Gouvy Symphonies vol.4 from cpo

[Alan Howe]

Straight onto my list goes this planned January release from cpo:
http://www.jpc.de/jpcng/cpo/detail/-/art/Louis-Theodore-Gouvy-1819-1898-Symphonien-Vol-4/hnum/4101963

[Mark Thomas]

How timely. This morning I've been emailed a discount voucher by jpc because I haven't been ordering enough from them!

[eschiss1]

Nice- one work (the Breve) I now have the score of (@IMSLP), one work (the D minor) I've heard but would like to hear another recording of (and would like to have the score - and movement headings - of/for...), and a third.  Thanks, cpo!

[FBerwald]

Not to put a damper on things... but I am a bit confused. Wiki mentions that Gouvy wrote 9 Symphonies. Here is the list I found online:

Symphony No. 1 in E♭ major, Op. 9
Symphony No. 2 in F major, Op. 12
Symphony No. 3 in C major, Op. 20
Symphony No. 4 in D minor, Op. 25
Symphony No. 5 in B♭ major, Op. 30
Symphony No. 6 [Symphonie brève] in G major, Op. 58
Symphony No. 7 in G minor, Op. 8 [recorded by CPO as No. 6]

In addition wiki mentions
    "a Symphony in B minor"
and imslp mentions
    "Op.34 - Symphony?"

Are these two the same? and Finally.. How many symphonies did Gouvy write - 8 or 9?

[Alan Howe]

Grove says:

Orch: 7 syms., 1846–92; Sinfonietta (c1886); Symphonische Paraphrasen (c1898); 2 concert ovs. (c1858); Hymne et marche triomphale

[eschiss1]

I may have written Op.34 etc. in there, and I think I remember why- I seem to recall mention of a symphony Op.34 by Gouvy (performed, probably, rather than published) in a contemporary journal. Should of course have noted the source, though. (RISM does not seem to help here- three works by Gouvy, none of them symphonies, unless they have them under a misspelling of his surname and forgot to rationalize, which would be rare for RISM as it is common for other sources.)

[Alan Howe]

Just try these wonderful-sounding excerpts:
http://www.jpc.de/jpcng/cpo/detail/-/art/Louis-Theodore-Gouvy-1819-1898-Symphonien-Vol-4/hnum/4101963

[Mark Thomas]

jpc emailed yesterday to say that my copy is on its way. 

[Alan Howe]

Funny - I had the same message...

[Richard Moss]

Following Alan's alert, in case any members are interested, I've just noticed that JPC are currently offering the first two (of the 4) volumes of Gouvy symphonies at 7.99 Euros each (plus P&P, I assume).

Cheers

Richard

[eschiss1]

No harm I guess in just asking- does anyone know the movement headings of that quite good D minor symphony? When someone has the CD, unless cpo really botches the job, I'm guessing the answer will be one does now, but perhaps someone does already...? Thanks!

[JimL]

I second Eric's question!

[Alan Howe]

Symphony No.4 in D minor, Op.25:
1. Allegro
2. Scherzo: Allegro vivace
3. Intermezzo: Larghetto
4. Finale: Allegro con brio

...is a fine work, full of melody as with all Gouvy's music. To my ears it looks forward to Raff in the bustle of its faster movements, its easy tunefulness, the lovely, clear orchestration and its relative (27 mins +) brevity. Of course, Gouvy 4 was written in 1856, so it predates Raff's symphonies, but I do think there is a certain similarity and, after all, the two men were virtually exact contemporaries. What Gouvy lacks is Raff's absorption of certain colouristic and harmonic tendencies which the latter took from the New German school; then there's the question of Raff's genius...
The CD reveals some very fine playing on the part of the Deutsche Radio Philharmonie Saarbrücken Kaiserslautern and some very incisive conducting from Jacques Mercier. They'd do Raff superbly... 

[JimL]

Finally!  Although now there's a question of whether or not my home computer picked up a virus or whether the internet was just temporarily down in my area.  I can only go online at work today.

[Alan Howe]

Finally! 

The CD only arrived today!