Klughardt Symphony No.4

[Alan Howe]

...forthcoming from cpo:
https://www.jpc.de/jpcng/cpo/detail/-/art/August-Klughardt-1847-1902-Symphonie-Nr-5/hnum/4916778

[FBerwald]

Oh WOW! So looking forward to this after the magnum No. 5!

[Alan Howe]

This a fine, noble work which will give much enjoyment. The idiom is somewhere between Schumann/Brahms and Wagner - in other words, Klughardt is an eclectic. Very interesting.

[Alan Howe]

The Symphony could almost be called 'Meistersinger' - it has the same lofty feel to it.

[FBerwald]

The second track gave me goosebumps. I can't wait for this one.

[Mark Thomas]

First impressions are that this is a fine piece of writing, a good meaty symphony with, as Alan says, more than a touch of high-minded nobility about it. Most impressive.

[Alan Howe]

There's no doubt in my mind that this is the finest symphony by Klughardt yet recorded - sadly we don't have a recording of No.2 in F minor, Op.34.

Just a reminder of his symphonies:

Waldleben* (Life in the forest), symphony (1871, withdrawn)
Symphony No.1 (sometimes referred to as No.2), Op. 27 Lenore (1873) - recorded (Sterling)
Symphony No.2 in F minor, Op. 34 (1876) - unrecorded
Symphony No.3 in D major, Op. 37 (ca. 1880) - recorded (cpo)
Symphony No.4 in C minor, Op. 57 (1890) - recorded (cpo)
Symphony No.5 in C Minor, Op. 71 (1897, arrangement of the Sextet opus 58) - recorded (cpo)

*The late lamented Alan Krueck wrote:
August Klughardt wrote a symphony entitled Lenore. It is actually his second symphony. Only those who get their hands on either Gerlach's Klughardt biography or see the previously mentioned unpublished letters to Raff are likely to realize that the reason for Klughardt's initial approach to Raff had nothing to do with sycophantic urgings, but with the very real possibility of Raff making possible a performance in Wiesbaden of Klughardt's very first symphony, entitled Waldleben - "Forest Life" - composed in 1871. As most here are aware, Raff's possibly most popular symphony was his Symphony No.3 in F major, op.153, Im Walde - or "In the Forest" and when Klughardt composed his Waldleben Raff's symphony was conquering the concert halls of the world, cited as a true masterpiece and everywhere received with enthusiasm and pleasure. Though Gerlach in his biography insists that the score of Klughardt's Waldleben still exists (and it is dutifully listed in the major international reference works), a ten year search has not located an archive containing it; needless to say, despite initial hopes on Klughardt's part that the work might be published, it never was. Ultimately it was Klughardt himself who withdrew Waldleben from public performance. (emphasis added)
http://www.raff.org/resource/krueck/3lenores.htm

[Alan Howe]

It doesn't take many plays of this symphony for it to lodge in the memory - and for one to be mightily impressed. The orchestral writing is very varied and resourceful, with some gorgeous colours from the woodwind and noble sounds from the brass. I said that the idiom is eclectic, but that's not a criticism - nor a drawback. It just means that Klughardt is neither squarely in the classical nor progressive camp: you will hear echoes of Beethoven (scherzo), Schumann (throughout), Wagner (throughout). So Klughardt's synthesis is highly interesting and often very beautiful. A great find.

[Alan Howe]

...and I'd venture to suggest that the slow movement is one of the finest in the 19thC symphonic repertoire: 9:55 mins of pure inspiration. It starts with almost Bach-like chorale in the strings before migrating to the rest of the orchestra; the climaxes which occur not long after this are awesome in their majesty. I can't think of anything else quite like it. The word which repeatedly comes to mind is 'noble', but not in an Elgarian way: the effect is deeply German - and extremely beautiful. 

Klughardt is at his most Meistersinger-ish in the finale.

[sdtom]

I don't know if one could make a stronger recommendation. I received the CPO recording now and am listening as I type. I'll have more to report later

[sdtom]

I'm still going through the listening process and have yet to form a final opinion on this work but if I can speak in a general way I do like the symphony. The word noble also stands out in my mind. I can picture this majestic coronation unfolding before my eyes. I found it interesting that it took our US distributor three months to get it out to us.
Tom

[Alan Howe]

Please excuse the resurrection of this thread...

Of all Klughardt's orchestral works this is the one that has stayed with me in the nine years since it was first released. First performed in 1890, it was already being overtaken stylistically by the likes of Mahler and Strauss but, from today's perspective, that hardly matters. The only issue is whether the music is worthy of our attention - and the answer is surely a resounding 'yes!'

Oh, and jpc has slashed the price of the CD:
https://www.jpc.de/jpcng/cpo/detail/-/art/August-Klughardt-1847-1902-Symphonie-Nr-5/hnum/4916778
(Despite the link indicating 'Symphony No.5', it does take us to Symphony No.4!)

[John Boyer]

No apologies necessary; it's my favorite of his works, too. 

[Alan Howe]

Thanks, John - good to know.

[Gareth Vaughan]

Agreed. A very fine symphony IMHO.