Search - Sinfonieorchester Basel :: Felix Weingartner: Symphony No. 5 [Hybrid SACD]

Kudos to CPO for bringing Weingartner's compositions to ligh

Todd Nolan | Seattle, WA USA | 02/02/2008

(4 out of 5 stars)

"This 5th symphony of Felix Weingartner is as deserving of joining the symphonic repertoire as the first four released by CPO since 2003. All five should be in the rotation with Brahms, Dvorak, Tchaikovsky. They are well-constructed and melodic, with opening movements that grab the listener's interest immediately, quicksilver scherzos, beautiful slow movements that are frequently very moving (especially the adagio of the 2nd symphony) and his finales are more than just the "summing up" that some composer's final movements can be.



Reviews have been glowing, with American Record Guide, Fanfare, Gramophone and every other classical journal raving about the merit of Weingartner's work. CPO has a hit series on its hands, and they will apparently complete the projected total of 7 or 8 symphonies (the octet & sextet were released together last year) and possibly some additional discs. The shame is that North American symphony orchestras are unlikely to program this wonderful music since the repertoire is basically set in stone: Brahms, Tchaikovsky, Dvorak, Sibelius, Mozart, Haydn, Beethoven, Schumann, Mendelssohn, Bruckner & Mahler. Nothing is going to change this (or at least, add to it) which makes labels like CPO, Hyperion, Chandos, Harmonia Mundi, Sterling, Naxos so welcome ! We've all heard the standards, but we want to hear what else is out there. On vacations to Europe I've heard local orchestras perform symphonies of Glazunov, Magnard, Peterson-Berger, Malipiero, Elgar, Melartin, Ludolf Nielsen, Wellesz, Marx, Vaughan Williams, Atterberg and that wonderful, odd symphony of Rott. Chances of hearing any of these back in Seattle ? Only on my CD player.



I wholeheartedly recommend this disc of Weingartner's Fifth, but each of the other discs in the CPO series of his works are also worth your while. This legendary conductor will be known 50 years from now as the composer who also conducted, not the other way around, if there's any justice."

A Pure Symphony

Franklin E. Snyder | Ottawa, Canada | 07/09/2008

(4 out of 5 stars)

"What a great pleasure to discover Weingarter's 2nd symphony. I first heard it on a Sirus satellite radio station and thought it must be Mendelssohn. Perhaps a work that accidently fell off his desk. But no ... Weingartner.



Although your intellect will search for a theme to this symphony and you will ask: "what is Weingartner trying to say " your eyes will eventually close and you'll be transported to a world of beautiful music.



In a way this symphony perfectly fits the philosophy of Carl Neilson, the great Danish composer, who wrote that 'music can only be evaluated in musical terms'.



The recording and Basel orchestra are excellent. The CD notes in English are intellectual gobblygook."

Worthy in addition to a gentleman's library

Red Cedar | 06/18/2009

(4 out of 5 stars)

"What I like about Weingartner's symphonies is his terrific understanding of orchestration. His use of instrumental combinations is especially masterly. What he lacks in originality, he gains in his confident handling of his music and form. I would describe his orchestration like Mahler's (combinations of woodwinds, strings). His thematic development unfolds slowly and dramatically in the way Bruckner does (and without the incessant tromolos!). I would not heed the reviewer "Homer" who poo poos this composer. He only likes well-known great works and nothing else outside the popular works meets his standard of worthiness. Any philistine could enjoy the war-horse pops concert selections of Beethoven symphonies. For "Homer", it's either great or trash, and the fact that something is not famous must mean it's junk. Well, that is not always the case. I do agree with him on one point, however. For all of his other strengths, Weingarter does not succeed in creating memorable or powerful themes. The best ones he achieves are functional and pleasant.



I wish I could here his works live in concert. That would be a real treat."