Gouvy Symphonies vol.4 from cpo

[Peter1953]

Vol.4 gave me (just like the other 3) a pleasant listening hour. In his slow movements Gouvy is at his best. But like so many other less known composers, after listening I cannot remember any tune. I know, it's me. I wonder how his chamber music is like. Perhaps more surprising?

[eschiss1]

several of his chamber works have been recorded, and two of them (the first string quartet and the Petite suite gauloise) can be heard @ IMSLP; don't know if that helps.

Based on my experience anyway (based on how I experience and don't experience music...) I sometimes wonder if it really might have been true that earlier audiences, for all their foibles and negatives, mightn't really have had longer attention spans speaking very generally...

[Peter1953]

Thanks, Eric. I think the announced Piano Trios 2, 3 & 4 are worthwhile.

[eschiss1]

Reports seem to conflict as to whether they are announced or already available but in any case I agree. I've heard the Orfeo recording on the radio I think, or part of it at least, and look forward to hearing trio 4 and a new recording of trios 2 and 3 (whether on the radio or, well, one these days I'll get an iTunes- or Amazon-download account, maybe sooner. )

[FBerwald]

Here are the rest of what I could find.

[FBerwald]

I found these on the Facebook page of the Institut Théodore Gouvy

[Mark Thomas]

Thanks so much. Greatly appreciated.

[Alan Howe]

For once I'm parting company from Mark over the music on this CD: as I hinted before, to my ears the Fantaisie Symphonique clearly represents a development over the composer's earlier style. The music is more heavily scored (especially for brass) and the range of expression seems to me considerably wider. Not that this is anything more than music of its time (1879), but I do think there is some evidence of progression in Gouvy's music (all within a pretty conservative context, of course). 

[eschiss1]

Well, if it weren't, it would be outside the ambit of this forum

[Alan Howe]

I meant that Gouvy's music shows progression within a basically conservative compositional style; he was never a progressive as such...

[eschiss1]

Understood -
btw all those new editions from the Gouvy Institute are promising; I hope they have reason to believe that they can secure performances and recordings for these works (if perhaps with some written / word of mouth help.) I am getting to like this music. (I recall Berlioz was one of his fans too, so I suppose I'm in good company.)

[JimL]

I'm rather disappointed that there don't seem to be any concertante works in his oeuvre. 

[Mark Thomas]

Why?

[eschiss1]

There are at least two, I think?
*Fantasie Pastorale for violin and orchestra
*Tragic March for organ and orchestra