Jadassohn Symphonies 1-4 from cpo

[Alan Howe]

Contrary to reports which suggested that the conductor was to be Israel Yinon, cpo are bringing these out with Howard Griffiths conducting the Brandenburg State Orchestra of Frankfurt (Oder). Details here:
https://www.jpc.de/jpcng/cpo/detail/-/art/salomon-jadassohn-symphonien-nr-1-4/hnum/6800366

[adriano]

What a pity!

[Alan Howe]

Maybe. But Griffiths is a very fine conductor, especially in the early romantic repertoire. And I'm just grateful that we're finally going to hear this music...

[Gareth Vaughan]

And I see that we have the two lovely cavatinas for violin and cello and orchestra respectively as fillers. Oh joy!

[Alan Howe]

Among Griffiths' achievements are his magnificent Ries and Spohr symphonies cycles and excellent recordings of works by composers such as Wranicky, Wilms, Holbrooke, Cherubini and Danzi. If his Spohr cycle is anything to go by, he should be well equipped to tackle the classical-romantic idiom of Jadassohn: the Spohr symphonies are magnificently played, combining alertness with an appropriate weight which never undersells these works.

[Gareth Vaughan]

I certainly agree with your assessment of Howard Griffiths. And am very pleased his Spohr cycle for CPO is now complete.

[Kevin Pearson]

I'm certainly glad to see some "official" word on release date and info. I'm fine with Griffiths. I've not been unhappy with anything he has done. His Spohr cycle is really good. Thanks for the update Alan! 

Kevin

[adriano]

I am fine with Griffiths too, who is a perfect craftman - but Yinon is a more inspired conductor, able to give his performances more dimensions.

[Alan Howe]

It could be that Jadassohn's tuneful classicism will respond better to craftsmanship rather than inspiration, but I agree that Yinon offers the latter - in spades.

[eschiss1]

Favor to ask- will someone who acquires this set (advertised for issue in Germany ca. 23 February, yay!) be willing to post the listed movements of symphony no.4 for the curious? (Assuming that there is anything besides "movement 1, movement 2, movement 3, finale" or whathave, etc.- sometimes cpo does let one down- rarely- in this connection...)

;^) (not just because we have an upload of the work, but-well, ok, just selfishly, in my case, and for myself, I've seen no.2- I should try to borrow it again and scan or typeset it at some point up to IMSLP, at that ,  if I can anyway... - and nos.1 and 3 are available there (in some form). )

... That's the same symphony as Bruns conducted, come to think of it, last year (in #4) in 2014 (Frankfurt/Brandenburg). Interesting to compare Griffiths' timing(s) with Bruns'...

[Alan Howe]

My copy's on its way from Germany. Still no audio samples at jpc...

[Alan Howe]

Update: audio samples from one of the CDs are now at jpc:
https://www.jpc.de/jpcng/cpo/detail/-/art/salomon-jadassohn-symphonien-nr-1-4/hnum/6800366

[Alan Howe]

I think one can sense even from the brief audio samples at jpc that this set will radically change our perception of Jadassohn's symphonies, making, for example, the existing performance of No.1 on Cameo Classics seem earthbound and anaemic (as well as very poorly played) by comparison. The composer will, I am sure, emerge as a much more vital and individual composer than one might hitherto have suspected.

As far as I can tell, these are the details of the four symphonies:

Symphony 1 in C major, Op.24 (1861)
Symphony 2 in A major, Op.28 (1865)
Symphony 3 in D minor, Op.50 (1876)
Symphony 4 in C minor, Op.101 (1889)

Interestingly, then, Nos. 1 and 2 pre-date Brahms' 1st, No.3 is contemporary with that great masterpiece, and No.4 post-dates Brahms' 4th.

[Mark Thomas]

These sound bites are certainly enticing. How lucky we are to be able to hear these works at last, in what have every prospect of being excellent interpretations. We really are living through a golden age for recordings of unsung music, aren't we?

[Gareth Vaughan]

I agree entirely. We are so lucky. These symphonies are truly delightful works. I have been waiting to hear them for years. As we often say of such works - their neglect is extraordinary.