Great choice, once again. Thanks much for moving the frame beyond Korngold's great movie music to feature works from his sizeable list of other compositions.
This work has been a favorite since I came across the Kempe LP in my local library during my youth (many decades ago), and I have obtained any recording I have come across since then, as I adore this symphony. And I've had the good fortune of hearing it live twice-once in Carnegie Hall, and once at Bard college-it is a powerful listening experience in a concert hall, and should be performed more often. The adagio in particular has a Mahler/Bruckner sensibility of surging waves and shattering climaxes. And great use of the Tam-Tam throughout! Korngold left some substantial unorchestrated sketches for a second symphony which are now archived with his papers, and one can view them (or get photocopies) if one receives permission from the Korngold estate. Brendan Carroll's Korngold biography, THE LAST PRODIGY, mentions the sketches, and it is comprehensive, informative and well worth the time for anyone who loves Korngold's music. The Wilson recording uses swifter tempi than usual, and in that album's program notes he states that this approach is based on a private recording of Korngold at the piano, though he doesn't say which one. If you search on RUclips for the video KORNGOLD PLAYS KORNGOLD, you can hear close to 20 minutes of his wonderful playing, with many rare images of the composer and even a very brief film clip of him at the conclusion. At one point he segues into a theme from the symphony's adagio (noted as the "Love Theme" from THE PRIVATE LIVES OF ELIZABETH AND ESSEX, which is its origin). And that is swifter than this theme is often played, but one cannot know if the tempo of it in the film score is how Korngold would have intended for its use in the adagio. I'm always interested in hearing new perspectives on this rich composition, as it can support various approaches. Like other masterworks, differing passionate performances illuminate its trove of wonders.
I'll never forget the first time I heard the Korngold Symphony (in the Marc Albrecht recording) - I was expecting something lush and tonal, but instead encountered percussive marimba thwacks and angular clarinet melodies - what a startling opening! It shows that Korngold was striking out in new, more "modern" directions near the end of his sadly short life. Of course, there is plenty of classic Korngoldian lushness and tunefulness present in the remainder of the score. And oh, the slow movement - what a poignant and moving utterance, apparently written in memory of the recently deceased FDR. Like you say, Dave, it's undoubtedly one of the great 20th century symphonies and I work I return to often with great enjoyment and fascination.
I borrowed this recording from my local library, and was absolutely enthralled. I did not expect, knowing what I thought I knew about Korngold from his film music, to react to it as strongly as I did. If it is not in the standard repertoire, it should be.
Bless you for your advocacy! I fully agree about the symphony, and I agree also about the Albrecht/Strasburg performance. The recent Wilson/Sinfonia of London recording got great reviews (from British critics especially, to no one's surprise) but I found it rather cold and hectic. Albrecht is warmth and exuberance in all the right proportions. Thank you for steering listeners to this work and to this recording!
This is a truly marvelous symphony, and I fully expected a recording would make it to Dave’s Faves sooner or later. Equally recommendable, and recorded much less, is Korngold’s Sinfonietta. I believe he wrote it when he was 17, and despite the diminutive name the piece is over 40 minutes long.
I also am fond of this particular performance and your review makes me want to hear it anew. Those who program the orchestral seasons of our major and minor orchestras ought to hire you, seriously! There are so many first rate exciting symphonies and orchestral pieces which one rarely or never encounters in our concert halls.
Agree with you on everything. Korngold (Concert & Film Music), the Symphony & your Albrecht choice. Though, I got to hear it first by Kempe/Munich on RCA Gold. I also like the Welser-Most/Philadelphia on EMI/Warner & the Edward Downes/BBC Philharmonic on Chandos.
Wonderful modern symphony (and it's 72 years old). It's been pretty lucky on CD, but there's one recording I've been wanting to hear for 50 years: the first, with the Viennese radio orchestra conducted by Harold Byrns. It allegedly was god-awful. Maybe a recording doesn't even exist, but it would sure be fun to hear!
I remember the snobbish criticism that Korngold mined his movie scores for his symphony; but scholarship determined that the writing of the symphony over a number of years actually predated his movie scores. That is, Korngold borrowed from his symphony for his film scores. All rather moot now.
So excited that Berlin Phil and Petrenko chose the F# MAJINOR to take on tour to Naples, Florida in November
Great choice, once again. Thanks much for moving the frame beyond Korngold's great movie music to feature works from his sizeable list of other compositions.
This work has been a favorite since I came across the Kempe LP in my local library during my youth (many decades ago), and I have obtained any recording I have come across since then, as I adore this symphony. And I've had the good fortune of hearing it live twice-once in Carnegie Hall, and once at Bard college-it is a powerful listening experience in a concert hall, and should be performed more often. The adagio in particular has a Mahler/Bruckner sensibility of surging waves and shattering climaxes. And great use of the Tam-Tam throughout!
Korngold left some substantial unorchestrated sketches for a second symphony which are now archived with his papers, and one can view them (or get photocopies) if one receives permission from the Korngold estate. Brendan Carroll's Korngold biography, THE LAST PRODIGY, mentions the sketches, and it is comprehensive, informative and well worth the time for anyone who loves Korngold's music.
The Wilson recording uses swifter tempi than usual, and in that album's program notes he states that this approach is based on a private recording of Korngold at the piano, though he doesn't say which one. If you search on RUclips for the video KORNGOLD PLAYS KORNGOLD, you can hear close to 20 minutes of his wonderful playing, with many rare images of the composer and even a very brief film clip of him at the conclusion. At one point he segues into a theme from the symphony's adagio (noted as the "Love Theme" from THE PRIVATE LIVES OF ELIZABETH AND ESSEX, which is its origin). And that is swifter than this theme is often played, but one cannot know if the tempo of it in the film score is how Korngold would have intended for its use in the adagio. I'm always interested in hearing new perspectives on this rich composition, as it can support various approaches. Like other masterworks, differing passionate performances illuminate its trove of wonders.
I'll never forget the first time I heard the Korngold Symphony (in the Marc Albrecht recording) - I was expecting something lush and tonal, but instead encountered percussive marimba thwacks and angular clarinet melodies - what a startling opening! It shows that Korngold was striking out in new, more "modern" directions near the end of his sadly short life. Of course, there is plenty of classic Korngoldian lushness and tunefulness present in the remainder of the score. And oh, the slow movement - what a poignant and moving utterance, apparently written in memory of the recently deceased FDR. Like you say, Dave, it's undoubtedly one of the great 20th century symphonies and I work I return to often with great enjoyment and fascination.
I borrowed this recording from my local library, and was absolutely enthralled. I did not expect, knowing what I thought I knew about Korngold from his film music, to react to it as strongly as I did. If it is not in the standard repertoire, it should be.
I really love this symphony. I, at first found it a hard nut to cracj but once I had cracked it, the rewards are big!
Bless you for your advocacy! I fully agree about the symphony, and I agree also about the Albrecht/Strasburg performance. The recent Wilson/Sinfonia of London recording got great reviews (from British critics especially, to no one's surprise) but I found it rather cold and hectic. Albrecht is warmth and exuberance in all the right proportions. Thank you for steering listeners to this work and to this recording!
How wonderful that we are seeing mutilple strongly performed releases of Korngold’s music. That Wilson disc is also very well recorded.
I have EVERY recording of this favorite work. Downes on Chandos reigns supreme for me.
This is a truly marvelous symphony, and I fully expected a recording would make it to Dave’s Faves sooner or later. Equally recommendable, and recorded much less, is Korngold’s Sinfonietta. I believe he wrote it when he was 17, and despite the diminutive name the piece is over 40 minutes long.
I also am fond of this particular performance and your review makes me want to hear it anew. Those who program the orchestral seasons of our major and minor orchestras ought to hire you, seriously! There are so many first rate exciting symphonies and orchestral pieces which one rarely or never encounters in our concert halls.
Agree with you on everything. Korngold (Concert & Film Music), the Symphony & your Albrecht choice. Though, I got to hear it first by Kempe/Munich on RCA Gold. I also like the Welser-Most/Philadelphia on EMI/Warner & the Edward Downes/BBC Philharmonic on Chandos.
Wonderful modern symphony (and it's 72 years old). It's been pretty lucky on CD, but there's one recording I've been wanting to hear for 50 years: the first, with the Viennese radio orchestra conducted by Harold Byrns. It allegedly was god-awful. Maybe a recording doesn't even exist, but it would sure be fun to hear!
Loves the piece. Great analysis. Your mentioning the marvelous trio with horns is straight out of John Williams!! Hmmm….
I remember the snobbish criticism that Korngold mined his movie scores for his symphony; but scholarship determined that the writing of the symphony over a number of years actually predated his movie scores. That is, Korngold borrowed from his symphony for his film scores. All rather moot now.