Wilhelm Petersen Symphony No.3

[Mark Thomas]

Yes, I thought of Furtwängler whilst listening to the Petersen works.

[John Boyer]

Yes, I thought of Furtwängler whilst listening to the Petersen works.

Well!  That can certainly be taken two ways! 

But in the spirit of adventure I have already ordered the recording without having first heard a note, as well as a disk of his chamber music. I don't mind if it turns out to be a strike.   The cost of the recordings are far less than concerts, which, good or bad, are a one time experiences. With a recording, a failure is no worse than a dull concert, while a success is a lifelong friend to whom you can return again and again.

[Mark Thomas]

Well!  That can certainly be taken two ways!

You might very well think that, I couldn't possibly comment; but in the same spirit I'll certainly download the recording once it's available as it probably presents Petersen in the best possible light. 

[eschiss1]

I would take it as a recommendation myself, as a fan of Furtwängler's 2nd and 3rd symphonies (especially his 2nd, at least in a really, really good performance) and some of his chamber music, but I agree it may not have been so meant

[John Boyer]

I listened to it today (the Third). Much closer to Schmidt than Furtwangler.  Whatever the defects of the Fourth, the Third is an attractive work.   Nice sound, too.

[Mark Thomas]

It's a great recording but I'm afraid that I found the music a bore.

[Alan Howe]

My CD's on its way from jpc...

[John Boyer]

My CD's on its way from jpc...

I will be interested to read your opinion of it.  I also ordered the 2-disc set of the chamber music.  If I enjoy it, I'll post my findings in a separate thread. 

[Alan Howe]

This is a very late-Romantic symphony and I can understand those who might get somewhat impatient with it. Personally, I think it's an outright masterpiece; the best I can do to describe it is to evoke the scale and progress of a Bruckner symphony married to a post-Straussian/Schmidtian chromatic, highly contrapuntal language.

This'll be one of my discoveries of the year, I've no doubt. The performance by the Frankfurt Radio Symphony Orchestra under Constantin Trinks is radiant and the audio quality sonorous, yet well-defined. The playing has a sort of inner glow which is just right for this repertoire. Wonderful strings!

[John Boyer]

...the scale and progress of a Bruckner symphony married to a post-Straussian/Schmidtian chromatic, highly contrapuntal language.

That describes it exactly. I'm so glad you liked it.

BTW, the violin sonatas sound very promising. 

[Alan Howe]

Thanks, John. Wonder how the critics will react to the symphony?

[eschiss1]

Should be interesting. Musicweb has reviewed one earlier Petersen recording, I think, of his Lieder, and Rob Barnett's opinion in that July 2003 review was fairly positive.
I try not to think too hard about the fact that that will soon have been 20 years ago.

[Mark Thomas]

I listened again to the Symphony and it does indeed have many attractive passages, but I'm afraid that my musical attention span just doesn't stretch far enough. My loss, I'm sure.

[Alan Howe]

We're all different, Mark - it's as simple as that. If it's not to your taste, it's no loss. And I understand completely how listeners might be rather impatient with such a monster three-movement symphony.

[John Boyer]

We're all different, Mark - it's as simple as that.

Well said, Alan! You know, Mark, It took me years to come to terms with Raff's Third Symphony, yet most immediately rank it near or at the top of his symphonic output. I have never understood Bruckner and probably never will, yet he has the attention of our greatest conductors. And I still get riled at all the professional reviewers who just don't get Schumann. So, not everything is for everybody and that's OK, as we Americans say.

I listened to the Third again last night and keep finding more and more  about it that I like.  This, along with the Klughardt symphonies, is my favorite discovery in quite some time.  Perhaps if you gave the violin music a try?