Search - Carl Reinecke, Howard Shelley, Tasmanian Symphony Orchestra :: Reinecke: Symphonies Nos. 2 & 3

Very attractive romantic symphonies

Evan Wilson | Cambridge, Massachusetts United States | 05/02/2001

(4 out of 5 stars)

"About a decade ago, Marco Polo released Carl Reinecke's 1st symphony with several overtures. It proved to be a very attractive piece in the mode of Schumann and packed with memorable themes. Alas, I waited in vain for them to release Reinecke's other two symphonies. Now Chandos has bridged that gap.The 2nd symphony is titled "Haakon Jarl" after a Danish tragedy, but there is little truly tragic about it and the piece is only loosely programmatic. The treasure of this symphony is clearly the slow movement with a lyrical oboe melody that Reinecke envelops in rich romantic colors. The finale boasts an attractive long-lined melody and a march figure that sounds distinctly Wagnerian. It ends rather abruptly after lingering a bit too long.The 3rd symphony opens with a jagged figure that dominates the first movement, which is rather blustery without being truly dramatic. The slow movement sings nicely, although it doesn't quite reach the level of the 2nd symphony's Andante. The scherzo tosses about a brief motif to charming effect, but the finale is rather weak--it seems to be building to a "big" tune without every finding one.Overall, I don't think either of these symphonies reaches the level of the composer's 1st symphony, but they both contain beautiful music along with the occasional bald patch. Be that as it may, it's hard to understand why they don't show up in the concert hall once in awhile. Audiences seem to love romantic music, and this is very attractive fare. Shelly and the Tasmanian Symphony do a fine job and receive Chandos' typically rich recording.No masterpieces here, but if you like Schumann and Raff, don't hesitate to pick this up."