Andreas Henkel (1805-71)

[eschiss1]

RISM and some other sources list some really fairly obscure Romantics some of whose scores one can find preserved in libraries - e.g. Francesco Ghin (poss. 1857-1904, some symphonies in Rome and at SB Berlin, I think) and (French/German?) Georg Andreas (Georges-André) Henkel (a big symphony op.20 in full score at SBB, reuploaded at IMSLP). No idea what they sound like- even less for the former, though at least the RISM entry has incipits and hopefully SBB will scan in the scores of their holdings of his works at some point, and with the Henkel, one can read through the score with some work. (According to Rhoen.info, he and composer Heinrich Henkel (1822-99) were brothers.)

Only Henkel's opus 6 Wallenstein overture seems really to show up in library catalogs today, I think.

[tpaloj]

I'm very happy to make a surprise announcement for this thread, regarding Andreas Henkel's Symphony. For the first time, this entire gargantuan piece can now be listened with a Noteperformer recording! The ambition and musicianship showcased in this five-movement Symphony is extraordinary, even if much of this violent and restless music brings to mind images of cavalry charging into a battlefield and the like...

https://youtu.be/FbUJGs9LEsc

Timestamps for each movement can be found in the video's description. The Bistum Fulda site bewilderingly cites this Symphony lasting for an hour in performance, but in truth it's closer to around 35 minutes. None of the individual movements are very long, and Henkel's marked tempi are fast overall.

I do wish I had the opportunity to study the manuscript parts, which are archived but not digitized. It would go a long way in proofing some trouble spots which I recognize probably having made best guess transcription errors here and there (the manuscript can be hard to follow sometimes, besides thanks to its unusual inverted order of winds & brass and accidentals counting for all pitches within a measure etc).

Without a doubt, an actual recording or concert of this Symphony would be a glorious marathon effort to witness. Let me know what you think!

[Alan Howe]

Thanks for this. The score's at IMSLP: https://imslp.org/wiki/Symphony%2C_Op.20_(Henkel%2C_Andreas)

The date given is '1858 or earlier'.

[Alan Howe]

I thought I'd resurrect this thread as I feel the Symphony deserves further consideration. More in due course...

[Alan Howe]

The opening movement sounds like Beethoven on steroids, if that's possible. It's tremendously exciting, if more than a little relentless. The remainder goes on in much the same vein, a bit like Lachner or Fétis, perhaps.

Overall I'd say that things were moving in a more advanced direction even among the more traditionally-minded composers of symphonies in this period, e.g. Dietrich, Grimm, Volkmann, etc.

By the way, the bistum-fulda.de website states that the Symphony has six movements, which I'm assuming is an error - perhaps because of the Andante section at the end of the 4th movement.

[tpaloj]

It's a very worthwhile and exciting symphony. It's too bad I didn't know how to attach a scrolling score into the video when I made it in 2020, but you can follow the full score on IMSLP 

Yes the bistum fulda is not the best source with its description of this work. I don't think the brief Andante counts as an independent movement.

This symphony was, I think, performed some years ago - a conductor in Germany inquired with me about the score and parts and I typeset them for her. To my regret I forgot to inquire later how the performance went. I don't believe it was recorded, though.

[Alan Howe]

Can you tell us who the conductor was? Perhaps we can find out more...

[Wheesht]

I think I have found the concert in question here, the conductor was Karin Hendel.

[tpaloj]

Yes, that's it, Wheesht 

[Alan Howe]

I have emailed the orchestra, so we'll see what transpires...

[Richard Moss]

There have been (IIRC) many occasions when members have noted a relatively recent (say post-WWII) - and only! - performance of an obscure or otherwise 'unknown' work and which, for reasons I cannot fathom, went unrecorded and the score for which was not preserved (or at least its whereabouts remain unknown).  Surely the 'hand of history' must have gently touched the shoulder of someone involved in the production of that performance at that time to try and preserve that performance for posterity.  Even if a full professional recording was not possible for either technical or financial reasons (perfectly understandable), at least an amateur version would have been better than nothing.

This seems to happen so often but I cannot fathom why! (like the incident reported here some years ago when a famous north London music shop was reported as having chucked thousands of original and irreplaceable scores in a skip!!!)

As a complete outsider to concert arrangements, I may be missing something.

Anyway, let's hope Alan's enquiry can yield some helpful results

Cheers

Richard

[Alan Howe]

I'm afraid the news is that the plan to make a recording of the Symphony failed because the sound engineer involved was ill at the last moment. What a shame!