Grimm Symphony/Suite in Kanonform (cpo)

[Alan Howe]

As I suggested, Eric, we are all hoping that classical musical enthusiasts will be left well alone.

[Droosbury]

Well, unless they're gay. Or "different". Or Mexican. Or Chinese. Or European. Or once even thought something uncomplimentary about King Trump.

I'm sure Shostakovich, ironically, passes muster as Putin's chum Gergiev champions him and the White House cronies won't want to upset Vlad.

[Alan Howe]

I'm really looking forward to receiving my delivery from jpc. This is an important release.
Never heard the Symphony? Try it here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CDHesxU6YmQ&t=2058s

And just to be clear: I was talking about the undesirability of tariffs upon imports of CDs into the US.

[Justin]

I'm surprised more people have not promoted his symphonic works in concerts, as he was a great friend of Brahms.

[terry martyn]

It is one thing to opine on the undesirability of an extra impost on CDs.  None of us want that.

It is entirely another to inject politics into the thread. I, for one, regret the intrusion.
 

[Alan Howe]

It is entirely another to inject politics into the thread. I, for one, regret the intrusion.

Me too. Hopefully, we've moved on...

[Justin]

The coupling is the 34+ minute Second Suite in Canon Form in G Major, Op.16.

Is this a world premiere recording of the second suite? I am unable to find anything online. Also, don't forget to take down the link to the symphony that we have on the forum!

[Mark Thomas]

Also, don't forget to take down the link to the symphony that we have on the forum!

Link removed, thanks for the reminder.

[Alan Howe]

[Alan Howe]

Is this a world premiere recording of the second suite?

I believe so, yes.

[Richard Moss]

Ilya,

Having enjoyed a further listen to his symphony yesterday evening, I have just downloaded the 1st suite in C maj - many tks for the upload, which in its own way I hope will be as entertaining to listen to. I've just found that 'Repertoire Explorer' (https://repertoire-explorer.musikmph.de/en/product/grimm-julius-otto/) has a long description of the work.

Cheers

Richard

[Ilja]

I didn't know that text, thank you for the link. 

By the way, I'm not a hundred percent sure about the identity of the performers. There is a recording of the 3rd Suite (also in the downloads board) by the Collegium Instrumentale Köln, but that sounds nothing like this recording, which I have a suspicion could be older.

[Alan Howe]

My copy of the CD arrived this morning from jpc - and, naturally, I couldn't resist listening to the Symphony, which sounds resplendent in this recording. What a stupendous work this is. How on earth it has remained buried and unknown for so long is hard to imagine. Gernsheim's memory of the work in his later years is now triumphantly vindicated.

[Justin]

Curious to hear your thoughts on the suite too, Alan.

[Alan Howe]

The 2nd Suite is much harder work (for me, at any rate) - and it's somewhat odd to encounter baroque-style orchestral music in 19th-century guise. I can't think of anything like it, unless it's a Stokowski Bach arrangement! I must say, though, that it has a certain grandeur which regularly bursts through the busy counterpoint.

Here's an excerpt from the Preface to the work at Musikproduktion Höflich:

Following a highly successful first Suite in Canonform Op. 10, Grimm was evidently inspired to write this second piece using the same device, seven years later. This time, rather than limiting himself to the strings-only format of the first Suite, he chose to write for full orchestra. The new work was given its premiere under Grimm's baton in Münster in October 1869, and the following March he had the opportunity to perform it at the Leipzig Gewandhaus. On that occasion, it was listed in the programme as 'Symphonie in Kanonform' – perhaps due to Eduard Hanslick's comment that the First Suite also had strong symphonic characteristics. The Leipzig performance was warmly received, particularly for Grimm's creative employment of canon: "The composition is a musical masterwork. The work is, with all its artistry, so full of light, and so appealing in its complex refinement, that even the first hearing brings true pleasure... We listened to the four long movements of the Symphony with rapt attention, and overall we recognised the ingenious and sophisticated artist throughout – in spite of, we are tempted to say, a stubbornly one-dimensional form, he has managed to hold our interest from the first to the last bar; and within self-imposed limitations he unfolds astonishing variety: that is to say, this is no mean achievement, in our opinion. And only true art maintains the freshness of the spirit upon which it works; artifice always wearies and enervates. Grimm's Symphony is admittendly a clever piece of work, but it is also a work of art. And the auditorium, which paid tribute to every movement with its very warmest applause, also fully recognised this."

By the time Grimm published the Second Suite in 1871, he had evidently decided that 'suite' rather than 'symphony' was the most appropriate descriptor for the work. It appeared with a dedication to his old friend Johannes Brahms; and Grimm also provided a piano duet transcription, issued at the same time.

The opening Allegro con brio is particularly substantial, and for the most part Grimm keeps the orchestral texture relatively uncluttered in order for the two lines of the canon (at an octave, and doubled in strings and wind) to be clearly audible. He also succeeds in obtaining great variety in the character of his various canonic themes, which is no doubt what prompted such complimentary reviews. The second movement, a minuet, is cleverly written to vary canonic instrumental pairings – the orchestral colouring changes almost from phrase to phrase; and this is followed by a sombre Molto Adagio in a kind of Baroque pastiche. The finale marks a return to the transparent textures of the opening movement, although the canonic material (still at an octave) is sometimes hidden within the accompanimental texture, allowing Grimm greater freedom with his melodic writing. Bach is never far away – the first violin melody two bars before letter D bears a striking resemblance to the first movement of the Fifth Brandenburg Concerto BWV 1050. This Second Suite marks Grimm's last serious engagement with canonic writing. Although there is a Third Suite Op. 25, this only contains a single movement in canon form.

Katy Hamilton, 2015
https://repertoire-explorer.musikmph.de/wp-content/uploads/vorworte_prefaces/1704.html