmistakable personal style. The instrumentation is as masterful as any of the best operas of the time as are the dramatic cuts in the plot which have the sharpness of film cuts. The irony of the music reminds one of Shostakovich.”