Lachner Symphony No.6

[John H White]

Towards the end of last year, having at last acquired a miniature facsimile copy of the original score from Musikproduktion Hoflich, I spent approximately 200 hours copying it out into Sibelius software. I now have a few CDs to give away to anyone who likes to send me the cost of postage and their terrestrial address. Alternatively, I shall endeavour to turn it into MP3 files which I could then attach to e-mails.
    Bearing in mind that this is a purely synthetic performance, I think I can say that, on the whole, I'm a bit disappointed with this work compared to the 5th and 8th symphonies currently now available once more on Marco Polo CDs. I certainly don't agree with Robert Schumann's enthusiasm for it. In particular, I find the opening movement rather tame, its one redeeming feature being the little double fugue towards the end. However, the work seems to improve from movement to movement. I do like the rather spooky scherzo in B minor and the rollicking rondo/sonata finale brings the whole thing to a rather jolly end.

[Alan Howe]

Well done on doing all that hard work, John. I know how much the composer means to you and I for one am extremely grateful to you for making me persevere with Lachner (and Spohr) - much to my joy and benefit.

[Mark Thomas]

I've already heard John's fine MIDIficiation of Franz Lachner's Sixth and can recommend it to anybody who is curious to hear the piece. FWIW my own view is that what we have is a pretty good 35 minute symphony smothered in the 50+ minute behemoth which Lachner makes of his material. It simply won't stretch that far and, as John says, the first movement in particular is a rambling affair, which has lots of good ideas spread rather thinly. The finale is the most successful movement and it's no surprise that it's also the shortest. In sum, not a bad work, but one that can't sustain it's "heavenly length". All that said, John's hard work gives us a chance to get to know the work and, if he is agreeable, I'll save him the trouble of mailing it out as I can easily make  mp3s of it myself and provide a download link. Is that OK, John?

[jerfilm]

Will look forward to the download link.  Thanks Mark and John.....

Jerry

[John H White]

Many thanks Mark. That's alright by me, but will you need me to send you the original wav files?

[Mark Thomas]

No, I have the CD and will use that, thanks.

Give me a few days before the downloads appear - I can't call this weekend my own, I'm afraid...

[John H White]

Thanks once again Mark. By the way, the finale is by far the longest movement on paper, running into 837 bars as opposed to the 458 0f the opening movement !  The relatively short playing time is no doubt due to (a) the faster tempo and (b) the lack of repeats.

[JimL]

Meter could also be a factor.  I don't know that it is, I'm just saying.  If you have a 4/4 first movement and a 3/8 or 2/4 finale it would have to make a difference.

[eschiss1]

Looking forward to hearing it, even with the caveats to ear.

[kolaboy]

Thanks, something to look forward to

[John H White]

Quite right Jim. The finale is in 3/4 time as opposed to the opening Allegro non troppo in common time. In this movement, by the way, we are spared a slow introduction.

[Mark Thomas]

John's MIDI realisation of the Symphony has now been uploaded to the German Music folder in the Downloads board.

[Biarent]

I really think that this symphony is excellent. Thank you for synthesizing it; I wish that an orchestra would perform and record it.  I think Schumann's enthusiasm for the piece may be that he wished that he had penned it as it sounds more like him than either the 5th or the 8th.  I wonder if he borrowed any themes from it as I am convinced that he borrowed a theme from Hugo Staehle's only symphony in his Introduction and Allegro Appassionato for Piano and Orchestra, Op.92.

[JimL]

Knowing the Op. 92 Konzertstück by heart as I do, pray, which theme? 

[Biarent]

The very opening theme in the Schumann sounds a lot like the first subject in the second movement of Staehle's symphony.  Also, I think Brahms borrowed a theme from Schumann's Introduction and Allegro for Piano and Orchestra, Op.134 for the finale of his Second Sympony.