Messages

This is dangerously (but enjoyably) close to Mendelssohn's Italian Symphony, but who cares?

How wonderful, Martin!

I've long been intrigued by Reinthaler's Symphony in D, so thanks!

Some intriguing 'works in progress' from Reverie's magic computer workshop:

1. 𝐂𝐚𝐫𝐥 𝐑𝐞𝐢𝐧𝐭𝐡𝐚𝐥𝐞𝐫:  Symphony (1864) - 1st mov (from opening)
2. 𝐅𝐫𝐢𝐭𝐳 𝐊𝐚𝐮𝐟𝐟𝐦𝐚𝐧𝐧: Cello Concerto (1899) - 1st mov (from opening)
3. 𝐀𝐝𝐨𝐥𝐟 𝐖𝐞𝐢𝐝𝐢𝐠:  Drei Episoden (1907) - 3rd mov "Liebesgluck" (from opening)
4. 𝐌𝐚𝐱 𝐓𝐫𝐚𝐩𝐩:  5th Symphony (1937) - 1st mov (final section)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zKuZzIM3BS0

...and now I can't get the main theme of the first movement out of my head! It's certainly catchy.

Thanks very much, Tuomas, for locating these articles and musical examples. If only the score/parts could be found...

[Symphony in A minor]

Regarding Franck's 'lost' symphonies, I have consulted the biography by Paul and Andreas Feuchte who give the following details:
Symphony in A minor (1846): performed in Berlin on 30th November 1846 and discussed in various music journals. Apparently Mendelssohn wrote Franck a letter in which he rejected the possibility of a performance in Leipzig. There is no mention of the score's current whereabouts.
Symphony in G minor (1852/56): unpublished and 'nicht mehr auffindbar'. i.e. untraceable. Franck himself conducted the first performance on 12th February 1856 in Cologne and a further performance was given on 18th February 1860 in Bern. Interestingly, it is apparently discussed at length, including musical examples, in the Niederrheinische Musik-Zeitung of 8th and 15th March 1856.
Symphony in B flat (1858): also unpublished and 'nicht mehr auffindbar', i.e. untraceable. A Symphony in B flat was evidently given its first performance on 26th January 1858 in Cologne. There is a discussion in the Rheinische Musikzeitung für Kunstfreunde und Künstler of 30th January 1858.
Whether this is the same work as the Symphony in B flat, Op.52 is an unresolved question.

The issue with this symphony is not so much the material itself, but that it all seems to pass the listener by in a flash, undeveloped. After all, 28 minutes is extremely short for a late-romantic work that's just begging for a level of expansion commensurate with the generosity of the orchestration. The finale, at 5:40, is more or less a complete let-down after the first three movements which I greatly enjoyed. A failure, then, overall, but a very attractive one for 22+ minutes. The use of the orchestra is sophisticated and colourful - and the performance here by the Poznan Philharmonic could hardly be bettered.

Having ordered the CD from jpc, I find I rather enjoyed the piece. Strange to have a 28-minute late-romantic symphony, though. More when I've absorbed it properly...

We trust your winks, Martin...

I really like the finale of No.1, by the way. Somewhere between the finales of Raff 2 and Brahms 2, I'd say.

Thanks. I rather thought it hadn't been digitised.

...announced as a 2024 release at Oliver Triendl's website:
https://www.oliver-triendl.com/english/diskografie-einzelansicht.php?cd=1711567479#einzel
(Her dates: 1875-1953)

Yes, that's the main take-away.

Is the score of Lassen's 2nd Symphony available anywhere?

It sounds like a cross between a barrel-organ and a squeezebox. Truly awful.

I'm afraid it's tried my patience beyond endurance. It's good to hear that Gareth thinks it's worth taking further, though.