Wars but fell into oblivion after his death. There is now something of a renaissance of interest in his works. His opera Die Vögel, based on the play The Birds by Aristophanes, was recorded by Decca in 1996 and has been successfully revived (for example, by the Los Angeles Opera in 2009). In 2014 Die Vögel was staged at Theater Osnabrück and Der Traum ein Leben at Oper Bonn. Braunfels's music is in the German classical-romantic tradition. His Phantastische Erscheinungen eines Themas von Hector Berlioz is a giant set of variations. "Structurally the work has something in common with Strauss' Don Quixote—on LSD", noted David Hurwitz of ClassicsToday. "The orchestral technique also is quite similar, recognizably German school, with luscious writing for violins and horns, occasional outbursts of extreme virtuosity all around, and a discerning but minimal use of additional percussion." Braunfels composed music in a number of different genres, not only operas, but also songs, choral works and orchestral, chamber and piano pieces. Compositions Operas Prinzessin Brambilla Op. 12 (after E. T. A. Hoffmann) (1909) Ulenspiegel (1913) Die Vögel Op. 30 (after Aristophanes) (1913–19) Don Gil von den grünen Hosen, Op. 35 (1924) – based on Tirso de Molina's Don Gil of the Green Breeches Der gläserne Berg, Op. 39 (1929) – a Christmas fairy tale Galathea, Op. 40 (1929) in 1 act Verkündigung, Op. 50 (after Paul Claudel) (composed 1933–35, premièred NWDR Television 1948) L'Annonce faite à Marie, reconstruction of the French version after Paul Claudel (2013, not premièred) Der Traum ein Leben, Op. 51 (1937) Szenen aus dem Leben der Heiligen Johanna, Op. 57 (1939–1943, premièred Stockholm 2001) Tanzspiel Der Zauberlehrling after the poem by Goethe, Op. 71 composed as a Ballade for television (1954). "In the television studios of Hamburg-Lokstedt there was the premiere of Der Zauberlehrling during February to music by Professor Walter Braunfels in charge of the NWDR Television." Oratorios Offenbarung Johannis – Revelation of John Op. 17 (1919) Te Deum Op. 32 (1920–21) Große Messe, Op. 37 (1923–26) Passionskantate, Op. 54 (1936–43) Das Spiel von der Auferstehung des Herrn – Resurrection play, Op. 72 (1954) after the Alsfelder Passionsspiel, arranged by Hans Reinhart Selected other works Variations on an Old French Children's Song, Op. 15 (1909) Ariels Gesang, Op. 18 (1910, after Shakespeare's The Tempest) Serenade, Op. 20 (1910) Piano Concerto, Op 21 (1912) Phantastiche Erscheinungen eines Themas von Hector Berlioz (Fantastic Appearances