Felix Woyrsch’ First Symphony in Spain

[eschiss1]

Released yesterday, and on jpc's website.

[Ilja]

It's a great pity that Woyrsch didn't have the faintest idea of how to compose the finale. If he had studied how Gernsheim.say.went about it in his glorious Second Symphony, he might have learnt something. It manages to be both meandering and bloated ,and in urgent need of a "great tune" - or any decent tune, for that matter. I fear it reminds me of Hans Rott - trying too hard and failing so conspicuously as to ruin what had gone before.

Aside from personal taste, I don't think that there's the lack of a tune. If anything, the theme is a bit too prevalent. But I have to concur partly with Terry, although the problems mainly affect the first half of the finale. After about the six minute mark, things become more cogent.

The "First" is not an unproblematic work, which makes it a bit ironic that among Woyrsch' symphonies it has gained by far the most attention. However, its two successors, the C major 2nd and E-flat major 3rd, are the more interesting works for me, not least because it shows Woyrsch had paid attention to contemporaries such as Mahler, Weigl, Schreker and even a bit of Reger, and incorporated these influences into his own still largely Brahmsian framework.

[eschiss1]

Fairly sure the 3rd is in E-flat minor, especially after skimming the score, but I may be being too picky, and I agree as to the rest, anyway.