Moszkowski Orchestral Music vol.2 from Toccata

[Alan Howe]

Forthcoming from Toccata Classics, vol.2 contains:

Overture in D major (1871–72)
Suite No.1, Op.39 (1885)

Performers: Sinfonia Varsovia; Ian Hobson, conductor

[Mark Thomas]

What welcome news! Judging by Tpaloj's realisation of the overture it lasts around 12 minutes, so the Suite must be a substantial work if the CD contains just these two pieces.

[Gareth Vaughan]

The suite has 5 movements but, according to Fleisher, lasts 30 mins, so I feel sure there will be something else on this CD.

[Alan Howe]

IMSLP has the score as consisting of 203 pages - any thoughts?

[Gareth Vaughan]

The Fleisher timing may, of course, be only an estimate and not based on an actual performance. It won't be the first time their timings have been inaccurate. All the same, 50+ minutes (which is what it would need to be if Toccata were to give us one of their customarily decently-filled disks) is a long time for a suite.
The movements of the Premiere Suite are:
I. Allegro molto e brioso
II. Allegretto giojoso
III. Tema con [VIII] variazioni
IV. Intermezzo
V. Perpetuum mobile.
I'd better look at the score before speculating further.

[Martin Eastick]

I am not sure at present what the actual timings are for the 1st Suite, but the 2nd will be just a tad under 50 minutes to the best of my knowledge! Neither am I exactly certain as to the final contents of volume 2, but I was under the impression that the Prelude & Fugue for string orchestra (Op85) was intended for the completion of the finished article!

[Alan Howe]

IMSLP has Suite No.2 as 163 pages...

[Martin Eastick]

Please forgive the above error! Suite No2 plays for almost exactly 40 minutes!

[Gareth Vaughan]

Thank you, Martin. Well, it looks as though Suite No. 1 is likely 45 to maybe 50 minutes after all. If the Prelude & Fugue for strings is added we will have a very well-filled disk - and one I most certainly eagerly look forward to.

[Gareth Vaughan]

Looking at Toccata's Pipeline today, I see that the contents of Moszkowski's Orchestral Music, vol. 2, have been changed. No longer the Overture and Suite No. 1, but instead Suites 2 & 3. I am not complaining, just interested to know why the change.

[Martin Eastick]

I can certainly confirm the contents of volume 2 as listed on the Toccata website - and I'm sure nobody will be disappointed with the finished product, which I understand will be available as a September release! I also understand that the 3rd volume will consist of the Suite No1 Op39, the early Overture, and the Prelude & Fugue for string orchestra Op85, and the reason for the change in order is due to the fact that recording schedules had to be amended somewhat and I think that not everything has been completed yet re these three works.

[Mark Thomas]

Thanks for the update, Martin, and thanks for prompting it, Gareth.

[Gareth Vaughan]

Browsing the Fleisher holdings for Moszkowski,  I notice they have the ms score and ms parts for a piece I had never heard of: "The Dance" for women's voices and orchestra (it does not appear in any list of the composer's works that I have seen). Only the orchestral parts are held, no vocal parts. So the only copy of these is in the ms full score, which is described as "old and worn". An online search has so far failed to find a printed copy in any other libraries, not that my searches to date have been other than fairly superficial. Given the poor state of the ms at Fleisher it strikes me it would be a good idea for someone to make a copy before we lose the vocal parts altogether. Perhaps it could then be included in Toccata's series of the composer's orchestral works.

[Sharkkb8]

On Toccata's "pipeline" page (and following on the well-received Johanna d'Arco recording of last year....)

https://toccataclassics.com/pipeline/

MORITZ MOSZKOWSKI: ORCHESTRAL MUSIC, VOLUME TWO

Suite No. 2, Op. 47 (1890)
Suite No. 3, Op. 79 (1908)

Sinfonia Varsovia
Ian Hobson, conductor

First recordings

TOCC0557

[Ilja]

The "Pipeline" page mentions Suite 2&3 as "Volume Two" though; I can't find a trace of Vol. 2 Mk. 1 (Suite 1 + Overture) on the site.

And not wishing to complain in ANY way, but one wonders if and when they'll get to he D minor symphony...