Reinthaler, Carl Martin (1822-1896)

[Reverie]

Symphony in D major, Op.12 (1863)


LINK: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hEr5JZFK4Qg


(Please feel free to add to this post giving some pertinent backround info etc.. (Alan  )

It's a solid, attractive work lasting about 40 mins - composed about 1863 so at a particularly  interesting time in symphonic history.

[eschiss1]

Born in Erfurt, organist in Magdeburg, friend of Brahms (and near-contemporary, in a way.) His oratorio and opera have been recorded, according to Wikipedia.

[Alan Howe]

Thanks so much for this - I've waited for years to hear Reinthaler's D major Symphony. I'm not sure what I can add, except that Chris Fifield mentions it favourably in his book while noting that it broke no new ground. Now to give it a listen...

[Alan Howe]

If I were to sum up the main strength of Reinthaler's Symphony I'd say that it lies more in the working-out of his ideas than in the ideas themselves, although this is emphatically not to downplay his achievement here, which I think is considerable. I'm tempted to say that this demonstrates his Beethovenian heritage, by which I mean that Ludwig's ideas are often pregnant with developmental possibilities and that Reinthaler certainly succeeds in emulating his great predecessor. Following the very impressive opening movement is an equally imposing slow movement which is characterised by real drama. The scherzo too is a dynamic movement with a nicely contrasting central section. After this the finale works up a truly magnificent head of steam, again demonstrating the composer's skill in developing his material. The triumphant closing bars are still ringing in my ears!

All in all, I'd say this is another great find from our intrepid excavator of musical gems, Reverie. Many, many thanks, Martin, for your dedication to the cause!

[Mark Thomas]

With the greatest of respect to Martin, his realisation demonstrates that this rather fine symphony is crying out for a live performance. As Alan implies, judging by his opera Das Käthchen von Heilbronn and oratorio Jephta & seine Tochter (both available from cpo) Reinthaler doesn't seem to have had a great melodic gift, but here he uses the opportunity for development offered by the scale of an expansive symphony to show that he could build from his modest material movements of real power and memorability. The impact of the work is quite remarkable - it's one of the finest symphonies into which Martin has breathed life. Once gain, we are in his debt.   

[Rainolf]

Thank you, Reverie, for making possible to hear Reinthaler's Symphony!

Reinthaler was foremost a composer of songs and choral music. There are only a few orchestral works alongside the symphony: a concert overture to Shakespeare's Othello, the overture to the opera Edda (the other opera Das Käthchen von Heilbronn only has a short prelude), and three pieces for wind orchestra (Andante, Triumphal march and Polonaise). Of these only the Edda Overture was published (the rest of the opera was not except a short choir piece).

Not long ago a very fine book on Reinthaler was published (in German language, with many pictures and a complete work list):

Arne Langer and Christian Kämpf: Carl Reinthaler. Zwischen Orgelempore und Orchestergraben, Bremen: Schünemann.

[Reverie]

Thanks for the feedback.

I think when you hear the slow introduction you know you're at the start of something imposing. I orchestrated that from the piano reduction intially so I know every breath of it.

(Then I got hold of the score and I'm pleased to say my arrangement wasn't that far off the original!)

He seems to have composed very little instrumental music so I wonder if this work took him many years to craft and perfect?

[Alan Howe]

Yes, he was over forty when it was published, so this is a truly mature composition. For me, the shadow of Beethoven hangs heavily over the work, but what Reinthaler does with his material shows him to be a worthy successor to the great LvB.

As far as a recording of the Symphony is concerned, if Bargiel's sole essay in the form (also clearly indebted to Beethoven) can attract two recordings, then there seems no good reason why Reinthaler's shouldn't be accorded the same attention.

[Alan Howe]

Just played this again. The finale's coda is still ringing in my ears!

[Alan Howe]

And again! Lesson: always put unfamiliar music on repeat!

[semloh]

this is another great find from our intrepid excavator of musical gems, Reverie. Many, many thanks, Martin, for your dedication to the cause!

Yes, indeed. Thank you, Reverie!

[Alan Howe]

For comparison purposes, here's Beethoven's Symphony No.2 in the same key, conducted by Barenboim: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bEiYmeeV6sI
A work of sublime genius, of course.

[Alan Howe]

Just listened again - the codas to the first movement and finale are both truly exciting. An unjustly neglected work just waiting to be recorded...