Cipriani Potter

[albion]

Numbering of the Symphonies:

There are currently nine surviving symphonies by Cipriani Potter (1792-1871), although the numbering of them is very confusing. The following list gives a basic chronological number (on the left), together with an alternative numbering often employed.

[No.1] G minor (1819, revised 1824/6) - referred to as No.1
[No.2] B flat major (1821, revised 1839) - referred to as No.2
[No.3] C minor (1826) - alternatively No.6
[No.4] F major (1826) - alternatively No.7
[No.5] E flat major (1828, revised 1846) - alternatively No.8
[No.6] G minor (1832) - alternatively No.10
[No.7] D major (1833) - alternatively No.11
[No.8] C minor (1834) - alternatively No. 12
[No.9] D major (1834) - alternatively No.14 or 15

The discrepancies in numbering are based on an acknowledgement that several intervening symphonies are now unfortunately 'missing', presumed lost (for example, three alleged lost works are presumed to intervene between the 1821 B flat major and the 1826 C minor Symphonies).

To compound confusion, Potter was apt to give his symphonies numberings such as 'D no.2' or 'D no.4', leading some scholars to assume that there must have originally been two other symphonies in D (i.e. 'D no.1' and 'D no.3'). Potter himself numbered the 1826 C minor as No.6, the 1826 F major as No.7, the 1828 E flat as No.8 and the 1832 G minor as No.10 on the autograph scores.

It is known that in 1833 Potter responded to a Royal Philharmonic Society commission with a Symphony in A minor. However, shortly after Potter's death, his one-time pupil and eventual successor as Principal of the Royal Academy George Macfarren gave a memorial lecture referring to a corpus of nine symphonies. This total was also confirmed by the first edition of Grove's Dictionary (volume III, 1883) and Brown & Stratton's 'British Musical Biography' (1897), although the latter mentions a 'Symphony in A'.

Whatever the numbering system employed, at present there are nine extant works.

Autograph manuscripts and printed editions:

Most of the manuscript full scores are now held by the British Library. Six were deposited there as part of the Royal Philharmonic Society Archive:

G minor (1819/26) - RPS MS 159; B flat (1821) - RPS MS 160; G minor (1832) - RPS MS 161; D major (1833) - RPS MS 162; C minor (1834) - RPS MS 163; D major (1834) - RPS MS 164.

The autograph scores of the remaining three symphonies, in C minor (1826), F major (1826) and E flat major (1828) are contained in a single volume - Ms. Add. 31783.

Also included in the Royal Philharmonic Society collection at the British Library are three piano concertos in D minor, E flat major and E major (RPS MSS 170-172) [surely strong candidates for Hyperion's RPC series] and four overtures - the Overture in E minor (1815 and 1848 versions), Antony and Cleopatra, Cymbeline and The Tempest (RPS MSS 165-169).

The Royal Academy of Music Library holds the following manuscript full scores: the 1839 revision of the Symphony in B flat (MS 259), two copies of the 1846 revision of the Symphony in E flat major (MSS 191/1154) and the 1830 cantata Medora e Corrado (MS 1152).

The 1832 G minor Symphony was published in full score as volume 77 of 'Musica Britannica' in 2001, whilst the Overture to Antony and Cleopatra was included in 'The Overture in England' (Garland Publishing, 1984). Except for Potter's own piano duet arrangements of the G minor (1832) and D major (1834) symphonies, nothing else has been published.

Literature:

Potter was the subject of a PhD thesis by Philip Henry Peter - 'The Life and Work of Cipriani Potter (1792-1871)' (Northwestern University, 1972).

The best modern appreciation of Potter is to be found in Brown and Hart's seminal 'Symphonic Repertoire' volume III, part B (Indiana University Press, 2007), but Percy Young also thought highly of Potter ('A History of British Music', 1967, pp. 442-5).

Recordings:

Two commercial recordings have been issued:

Symphonies in E flat (1828) & G minor (1832) (Milton Keynes CO/ Hilary Davan Wetton) Unicorn-Kanchana DKP(CD) 9091 [deleted]
Symphony in F (1826) [with Sterndale Bennett G minor Symphony, Op.43] (Czech Chamber PO/ Douglas Bostock) ClassicO CLASSCD634 [also deleted, though copies are still obtainable]

At various dates between 1989 and 1995 BBC Radio 3 broadcast studio recordings by the Ulster Orchestra conducted by Hilary Davan Wetton, Roy Goodman and Jerzy Maksymiuk which comprised the Symphonies in F (1826), C minor (1826), E flat (1828), G minor (1832), C minor (1834) and D major (1834), the Overture to The Tempest (1837) and the 1846 revision of the second movement of the Symphony in E flat.

[Alan Howe]

Thanks for moving the thread.

I listened to the G minor symphony of 1832 this afternoon - I have the CD courtesy of John White. And what a very fine piece it is too...

[albion]

Yes, Cipriani Potter is really one of the greatest 'undiscovered' composers that Britain has ever produced. He abandoned composition relatively early in his life and his natural modesty meant that he did absolutely nothing to promote his own works. His symphonies are far stronger candidates for revival than those by Macfarren, whose F minor [No.4] and C sharp minor [no.7] symphonies (recorded by CPO in 1998) are interestingly constructed and worth hearing but lack the crucial element of melody - significantly this recording was heralded as the beginning of a series, but got no further! By contrast, Potter seemed to have an almost Schubertian gift for memorable tunes allied with a sure sense of form and an imaginative orchestral palette.

[Alan Howe]

I agree. Potter is both an able craftsman and has a fine ear for colour. I was struck by some almost Berwaldian passages in the finale of the G minor work. I'd say he was an important voice - and we have neglected him terribly. Clearly, The British musical renaissance started well before Elgar!

[thalbergmad]

I have dedicated a little bit of time playing his piano sonata Op.1, after reading that Potter studied with Woelfl, who is one of my favourite unsungs.

I am assuming that this is an early work by the Opus number and due to the fact that it could have been written by Woelfl himself.

Not heard any recordings, but I submit his piano works could be worth recording as well.

Thal

[chill319]

A pleasant historical exercise: listening to Cherubini's D-minor symphony, Mendelssohn's Italian symphony, and Potter's No. 6 in G minor -- works commissioned by the Royal Academy in three successive years.

Macfarren (from whom I take the above factoid), in an appreciative article, identifies Potter (perhaps with some exaggeration) as the first Englishman to know how to compose a Durchfuehrung -- in Potter's diction, a "plan" -- adding that in so doing Potter showed his compatriots how to make "music really into an art instead of an accident."  High praise, indeed.

[Syrelius]

I was struck by some almost Berwaldian passages in the finale of the G minor work.

I had exactly the same feeling! Since Berwald is my favourite unsung, I would very much like to hear more of Potters symphonic works.

[John H White]

All this reminds me that, on the occasion of the bicentenary of Potter's birth in 1992, I sent a stiff letter on cardboard to the then editor of BBC Music Magazine decrying the fact that she and the BBC hadn't done anything to celebrate the event. It was printed, but no mention was made of what I wrote it on.

[Alan Howe]

Too subtle, John, evidently...

[John H White]

You can hear a snatch of the C minor symphony if you go to virtuallyunknown.co.uk . Ros Trubcher, a former poster on the old Forum has put it into Finale Software which gives quite a realistic rendering of it using Garritan Personal Orchestra.

[Pengelli]

Very funny,actually! No sense of irony,eh?

[albion]

Browsing the online catalogue of the British Library Sound Archive I just came across this startling entry:

Symphony in A minor
    Potter, Cipriani
Work title:    Symphony in A minor
Author/Composer:    Potter, Cipriani
LIST RECORDINGS:    Symphony in A minor/Potter

Holdings
WORKS-FILE    Copies    Material    Location
LINK TO RECORDINGS    1    WORK    Recorded

Symphony in A minor/Potter
    Philomusica of London
FIND WORK DETAILS:    Symphony in A minor/Potter
Performer:    Philomusica of London
Performer:    Littaur, David (Conductor)
FIND FORMAT:    NP2688BW

Holdings
RECORDING    Copies    Material    Location
NP2688BW BD 1    1    RECORDING    Store

Now, unless this is wrongly catalogued in some detail (probable), this is quite astounding. An A minor symphony (commissioned by the the Royal Philharmonic Society in 1833) is one of the supposed 'lost' Potter symphonies. No date is given for the recording but the Boyd Neel Orchestra was renamed the Philomusica of London in 1948. I'll contact the Archive and the present conductor of the Philomusica and see what they make of it!

[CrazyCello]

I joined this forum purely because I stumbled on this thread while looking for sources of the scores for Potter's symphonies. Incidentally, thank you to the OP for posting such detailed information about the holdings for those sources.

I own a copy of the Potter F major/Sterndale Bennett G minor symphonies CD. I have to say, the F major symphony is a very impressive work. I'm most familiar with the first movement which has a strong Beethovian "thrust" to the premier coup d'archet. What comes across most however is Potter's ingenious use of textures and excellent ear for colour and timbre which has been mentioned before. There are some wonderful passages with interjections from the woodwind choir, with little effects like an attack as the parts scrunch together harmonically, which gives it an unexpected sting. All sorts of little details like that elevate him above mediocrity, plus of course the Schubertian skill for melodic writing, which has also been mentioned. There also seems to be a mood of unrestful storminess which pervades the first movement, perhaps some influence from Mendelssohn, who I presume he knew quite well? All together it's a very accomplished work, it has a degree of Beethovian power but it's tempered with sweetness and typical English good humour. I highly recommend it.

[albion]

Glad to be of service - it's great to have another Potter-enthusiast on-board!

[albion]

An A minor symphony (commissioned by the the Royal Philharmonic Society in 1833) is one of the supposed 'lost' Potter symphonies. No date is given for the recording but the Boyd Neel Orchestra was renamed the Philomusica of London in 1948. I'll contact the Archive and the present conductor of the Philomusica and see what they make of it!

Further to the 'A minor' Symphony: pending a reply from the Sound Archive at the British Library, I had another trawl through the online catalogue. By following another circuitous route I discovered that the performance was broadcast on BBC Radio 3 on 19th February 1976 as part of a programme which also contained Elgar's 'Sursum Corda' and Ethel Smyth's Concerto for Violin and Horn. The present conductor of the Philomusica is currently stranded in Italy, but has promised to get in touch when he gets back to the UK!