Search - Felix Weingartner, Marko Letonja, Basel Symphony Orchestra :: Symphony No 3

The Rediscovery of Weingartner as Composer Continues

J Scott Morrison | Middlebury VT, USA | 07/03/2006

(5 out of 5 stars)

"We are in the midst of a series from the enterprising cpo label which purports eventually to present recordings of all of Felix Weingartner's (1853-1942) important orchestral works. This recording of the Symphony No. 3 is, by my count, the fourth of the seven symphonies to be released, all played by the fine Basel Symphony under the Slovenian conductor Marko Letonja. And what a discovery the series has been! Most music-lovers think of Weingartner only as a conductor, albeit a towering one. Like many composers who made their living -- and their largest reputation -- as conductors, Weingartner's music more or less died with him. My own feeling is that Weingartner has been quite unjustly neglected and I offer my sincerest thanks to cpo for bringing it back to life.



The CD begins with a concert overture, the 'Lustige Ouvertüre' ('Merry Overture') that is very reminiscent in spots of that other 'lustige' piece, Richard Strauss's 'Till Eulenspiegels Lustige Streiche', written at the time Weingartner had just married his beloved Lucille. His happiness certainly shows! I don't ordinarily place much stock in music being emotionally influenced by the state of mind of the composer at the time of its composition, but one can hardly avoid that here. This is sunny, yet impish, music that is filled with memorable themes and masterful orchestration. The harmonic framework, particularly the sweet-tart sideslips, reminds one very much of Richard Strauss and also portends that of Serge Prokofiev (albeit in a completely Germanic, not Russian, way). This ten-minute piece could easily become favorite concert opener for mildly adventuresome conductors.



The Third Symphony, for large orchestra, is in the usual four movements and lasts about 65 minutes. This is definitely meant to be a significant work. I think it falls just short of its objective but it has so many wonderful things about it that it definitely deserves an occasional airing. The first movement begins with a lovely arching cello melody spiced by a leaping clarinet figure, both of which are then treated to extended sonata-allegro treatment. There is a rustic air to the movement that periodically has to struggle with dramatic irruptions. The scherzo is a bumptious, merry (Till Eulenspiegel again?) piece that cavorts and rollicks in triple time. The Adagio contains Brucknerian horn harmonies intoning a solemn (and beautiful) hymn. Midway in the movement a slow, inexorable procession begins that builds to a shattering climax that adds the full resources of the organ. The Allegro moderato finale is a sonata-allegro cum variations that takes eighteen minutes to work out its thematic implications. For me this complicated movement is not quite up to the level of the earlier three movements but there is plenty to admire, particularly in Weingartner's masterful orchestration, his contrapuntal skill and his ability to build a climax. There is, for reasons that escape me, a near-quotation of a theme from Die Fledermaus along the way.



This is a hybrid SACD recording, playable on both SACD and regular CD equipment. I heard only the CD layer, but my experience with earlier issues from this company lead me to believe that as good as the CD layer is -- and it is state-of-the-art -- the SACD layer is probably even better. The playing of the Basel Symphony under Letonja sounds world-class to me.



An easy recommendation for the CD buyer who has never heard a note of Weingartner's music but is curious to explore this late outgrowth of the late-romantic period.



Scott Morrison"

Sumptuous sound for commited performances

Giacomo C. | 10/12/2006

(4 out of 5 stars)

"CPO's Weingartner series is a welcome addition to the discography - and it is work being done at a very high level. This is the first CPO SACD I have had the pleasure to listen to, and am quite impressed with the sound the engineering team has captured - vivid, highly detailed, with a downright sumptuosness to it. Good placement of the soundscape, and the rear surround speakers add depth and presence. Undistorted bass frequencies, and the strings have real sheen to them - which is, of course, also a testament to the Basel orchestra's excellent playing. Letonja's direction brings this rarely heard music blazingly to life, his players throwing themselves into it with style. The works themselves are the work of a sure hand in full control of the art of composition, and make for enjoyable listening.. even if, perhaps, not quite reaching those heighest heights that would secure them a permanent footing in the repertoire..



On the whole though, I look forward to the other installments of the Weingartner series, and any further work from these performers."