Eggert Symphonies

[Richard Moss]

I've just come across an old reference to NAXOS releasing a CD of the Eggert symphonies 1 & 4, with a further CD or nos 2 & 3 maybe to follow.  This was dated as 2009 on NAXOS' own website but now seems to have sunk without trace.

Does anyone have any info on what happened to this/these symphonies & CD(s).

Cheers

Richard

[Gareth Vaughan]

A quick trawl of the internet reveals that a Daniel Bernhardsson asked Naxos on Facebook what had happened to the Eggert symphonies recording in February 2013. He received the following reply:
"Daniel, unfortunately the recorded materials was too short and we need fillers before releasing a CD. Hope we will get more soon!"
It might be worth contacting Naxos again.

[Richard Moss]

Gareth,

Thanks for the update.  I've since realised there was an old thread on UC for this topic, so maybe the moderators might need to move this thread.

As to the CDs, a quick skim of the web hasn't revealed much by way of Eggert compositions except his 4 (or five??) symphonies, so NAXOS might have a problem with fillers (unless they choose works by a contemporary??).

Anyway, I'll try and contact NAXOS and see what they say - it would be a pity for these works to languish, particularly if they've already carried the costs of recording.

Cheers

Richard

[Richard Moss]

As a follow-up to my previous posat, I have e-mailed NAXOS UK Distributir to see if they have any further info. 

I also came across the following web link

http://www.findagrave.com/cgi-bin/fg.cgi?page=gr&GRid=87321817

which (i) mentions his symphonies 1 & 2 (NOT 3 & 4) and (ii) states that symphonies 3 and 4 have been previously recorded.  Does anyone have any info on this?  Similarly, there seems to be no clear agreement on the numbering, keys etc of his symphonies. Any clarification appreciated.

Cheers

Richard

[Alan Howe]

Here's a link to the old thread:
http://www.unsungcomposers.com/forum/index.php/topic,283.msg3159.html#msg3159

[eschiss1]

I know of several chamber works of his, some of which have been recorded. I know that 2 of the symphonies exist in broadcast recordings (the E-flat and the G minor) but I don't know about commercial releases of them - ah, wait, for the E-flat symphony Worldcat lists a recording with these forces--

Solveig Faringer; Sandvikens Orkesterforening ; dirigent: Per Engstrom
Sandviken, Sverige 1985
Plademærke: Swedish Society. Forlagsnummer: SLT 33272
also containing (by Vogler and Berwald, not just Eggert) these works?--
Ebba Brahes arie af 3. akt
Alines arie
4 visor i svensk folkton, opus 5
Vackervalsen
. (A new edition of the E-flat symphony in score was released in 2011, which is a good thing...)

[Richard Moss]

Eric,

Thanks for the research and prompt reply.  Nothing much that might make a filler or two for Naxos but that is just an informal observation.

As far as I can see from various web resources, including Swedish Heritage, Findagrave and Musicalics (very little else mentions them at all), it would appear the nearest to a consensus on the symphonies is as follows:

No. 1 C maj
No. 2 G min  (often quoted as No. 4?)
No. 3 E-flat maj (sometimes quoted as No. 4?)
No. 4 C min
No 5 D min (incomplete)

Dates given for composition/first perf. seem to vary quite widely (and wildly) so not quoted above.  There was a considerable article I found to verify the first performance of the E-flat work BEFORE Beethoven's 5th (because of the importance of the first use of trombones).

The link to the NAXOS publicity gave the symphony in E-flat maj as No. 4 seems in error (which they said they had recorded along with No. 1 C maj).

As I've frequently said, I'm not a musicologist so apologies for any errors in the above info.

Cheers

Richard

[Richard Moss]

Folks,

Took up Gareth's suggestion and contacted Naxos' UK distributor (Select...).  Pleasantly surprised to receive a reply this morning from Mr Murrell, Customer Services, to confirm that (i) two discs of Eggert's symphonies have been recorded and (ii) the first is due for release later this year (but no date given).

"Hope springs...!

Cheers

Richard

[Gareth Vaughan]

Well done, Richard. Thank you. That's encouraging news.

[eschiss1]

I think those other works I mentioned are probably mostly or all by Vogler and Berwald anyway alas.  I should try to find a reasonably authoritative Eggert worklist somewhere.  The article you mention re Eggert E-flat and trombones did not seem quite as clinching as you suggest (to me and as I recall; need to have another look ...) but it was interesting and it still made a good case. Both symphonies, in G minor and E-flat, have interesting formal plans and memorable music, in my honest opinion, and I'm really not looking forward to the Reflexive Critical Axe with which the upcoming recordings will be hit (assuming performances are sufficiently good that the specific recordings don't actually deserve them)- there's some really good music there and very interesting formal innovation too, it seems to me, whether or not Eggert was first with the (non-operatic) trombones

So far the reviews I've seen of commercial releases his music (e.g. of one of his string quartets) have been negative in a way that makes me think either he wasn't always wholly at home in chamber music, or of aforementioned reflexive axe. (Am curious about that recently published-from-manuscript sextet, though...)

[Richard Moss]

Eric,

Thanks for your further update. 

If NAXOS come good on their intention to release two CDs covering all his completed symphonies and given
(i) Gareth's earlier info that they didn't have enough material for a full CD and
(ii) your updates that there doesn't seem to be much else around of his orchestral music,
then we start to wonder what they have filled the CD with.  I guess time will tell and we'll have to be curious until then.

Best wishes

Richard

[eschiss1]

Swedish National Library lists 2010 (2011 for the G minor) editions of all Eggert's completed symphonies, I think, by Kallai and Eskola, and a new edition (1992) of his (string? piano?) quartet in D minor (Op.2?3?) also. (Library of Congress lists a piano quartet Op.3 or Op.6 by him which may not actually be in their collection and does seem to be in the Bayern library collection.)

I think one of the symphonies was in the Garland Publications edition "The symphony in Sweden. P. 2" (1983).

Naxos could perhaps add the overture to this, or something? Don't know...

"Cantate vid den concert, som kommer att uppföras i Stockholms storkyrka den 4 october" (1809) (also @ Swedish Library. Unless that's just the libretto to it. Hrm. ??).

[Alan Howe]

Thanks for all the sleuthing, Richard and Eric.