Ferdinand Hiller

[tpaloj]

Those with interest in Hiller's orchestral music (don't we all..?) should find my latest Noteperformer recreation a pleasant surprise: the Symphonische Phantasie (op.127) is a worthwhile work with a lot of energy and contrasting moods. It is set in five movements – though strictly speaking the sections are not numbered in the score – which are to be played without breaks. No specific metronome marks are given, but it should take around 23-25 minutes.

Curiously, both this work and Hiller's 1831 Overture to 'Faust' share the same opening motif. One can only wonder why Hiller decided to reintroduce this melody here over 30 years since composing the overture.

Overall I find the writing very creative. Hiller does make great use of his brass section and there is a rich melodic and rhythmic variety throughout the work. Lacks development of its ideas, maybe, but even Mendelssohn would be proud of that exuberant finale. Let me know what you think!

https://youtu.be/RIoZJMz-urM


A concert review (in German) from the work's premiere in 1867:

https://pastebin.com/4JqvkVwV

[Alan Howe]

Here's rough translation, using Google Translate with the odd alteration:

The second part of the concert featured a "Symphonic Phantasy", also by Hiller, consisting of five connected movements.

First of all, we note with satisfaction that the trends of the modern age have not left the composer unscathed. The form of the "Symphonic Phantasy", which in principle seems to mean the same thing as "Symphonic Poem", proves that Hiller recognized the inadequacy of the usual symphonic form when attempting to create new, contemporary content. Even if his creation still lacks the compulsory redevelopment and logic of development, the effort to escape from conventional, vague music-making and to draw characteristic moods and situations and to combine them into an inner unity can be clearly heard.

The transitions between the individual movements can be described as very clever. As far as the purely musical aspect is concerned, we see that, while Hiller's other compositions, insofar as they move within the conventional forms, also lack independence to a greater or lesser extent with regard to invention, here, too, where he indulges in freer forms, a truly creative imagination could emerge more clearly, even if there are some individual touches. The whole thing is kept very lively, the themes are very varied, especially rhythmically, the thematic work is rich in its own and meaningful features, even if it sometimes seemed to us to be introduced somewhat arbitrarily. The instrumentation also shows freshness of color and the flow of new ideas.

The reception of the work was rather reserved compared to the ovations given to the composer that evening.

[tpaloj]

Thank you Alan, that's much appreciated!

[Alan Howe]

Loved it! A real tonic!

[Mark Thomas]

This is a great, and very welcome, surprise. Hiller can be disappointingly humdrum, but what a pleasure to hear him on top form in this individual and unconventional work. Thanks so much.

[tpaloj]

You're very welcome Alan and Mark.

I'm not planning to recreate any more of Hiller's works, but I should make one recommendation to any conductors browsing this forum – Hiller's "Lustspieloverture" should be considered for revival. It would fit like a glove in any programme with Schumann's PC, anyway, as this overture featured as the opening piece in the very concert that premiered the PC back in the day. Its scoring looks very good "on paper" and great fun. I'm sure it would be well received in a concert setting.

[Ilja]

Thank you so much once again for your work, Tuomas. In fact I would say that Hiller is due a revival anyhow. He's one of those composers that is always entertaining. Not everything is earth-shattering perhaps, but it is never dull. In that sense he reminds me of someone like Gouvy.

[tpaloj]

It's a good point that he never seems so dull as to be unapproachable. What was it in his operas that damned them to be unsuccessful, I wonder? I have enjoyed his earnesty in the "Zerstörung Jerusalems" which is not a work spoiled by its musical content or its modest length, even.

In this recreation of the Symphonic Fantasy, I felt it very difficult to assume something of the now lost performance practices of Hiller's music. Since we have none of that, it's hard to tell how this music should be performed; besides how it technically appears on manuscript paper. Even on the tempo department we have no conception of what an Hiller 'Andante' or a Hiller 'Allegro' should sound like. In the 3rd movement scherzo I put a high tempo in which all string players should hate to be any part of. The finale likewise is a high-charged fast affair for all members of the orchestra.

But as for the second movement, what should 'Allegro vivace' mean? I felt the bouncy cantabile melody suited a more relaxed approach, which is the reason I chose a slower approach than the tempo designation strictly speaking might call for.

Above all, I think Hiller's music should deserve more recognition. Unlike Liszt's, whose oeuvre needed just the right pianist – Howard – to perform the necessary scholarly work, Hiller's is orchestral, which means the difficulty in staging performances is compounded tenfold. In the future, I would like to help this mountain of difficulties by creating scores of some the works I've showcased here, but, the practical stage of studying the manuscripts of his compositions might be out of my reach, since I'm not situated in Germany.

Unless I can study the manuscript parts, which are only accessed at libraries in Germany, I couldn't create suitable editions of Hiller's orchestral works, no matter if some of the autograph full scores have been digitized. (1) Overture to 'Faust' (2) Symphonic Fantasy (3) Symphony in C – they are all in this category. The future is full of possibilities, and much as I would love to present these scores for everyone, it would be enirely dependent on whether I could thoroughly immerse myself in the study of these manuscripts.

[eschiss1]

I'm also grateful to have digitized copies of manuscripts though sometimes (... not only with Hiller and not only with these libraries) their resolution leaves too much to be desired, I agree.

[gprengel]

Dear Tpaloj,

my congratulations for this Hiller work that you have brought to light with a masterful Noteperformer rendition! At my first listen I enjoyed the Andante intro, even more the Allegro vivacce with the beautiful cantabile second theme, and especially the powerful and unique Allegro energico - wonderful! The last 2 movements did not quite reach me yet.
Did you also try a faster version of the Allegro vivacce ? I find there is hardly a recognisable tempo change between the Andante intro and the Allegro vivacce . I understand your point regarding the melodic theme, but maybe this sounds also great with a faster tempo ...

Gerd

[tpaloj]

Thank you Gerd! It's a good suggestion about the 2nd movement's tempo. You could try changing the playback speed of the youtube video in the gear icon on bottom right just below the playback bar of the video, to see how it might sound like.

Also, I went to browse the other thread on Hiller's Symphony in C, and I just noticed your comment about Christina Ihl, the Hiller archivist who has compiled those catalogues on the manuscripts. She did a wonderful and enormous work with her research, and it's a nice coincidence that you happen to know her!

[tpaloj]

Another Noteperformer sample of Hiller's music: this is Prometheus und die Oceaniden, a concert-overture, composed in 1845-46. In this rendition it runs for around 14 minutes. Unrecorded and unpublished, I'm not sure if it was ever premiered in Hiller's time. Hiller also composed a large setting/cantata to "Der gefesselte Prometheus" in the 1870s. It's unknown to me if this overture and that work are connected in some way.

Here, in Hiller's adaptation of the famous Greek myth, the Oceanids have changed careers to play in a loud brass band. I think it's an enjoyable, though episodic and not too serious piece, concluding in a great brass chorale coda.

I've edited and uploaded the full score to IMSLP: https://imslp.org/wiki/Prometheus_und_die_Oceaniden_(Hiller%2C_Ferdinand)

Audio on youtube: https://youtu.be/D1SnYRw-c-M

[Alan Howe]

Great work - thanks! A really rousing (not to say occasionally noisy!) piece - very exciting, but almost certainly too long.

The final pages reminded me somewhat of Dudley Moore trying to end a 'Beethoven' sonata:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GazlqD4mLvw

[tpaloj]

You're right, I also think this "Prometheus" could survive with a few more limbs and minutes being cut. I like some of the more lushly scored sections like (1:15) while some passages are just obnoxious (2:20). The rising and falling dynamics in the contrasting calmer sections (3:20) are tough to bring out in a soundfont recreation, but passages like that would more than likely make good music in a real performance.

One thing I keep noticing in Hiller's works is his love for dotted and syncopated rhythms and textures, they're everywhere. His works rarely come off as monotonous or boring for me, neither melodically or rhythmically.  I've yet to find a truly distinct musical personality in him as a composer, but there's plenty of good music to be had no matter what.

[Alan Howe]

You're right. He's definitely not dull. Overlong, yes, but not dull.

Thanks very much for enabling us to hear this.