Chausson Symphony

[Alan Howe]

Now this is something I'd like to hear more of: Chausson's Symphony in B flat, played by the Berlin Philharmonic under Tugan Sokhiev:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7LcflGmToZg    (teaser)

[der79sebas]

Unfortunately, Sokhiev is possibly the worst of all living conductors...

[Ilja]

You'll need to qualify that statement.

[jdperdrix]

Just watched the youtube teaser. I'd listened to Chausson many times but I'd never realized that the call of the trombones at 1:55 then 2:06 (teaser timings) is identical to the theme of Dvorak's 9th finale. Is it a coincidence ? Chausson's is from 1890 and Dvorak's from 1893...

[Alan Howe]

No idea, sorry. Probably a coincidence.

The point I was trying to make was that it's good to have the Berlin Philharmonic in this music - something we're used to in, say, Bruckner or Mahler. Let's not get hung up on the conductor, please.

[Ilja]

Agreed. I just got irked by the lack of argument. 

It's good that top-flight orchestras take up this repertoire and contrary what we concluded about Franck's symphony, Chausson's seems to retain a more solid presence in concert halls. Also, the Poème de l'amour et de la mer is played by both the Berlin and Vienna Phil in the coming month, and there are regular performances of the Poème for violin and orchestra.

[Alan Howe]

I don't blame you, Ilja. Opinions, however expressed, should always be backed up with reasons. I thought we'd established that principle years ago...

[eschiss1]

The Chausson and Dukas (to select another Franck-adjacent-ish) symphonies both are doing not badly in recent recordings (and recording companies think reissuing older recordings of them is a good idea as well) even if the last public performance of the Dukas I seem to be able to track down (offhand) is the American Symphony Orchestra, in 2007...

[Alan Howe]

The Chausson and Dukas (to select another Franck-adjacent-ish) symphonies both are doing not badly in recent recordings (and recording companies think reissuing older recordings of them is a good idea as well)

True - but in comparison to the attention being given to Bruckner and Mahler it's no contest, I'm afraid.