Symphony by Józef Wieniawski

[markniew]

Acte Prealable announces recording of Józef Wieniawski's Symphony. Real rarity!
http://www.acteprealable.com/albums/ap0331.html

[Alan Howe]

Thank you for posting this, Marek. Wonderful news!

[eschiss1]

This is intriguing. Thank you!!

[Alan Howe]

Any idea when it was written? It's evidently a late work...

[eschiss1]

The opus number suggests it may have been published in the 1880s-1890s (the accompanying overture was published in 1887 by Schott), but I can't find (off-hand; I haven't looked very widely at the moment) any evidence for publication, composition date or anything but recent performance. Maybe it's a from-manuscript editorial project by the Wieniawski Society, or something (which admittedly concentrates on Henri Wieniawski, but I think they work on some Józef-related projects time-to-time...??) Don't know...

[Alan Howe]

Interesting, Eric. Thanks.

[Alan Howe]

I understand that the UK distributors (DI Music) now have stock of this release. I shall be ordering tomorrow...

[Alan Howe]

The Symphony (35 minutes long) apparently dates from 1890. First impressions are of a fairly relaxed, 'open-air' piece, but with some darker corners - the tone is rich, broadly Germanic (rather than, say, Slavonic), with perhaps the ghost of Schumann lurking in the background, although one can hear the influence of Wagner in the greater level of chromaticism. What is certain is that this is no copy of something better known: the work stands up exceedingly well in its own terms. A fascinating discovery - not a missing masterpiece, but a thoroughly worthwhile late 19th century symphony.

[Mark Thomas]

My copy has just arrived, and I'm looking forward to exploring...

[Mark Thomas]

Hmmm. My first hearing of the Symphony left me with the impression that the Symphony is, as Alan says, quite an individual work for its time, but I don't think that a masterpiece has been uncovered. Unlike Alan, I was reminded by Wieniawski's lush orchestration and rich chromaticism not so much of German models, but rather of Rachmaninov, although the Russian was clearly not a direct influence as he was only 17 when the Symphony was written. It also brought to mind Noskowski's Third Symphony of 13 years later. This is emphatically not a Slavonic symphony, though, but a determinedly international one. I suppose Wieniawski, as an international piano virtuoso, had absorbed so many influences that his style became a sort of amalgam of current trends and the paradox is that they all melded into quite an individual (for its time) sound. But unfortunately on this showing Wieniawski did not have the knack of memorable melody, and that's a great shame because the lack of it stops this work from making a much stronger impression. It has plenty of energy in the outer movements, is meltingly (if unmemorably) lyrical in the slow movement and has an appropriately puckish Scherzo, but the lack of a good tune, or even a whistlable phrase, here and there keeps it firmly stuck on the ground.

The substantial 15 minute Overture "William the Taciturn" unfortunately lacks some of the Symphony's strengths whilst still employing material which won't stick in the mind. I thought it a dull listen first time around.

I do hope that that this CD is a "sleeper", and that a second airing in a few days will trigger a Damascene conversion to Wieniaski's cause. The Symphony in particular is a near miss, which I'd like to think will grow on me.

[Alan Howe]

On this showing, Jozef Wieniawski is not a composer of the standing of, say, Noskowski or Zelenski. However, the Symphony's well worth a listen...

[Alan Howe]

Here's a review:
http://www.musicweb-international.com/classrev/2014/Oct14/Wieniawski_sy_AP0331.htm

[Mark Thomas]

Repeated listens have softened my initial lack of enthusiasm to some degree, I must say, but thematically Wieniawski's Symphony and Overture still stay stubbornly unmemorable. The reviewer is being rather kind, I think, but I'm sure others will rightly see merits in these two works which still elude me.

[Alan Howe]

The CD is available through MusicWeb:
http://www.musicweb-international.com/Acte_Prealable/Catalogue_Acte_Prealable.htm