Bruckner Symphony No.4, Romantic

SignumClassics Philharmonia Orchestra

4 CDs SIGCD255 Christoph von DohnÁnyi

Christoph von DohnÁnyi Brahms Brahms the four symphonies the four symphonies

SIGCD169 Christoph von DohnÁnyi Christoph von DohnÁnyi beethoven Symphony no.3 & Symphony no.5 Bruckner Symphony no.4, Romantic www.signumrecords.com www.philharmonia.co.uk

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bruckner Symphony No.4, Romantic

Anton Bruckner (1824-1896) For a composer whose symphonic output is trampled under their hooves’. The conductor adored by audiences the world over, and is Felix Weingartner recalled being soured to secure in the repertory of every major orchestra, Bruckner at Wagner’s grave, shortly after the Symphony No.4, Romantic it is curious to learn that during his lifetime great composer’s death, due to Bruckner 1 Bruckner was considered to have been something relating the success of his latest symphony, Bewegt, nicht zu schnell 17.42 of a fool by a good many of his contemporaries. in loud, seemingly disrespectful tones. Sketches and anecdotes by his pupils, peers, 2 Andante quasi Allegretto 15.13 friends and confidantes abound in descriptions On a slightly brighter note, his sometime 3 Scherzo (Bewegt) 10.58 of everything from his eccentric manner of dress pupil, the violinist Fritz Kreisler found him to and rustic accent to his idiosyncratic personal be ‘a man without guile’, who had two sets of 4 Finale (Bewegt, doch nicht zu schnell) 20.24 habits. These reminiscences range from the co-ordinates in his life – ‘music and religion’. rather cruel, through the bewildered, to those Other contemporaneous figures and devoted of awed admiration. Brahms thought him a acolytes recall Bruckner as having a ‘great Total timings 64.19 ‘poor, deluded person’ who wrote ‘symphonic childlike soul’, living ‘in a world totally foreign boa constrictors’, which, no doubt to Brahms’s to us’ or in a florid passage from another mind, squeezed the life out of their audiences. pupil, Friedrich Klose, that the devout Roman The vitriolic and influential pro-Brahms, anti- Catholic Bruckner believed in ‘the omnipotence, Wagner critic, Eduard Hanslick was similarly wisdom and benevolence of his god and the Philharmonia Orchestra visceral in his condemnation of Bruckner and promise of a better life after death’. Larger his work, describing his Third Symphony as ‘A personalities of the day add their weight to Christoph von DohnÁnyi conductor vision of Beethoven’s Ninth becoming friendly the issue, including Gustav Mahler, who had www.signumrecords.com with Wagner’s Valkyries, and finishing up never been an actual pupil of Bruckner’s:

2 3 [Bruckner] had an untainted happiness, able to hold down two important appointments course of his life as a composer. Thus, in his [Wagner] just looked at me with such a kind which at times was youthful, almost in the city, as an organist to the court chapel early 40s, in 1866, he was set on his path as gaze that I can still feel it today. Then he childlike, as well as an inherently trusting and as Professor of Harmony and Counterpoint a symphonic composer, encouraged by many, embraced me and kissed me again and again. nature. Thus, despite the large gap at the Conservatory, hardly positions to including Berlioz, Liszt, the eminent conductor Afterwards he pointed to a pile of music and between us, we had a friendly relationship be occupied by a dolt. He was also one of Hans von Bülow and even Eduard Hanslick, said, ‘Look – nothing but dedications. But ... And so I may, with more right than the great organ virtuosos of his time, most who initially thought he had unearthed a great your work is a masterpiece; I am pleased most, call myself his ‘pupil’, and I will notably as a peerless improviser – evidenced Austrian symphonist, that is, one that would and honoured that it’s intended for me. always do this in grateful admiration. not only in Vienna, but also in trips to Nancy follow the conservative line. In the 1870s, and Paris in 1869 and London in 1871, Hanslick and his coterie would turn rabidly The first performance of the Third Symphony, Perhaps Bruckner’s social awkwardness and where he performed in numerous concerts against Bruckner as Wagner’s influence became despite, or possibly in part because of the apparent worldly naivety was simply easier to at the Albert Hall and to a reported 70,000 more manifest in his music. They considered dedication, was a disaster, with the audience anecdotalise than the more mundane facts of during an organ festival at Crystal Palace. the music of Wagner, Liszt and their followers, departing en masse during the final movement a hardworking, deeply religious and relatively Bruckner now included, as a decadent followed by a brutally scathing review from unsophisticated individual, at odds with the The son of a school teacher and parish aberration in music’s development, lauding Hanslick. The Brahms versus Wagner debate cosmopolitan mores of the ultra-modern-thinking organist from the village of Ansfelden, in Brahms, their standard bearer (whether he liked was now at full tilt in Vienna with neither of the Vienna of the late 19th century. His Upper Austria, the young Anton Bruckner was it or not), as the prime musical conservative. camp taking any prisoners. Fortunately, for many unsuccessful proposals of marriage and taught piano and organ, before being sent to the first performance of the Fourth Symphony, failure to even get close to tying the knot only St Florian monastery on his father’s death in By the time Bruckner had completed the initial one of the great conductors of the age, strengthen the image of the childlike soul. He 1837, when he was twelve years old. By 1845, versions of his Fourth Symphony, Hanslick’s Hans Richter, calmed the waters. A mighty appears to have suffered from the obsessive- he was already teaching at St Florian, where patience had long run out, most notably after musical figure, his broad intellectual outlook compulsive disorder associated with order he held various posts for the next decade or the composer dedicated his Third Symphony extended to both Brahms and Wagner, and and symmetry, numeromania – a compulsion so. A steady progress took him to Linz, as to Wagner. Bruckner had visited his idol his stature such that he was admired by both for counting anything and everything. At one cathedral organist and more studies with the in 1873 and presented his Second and sides of the musical argument. This made point this and other factors led to him being renowned Simon Sechter, a Professor at the Third Symphonies to Wagner in the fervent him one of the few conductors who could consigned to a sanitorium for three months in Vienna Conservatory, whose postal course hope that the great music-dramatist would withstand Hanslick’s entrenched views. the summer of 1867. Reports that Bruckner had in harmony and counterpoint he completed accept the dedication of one of them. After little interest in the art, philosophy and literature in five years. Bruckner continued to have scrutinising the score of the Third Symphony A number of Bruckner’s adherents were leading of the day would have seen him cut a fairly minor successes with his sacred works, but it Wagner seemed more than happy to accept lights of the Wiener Akademische Wagner-Verein strange figure in Viennese intellectual circles of was his discovery of the music of Liszt, and the dedication – Bruckner described the (Academic Wagner Society of Vienna) not long the day. On the other hand, he was more than more especially Wagner, which changed the scene to his pupil August Goellerich, thus: after its foundation in 1872. The society was

4 5 founded to further the music of Wagner, but also first movement opens indeed with romantically present recording, the version performed is that success’ while the partisan Vienna Evening of those composers who surfaced in his wake. rousing horns over bucolic murmurs in the of 1878/80 in the edition by Robert Haas of Post was of the opinion that Bruckner must Josef Schalk, his brother Franz, and Ferdinand strings before woodwinds coax the full orchestra 1936. This is the version that Richter premiered now be counted as one of Austria’s greatest Löwe were the evangelists for Bruckner, not only to a glorious awakening. Dance themes lead the in Vienna, with the city’s Philharmonic Orchestra composers. Revisions, decisions and editions spreading the musical good news, and arranging movement further, Bruckner taking his lead from on 20 February 1881. The Academic Wagner aside, a fact we know only too well today. two- and four-handed piano run-throughs of the Schubert and foreshadowing Mahler. The second Society funded the concert and its members symphonies under the auspices of the society, movement opens with the cellos speaking of were certainly out in force to support their © M Ross but also getting rather too involved in the what Bruckner called a ‘rustic love scene’, while man, but the symphony was nonetheless a workings of the creator. Their many revisions, the horns offer mystery and the violas mix lines success with the general public and also a *Stephen Johnson’s Bruckner Remembered while well-intentioned and effected to make of beauty with tragedy. The Scherzo doesn’t take rare critical triumph for Bruckner. Even the (Faber and Faber, 1998) is an excellent compilation the composer’s symphonies more palatable long to get under way as the horns exuberantly mighty Hanslick and his colleagues at the of Bruckner recollections and the source for some of to the public, disrupted Bruckner’s pace and bring the hunting party together in a movement Neue Freie Presse accorded it an ‘unusual the translations in this booklet note. orchestration in even the least invasive of their which is packed with vigour and verve, lightened interventions. Bruckner himself was a willing by the Ländler Trio section. The Finale opens collaborator in these exercises and happy ominously, the horns again in evidence to sanction many such ‘normalisings’ – a over an insistent pulse. Despite its pastoral Biographies situation which has kept musicologists busy interludes, the movement is a monumental dealing with the so-called ‘Bruckner Problem’. struggle; even its most resplendent climaxes are troubled, before Bruckner’s extraordinary Christoph von Dohnányi Bruckner appended not only the title ‘Romantic’ coda, organ-like in its grandeur, brings the work Christoph von Dohnányi was Principal Conductor Humperdinck’s Hänsel und Gretel, as well as a but even included a programme for the Fourth to a transcendent and breath-taking end. of the Philharmonia Orchestra from 1997 to critically acclaimed cycle of Brahms symphonies. Symphony, sometime after composition. The 2008 and became Honorary Conductor for Life scenario is a mediaeval Romantic ideal, where Bruckner began sketching the symphony in in September 2008. The partnership began Christoph von Dohnányi regularly led concerts knights awaken to the sound of horns, rejoice 1874 and continued revising it for around 15 in 1994 when he served as Principal Guest at Southbank Centre and throughout the United and repair to prayer, before the inevitable years until its eventual publication in 1889. Conductor. For several years they were in Kingdom and Continental Europe. In his final hunt and ensuing festivities. Though later Many editions of the work have appeared since residence at the Théâtre du Châtelet in Paris. season as Principal Conductor, Dohnányi withdrawn, there are certainly elements of the Bruckner’s death, based on the numerous Their performances featured productions and the orchestra were invited for three programme which add a great deal of fun, versions. The history of the symphony’s of Strauss’s Arabella, Die Frau ohne Schatten concerts in Vienna’s prestigious Musikverein, when listening to the work as well as supplying composition, revisions and editions is lengthy and Die schweigsame Frau, Schoenberg’s they journeyed throughout Germany and clues to the composer’s initial inspiration. The and complex, but for the purposes of the Moses und Aron, Stravinsky’s Oedipus Rex and made a coast-to-coast tour of the USA.

6 7 In December 1981 Christoph von Dohnányi András Schiff and orchestral transcriptions Hochschule für Musik und Theater München youngest General Music Director in Lübeck first conducted The Cleveland Orchestra of chamber music by Brahms and Mahler. to study composition, piano and conducting. followed by the Chief Conductor position at first and was named Music Director Designate in Upon graduating, he was awarded the Richard in Kassel and then of the WDR Sinfonieorchester, 1982, serving as sixth Music Director from As a regular guest at the Salzburg Festival, Strauss Prize by the City of Munich and Cologne. From 1968 he served as General Music September 1984 to August 2002, becoming Christoph von Dohnányi has led the Wiener continued to study with his grandfather, Ernst Director in Frankfurt and, from 1972, as Director Music Director Laureate from then on. The Philharmoniker in several new productions von Dohnányi, at Florida State University. of the Oper Frankfurt. From 1977 to 1984 he was orchestra and he frequently toured the including Der Rosenkavalier, Salome, Così Intendant and Chief Conductor of the Hamburgische US, Asia and Europe, performing concerts fan tutte, Die Zauberflöte, Erwartung, Duke In 1953 Sir Georg Solti hired Christoph von Staatsoper. In Frankfurt and Hamburg he at the Salzburg Festival, BBC Proms and Bluebeard’s Castle and Ariadne auf Naxos, Dohnányi as repetiteur and conductor at Oper successfully aimed to balance traditional opera Edinburgh Festival, and they were in residence as well as the world premières of Henze’s Frankfurt. At the age of 27 he became Germany’s productions and innovative music theatre. at Carnegie Hall, New York. In 1998 they Die Bassariden and Cerha’s Baal. performed in China for the first time in the orchestra’s history. During Dohnányi’s tenure From September 2004 to July 2010 Severance Hall, The Cleveland’s Orchestra’s Dohnányi was Chief Conductor of the NDR home, was renovated and extended to Symphony Orchestra conducting subscription bring back one of America’s biggest organs season concerts in Hamburg, Lübeck, into the musical life of Cleveland. Bremen and Kiel. They also toured Europe, South America, the US and Japan. His recordings with Cleveland include The Philharmonia Orchestra is one of the Today, the Philharmonia has the greatest the complete symphonies of Beethoven, As a guest conductor in the US he regularly world’s great orchestras. Acknowledged as claim of any orchestra to be the UK’s National Brahms and Schumann, works of Bruckner, leads such orchestras as those of Boston, the UK’s foremost musical pioneer, with an Orchestra. It is committed to presenting the Mahler, Dvorˇák and R. Strauss and Wagner’s Chicago, Pittsburgh, New York, Philadelphia extraordinary recording legacy, the Philharmonia same quality, live music-making in venues Die Walküre and Das Rheingold. and Los Angeles. In Europe, he has been a leads the field for its quality of playing, and throughout the country as it brings to London guest conductor with all the major orchestras for its innovative approach to audience and the great concert halls of the world. In Dohnányi’s discography with the Wiener including, most recently, the Berliner development, residencies, music education 2011/12 the Orchestra is performing more than Philharmoniker includes Fidelio, Wozzeck, Philharmoniker, Orchestre de Paris, Royal and the use of new technologies in reaching a 160 concerts, as well as presenting chamber Lulu, Erwartung, Salome, Der fliegende Concertgebouw and Israel Philharmonic global audience. Together with its relationships performances by the Soloists of the Philharmonia Holländer and symphonic works by orchestras and Tonhalle-Orchester Zürich. with the world’s most sought-after artists, most Orchestra, and recording scores for films, CDs Mendelssohn and Tchaikovsky, the violin importantly its Principal Conductor and Artistic and computer games. For 16 years now the concertos of Glass and Schnittke with Born in Berlin, Christoph von Dohnányi began to Advisor Esa-Pekka Salonen, the Philharmonia Orchestra’s work has been underpinned by its Gidon Kremer, Dvorˇák’s Piano Concerto with study law in Munich but soon chose to join the Orchestra is at the heart of British musical life. much admired UK and International Residency

8 9 Programme, which began in 1995 with the Dohnányi (Honorary Conductor for Life) and achieve this. Many millions of people since “virtual Philharmonia Orchestra” project, RE- launch of its residencies at the Bedford Corn Vladimir Ashkenazy (Conductor Laureate). 1945 have enjoyed their first experience of RITE, won both the RPS Audience Development Exchange and London’s Southbank Centre. classical music through a Philharmonia recording, and Creative Communication Awards, and after During 2011/12 the Orchestra not only performs The Philharmonia Orchestra continues to pride and in 2011/12 audiences can engage with appearances in London, Leicester and Lisbon more than 35 concerts at Southbank Centre’s itself on its long-term collaborations with the the Orchestra through webcasts, podcasts, toured to Dortmund in November 2011. Royal Festival Hall, but also celebrates its 15th finest musicians of our day, supporting new as downloads, computer games and film scores year as Resident Orchestra of De Montfort Hall well as established artists. This policy extends as well as through its unique interactive music Recording and broadcasting both continue in Leicester and its 11th year as Orchestra in into the Orchestra itself, where many of the education website, The Sound Exchange (www. to play a significant part in the Orchestra’s Partnership at The Anvil in Basingstoke; and players have solo or chamber music careers philharmonia.co.uk/thesoundexchange). activities, notably through its partnership with launches a new residency at the new Marlowe alongside their work with the Orchestra. The More than 3,500 people a month download Signum Records, releasing new live recordings Theatre in Canterbury. The Orchestra’s extensive Philharmonia’s Martin Musical Scholarship free monthly Philharmonia video podcasts, of Philharmonia performances with its key touring schedule this season also includes Fund has for many years supported talented which include artist interviews and features on conductors. Since 2003 the Philharmonia has performances in more than 30 of the finest musicians at the start of their careers, including repertoire and projects; these films are also enjoyed a major partnership with Classic FM, international concert halls in Europe, China, an Orchestral Award, which allows two young watched by more than one million people on as The Classic FM Orchestra on Tour, as well Korea and the USA, with conductors including players every year to gain performing experience YouTube. In May 2010 the Orchestra’s digital as continuing to broadcast on BBC Radio 3. Esa-Pekka Salonen, Lorin Maazel and Kurt Masur. within the Orchestra. The Orchestra is also recognised for its innovative programming During its first six decades, the Philharmonia policy, at the heart of which is a commitment Orchestra has collaborated with most of the to performing and commissioning new works great classical artists of the 20th century. by leading composers, among them the Recorded live at Southbank Centre’s Royal Festival Hall, London, 30 October 2008 Conductors associated with the Orchestra Artistic Director of its Music of Today series, Producer: Misha Donat Engineer: Jonathan Stokes, Classic Sound Ltd include Furtwängler, Richard Strauss, Toscanini, Unsuk Chin. Since 1945 the Philharmonia Design: Richard Slaney (for the Philharmonia Orchestra) and Andrew Giles Cantelli, Karajan and Giulini. Otto Klemperer Orchestra has commissioned more than 100 was the first of many outstanding Principal new works from composers including Sir Conductors, and other great names have Harrison Birtwistle, Sir Peter Maxwell Davies, www.signumrecords.com www.philharmonia.co.uk included Lorin Maazel (Associate Principal Mark-Anthony Turnage and James MacMillan.

Conductor), Riccardo Muti (Principal Conductor ® 2012 The copyright in this recording is owned by Philharmonia Orchestra © 2012 The copyright in this CD booklet, notes and design is owned by Signum Records Ltd. and Music Director), Giuseppe Sinopoli (Music Throughout its history, the Philharmonia Orchestra Any unauthorised broadcasting, public performance, copying or re-recording of Signum Compact Discs constitutes an infringement of copyright and will render the infringer liable to an action by law. Director) and Sir Charles Mackerras (Principal has been committed to finding new ways to bring Licenses for public performances or broadcasting may be obtained from Phonographic Performance Ltd. All rights reserved. No part of this booklet may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, Guest Conductor). As well as Esa-Pekka Salonen, its top quality live performance to audiences or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording or otherwise, without prior permission from Signum Records Ltd. current titled conductors are Christoph von worldwide, and to using new technologies to SignumClassics, Signum Records Ltd., Suite 14, 21 Wadsworth Road, Perivale, Middx UB6 7JD, UK. +44 (0) 20 8997 4000 E-mail: [email protected]

10 11 CTP Template: CD_INL1 COLOURS Compact Disc Back Inlay CYAN MAGENTA Customer Signum Records YELLOW Catalogue No. SIGCD256 BLACK Job Title Bruckner - Symphony No.4 SIGNUM CLASSICS

SIGCD256 ANTON BRUCKNER (1824-1896)

STRA E

Symphony No.4, Romantic BRUCK RCH O A

NE ONI Bewegt, nicht zu schnell 17.42 R SY Andante quasi Allegretto 15.13 LHARM MPH I H P Scherzo (Bewegt) 10.58 ONIY N Finale (Bewegt, doch nicht zu schnell) 20.24 O.4, ROMANTIC

ROMANTIC Total timings 64.19 O.4, N ONIY P H I MPH LHARM SY

R PHILHARMONIA ORCHESTRA ONI NE

CHRISTOPH VON DOHNÁNYI conductor A O

Recorded live at Southbank Centre’s Royal Festival Hall, London LC15723 RCH BRUCK E STRA www.signumrecords.com www.philharmonia.co.uk

Signum Records Ltd, Suite 14, 21 Wadsworth Road, Perivale, Middx UB6 7JD, United Kingdom SIGCD256