I had this newly released cpo set in my hands this morning in a shop, but hesitated buying it... Perhaps because I consider Spohr's music too often a bit boring, or perhaps because of Griffiths? Try to convice me, fellow members!
Though, I like his Clarinet concertos and some of his operas, particularly "Faust"
It's probably the best set of Spohr's symphonies made so far: Griffiths is really fine in this repertoire and, most importantly, he has a very good, full-sounding orchestra. I'd say: buy it!
Aye aye Sir :-)
The set's worth getting for symphonies 3,4 and 5 alone. Everything else is a bonus...
Excerpts here, of course:
https://www.jpc.de/jpcng/cpo/detail/-/art/louis-spohr-symphonien-nr-1-10/hnum/3872154 (https://www.jpc.de/jpcng/cpo/detail/-/art/louis-spohr-symphonien-nr-1-10/hnum/3872154)
;)
Some of his music I find very memorable indeed (it took me less than a minute to recognize the finale of the Op.33/1 string quintet when it was being played over the speakers at Port Authority NYC this afternoon) but not positive the symphonies are up there with the best of the concertos, chamber works etc. ...
There is a passage in Spohr's autobiography which to me seems to show his attitude towards his composing. I recount it here from memory--I am too lazy to try and find it in the book.
At some point in the book he relates this experience: After finishing compositions he always liked them very well. But if he encountered one of them some two years later he often found them lacking.
Yet he continued to publish right after completion.
This seems to explain his productivity. He was 1. a famous violin virtuoso, 2. a famous conductor, 3. an impresario, 4. a chamber musician etc.; he was far from a full time composer, yet he has 150 some opus numbers (quite a few of which are monumental works like operas) plus a serious number of WoOs. It explains also the unreliable quality of his output. I'd be hesitant to buy a complete set of anything by Spohr (I remember a reading of one of his string quintets. I wasn't playing and it didn't help that the first violin was not up to the virtuoso passages. Even so one could get an impression of the work and it was concentrated boredom). I used to own a recording of one of his symphonies long ago (don't remember which symphony or who conducted, except that it was combined with the overtures to Jessonda and Faust). But I hardly ever listened to it. It didn't interest me.
I don't want to be down on Spohr. I like him and much of his music is very impressive. But there is the rest of it. One might speculate that he might have avoided becoming unsung if he had published only the top 25% of his work.
A completely unrelated question: How can a composer with three symphonies inspired by extramusical stimuli be regarded without question mark the prototype of "classicism"?
How does the CPO set compare with the Hyperion versions with Shelley?
They're both excellent. My preference for Griffiths relates to his choice of orchestra which sounds fuller than Shelley's and gives Spohr's music more romantic power.
In 1-2 hourst I will hold this cpo set in my hands :-) Will let you know my impressions and will chose the non-bonus Symphonies first to listen!
Double-A: the program symphony began with the Romantic era, but it was preceded by the Characteristic Symphony, of which many examples were produced during the Classical era. Things are not simple (and yes, I know Spohr's titled symphonies were produced in the 19th century. A better answer is really "Spohr is more accurately regarded maybe as an example of early Romanticism"- someone whose enjoyment of Beethoven's quartets, to choose a well-known fact(oiid?) e.g., stopped around the latter's quartet no.9 or so... (but who did proselytize Beethoven's early quartets when he could, iirc- though he despaired even of that, sometimes, not because of the music but because of the tastes of the musicians, qv story of Beethoven and Rode performances by an ensemble early in his career...)
Interesting discussion, compliments!
Just heard the 4th Symphony - and was absolutely thrilled. We are not far away from Raff :-)
Griffiths' interpretation and his orchestra are great. I am looking forward to explore these Symphonies and will certainly revise some of my prejudices about this composer.
I'm relieved that my recommendation wasn't without merit. I think Griffiths is at his best in the late classical/early romantic repertoire and I'm pleased that he chose to record Spohr with a full symphony orchestra rather than a pumped-up chamber orchestra. Not that his interpretations are heavy - they aren't; but he manages to give full value to Spohr's burgeoning romanticism while retaining a keen sense of scale and the requisite athleticism. It's an excellent set.
Just one word of warning, though: not everything is as fine as symphonies 3, 4 and 5. Nos 6 and 7 in particular seem to me to be 'misses'.
I am intrigued by Adriano's comparison of Spohr's 4th with Raff. I think that's spot-on: I think I can hear clear pre-echoes of Im Walde in the first movement. Incidentally Griffiths' performance of No.4 is absolutely superb - by far the best I've ever heard. He seems to understand the wide-ranging idiom perfectly.
Mr Vaughan (aside): He seems to understand Holbrooke very well too.
Thanks Alan :-)
Yes, and as far as Spohr's 5th Symphony is concerned, one could consider it as a formally perfect and ever so appealing tuneful piece!
I never listened to Shelley's interpretations, because I am not a fan of the Orchestra della Svizzera Italiana - who has more ad-hoc musicians than the fixed ensemble it promotes to be.
No.5 is a very fine piece. What do you think of No.3 (my own favourite)?
Hmmm. I've never thought of Raff owing much to Spohr ... it's an intriguing idea.
Perhaps not even "owing", but looking from "outisde" at the development of the Romantic Symphony (?)
The first and third movements in particular look forward to Im Walde. I'm sure Raff would have known the symphony.
He wasn't wholly ignorant of Spohr's muse, no matter what (consider the Faust transcription Op.68 No.5)...
(Rather odd/interesting transcriptions/arrangements of Spohr's symphonies 4, 8 and 9 or portions thereof, e.g. - by other composers, I mean, not Raff - have turned up, but that's another matter still...)
Listened to the 3rd and 10th yesterday, Alan. They are perfectly constructed and work very well, but so far I like the 5th better; there is more "personality" in it.
And the 4th, of course, which is a really special and original work.
I bought this set here in Zürich for 59 Euros, at Musik Hug - whose CD department will close down by the end of this year. 6 competent, always friendly and engaged salesclerks have been terminated. The Hug Company (who merged with Jecklin years ago, whose big CD shop was a treasure island during decades, but was also closed down) will also give up their legendary four-storied building near the Kunsthaus and concentrate all what they still (can) sell (scores, pianos, instruments and keyboards) into their Limmatquai building, on whose parterre the CDs were. The contents of the attached building with the string instrument's and the childern's music department will also be integrated to the mentioned "main" building. Not to speak what all Hug will close down in other Swiss cities!
In other words, in Zürich there is but one CD shop left, selling classical music (and pop as well), but there is no comparison with Hug/Jecklin; they just sell trendy things (a UC lover would have always to order everything) - but hire alleady since this summer 50% of their surface to a firm selling silly luxury flower pots, nippes and statuettes. They say that they make more money with all that than with CDs (classical and pop). Otherwise they could not afford their rent anymore.
Of course, I could have ordered this Spohr set at Amazon for 37 Euros, but very often I bought in our two shops in order to support them.
Cannot understand: on the other hand they try to resuscitate LPs and everybody says that the end of CDs is approaching. LP is but for a very few special audio freaks...
LPs are also bought simply for display purposes, i.e. as pieces of art...
Oh, that's sad news, hadrianus. I have very happy memories from the early 80s of riffling through LPs in the old MusikHug store on Bahnhofstr. in Zürich, and perching on the bar stools there, sampling them. I bought your recording of Raff's Piano Quintet in that shop, and still have it today. Sic transit gloria mundi....
Thanks, Mark!
Incidentally, I am meeting Res Marty just today at 1315 hrs. Will make a new digital transfer of the "Welt-Ende" 3-LP set, so we may put it in here for download...
Hug Bahnhoftsrasse closed down already 15 years ago. In my student years I was helping out there during Christmas and Easter holidays. It was the time of these glorious Decca recordings (Maazel-Tchaikovsky and Sibelius; Rossini operas with Berganza, Karajan with the VPO and the Solti Ring) - and, of course, the Karajan-Beethoven and Brahms sets. I practically gave out all the money which I was paid to buy these recordings. In Zürich there were 2 Musik-Hug shops, the earlier mentioned big Jecklin one and Rena Kaufmann. And, of course, a Globus LP department which was well-furnished too. Plus 2 Ex-Libris shops...
My days at Cambridge in the mid-seventies were similar. There was one shop that somehow acquired test pressings of new releases - wonder how that happened?
Still, we digress...
Indeed. No chance of hearing Spohr symphonies in those days...