Unsung Composers

The Music => Recordings & Broadcasts => Topic started by: Alan Howe on Thursday 12 April 2018, 22:19

Title: Leopold van der Pals (1884-1966) Symphony No.1
Post by: Alan Howe on Thursday 12 April 2018, 22:19
...in F sharp minor, Op.4 (first performed 1909), plus 3 symphonic poems:
https://www.jpc.de/jpcng/cpo/detail/-/art/leopold-van-der-pals-orchesterwerke/hnum/6100120 (https://www.jpc.de/jpcng/cpo/detail/-/art/leopold-van-der-pals-orchesterwerke/hnum/6100120)

Now here's a really unsung composer! More information here:
http://www.leopold.vanderpals.com/index.html (http://www.leopold.vanderpals.com/index.html)
Title: Re: Leopold van der Pals (1884-1966) Symphony No.1
Post by: eschiss1 on Thursday 12 April 2018, 23:37
Gilse van der Pals' Concertpiece Op.10 (copyright 1912) for violin and orchestra might be interesting too.
Title: Re: Leopold van der Pals (1884-1966) Symphony No.1
Post by: Mark Thomas on Friday 13 April 2018, 08:21
I shall await the audio excerpts with interest...
Title: Re: Leopold van der Pals (1884-1966) Symphony No.1
Post by: Mark Thomas on Friday 13 April 2018, 14:02
... although I don't hear much of interest in the recording of a rehearsal of the Symphony No.3 (http://www.unsungcomposers.com/forum/index.php/topic,6819.msg72120.html) just posted by jimsemadeni in the Downloads board.
Title: Re: Leopold van der Pals (1884-1966) Symphony No.1
Post by: Alan Howe on Friday 13 April 2018, 15:57
As far as UC is concerned, I think we're only going to be interested in the composer's early works.
Title: Re: Leopold van der Pals (1884-1966) Symphony No.1
Post by: eschiss1 on Friday 13 April 2018, 16:13
depends, doesn't it...
Title: Re: Leopold van der Pals (1884-1966) Symphony No.1
Post by: Alan Howe on Thursday 24 May 2018, 22:20
Excerpts are now available at jpc. Nothing at all to frighten the late-romantic horses here.
Title: Re: Leopold van der Pals (1884-1966) Symphony No.1
Post by: Ilja on Thursday 24 May 2018, 22:42
To be honest, the symphonic poems appear to be the more interesting parts of this disc - particularly Wieland der Schmied, an apparently interesting subject at the time (Hausegger, Kubizek, even Hitler).
Title: Re: Leopold van der Pals (1884-1966) Symphony No.1
Post by: Mark Thomas on Friday 25 May 2018, 08:07
You may be correct, Ilja, but only a purchase will prove you right! So, I'm now all the poorer this morning...
Title: Re: Leopold van der Pals (1884-1966) Symphony No.1
Post by: Alan Howe on Saturday 26 May 2018, 17:23
The 37-minute long Symphony is pretty standard late-romantic fare. Not very strong in personality, but thoroughly enjoyable nevertheless. One interesting trait is its tendency to begin rather gently, only to expand into really impressive and emotional climaxes. I was expecting something more along the lines of Scriabin overall, but the sort of hysteria associated with that composer is only fitfully present.

Nobody is going to regret buying this, but again don't expect a revelation!
Title: Re: Leopold van der Pals (1884-1966) Symphony No.1
Post by: Alan Howe on Saturday 26 May 2018, 17:34
...from a brief audition, the symphonic poems sound much less 'buttoned up'. This is where the real interest of this CD lies...

Comparisons? Bantock, perhaps?
Title: Re: Leopold van der Pals (1884-1966) Symphony No.1
Post by: Mark Thomas on Wednesday 18 July 2018, 22:45
I've just given the Symphony a second listen in the hope of finding something interesting, but it again failed to rouse any enthusiasm in me. Dull, dull, dull... I do hope that Ilja and Alan are correct and the two symphonic poems have more to them.