The best symphonist beginning with 'O'?

[Ilja]

Thank you for pointing me to this, Alan! Very worthwhile works. For some reason I disqualified Onslow after hearing some other pieces of him, but I was clearly wrong. The symphonies 2 to 4 sound to me like a more muscular version of late Wilms.

[Alan Howe]

The symphonists born in the last thirty years of the eighteenth century are an interesting group: i.e. Onslow, Spohr, Ries, Wilms, Fesca (F.), etc. All lived under the shadow of Haydn, Mozart and Beethoven and all were faced with the issue of how the symphony was to be taken forward in their hands. Some have argued that it wasn't until the advent of Brahms and his contemporaries that there was a real step forward (although that is to ignore progressive figures such as Berlioz and Liszt and Raff, a synthesiser of the classical and progressive tendencies); nevertheless, there remains an enormous body of symphonies, conservative in style, which don't deserve to be forgotten. 

[semloh]

I think you've nicely summarized the situation, Alan. They seem to be composers caught between two musical sensibilities, overshadowed by the great figures of each, and unduly neglected.

Totally agree with the comments about Onslow's symphonies. I prefer the 2nd over the 3rd, and it is hard to imagine a better versions of these works than the CPO disc.

[eschiss1]

If anyone's interested, btw, there are or were recordings of symphonies 2 & 4 (of Onslow) on an earlier Ligia Digital CD (1995) (though I haven't heard it. They've also recorded a fair amount of other works by Onslow, including an opera.) Anyhow, anyone heard both versions?

[Delicious Manager]

I am sad to admit that I only know of Onslow through some of his really excellent chamber works. The symphonies sound fascinating, so I'm off to explore. Onslow is, for me, one of the most deserving of unsung composers who demands much wider currency.

[mikehopf]

Eric, the Ligia recording of the Onslow symphonies is available through Qobuz. A monthly subscription which enables you to download any of their vast collection of CDs and costs a mere 5 Euros a month. Must be the world's best bargain!
Pity that Onslow's comic opera Guise is only available in an arrangement foir string quartet. I'd give anything to hear a complete Onslow opera!

[Amphissa]

Well, of course, Onslow's symphonies and some of his chamber music are available on CPO, and other chamber music is readily available as well. For those interested, Amazon has the lot.

But Onslow is not my cup of tea. Loud, boisterous, and largely unmemorable. Doesn't really seem to go anywhere.

I much prefer Ostracil, and Balapoel is right. The A Major Symphony is reminiscent of Smetana.

[Alan Howe]

Actually, I too think Ostrcil's Symphony is a very lovely work and well worth revival - but no more so than Onslow's four. 'Both and' rather than 'either or', I'd say.

[DennisS]

Thank you UC for mentioning the symphonies of Georges Onslow in this thread. I didn't know this composer. For the past week or so, I have been listening to his 4 symphonies and have enjoyed them quite a bit - very pleasant music! I can see why this composer is sometimes referred to as the French Beethoven, with a nod towards Mendelssohn, Schubert, perhaps even Spohr and Czerny? Of course Onslow's music is not in the same league as the afore-mentioned composers but it is, for me at least, very enjoyable to listen to all the same. Thanks again UC.