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This has been a challenging thread to follow - my thanks to all for some stimulating ideas.

There has been discussion previously on the forum as to the diverse reasons for the neglect of some composers and some compositions. In an age with an insatiable appetite for the new, I find it difficult to offer any plausible explanation for music lovers' obsession with the familiar, but I am sure it has something to do with the postmodern nature of western societies and the need for familiar 'anchor points' that reassure us that the world is still the one we know and in which we feel comfortable. Mozart's piano concertos, Brahms' symphonies and the Trout Quintet are the safety nets that stop us from falling into psychological confusion in the face of the chaos and infinite possibilities of 21st Century life.... or something like that!!

Sounds like a gem from "QI" ... thanks, Gauk.

I admit that I don't really hear much that could be called "Wagnerian" in the 2nd symphony - sounds more Brahmsian to my ear.  The description does sound rather odd, coming from a music Professor.

Perhaps it's worth bearing in mind that the term could have a variety of meanings. After all, Wagner's music is by no means characterized by a single style, and many people use the word to refer simply to anything that has moments of intense passion, or that is on a grand scale. Maybe he was thinking of Wagner's early orchestral compositions....?

Gosh, what a profound and original thought! 

Yes, indeed. Who would have thought it? 

Yes, I agree. Musical education enhances appreciation. Who knows Mozart, whom only Mozart knows? - or something like that! 

Thanks, Amphissa!

Santa's sack will no doubt have contained lots of nice CDs that we will hear about as we head into 2014.

Thank you, Alan and Mark, for your tireless work in keeping UC a place we all enjoy visiting (spam? what spam?)

A happy Christmas season to everyone at UC. 

Welcome, Entropy - although I trust you won't run out of energy too soon! 

- made my day!

... but I'll rest my case.

Pity!  We both agree that it is enjoyable, Peter, but we differ in that you presumably see some overall logic that lifts it above pot-pourri status (?)

I think it exemplifies what I said in that debate we had about his 5th symphony (?) - his orchestral works are often a kaleidoscope of expertly orchestrated, attractive musical ideas, but at best only loosely linked, and rarely with any apparent overall plan or structure.  As you said, Mark this is a "pot-pourri"... but it's still an enjoyable experience if you're not looking for anything too serious.

I love the Ostrcil symphony. It was one of my first acquaintances with an unsung composer, back in the LP days. I think we had a thread devoted to him, where I noted what a tragedy his death was. His orchestral music is always engaging, and some of it was/is available via the downloads section.

Also, thanks to britishcomposer for uploading this superbly played and very enjoyable work by Rubinstein. 

After so many debates about Rubinstein's merits as a symphonist, I wonder what will be the reactions to this. He seems more comfortable with this format. It's colourful and superbly orchestrated, and rarely did I get the sense that he was getting lost or running out of ideas. Twenty minutes was, I think, the perfect length - and the ending is, well, 'a corker'! 

My sincere thanks, mjkFendrich, for making this symphonic poem by Melartin available to us. 

To my ears it's an impressive piece, sweeping me along from its gentle opening through the increasingly dramatic sections toward a resounding finale. Surely, this is as fine as similar works by the sung composers - Rimsky-K, Glazunov, etc? 

..............
On a side note, there is a passage in the first movement of Paderewski's first symphony that reappears almost verbatim in Furtwangler's first symphony and in precisely the same musical context. A tribute, perhaps.

Well, well - must go and check that - and, if true, also possible explanations. Perhaps someone on the forum knows the details(?). Interesting!

Who can legitimately be called an "Unsung Composer" depends upon where and when we make the judgement. Composers unsung in one culture/country may not be unsung in another, and someone who qualifies now may not have done so in the past and vice-versa. I think the same applies to "Unsung Compositions". In addition, an unsung composition may be the work of a well sung composer, and many composers are only unsung in the sense that they are known only for a single/few familiar works.

Which all just reminds us to be aware that the subject matter for this forum, provided it is in the romantic idiom, doesn't have fixed or universal boundaries. Well, duh! 

Yes, the old Vox recording is overdue for replacement, but how fortunate that we have it - much better than nothing!