Lachner Symphony No.6

[Ilja]

For those that haven't yet bitten this particular bullet: the symphony and concerto are now on Spotify.

[eschiss1]

Amazon Music also now - looking forward to hearing the symphony in a professional recording and the bassoon work at all.

[Ilja]

Interestingly, the tempi are quite different compared to Gerd Prengel's version. Movements 1 and 3 are much (> 2 minutes) slower, 2 and 4 much (> 1 minute) quicker. Because I listed to Gerd's version quite a few times, it makes the finale sound rather rushed. I'm all in favor of keeping up the pace with Lachner (especially with Lachner), but this seems to go a bit too far.

[Alan Howe]

Strange: I didn't notice any problem with the tempi. Perhaps I was too bothered by that wretched fugue...

[tpaloj]

Did you account for Gerd omitting repeats in the 1st & 3rd movements unlike Schmalfuss who includes them? I didn't notice any too crucial tempi differences either. Schmalfuss feels only just slightly snappier overall to me.

[Alan Howe]

Agreed.

[Ilja]

That's a good point. But in the latter part of the finale, and particularly throughout the Andante, I do find the difference noticeable. It could've been allowed to "breathe" a bit more, in my view.

[Alan Howe]

The opposite point of view is that Lachner is best done swiftly - or not at all  .

[eschiss1]

A nice quip, Alan, but I can't see anything to recommend it. To all music its tempo giusto (or range thereof!), surely.

[Alan Howe]

To all music its tempo giusto (or range thereof!), surely.

I'd say that Lachner 6/Schmalfuss is done within 'the range thereof'. Lachner's symphonies can easily sag under their own weight if they're not done swiftly. But that's just my view...

[eschiss1]

(and since you mention Lachner just generally, I hope the accelerating pace of recordings of his music continues, as there are still not just a few unrecorded symphonies to go but a number of other works too. I will agree they should preferably be played well or not at all )

[gprengel]

By now I also got me the CD and I am glad that it finally has been recorded :-) I am very happy regarding the Scherzo and the Finale, but absolutely frustrated about the way too slow Fugue at the end of the 1st movement. The fugue in my recording always has been a highlight for me (not only of this work) - how can they present this sooo tiring and boring? If I remember well, it is 2 minutes longer than in my version! This almost makes me angry ... :-(
On the other hand the wonderful  middle part of the Andante is rushed through soo fast that all its melancholic beauty got lost ... But in the end I am reconciled with the joyful and splendid Finale!

Gerd

[Alan Howe]

It's not the tempo of the fugue that bothers me - it's its mere existence! A tempo change isn't going to make any difference.

[gprengel]

sorry, Alan, I certainly do not agree with you here. I adore the symphony's fugue of the Noteperformer recording ... !

[eschiss1]

I'm guessing Alan means it's the fact that it -is- a fugato*, which similarly puts sections of Liszt's B minor sonata and many, many other works into boredom for him- I conjecture!

*Fugato: a substantial fugal section inside another, eg sonata-form, rondo or variations, movement. (Maybe not variations unless it's part of the coda. The connotation is that it's not a separate piece but transitions into the remainder of the work fairly seamlessly.)