Zemlinsky Symphony in E minor

[Ilja]

Now that we're talking about Zemlinsky's early symphonies, can anyone shed light on the location and/or fate of the early E minor symphony (also described as E flat minor) of 1891? Wikipedia/IMSLP (same list, I believe) mention "two surviving movements only" but I can find no recording of this work.

[4candles]

I'm no expert in tracking down scores, but according to the catalogue of works at the Alexander Zemlinsky Foundation,  you are correct that only two movements seem to have survived (in the Library of Congress by the looks of it), but that there is some confusion over the musical material due to perhaps incorrect title details (if I'm reading it correctly)?

And it appears that no recording has been made, but that's my surmising after only a brief glance at things.

[Ilja]

From that document:

"[Symphony (no. 1) in E minor, movts. 2 and 3 only. Orchestration begun 25 April 1891;
compl. 26 May 1891. Incomplete. LoC 1/10] " - with the note "It was the wish of Louise Zemlinsky that the symphonies be referred to not by number but by key. The MS catalogued as third movement is an Allegretto in D major and has the character of a finale, i.e. title page and musical content have probably been confused with another, unidentified work."

That's a bit oblique, but apparently there are two fully scored movements, and at least a third one that may or may never have been written. The list refers to a guide published in 1980 by the Library of Congress: 

   
• Anon., Revised List of the Alexander von Zemlinsky Collection in The Library of Congress, Washington DC, 1980 [cyclostyled list].

The library's finding aid (link; PDF file) mentions both movements as nos. 3 and 4:

   
• BOX-FOLDER 2/1 REEL 2 Symphony in E minor, O 14. Movement 3, 1891 - Holograph score in ink and pencil. Also available on microfilm, Music-3260, reel 1, item 10
• BOX-FOLDER 2/1 REEL 2 Symphony in E minor, O 14. Movement 4, 1891 - Holograph score in ink and pencil. Note: "Instrumentation begonnen am 25. April 1891" on title page. Also available on microfilm, Music-3260, reel 1, item 10

The note above suggests that mvt. 3 is actually no. 4, but I've put in a request for those items, and we'll see once (or if) they arrive.

[Alan Howe]

Thanks, Ilja. Very interesting. I wonder whether Antony Beaumont has done any work on this?

[Ilja]

Unfortunately, I have to report that the LoC quoted me a positively eye-watering price for a digital version of the score. So that's out for now.