Anton Urspruch (1850-1907), a name new to me, was a German composer, pedagogue and pianist who studied with Lachner, Raff and Liszt. He was said to be one of the latter’s favorite pupils. He composed many works, but, like Franck
Emilie Mayer: Symphony No. 7 in F minor (1856)
Emilie Mayer (1812-1883) was a German composer, quite successful in her day. Among her compositions are 8 symphonies, a piano concerto, several concert overtures and much chamber music. Her most famous teacher was Carl Loewe, remembered today mostly for his
William Grant Still: Symphony No. 5, ‘Western Hemisphere’
Written in 1945, Still’s Fifth is an attractive, easy to listen to and evocative American Symphony. The movements are described thusly: 1. “The vigorous, life-sustaining forces of the Hemisphere” (briskly) 2. “The natural beauties of the Hemisphere” (slower, and with
Neglected symphony: Walter Piston: Symphony No. 2
Walter Piston’s Symphony No. 2 was given its premiere by the National Symphony Orchestra conducted by Hans Kindler in March of 1944. Leonard Bernstein chose the remarkable Adagio of this work to perform with the New York Philharmonic as a
Haydn: Symphony No. 1 in D
Christopher Hogwood conducts the Academy of Ancient Music. This piece would make a good concert opener.
Haydn: Symphony No. 22 in E flat, ‘The Philosopher’
A wonderful early symphony, not played often enough.
Neglected symphony: Wilhelm Peterson-Berger Symphony No. 5
I hadn’t even heard of this composer before a conductor friend suggested I listen to this piece, the Symphony No. 5 by Wilhelm Peterson-Berger (1867-1942). Peterson-Berger was a Swedish composer and music critic who was an anti-modernist. The Symphony No.
Symphonic progressivism, 1896
I came across the program above quite by chance the other day, during another search (I don’t even remember what I was looking for). It’s rather astounding. In our own time, symphony orchestras have come to be seen as conservative
Janacek: Sinfonietta
Trumpets, lots of trumpets. I like how the cameraman slowly reveals them. Rafael Kubelik conducts the Bavarian Radio Symphony Orchestra in the first two movements of Janacek’s wondrous Sinfonietta.
Neglected symphony: Symphony No. 3 by Franz Berwald
Here’s another offering in my neglected symphony series, the Symphony No. 3, “Sinfonie singuliere,” by the Swedish composer Franz Berwald (1796-1868). Why is it neglected, you ask? I don’t think you can say it has anything to do with the