Lachner Symphony No.6

[Alan Howe]

Fair enough. I find it academic and unnecessary in the extreme. In fact it simply holds up the symphonic argument.

[Gareth Vaughan]

I know what you mean about the fugue, Alan. While, however, I don't find it as otiose as you obviously do, I DO nevertheless think it would benefit, as Gerd says, from a brisker pace (but then, as we know, many pieces of music benefit from a being given a more animated tempo).

[eschiss1]

Thanks for being more specific!

[Alan Howe]

It's a major talking point with regard to this symphony which I think is Lachner's best. At all events, I think the cpo recording is splendid and I'm glad to have it.

[semloh]

At all events, I think the cpo recording is splendid and I'm glad to have it.

Agreed!

[Alan Howe]

Here's MusicWeb's review:
http://www.musicweb-international.com/classrev/2021/Sep/Lachner-sy6-5552102.htm

[terry martyn]

The reviewer greets this important work with modified rapture. Those few of us (maybe only myself!) that rank Lachner alongside Raff as two great composers, worthy of places alongside Brahms,Schumann,and Mendelssohn will be disappointed, but not surprised. Welcome as this recording of the Sixth is , repeated hearing leaves me a little flat. I am going to go out on a limb that I expect Alan in particular will want to cut off (and ,yes, I do agree with him about the fugue), when I say I think the conductor makes the music a bit rushed at times. I wouldn´t add this recording to my list of Desert Island Discs must-haves, unlike the Marco Polo recordings of the ethereal Eighth and the Fifth. Yes,I did say the Fifth, which I love and find the polar opposite of boring.   

[Alan Howe]

I wouldn't put Lachner in the same category as Raff at all. I don't think his music quite stacks up - and his influence was zero, unlike Raff. But that's just my opinion. Each to his own!

[tpaloj]

I've uploaded a Dorico/Noteperformer video of the 6th Symphony's original Andante movement on youtube.

It's impossible to say for certain why Lachner decided to revise and discard this Andante in favor of a new one in the course of the symphony's composition. Regardless, I thought having an opportunity to hear this original movement would not be entirely wasteful. Hope you enjoy it for what it is (keeping in mind obvious shortcomings due to the audio format etc!)

There were several penciled "vi-de" instructions added on top or bottom of the score, but I decided not to follow them so that the score could be heard in full. Played with no cuts and base tempo of the movement (q=72) throughout, performance time is just under 15 minutes. My highlights for the movement are the two poignantly scored, lugubrious passages starting from rehearsal letters B & G.

Youtube link

[Mark Thomas]

Thank you Tuomas, how interesting.