Unicorn-Kanchana (Raff 5 'Lenore')

[Mark Thomas]

There's no doubt about it in my view, Raff benefits from a certain briskness and there's plenty of contemporary evidence  attesting to that being the way his music was played in the 19th century. His great friend the conductor Hans von Bülow said "with Raff everything goes quickly". Overall, amongst commercial recordings I think that Järvi comes closest to Raff's intentions for Lenore but there's a definite lack of flexibility when he employs faster tempi which does mean that, to take an obvious example, the very opening of the piece is taken too fast, with the result that it sounds, as Alan writes, "smudged". He also misjudges the "apotheosis" at end of the finale and rather throws it away.

Are there any non-commercial recordings/performances that have done Symphony No. 5 some justice?

There's a 2022 performance on YouTube by the Zentralschweizer Jugendsinfonieorchester under Jonas Bürgin which, although it's certainly not without its deficiencies, gets the tempi pretty much right throughout. It certainly conveys the feeling of a fevered dream, which is the basis of the original Lenore ballad from which Raff took his inspiration, whilst remaining thoroughly musical and often exciting throughout.

[Alan Howe]

Yes, the performance Mark refers to seems to be positioned somewhere between Jarvi and Stadlmair - pretty well ideal, I'd say. In fact, if pushed, I'd point to this performance as the one to listen to - for conception if not for execution (this is, after all, a Youth Orchestra).

We just need a few more enlightened modern commercial recordings...

[semloh]

These exchanges are so informative - thank you. My rahter clicky Herrmann LP, and its Nonesuch CD version, have been long cherished, and I haven't taken time to explore the other performances. I'll start by listening to the Zentralschweizer Jugendsinfonieorchester on YT - thank you for the link and the appraisal.
Can anyone explain the "Op.101" title?

[John Boyer]

Can anyone explain the "Op.101" title?

The Tudor recording of Lenore is coupled with the First Suite, Op. 101. Whoever did the YouTube post probably copied the opus number incorrectly from that Tudor release.

[Mark Thomas]

Quality sleuthing, John.

[semloh]

Yes, thanks John.

[Alan Howe]

Listening again to the performance on YouTube by the Zentralschweizer Jugendsinfonieorchester
under Jonas Bürgin which comes in at around 44 minutes - I'd say it was pretty well ideal. Here's the link again for reference: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0NZkQeTqveY