Small treasures?

[Ilja]

If I were to name my favourite orchestral pieces, many of them wouldn't be this symphony or that concerto, but rather the smaller and shorter pieces that rarely get noticed. For instance, the overture to Die Sieben Raben is by far my favourite Rheinberger, no larger work by Dopper matches either of the two Paeans for sheer power and the E flat major overture is about the only Furtwängler I play really regularly. In other cases, those smaller pieces offer you a glimpse into what must have been a much more substantial oeuvre, such as with Christian Horneman's Aladdin Overture.

Maybe it's the necessity to push all their inspiration in a relative brief stretch of time, the lack of pressure to build something monumental such as a symphony, or the relative freedom of form, but often those smaller pieces bring out the best in a composer.

What 'gem' would you be able to recommend?

[chill319]

I always delight in Reznicek's Eine Lustspielouvertüre. Poised halfway between Classicism and neo-Classicism, it uses both style and distanced style to great effect.

[Mark Thomas]

Julius Rietz' Concert Overture op.7 would be my pick. Only recorded once, by Jorge Mester and the Louisville orchestra on their own LP label as a filler for Bruch's Second Symphony, it has delighted me since the first day I heard it 35 or so years ago. It's even more Mendelssohnian than Mendelssohn at his sunniest, with a solemn opening section leading to a whirlwind fast section that always excites and brings a smile to my face. Definitely one for the desert island.

[Steve B]

I agree re the Rietz, Mark; got same LP. Was re-issued on RCA Gold Label(c/w Bruch Symphony 2).

I would add the Moscheles Concertante for flute oboe and orchestra, with its captivating, never forgotten tune.Steve

[eschiss1]

Julius Rietz' Concert Overture op.7 would be my pick. Only recorded once, by Jorge Mester and the Louisville orchestra on their own LP label as a filler for Bruch's Second Symphony, it has delighted me since the first day I heard it 35 or so years ago. It's even more Mendelssohnian than Mendelssohn at his sunniest, with a solemn opening section leading to a whirlwind fast section that always excites and brings a smile to my face. Definitely one for the desert island.

Though I wouldn't mind hearing how Rietz did manage the larger forms; there are three symphonies etc. and an early (op.1) string quartet. I've only seen the latter, and heard none of them. I have heard some concertante works but that's about it.

[M. Henriksen]

This could easily be a long list, but this time I'm being a bit selective and say that I enjoy Ippolitov-Ivanov's "Symphonic scherzo" Op. 2 very much for its beauty and tunes.

For sheer entertainment I would listen to Erland von Koch's "Nordic Capriccio" and Eivind Groven's "Hjalar-Ljod" Overture.

Morten

[Ilja]

With regard to Ippolitov, I'd also count his 'Day from the life of Schubert' among his best, even if half of it is, of course, Schubert.

Another composer who seems to do his best orchestral composing in smaller pieces is Smetana. Wallenstein's Camp, Hakon Jarl and Richard III are great (and certainly unsung), and the brutal Grand Overture (timpani!) is definitely a pleasure, if a guilty one.

[Mark Thomas]

I'd forgotten Smetana's Richard III, Ilja. What a great piece of characterisation: the opening theme sounds like a limping hunchback!

[thalbergmad]

I have a short attention span and anything approaching 30 minutes is too much for me, no matter how good the music.

Thankfully, the Czerny Variations on a Theme by Haydn is about 27 minutes and Concertstucks by Weber and Volkmann considerably less.

Thal

[Kriton]

Busoni's Berceuse élégiaque - try listening to that alone, in the dark...