Franz Berwald and Albéric Magnard

[monafam]

I apologize if these two have been discussed...

I recently purchased the symphonies (complete I think) of Franz Berwald and Albéric Magnard.  I've never heard of them -- so while they are "unsung" in my world, when I read things like the "Beethoven of <insert country here>" or "Father of <insert country here> <insert era/style here>" I figure that I've just missed the boat.

I have listened to the first symphony of both.  I'd love to hear your overall thoughts on these two composers. 

Thanks!

[Alan Howe]

Berwald is  certainly an unsung as far as the concert hall is concerned, but his symphonies have actually received a number of recordings over the years. In my view they are extremely important, original and exciting works which should be as much part of the symphonic repertoire of their period as, say, the symphonies of Mendelssohn and Schumann. 

Magnard, although again unsung in the concert hall, is a somewhat different matter (his symphonies have not been recorded quite as often), but he certainly attains an original voice by the time he gets to Nos. 3 and 4. The latter, in particular, should be part of the standard early twentieth repertoire.

[monafam]

Thanks for the reply!  I listened to all of the Berwald ones today at work -- not the best time to focus, but I found myself enjoying them.

[Mark Thomas]

Berwald's Sinfonie Singuliere has one of the most arresting openings of any and is well named - it's a wonderful piece.

[Peter1953]

I agree with Alan and Mark. Berwald's symphonies are wonderful and especially his 3rd is fascinating. His piano concerto in D major (1855) is a fine work too, but I'm unfamiliar with his concertos for two violins in E major and solo violin in C sharp minor.
His life was full of disappointments, and you can see that looking at his famous picture.

[John H White]

Franz Berwald, to me, is so innovative in his symphonies that he makes contemporaries like Mendelssohn look quite old fashioned!

[FBerwald]

Berwald Singulare symphony was the 1st symphony I ever heard. I still remember the goosebumps I got then. Here is my take on Berwald - 1st of all he is innovative.

Take the opening of the 3rd symphony - Its certainly beautiful. What he actualy does is take simple harmonic progressions and and build upon them with a fresh approach orchestration. His melodies take unexpected turns and surprising harmonic shifts. In the second movement his innovative side appears again : He encloses his scherzo in the Adagio. The last movement is a Presto with a lot of stormy passages all of which proclaim him to be way ahead of his time.

His 1st symphony was probably the only one performed, and not to well it seems.

The piano concerto is a gem that still defies explanation. The violin concerto in C# is amore personal affair, at times risks sounding stale but Its Berwald's Fresh Orchestration which saves the day. Of all the Berwald I have heard the only conservative piece (i.e unlike his later personal idiom) is his Concertstuke for bassoon and orchestra.

Albéric Magnard  is verymuch like Berwald in his very personal approach to music. Its been said time and again that orchestration is not one of the strong points of French composers. Magnard's symphonies will negate that statement. His 1st symphony is the most immediately appealing but as he progresses his voice becomes more clear . The Scherzo (Vif) of his 4th symphony is a rustic village dance so beautiful one can almost see the happy
peasants!!
You cant get any 'more' French than Magnard's Symphonies!!

[Ilja]

Its been said time and again that orchestration is not one of the strong points of French composers.

I wonder who said that. Magnard, Saint-Saëns, Fauré, Ravel, Ropartz, Lalo, Gedalge, Milhaud: very diverse composers, but all of them great orchestrators. In fact, if anything, the emphasis on orchestration skill in French music education has made their composers above-average overall.

[John H White]

Of course, one of the classic textbooks on orchestration was written by a Frenchman, Hector Berlioz. Back in the 1840s he was advocating the inclusion of saxophones in large orchestras, just a few years after they had been invented!

[monafam]

I listened to the Berwald symphonies again -- really good stuff in my opinion.  Believe it or not, I STILL haven't gotten to Magnard.  It's really more of a disorder of not willing to part with what's on my MP3 player to make room -- they are all saved to my computer so it makes even less sense that I haven't done it already.   Soon......

[TerraEpon]

French not good at orchestration?

Maurice Ravel would like to have a word with you (whoever said that).

[monafam]

I finally had a chance to listen to Magnard's symphonies and I really enjoyed all of them!  I'm glad I gave him a chance.  Thanks for all the opinions!

[FBerwald]

I'm sorry ....I didn't mean to offend so many ppl. But I read "it" in a Saint-Saens Cd booklet.. It said that Until Saint Saens came along with his Piano and violin concertos the vocal.. opera n operetta form was the favoured medium of the majority of French composers (That doesn't mean that Instrumental works were obsolete at that point of time eg. VC's of Rode). Perhaps I didn't phrase it well. My sincere apologies. I AM aware of the beautiful and quicksilver french orchestration - One of my fav. symphonies is the Bflat by Chasson!

Any one heard the symphony by Albert Rubenson ? I cant seem to find a CD of it!

[Mark Thomas]

It's a Sterling release. JPC have it in stock.

[Syrelius]

Any one heard the symphony by Albert Rubenson ? I cant seem to find a CD of it!

Rubensons music is hardly earthshattering, but makes a pleasent listening - especially the two symphonic intermezzi. Both of them are on the Sterling release. The recording is good.