Emilie Mayer Symphonies 4 & 6

[Alan Howe]

...forthcoming from cpo, No.4 with reconstructed orchestration:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gb4gYM4r8og

[eschiss1]

Were there complaints about Malzew's reconstruction?

[Alan Howe]

Here's the explanation (translated), Eric:

New orchestration by Andreas Tarkmann
The Hanoverian composer Andreas Tarkmann, who has made a name for himself as an arranger of vocal and instrumental music, is responsible for the new orchestration of Symphony No. 4. Instead of an opulent Romantic orchestral sound with 21st century playing techniques, he chose the historically informed perspective - based on a thorough study of Emilie Mayer's compositional style and the performance tradition around 1850. The result is a completely different sound and invites an exciting comparison of the two versions.
https://www.ndr.de/kultur/sendungen/das_konzert/Verschollene-Partitur-rekonstruiert-Emilie-Mayers-4-Sinfonie,sendung1396452.html
Translated with DeepL.com (free version)

So: more HIP!

[Gareth Vaughan]

I don't detect any overtly HIP sounds in the extract on YouTube (which is probably all to the good!).

[Alan Howe]

I detect vibrato-free string playing...

[Alan Howe]

...but nothing objectionable, as Gareth suggests.

[Gareth Vaughan]

Agreed - but I can live with that up to a point. Although, I do agree with you (and, incidentally, Dave Hurwitz) that this nonsense about not using vibrato for HIP performances is, well, just that: utter nonsense. But if the rest of the performance is good, vibrant and faithful to the composer's intention, that's OK. However, we now at least have the opportunity to compare two differing accounts of the same work - and that may be revealing.

[Alan Howe]

Well put, Gareth. It's a must-buy anyway. No sign of it on websites I've checked, though - yet.

[Alan Howe]

CD now available from jpc:
https://www.jpc.de/jpcng/cpo/detail/-/art/emilie-mayer-symphonien-nr-5-6/hnum/11164979
(Please ignore web address 'nr-5-6'.)
Download from Presto:
https://www.prestomusic.com/classical/products/9766437--emilie-mayer-symphonies-4-6

[Alan Howe]

Judging by the audio excerpts this is a fine release of some highly attractive music, well worth seeking out.

[Alan Howe]

It's a fine release, no doubt, although I don't personally care much for the thin-sounding vibrato-free string playing, which is unnecessary in mid-19th century music, to my mind. However, at least the orchestra overall has a good, full sound, so one gets used to it.

It is interesting to compare, say, Mayer's 4th, which dates from 1851, with Hiller's Op.67 (1848, revised 1854/55). Mayer is not as adventurous rhythmically as Hiller and her music comes across as more serious, without that element of fun which Ilja so perceptively identified. Nevertheless, both composers are clearly working in the same symphonic trajectory, i.e. Beethoven>>Mendelssohn/Schumann. In neither is there any real sign of influence from the 'Neudeutsch' school of Liszt and Wagner. Passing resemblances are just that - passing.