I discovered this composer's music through a 'next-step' from Berg and 2VS, along with Wellesz and Krenek (CPO have released splendid sets of all three composers' symphonies). Of the three, I personally find Toch the more rewarding. I'm currently listening to his symphony #3 (1955). His symphonies go from 1 (1950) to 7 (1964, published posthumously in 1968).
As a young man, Toch had been writing in an avant garde style and therefore fell foul of Nazi cultural policy and being jewish had little choice other than to go into exile in Paris in 1933.
He subsequently spent time in London and then the USA where he spent the remainder of his life, dying there in 1964. He never got the attention like other jewish Nazi-era émigrés. Although he wrote film music, he never reached the popularity of Korngold et al.
So far, I have focused on his symphonies, string quartets 11 & 13 (CPO) and two Naxos discs containing his piano quintet, violin sonatas, cello sonata etc.
I would strongly recommend his music, especially to anyone keen on early-mid 20 century Austro-German orchestral/symphonic music. And in particular, his 3rd symphony.
As a young man, Toch had been writing in an avant garde style and therefore fell foul of Nazi cultural policy and being jewish had little choice other than to go into exile in Paris in 1933.
He subsequently spent time in London and then the USA where he spent the remainder of his life, dying there in 1964. He never got the attention like other jewish Nazi-era émigrés. Although he wrote film music, he never reached the popularity of Korngold et al.
So far, I have focused on his symphonies, string quartets 11 & 13 (CPO) and two Naxos discs containing his piano quintet, violin sonatas, cello sonata etc.
I would strongly recommend his music, especially to anyone keen on early-mid 20 century Austro-German orchestral/symphonic music. And in particular, his 3rd symphony.