Ferdinand Thieriot

[Alan Howe]

Thieriot's 5-movement, ca.36-minute Symphony in D (undated, but well before 1900) can be heard in a decent computer realisation at YouTube:

1. (Allegro vivace) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jayG9eryHTo  (9:26)
2. (Scherzo: Presto) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d_Ru2-imEvY  (5:19)
3. (Free Variations: Adagio) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QbHthdG3mzk  (9:49)
4. (Intermezzo: Tempo di Menuett) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZEBUQ0P23Mo  (4:11)
5. (Finale: Allegro con fuoco) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mjqH9uzDb6U  (7:21)

Could any kind person upload this fabulous symphony to our downloads board, please?

[Mark Thomas]

Leave it with me....

[Mark Thomas]

The Symphony in mp3 format is available in our Downloads board here. I see, according to the introduction to the score (available here), that Thieriot wrote nine symphonies, of which this would be the seventh or eighth:

1. Symphony in F minor (Graz, 1872)
2. Symphony in F major (date unknown)
3. Symphony in C major (premiere Hanover 1902)
4. Symphony in E flat major (premiere Leipzig 1907)
5. Symphony in C sharp minor (Hamburg, 1908)
6. Symphony in E major (only piano reduction, date unknown)
7 or 8. Symphony in B flat major (date unknown)
7 or 8. Symphony in D major (date unknown)
9. Symphony in G minor (1918)

If this one is anything to go by, they seem well worth investigating. It's opening struck me as highly reminiscent of Schumann at his most upbeat.

[Alan Howe]

What a treat! Thanks, Mark.

[Gareth Vaughan]

Perhaps we could persuade CPO to embark on a cycle!

[Alan Howe]

I have alerted Martin Anderson...

[Alan Howe]

Anyway, what do friends make of the symphony?

[Mark Thomas]

Taking into account that this is an electronic realisation (albeit a pretty good one), my impression is that this is an attractive work in a mainstream 19th century romantic idiom, if rather lacking in individuality. The first, third and fifth movements are all strong pieces, thematically memorable and each of a well-judged length. The opening and slow movements in particular seem rather fine and, although it's the weakest of the three, the finale still avoids tail-chasing and vacuous celebration. I thought the scherzo rather generic and suffering from a trivial-sounding trio, but I've heard worse and it doesn't outstay its (muted) welcome. My major quibble is with the fourth, Intermezzo, movement. This bucolic dance seems quite out of place, interrupting the Symphony's momentum. It belongs in a Suite, or some such lighter work, and the Symphony wouldn't suffer at all from its absence. On this showing, I'd certainly look forward enthusiastically to a cycle of Thieriot symphony recordings.

[Alan Howe]

Interesting, isn't it, what one's reaction is to an additional intermezzo-like movement? Mine was rather different, mainly, I think, because the work is pretty compact so that the Intermezzo functions as a sort-of counterweight to the Scherzo, with the slow movement as the work's centrepiece. What distinguishes the symphony is surely the memorability of the writing throughout; I have found the first movement material in particular going round in my head all day.

[Mark Thomas]

Yes, the first movement is an excellent piece and the opening material in particular is very arresting. As I said earlier, it could be the start of a Schumann symphony.

[Alan Howe]

Schumann 3 would, of course, be a precedent for Thieriot's Symphony in D - although the balance of the five movements is different.

[Mark Thomas]

Indeed, and it's the start of the "Rhenish" which the confident opening of Thieriot's D major most resembles, but I'd be wary of taking the comparison too far.

[Alan Howe]

YouTube also has a 'realisation' of the opening movement of Thieriot's PC1 (fp 1878):
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VtSJTPPuKE0

Rather fine, I thought...

[semloh]

Oh, thank you Mark! Most appreciated. I really need to stop being so busy, and sit and listen to some music. 

[Ilja]

I am resuscitating this thread because Thieriot's two piano concertos were originally slated to be recorded for the Hyperion RPC series next month. One hopes that will still take place, but fears...


Whatever the case, I discovered that IMSLP has a synthetic "realization" of the Second Piano Concerto (1912) as well. You can listen to it here.