I've just taken delivery of the newly issued Naxos CD of Friedrich Witt's orchestral works, comprising the well-known Jena Symphony in C, for many years attributed to the young Beethoven, an earlier symphony in A and a flute concerto in G. All these works are good examples of a sprightly late 18th Century style, the Jena Symphony being particularly influenced by some of Haydn's London symphonies. To me the 2nd subject of the Jena's 1st movement bears a striking resemblance to a theme from the slow movement of one of Beethoven's Rasoumovsky quartets, whilst a tune in the finale of the A major symphony sounds rather like a French revolutionary march.
I've just noticed that MDG have 2 more of his later symphonies in their catalogue. I wonder if anyone on this Forum can tell me if the MDG CD is worth getting.
I have this disk and enjoyed it very much, the two symphonies are also coupled with a delightful flute concerto which I hadn't heard before.
The disc is worth getting it. Unfortunatly almost no one seem to dare to record Witt's excelent early other symphonies from the 1790s. There's one fantastic in c minor, where the orchestral material is avaiable (and I've heard a performance of it by the kko which was brillant). Some others have been edited too. So hopefully some conducter and some label might take care of it some day.
BSB (Bavarian State Library) has put up online the full parts to two of his symphonies, no.2 in D and no. 4 in E-flat from (or anyway published in) the early 1800s, which I hope someone will consider editing into something more presentable to the modern orchestra player and preparing too a score for the conductor and student - they look worth a go, anyways. (They are so labeled- whether they are actually his 2nd and 4th symphonies, I have no clue.)
Eric
Many thanks for extra bits of information folks. I'd be very interested in contacting the Bavarian State Library on line if you could tell me how. I wonder if they have parts or scores for other Bavarian works on offer: I'm particularly interested Franz Lachner's symphonies. :)
Quote from: John H White on Monday 18 October 2010, 18:05
Many thanks for extra bits of information folks. I'd be very interested in contacting the Bavarian State Library on line if you could tell me how. I wonder if they have parts or scores for other Bavarian works on offer: I'm particularly interested Franz Lachner's symphonies. :)
Search their scanned-in collection http://www.digital-collections.de/index.html?c=suchen&l=en (http://www.digital-collections.de/index.html?c=suchen&l=en)
and their general, not scanned in or not yet scanned in collection can be found from links from there...
(they have - scanned-in - quite a few Lachner works but not yet, I think, any of his symphonies. Two of Jadassohn's, yes. You can print them out as PDFs using a button to the top right of the screen. I'd select a page range that avoids the color-page-heavy front and back covers :) )
Eric
Many thanks for those tips Eric. I'll have a go at that PDF business sometime. :)
Quote from: John H White on Monday 18 October 2010, 20:07
Many thanks for those tips Eric. I'll have a go at that PDF business sometime. :)
Many of them are now also on IMSLP of course but not all. Best!