A true rarity:
https://www.jpc.de/jpcng/classic/detail/-/art/claudio-monteverdi-warsaw-radio-symphony-orchestra-festspiel-sinfoniekonzert/hnum/10671907
Given the rest of the programme on the CD, I'd really like to know how long the Jenner fragments are before I commit. There's around 15-17 minutes available on the CD, which I guess would be enough to accommodate the two symphonic movements listed on the back of the CD.
I've ordered it, so I'll let you know...
Please do. Intriguing. (Unfortunately the only thing I see listed under the conductor Siegfried Heinrich @ Amazon Music is (a compilation containing) a recording I actually have - his Liszt Elisabeth Legend. Which is cut, I think, but otherwise really good.)
QuoteI'll let you know
Thanks, Alan - it's a fascinating prospect, though may be juvenilia as I see it's his Op.1..
The blurb at jpc says that this first recording was made in 1987 by the Polish Radio Symphony Orchestra of Warsaw conducted by Jan Pruszak (1931-1920), its chief conductor at the time.
The two movements (as per the details at jpc) are:
i. Adagio in B flat major
ii. Finale (Scherzo) in B flat minor
The work is referred to here (entry no.17 under Instrumental Music)...
https://www.uni-marburg.de/de/fb09/musikwissenschaft/hessisches-musikarchiv/dateien/kohleick-werkverzeichnis
...as 'Two Movements of an Unfinished Symphony: Adagio – Scherzo (Presto – Moderato), composed Marburg, 1912'.
Jenner's Op.1 comprises Four Songs, pub. Simrock (Berlin) in 1890.
right, his op.1: "No. 1. Nachts: ,,Der Westwind streichelt die Locken". No. 2. Noch einmal: ,,Noch einmal fällt in meinen Schoss". No. 3. Waisenkind: ,,Ich bin eine Rose". No. 4. Sonntag früh: ,,Am frühen Sonntagmorgen""
:) Obviously I should have checked my "Op.1" source!
Not to worry. The fact that this is a mature work makes it intriguing...
Quite.
Try tracks 2 and 3:
https://www.jpc.de/jpcng/classic/detail/-/art/claudio-monteverdi-warsaw-radio-symphony-orchestra-festspiel-sinfoniekonzert/hnum/10671907
Track 3 - Scherzo (Presto – Moderato) - begins like an undiscovered movement by Beethoven. It's extremely anachronistic for 1912!
This is fascinating. Thanks for the links. :)
This is far better than I had imagined! It is in essence a mini-symphony, with an unbelievably beautiful solemn Adagio (10:08) followed by a Scherzo/Finale (06:15) which starts like Beethoven (think 5th & 7th Symphonies), but continues in a somewhat 'stomping' Brucknerian fashion before segeuing into a lovely lyrical trio section.
OK - I'm going to say it: the slow movement is a masterpiece of the first rank and the work as a whole could be as popular as Schubert's Unfinished if it were played. I find the two movements deeply satisfying. Yes, it is anachronistic, but frankly - who cares?
The performance is wonderfully played and recorded in a suitably resonant acoustic.
That's a a very persuasive review, Alan, what a shame he didn't finish the Symphony. As far as the recording goes, it's not available to download, can't be bought in the UK and I really don't need the couplings, so I'll be giving it a miss.
Hrm. So this work is from right after his serenade in A major (1911-2), and between them are they his only symphonic music (one complete work and two basically complete movements?)