The other Alpine Symphony

[jayne lee wilson]

Tangentially (as usual )....
Why not try another Alpine Symphony written a few years (2012-13) before the Strauss...? Magnard's 4th.

https://www.qobuz.com/gb-en/album/magnard-symphonies-nos-3-4-philharmonisches-orchester-freiburg-fabrice-bollon/r82siuxd0jflc

....NB.....you'll have to hear the finale to know what I mean...(and if you're in tears at the climax, I wouldn't be surprised...)...

(..in other words.... if you like that try this!)

[jayne lee wilson]

The other Alpine Symphony

Still hoping (to-despair) that someone here will listen Magnard's 4th (the other Alpine Symphony, and so much more...) and tell us about their response....

[BBMmk2]

Still hoping (to-despair) that someone here will listen Magnard's 4th (the other Alpine Symphony, and so much more...) and tell us about their response....

That’s certainly one composer that gets overlooked.

[Goon525]

Still hoping (to-despair) that someone here will listen Magnard's 4th (the other Alpine Symphony, and so much more...) and tell us about their response....

I consider myself challenged, will listen soon via Qobuz and report back.

[cloughie]

Still hoping (to-despair) that someone here will listen Magnard's 4th (the other Alpine Symphony, and so much more...) and tell us about their response....

I have the Plasson - I’ll give it a listen dreckly!

[Goon525]

Just listened to the Freiburg PO/Bollon version on Naxos, which is the one recommended by JLW. I'm grateful to Jayne for introducing me to Magnard, whose music was hitherto completely unfamiliar to me. I enjoyed the symphony, which has what must have sounded like a pretty conservative musical language for its time, easy to get to grips with. Perhaps the lack of attention to it derives from melodic ideas which aren't quite of the highest class, but I can see why Jayne enjoys the ending so very much - a fabulous brass chorale, and then a poetic quiet close. Perhaps these last couple of minutes are a bit grand for what's preceded them - but the symphony is still well worth a listen.

[jayne lee wilson]

Do try to keep going Gooner....

Magnard is another of those for whom familiarity is all...if you get to know the others well, the 4th is so much more rewarding. Especially as all the symphonies make extensive and often subtle use of cyclical form.

My own favourite is No.2, Magnard's "Pastoral", with a truly lovely deeply evocative "chant varié" adagio; simply of the greatest Romantic slow movements.
But it took me FOUR hearings of the 1st Movement (fascinating use of ritornello/sonata combo here; the yearning, soaringly Romantic 2nd theme returns in the scherzo too, rather like the Rachmaninov 2nd) before it all clicked.
In fact it was the 3rd, originally championed by Ansermet and played quite frequently a few decades back, that first raised the symphonic profile. A classic work of French late Romanticism, blending German and Franckian influences but in Magnard's own evry distinctive voice, and with another glorious slow movement (a Magnard speciality).

The Plasson remains a classic set though, often much more idiiomatic and expressive than say, Ansermet, in No.3. But there have only ever been 4 such cycles (see the Composers' Subforum for more....)

http://www.for3.org/forums/showthread.php?9828-Magnard-Alb%C3%A9rich-(1865-1914)

[RichardB]

I will give it a try later today. I guess I will go for Plasson; I don't really rate Bollon as a conductor, I've seen him a couple of times and not been impressed, and my OH who was in the orchestra both times was even less so. I'm not such a fan of the Strauss anyway - surely it's one of his less inspired moments, especially in its failure to measure up to its obvious aim at the Mahlerian "wie ein Naturlaut".

[jayne lee wilson]

I will give it a try later today. I guess I will go for Plasson; I don't really rate Bollon as a conductor, I've seen him a couple of times and not been impressed, and my OH who was in the orchestra both times was even less so. I'm not such a fan of the Strauss anyway - surely it's one of his less inspired moments, especially in its failure to measure up to its obvious aim at the Mahlerian "wie ein Naturlaut".

I became aware of Bollon thanks to my Roussel obsession and to this fairly obscure album -

https://www.qobuz.com/gb-en/album/roussel-symphonie-no-1-op-7-concerto-pour-piano-et-orchestre-op-36-albert-roussel/5412217026202

The gorgeous Poème de la Forêt here is still my No.1 (I've heard most of those extant...) and part of a classic sequence. I've admired his Goldmark Poems and the Dukas Symphony in C on other labels too.

He doesn't record much, but I wish he'd do more Roussel, preferably back in Flanders....

Sorry Richard, but despite a good first movement, the Plasson Magnard 4th is easily the worst played and recorded in his otherwise fine cycle; sometimes alarmingly scrappy!
Unsurprising as they did it first in 1983, several years before the others...see my comparisons via the link in #7 above. (I'm cooler about the Sanderling now though, as the later posts there clarify...still, he's at his best in the 4th).

[RichardB]

I wonder if Magnard ever forgave his parents for naming him after an evil gnome.

[jayne lee wilson]

I wonder if Magnard ever forgave his parents for naming him after an evil gnome.

You could start a whole thread on nominative determinism...(or its counter-reaction....)

[Eine Alpensinfonie]

I haven't yet found a source of information that calls this work an Alpine Symphony - not even on Hurwitz's annoying review.

But if anyone can provide a link or a source, I'd appreciate it.

[jayne lee wilson]

I haven't yet found a source of information that calls this work an Alpine Symphony - not even on Hurwitz's annoying review.

But if anyone can provide a link or a source, I'd appreciate it.

As I've made clear elsewhere - #100 http://www.for3.org/forums/showthrea...5-1914)/page10, this is my own feeling about the 4th, based on the character of the music in the finale especially, sounding as a tone-poem of climbing toward and attaining a great peak or pinnacle. For me it brings that Mountain imagery irresistably to mind. The first movement also has a very "phenomenal" atmosphere to it with its swirls of cloud and colour.

But there are some intriguing musical pre-echoes of the Strauss work too...you just have to get to know it really.
I don't know if Strauss ever heard it, but it was performed in Paris a few times before he composed his own symphony.

I think I'll get the Ossonce out again.... I recall an especially thrilling finale...

[Eine Alpensinfonie]

As I've made clear elsewhere - #100 http://www.for3.org/forums/showthrea...5-1914)/page10, this is my own feeling about the 4th…

Ah, now I understand. I thought perhaps had been previously named as “Alpine”, but the association is your own - though there’s nothing wrong with that; many works have ended up with titles added later, often by anonymous individuals.

[jayne lee wilson]

Ah, now I understand. I thought perhaps had been previously named as “Alpine”, but the association is your own - though there’s nothing wrong with that; many works have ended up with titles added later, often by anonymous individuals.

If anyone has completely different finale-images in the mind I'd love to hear about them....