CPO recording all eight symphonies by Johann Nepomuk David

[Dundonnell]

Johann Nepomuk David, born Austria 1895, died Stuttgart 1977, usually gets no more than a very passing mention, if even that, in any discussion of Austrian or German music in the 20th century. Along with composers like Karl Holler(a fellow composer for the organ and of choral as well as orchestral music) David appeared to have been largely forgotten, dismissed as a reactionary after around 1950.

David wrote eight numbered symphonies, three violin concertos, an organ concerto, several other concertos and chamber and choral music.

I had completely despaired of ever hearing any substantial quantity of David's music until discovering earlier today on the website of Esther Schollum, Artists' Management, the information that Johannes Wildner and the ORF RSO Vienna apparently recorded Symphonies Nos. 2 and 4 in 2008 and Nos. 1 and 6 in February and March of this year for CPO.

This is splendid news! All we have to do now is wait for CPO to actually get round to releasing the first disc sometime

[Rainolf]

That are good news! David's name occurs regulary in older concert guides and the description of his music makes me courius about it. I only know some organ works by him. Well worked contrapuntal music, somewhat between Reger, Distler and Hindemith.

[Alan Howe]

This is certainly good news - but when cpo might get round to releasing them is anybody's guess. They seem to have an enormous backlog of recordings to issue - and only about 6 come out each month.

[JimL]

I didn't see anything about violin concertos.  I saw entries for 3 "Streichkonzert", which, to my mind, suggests some kind of latter-day concerti grossi.

[Dundonnell]

This is certainly good news - but when cpo might get round to releasing them is anybody's guess. They seem to have an enormous backlog of recordings to issue - and only about 6 come out each month.

Indeed

The current CPO catalogue is for 2010 not 2011. If you look through it you will see a number of cds scheduled for release last year which have still not been released-eg Kallstenius's Symphonies Nos. 1 and 2. Equally they release cds which had not previously been advertised.

I would love to have Burkhard Schmilgun's job as Artists and Repertoire Manager for CPO ......but in default of that I would love to at least have a conversation with the guy

[Dundonnell]

I didn't see anything about violin concertos.  I saw entries for 3 "Streichkonzert", which, to my mind, suggests some kind of latter-day concerti grossi.

Oddly missing from the list of compositions on the David website but here they are in the publisher's catalogue:

http://www.schirmer.com/Default.aspx?TabId=2420&State_2874=2&workId_2874=27218

http://www.schirmer.com/Default.aspx?TabId=2420&State_2874=2&workId_2874=27219

(Don't know why these links are not working! They are genuine!)

[Rainolf]

The "Konzertbuch Orchestermusik", edited 1972 in the GDR, mentiones two Concertos for string orchestra op. 40, and two Violin concertos, No. 1 op. 45 and No. 2 op. 50. There are even a Flute concerto, a concert piece "Melancholia" for Viola and Chamer orchestra op. 53, an Organ concerto op. 61, Variations on a theme by Josquin for Flute, Horn and Strings op. 62 and a double concerto for Violin, Cello and small orchestra op. 68

[eschiss1]

One of the violin concertos has even been recorded, op.45, by Deutsche Grammophon Gesellschaft in 1956. (As have the symphony no.5 op.41, Ezzolied, Orgelkonzert op.61, and other works, though that was a different, 1980s LP. I have broadcast tapes of syms. 6 and 8 somewhere myself, I think...) So unless that's a typo and not Johann Nepomuk David, or something...

Dundonnell: to get a link to work, surround it by url /url each in brackets.

[violinconcerto]

One of the violin concertos has even been recorded, op.45, by Deutsche Grammophon Gesellschaft in 1956.

Yes, and No.2 as well (you can check it out on my website: www.violinconcerto.de) and there is also a concerto No.3 op.56 (can also be found at my website). But No.3 and the double concerto are not recorded commercially so far.

Best,
Tobias

[JimL]

...I would love to have Burkhard Schmilgun's job as Artists and Repertoire Manager for CPO ......but in default of that I would love to at least have a conversation with the guy

As I recall, Ilja on our Forum is in touch with Burkhard now and then.  Perhaps it could be arranged...

[Hovite]

When David gets mentioned in books and on this forum, he is usually referred to as Bruckerian. So a few days ago I did a web search and I found a video clip (sound only) described as "4ter Satz aus der 5ten Sinfonie von Johann Nepomuk David. Es spielt das Symphonieorchester des Bayerischen Rundfunks unter Hans Stadlmair". To me, it sounds like a chamber symphony, so whereas Bruckner built cathedrals in sound, on the basis of this clip, David seems to have erected village churches. All that I can really say, is that his music is of interest, and resembles early Prokofiev, or maybe Zemlinsky.

[Alan Howe]

Here's the link to the fourth movement of David's 5th Symphony...
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h0GZzUzvYOI
...which sounds to me more like Hindemith, perhaps (?). Not that inspiring to my way of thinking, but it's fascinating to piece together the twentieth century Austro-German symphonic tradition hidden behind the innovations of the Second Viennese School.