Friedrich Witt Symphonies.

[John H White]

I've just taken delivery of the newly issued Naxos CD of Friedrich Witt's orchestral works, comprising the well-known Jena Symphony in C, for many years attributed to the young Beethoven, an earlier symphony in A and a flute concerto in G. All these works are good examples of a sprightly  late 18th Century style, the Jena Symphony being particularly influenced  by some of Haydn's London symphonies. To me the 2nd subject of the Jena's 1st movement bears a striking resemblance to a theme from the slow movement of one of Beethoven's Rasoumovsky quartets, whilst a tune in the finale of the A major symphony sounds rather like a French revolutionary march.
  I've just noticed that MDG have 2 more of his later symphonies in their catalogue. I wonder if anyone on this Forum can tell me if the MDG CD is worth getting.

[giles.enders]

I have this disk and enjoyed it very much, the two symphonies are also coupled with a delightful flute concerto which I hadn't heard before.

[Hernen]

The disc is worth getting it. Unfortunatly almost no one seem to dare to record Witt's excelent early other symphonies from the 1790s. There's one fantastic in c minor, where the orchestral material is avaiable (and I've heard a performance of it by the kko which was brillant). Some others have been edited too. So hopefully some conducter and some label might take care of it some day.

[eschiss1]

BSB (Bavarian State Library) has put up online the full parts to two of his symphonies, no.2 in D and no. 4 in E-flat from (or anyway published in) the early 1800s, which I hope someone will consider editing into something more presentable to the modern orchestra player and preparing too a score for the conductor and student - they look worth a go, anyways. (They are so labeled- whether they are actually his 2nd and 4th symphonies, I have no clue.)
Eric

[John H White]

Many thanks for extra bits of information folks. I'd be very interested in contacting the Bavarian State Library on line if you could tell me how. I wonder if they have parts or scores for other Bavarian works on offer: I'm particularly interested Franz Lachner's symphonies.

[eschiss1]

Many thanks for extra bits of information folks. I'd be very interested in contacting the Bavarian State Library on line if you could tell me how. I wonder if they have parts or scores for other Bavarian works on offer: I'm particularly interested Franz Lachner's symphonies.

Search their scanned-in collection http://www.digital-collections.de/index.html?c=suchen&l=en

and their general, not scanned in or not yet scanned in collection can be found from links from there...
(they have - scanned-in - quite a few Lachner works but not yet, I think, any of his symphonies. Two of Jadassohn's, yes. You can print them out as PDFs using a button to the top right of the screen. I'd select a page range that avoids the color-page-heavy front and back covers )
Eric

[John H White]

Many thanks for those tips Eric. I'll have a go at that PDF business sometime.

[eschiss1]

Many thanks for those tips Eric. I'll have a go at that PDF business sometime.

Many of them are now also on IMSLP of course but not all. Best!