Just how many symphonies did Rufinatscha write?

[John H White]

Some years ago when, courtesy of Alan and the Tyroler Landesmuseen, we were introduced to the splendid orchestral music of Johann Rufinatscha, we were led to believe that he had written 6 symphonies. Recordings of Nos 1, 2. 5 & 6 were at that time issued by the Landesmuseen, together with an indication of two further works of the same genre known as Nos 3 & 4, either lost or incomplete. Now we are told that one of these never happened and that the last two symphonies need to be re-numbered 4 & 5 respectively. What I would like to know is (a) did the composer himself refer to his last two symphonies as No5 & 6  and (b) how did the rumour of this "phantom" symphony come about?

[Alan Howe]

The answer to question (a) is: I don't know.
The answer to question (b) is contained in the explanation I wrote for the Wikipedia entry I edited, based on the material supplied to me by Dr Gratl in Innsbruck. So this is the up-to-date understanding of Rufinatscha's symphonic oeuvre:

Symphony No. 1 in D major "Mein erstes Studium" (composed: Innsbruck, 1834;     
     performed: Innsbruck, 1844)

Symphony No. 2 in E flat major (composed: Vienna, 1840; performed: Vienna, Feb.1844)

Symphony No. 3 in C minor (string parts only have survived - discovered 2007; composed:
     Vienna 1846; performed: Vienna, September 1846; wind/brass/timpani parts reconstructed
     by Michael F.P.Huber for first modern performances on 24 and 25 November 2012)

Symphony No. 4 in B minor (formerly known as No.5 - composed: Vienna 1846; performed:       
     Vienna, October 1846?)

Symphony No. 5 in D major (formerly known as No.6 - composed: Vienna 1850; performed:
     Vienna, Easter Monday 1852?)

Three Movements of a Symphony in C major (formerly erroneously identified as 'Symphony No.
     4 in C minor' - 1846): piano four-hands score presumed never orchestrated. Undated.

Notes:

(i) The work formerly identified as 'Symphony No. 3 in F major - lost' never existed. Instead, it seems that the work in F major is actually a concert aria with an opening orchestral section in the same key (which was taken to be the opening of an unidentified symphony).

(ii) The work formerly identified as 'Symphony No. 4 in C minor' (1846 - of which only the piano four-hands adaptation of its three extant movements survives) is now properly identified as 'Three Movements of a Symphony in C major (not minor): presumed never orchestrated'. It is undated and therefore cannot be included in the numbered canon. It was erroneously identified as the Symphony in C minor now correctly known as No.3 (above).

So, to sum up, Rufinatscha wrote five full symphonies; the orchestration of No.3 was recently completed by contemporary composer Michael Huber. Three movements of a further symphony in C major exist in a piano four-hands version. There never was a symphony in F.
We can say, then, that Rufinatscha wrote five and three-quarter symphonies!

Here's a link to the earlier thread on this topic:
http://www.unsungcomposers.com/forum/index.php/topic,3821.0.html

[Alan Howe]

My guess in answer to John's question (a) is that, apart from his first essay in the form (which he called his 'first study'), Rufinatscha didn't number his symphonies. They were known simply as 'Symphony in....' (supply key).

Perhaps Dr Gratl can enlighten us?

[John H White]

Many thanks Alan, for those very comprehensive answers. As he has made such a good job of No 3, it would be nice to hear what Michael Huber can make of those 3 movements in search of an orchestrator. If he does manage to get them into orchestral shape, no doubt the last two symphonies can then revert to their old numbers.

[Alan Howe]

I agree 100% - it'd be great to have the three-movement torso in C major orchestrated.

If he does manage to get them into orchestral shape, no doubt the last two symphonies can then revert to their old numbers.

Well, this would be total guesswork. It is impossible to work out what number to allocate to the torso as the score is undated. (The details on the 2002 Innsbruck CD are wrong - the date given there [1846] refers to the recently-recorded Symphony No.3 in C minor, not this three-movement torso in C major with which the C minor Symphony was originally confused.) I think, therefore, that Dr Gratl's suggestion (see note (ii), above) is the only one that makes sense, i.e. to exclude the torso from the numbered canon. At least we know the chronology of the five full symphonies.

[Alan Howe]

I have tried to make the evolving situation with regard to the numbering of Rufinatscha's symphonies as clear as possible. Please see my (now modified) lengthy post (above) - and please let me know if anything still confuses you...