The only mention ever on this board(that I'm aware of) regarding Jean Louis Nicodé was Mark's wish for a recording of the Gloria Symphony.
It's interesting to consider the fate of Nicodé. Despite the spelling of his name, he was German. In 1894 J.A. Fuller Maitland published a book entitled Masters of German Music. In the final chapter, titled "New Paths (?)", he wrote:
The Great Germans have curiously often come in pairs, as Bach and Handel, Haydn and Mozart, Beethoven and Schubert, Schumann and Mendelssohn; but from the four men who alone seem worthy of serious consideration in the present day, it were hard to fix upon two, or even upon one, who is fit, or who gives promise of someday being fit, to assume the crown of music and hand down the glorious line of German supremacy to yet another generation.
The first in his list of contenders was Jean Louis Nicodé, who learnt a bit of violin from his father (an amateur violinist) and a bit of piano from a school friend, and eventually became the first professor of piano at the Dresden Conservatory. He left the position in a spat with the administration when he dared to program a two piano transcription of the Liszt Faust Symphony (prepared by Liszt himself).
He devoted himself to composition after that, and according to Maitland, in 1888, "one of his most important works was brought out and made a considerable stir in different parts of Germany."
The three other composers discussed by Maitland in the chapter are Richard Strauss, Hans Sommer and Cyrill Kistler.
Like Mark, I would love to hear the Gloria Symphony. All I have ever heard are an assortment of orchestral works (seven) all from the period before or contemporary with the symphony. And I can attest that they are exceptionally fine works, solidly in the romantic tradition without being terribly derivative.
As we know, Maitland missed it with his four contenders. The pair turned out to be Strauss and Mahler. But I would be wholely happy to hear the Gloria Symphony and some of his later works. And for that matter, I have yet to discover a single recording of his orchestral music released commercially. All of my recordings are from radio broadcasts.
But here is a teaser -- a piano piece called Ein Liebesleben (op. 22, no. 3)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=42WyBjud2XU (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=42WyBjud2XU)
If anyone knows of CDs of his music, please post.
Dear Nicodé admirers,
The booklet that Nicodé wrote himself about the Gloria symphony can be read at http://digital.slub-dresden.de/ppn304656844 (http://digital.slub-dresden.de/ppn304656844) (most interesting, with many music examples).
It would be lovely to have a recording!
Anders
Hi Amphissa,
I, too, have always had an interest in Nicode's music, especially the piano works, both solo and for 4 hands. I have scores of nearly all his instrumental works and have long considered a recording must surely appear sooner or later - but alas no, except for the 2nd Cello Sonata Op25, which appears on vol 17 from the "In Flanders Fields" series issued by the Belgian company Phaedra. Just why this work is included is not too clear - but at least it is a good performance, and as far as I am aware the only music of Nicode to have been commercially recorded!
Perhaps the best of J-LN's works which I have heard (in an off-air recording) is his Symphonic Variations, Op.27 (1885). It's a bit like Elgar's Enigma Variations, but without the real 'profile' of the latter. However, it is a thoroughly enjoyable piece, with a particularly beautiful central episode (the 9th and 10th variations), and is worthy of more than an occasional public performance (not that it gets even that, of course). I trust that cpo will be bringing out the German radio performances under that champion of the unsung, Werner Andreas Albert.
Here are the Nicodé orchestral works that I've managed to track down so far, in order by opus number. Conductors (and orchestras) vary -- Albert, Barth and Hanell. Although only 7 in number, some of them have several movements, so these 7 works would make two substantial CDs worth of music.
Introduktion & Scherzo, op 11 [1878] (Albert, NWDPO)
Italienische Volkstänze und Lieder, op 13#1 Tarantelle (Hanell, Berlin RSO)
Symphonische Suite, op 17 [1886] (Albert, NWDPO)
Faschingbilder, op 24 [1890] (Albert, NWDPO)
Symphonic Variations in C, op 27 [1885] (Barth, Stuttgart RO)
Bilder aus dem Süden, op 29 [1886] (Albert, NWDPO)
Zwei Stücke für Streichorchester, 2 Hoboen und 2 Hörner, op 32 [1890] (Albert, NWDPO)
But I'm wondering if there are works that were performed in other broadcasts that I might want to try to track down. Alan, if you know (or if any of you know) of other works of his that I've missed, please let me know.
Nicodé sounds really interesting, particularly in light of the fact that he was mentioned as a contender as one of the next "Masters" yet it's not a name I'm familiar with at all! This is what makes this forum so great. Here is a composer that was obviously highly thought of at one point, but the way that history played out, he was all but buried. Had he been born a littler earlier and not been eclipsed by Mahler and Strauss, would he not even be "unsung?"
Very interesting information.
Quote from: Martin Eastick on Wednesday 16 December 2009, 19:10
Hi Amphissa,
I, too, have always had an interest in Nicode's music, especially the piano works, both solo and for 4 hands. I have scores of nearly all his instrumental works and have long considered a recording must surely appear sooner or later - but alas no, except for the 2nd Cello Sonata Op25, which appears on vol 17 from the "In Flanders Fields" series issued by the Belgian company Phaedra. Just why this work is included is not too clear - but at least it is a good performance, and as far as I am aware the only music of Nicode to have been commercially recorded!
Hi Martin, No; its not the only music recorded by Nicode; "carnival Scenes"(for orchestra), c/w francaix's "Emperors New Clothes" is on an Urania LP that I own.
Steve Benson
I have a 2CD set of Nicodé's music which includes:-
Pictures from the South, Op.29
Carnival Pictures, Op.24
Zwei Stucke, Op.32
Introduction & Scherzo
Symphonic Suite, Op.17
Symphonic Variations, Op.27 and
Italian Songs, Op.11
recorded by the NW German Phil/Albert
The Berlin RSO/Haneil
and the Stuttgart RSO/Barth
Unfortunately I can't give any label details.
Presumably this is a home-made compilation? The NW German Phil/Albert are all German radio broadcasts which will eventually be issued by cpo I believe (and so I wouldn't want them uploaded here). The Barth performance of, I assume, the Symphonic Variations is an old radio recording.
Quote from: Mark Thomas on Sunday 17 July 2011, 08:14
Presumably this is a home-made compilation? The NW German Phil/Albert are all German radio broadcasts which will eventually be issued by cpo I believe (and so I wouldn't want them uploaded here).
Mark, the same applies to most of my Weismann uploads. Do you want me to delete the files?
A bit of a dilemma, this. Mark and I will have a chat about it...
Yes, it is a dilemma, but I think I was being too cautious and too hasty. You'll appreciate that, as owner of the site I am very concerned about copyright violation, but as the Nicode (and Weismann) recording were made from the radio there isn't a problem with making links to them available here. Please excuse the senior moment.
Did I miss a posting of some uploads of Nicode's works? That would be a great addition to the download section.....
Jerry
Mark, here is a list of the orchestral works that I have by Nicodé. These are all from radio broadcasts. With your permission, I will upload them for our members later this week.
Zwei Stücke für Streichorchester, 2 Hoboen und 2 Hörner op 32 [1890] (Albert, NWDPO)
Symphonische Suite op 17 [1886] (Albert, NWDPO)
Symphonic Variations in C op 27 [1885] (Barth, Stuttgart RO)
Introduktion & Scherzo op 11 [1878] (Albert, NWDPO)
Faschingbilder op 24 [1890] (Albert, NWDPO)
Bilder aus dem Süden op 29 [1886] (Albert, NWDPO)
Maria Stuart, symphonic poem, op. 4 [1880] (Albert, NWDPO)
Italienische Volkstänze und Lieder op.13. No.1 - Tarantelle (Hannell, Berlin RSO)
to the side, there is an interesting looking 87-page PDF about Nicodé's music at vonhausegger.com (Three by Nicode (http://vonhausegger.com/files/Three%20by%20Nicode.pdf), written by Don o'Connor about Nicodé's Gloria, Symphonic Variations and Das Meer.
Eric
Most of the W. A. Albert recordings were broadcast many years ago - they are probably ten years old. So, if cpo hasn't released them by now, who knows if they ever will...
Yes, Amphissa, please do upload the Nicodé. As it happens I have all these radio recordings myself and can certainly attest to the quality of Albert's interpretations. My copy of the Symphonic Variations under Barth is very muddy, so maybe yours will be an improvement. The Variations is, by the way, IMHO the strongest of the pieces.
Eric, Don o'Connor's treatise is a really worthwhile read and I do recommend it.
thanks, I've downloaded it and will go have a look soon. It's great (but incomprehensible) how these detailed, hours (as in months-to-years)-of-person-effort treatises and typeset editions and (a goodly long list of etc.) are made available for free over the internet... the doctoral dissertations online (many of them also fascinating and informative!) are made available I suppose not quite with the entire "free" consent of their authors but because they've handed over their rights, but so much also too...
sorry, sorry.
"carnival scenes" is on an old Urania Lp. Steve
Did you upload the Nicode works? I don't see them on the "Downloads" area.
Now available.
You left the files set to private. They are inaccessable.
I have successfully downloaded them. Thx amphissa. I notice the Carnival Scenes there too:)Steve
I am new here and lucky to find people interested in Nicodé.
I have recorded the Two Studies op12, the Variations op.18 and the Pianosonata op. 19
If you are interested, listen the Nicodé pieces on my site "klassik-resampled" (http://klassik-resampled.de/index.php?option=com_content&view=category&id=41&Itemid=94&lang=en):
I hope you like them.
best
fahl5
Belated response- there have been a couple of other recordings of Nicodé's music at least: an early 1960s LP with Gühl conducting the Großes Rundfunkorchester in the Bilder aus dem Süden; a more recent CD with a romance for violin and piano (this may be the disc earlier mentioned, as it also has one of his cello sonatas and a recording, for piano duet, of the same Bilder aus... Op.29 - Langebrück : Förderverein für Fremdenverkehr und Touristik Langebrück und Umgebung e.V., 2003); and an LP with Hilmar Weber conducting the Symphony Orchestra of Radio Leipzig in the Op.24 Faschingsbilder (Carnival Scenes).
Folks,
For Mark and anyone else interested, I've just come across this link to a 'world 1st' recording of the Nicode 'Gloria' Symphony. If this is old hat to members of this site, my apologies for the post.
http://klassik-resampled.de/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=854:jean-louis-nicode-gloria&catid=204&Itemid=587&lang=en (http://klassik-resampled.de/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=854:jean-louis-nicode-gloria&catid=204&Itemid=587&lang=en)
Cheers
Richard
Thanks, Richard. It isn't a performance as such, of course: it's a computer-generated rendition.
My apologies for not actually checking it - I was rushing on something else and didn't want to lose it in case I forgot to go back to it, so I posted 'in haste' ('post haste'??).
Is it TELSTAR (that dates me!!) quality or better - 2 hours is a long time to persevere if the synthesiser(s) aren't top-notch!? I'm currently listening to his other stuff posted here some time ago and that is all quite pleasant (but not memorable, methinks)
Cheers
Richard
Oh, I think it's pretty listenable - and for that we must be thankful.
Alan,
OK I'll try and give it a listen (but in small chunks!). As synthesisers get better and better, it will be interesting to see at what point they become acceptable to the average ear as 'orchestral'.
Certainly, if a score (unknown or otherwise) can be turned into something that we can actually listen to (e.g. as per some of the works on the 'Tchaikovsky Unknown' or 'Beethoven Unknown' sites), it at least gives us a sense of the music, particularly those of us not proficient at reading a score and immediately 'hearing' the expected orchestral sound.
Like some uploads of old scratchy LPs or broadcasts, if that's all we've got, then it's a lot better than having nothing. There's nothing wrong with wanting 'better' but equally there's nothing wrong with 'if that's all we've got I'll take it'.
Cheers
Richard
Hi all,
I'm resurrecting a very old thread here, and hope no one minds. But the recordings that are spoken of above have never been released by cpo, and I wondered whether someone might know a bit more about them and/or their fate.
Also, I stumbled across the digital performances of two of Nicodé's most prestigious works by Steffen Fahl:
- Gloria! Ein Sturm- und Sonnenlied, Symphonie in einem Satze für Grosses Orchester, Orgel und (Schluss-)Chor (1903)
- Das Meer, Symphony-Ode after Karl Woermann (1888)
They can be found (and heard) here (http://www.klassik-resampled.de/index.php/en/home/composers/n/nicode-jean-louis/orchestral-music). They are more listenable than I anticipated, and will probably be the only way we can enjoy these works for some time to come, anyway.
Such a pity! Thinking that I had proposed this composer to Marco Polo (without success) already around 1990!
Even now _very_ little by him seems to have been commercially recorded, though. Will have to keep a lookout for any changes :)
With reference to Nicodé's piano music, I have a more than a little suspicion that something will be happening in the not-too-distant future on the recording front!
What did he write, Martin? Anything major in his later maturity?
Looking up stuff on Worldcat I see a late (late-published?) set of 6 Aphorisms in addition to somewhat more minor-looking things (judging only from title) published later in his life...
Nicodé's output overall is not particularly prolific, but then that is perhaps hardly surprising considering the magnitude of his substantial orchestral/choral works! I do have all the piano music, which is currently on loan, and would say that apart from the Sonata Op19 and Variations Op18, the most substantial and certainly worthy of performance etc., would be the 6 Phantasiestücke Op6 entitled "Andenken an Robert Schumann", and also the 2 Charakterstücke Op9. Apart from works of lesser stature, which are nevertheless still worthy of attention, there is a Polonaise Op5.
I cannot at this moment say what the final choice may be, but suffice to say I'm sure will be a welcome addition if all goes according to plan! It would also be a good idea to have BOTH cello sonatas performed and recorded - certainly the Phaedra CD of the Op25 G major sonata whets the appetite to hear the earlier work as well!
Personally I have not found Nicodé's earlier music all that individual; it's his later (orchestral/choral) works that interest me, but I wonder whether we'll ever get to hear them recorded (as opposed to electronically rendered).
I should add, though, that I'd buy any CD with music of his!
hi everyone
Nicodé's second cello sonata in G major has been recorded in the '90s by Belgian pianist Jozef de Beenhouwer and Dutch cellist Marien Van Staalen, on the Phaedra label. Interesting work, very lyrical and well written for both instruments. The CD also includes the world premiere recording of August de Boeck's cello sonata (discovered by the pianist on the recording).
It's a nice piece - but nothing really special, in my view. As I've said before, it's his late works that really interest me.
I listened to the Gloria! last week, and I must say that, if I were to hear it performed by a real orchestra in concert, it is one of my favourite symphonies.
My favourite passage is what sounds like a waltz, around 17 minutes into the 3rd movement.