Sorry but a slightly alternative view of the performance, from my perspective, at least.
An incredibly rare opportunity to hear the Austrian composer, Joseph Marx's immense 1921 work. In fact, so rare that it was its first UK performance and the only recording of which I am aware is the (incomplete?) live 2008 one by the American Symphony Orchestra, conducted by Leon Botstein.
It's a complex work, apparently classed as from the school of 'romantic impressionism'. It reminds me, in parts, of Franz Schmidt, Richard Strauss and Korngold, although other reviewers make comparisons with Zemlinsky, von Hausseger and even Mahler and Vaughan Williams. Whilst there may be some similarities, the overall work is unique, at least in terms of anything else that I have heard.
As its title suggests, it provides a 'huge, sumptuous musical panorama of the world in autumn, written for an enormous orchestra, and bathed in radiant colours and lush romantic melodies'. The structure of the piece is unusual in terms of 'superimposing yearning melodies and bi-tonal effects, and by unexpectedly changing keys'.
Like many of these nature symphonies, the logistics of performing such works is challenging, due to the size of the orchestra required, particularly within the percussion, horn and woodwind sections. As a live experience, however, it is breathtaking and the sole recording pales in comparison. The Chausson and Respighi performances also sounded far superior to the recordings that I had listened to, prior to attending, the soloist, orchestra and conductor translating the somewhat turgid experience of the recordings into bright, stimulating and uplifting performances.
Whilst the performance of Marx's symphony was not flawless, inevitable I suppose, given its complexity and the fact that none of the musicians will have had previous experience of performing it, the overall experience was magnificent. Vladimir Jurowski and the London Philharmonic management deserve enormous credit for having brought it to these shores for the first time. Hopefully, we won't need to wait another century, before hearing it performed here again.
I drove down to London and back, from the North of England, a nine hour drive, in total, so it was a long day. I am happy to report, however, that it was well worth it. Bravo to Maestro Jurowski and the LPO!
An incredibly rare opportunity to hear the Austrian composer, Joseph Marx's immense 1921 work. In fact, so rare that it was its first UK performance and the only recording of which I am aware is the (incomplete?) live 2008 one by the American Symphony Orchestra, conducted by Leon Botstein.
It's a complex work, apparently classed as from the school of 'romantic impressionism'. It reminds me, in parts, of Franz Schmidt, Richard Strauss and Korngold, although other reviewers make comparisons with Zemlinsky, von Hausseger and even Mahler and Vaughan Williams. Whilst there may be some similarities, the overall work is unique, at least in terms of anything else that I have heard.
As its title suggests, it provides a 'huge, sumptuous musical panorama of the world in autumn, written for an enormous orchestra, and bathed in radiant colours and lush romantic melodies'. The structure of the piece is unusual in terms of 'superimposing yearning melodies and bi-tonal effects, and by unexpectedly changing keys'.
Like many of these nature symphonies, the logistics of performing such works is challenging, due to the size of the orchestra required, particularly within the percussion, horn and woodwind sections. As a live experience, however, it is breathtaking and the sole recording pales in comparison. The Chausson and Respighi performances also sounded far superior to the recordings that I had listened to, prior to attending, the soloist, orchestra and conductor translating the somewhat turgid experience of the recordings into bright, stimulating and uplifting performances.
Whilst the performance of Marx's symphony was not flawless, inevitable I suppose, given its complexity and the fact that none of the musicians will have had previous experience of performing it, the overall experience was magnificent. Vladimir Jurowski and the London Philharmonic management deserve enormous credit for having brought it to these shores for the first time. Hopefully, we won't need to wait another century, before hearing it performed here again.
I drove down to London and back, from the North of England, a nine hour drive, in total, so it was a long day. I am happy to report, however, that it was well worth it. Bravo to Maestro Jurowski and the LPO!