Franchetti Symphony in E minor/etc.

[Alan Howe]

...forthcoming from Naxos:
https://www.prestomusic.com/classical/products/9636905--franchetti-symphony-nella-foresta-nera-wolf-ferrari-sinfonia-da-camera

Couplings: Franchetti - 'Nella Foresta nera', Impressione sinfonica
                  Wolf-Ferrari - Sinfonia da camera in B-Flat Major

[semloh]

Stirring performances of both Franchetti works have been issued on a Bongiovanni CD, along with pieces by Leoncavallo; and the Wolf-Ferrari has had several outings including on CPO. From what I've heard there's not much to choose between the versions.

[Justin]

The Naxos performances are slower. I think the Moldavian Symphony Orchestra recording is taken at a good pace.

[Alan Howe]

It'll be worth a punt, I think. The orchestra on the rival recording is pretty provincial-sounding.

[alberto]

I have the Bongiovanni recording and I consider the performances of the two Franchetti works  serviceable, but not really good.
BTW I would like to point out that the Franchetti Symphony (first performance 1886, Dresden) was conducted by Sir Henry Wood at the London Proms in 1896.
"Nella foresta nera" (1900) was equally conducted by Wood at the London Proms in 1905.
In the last decades the two works, in actual concerts, in practice disappeared even in Torino, the composer's city.
Only the indefatigable Neeme Jarvi conducted in recent years the Symphony at least in Rome.

[Alan Howe]

I agree with your assessment of the Bongivanni CD. I'm sure the Naxos will be an improvement.

[jasthill]

Question:  Wasn't the Orchestra Sinfonica di Roma disbanded in 2014? It would seem that this recording is maybe one that was "in the can" as they say or a transcript from a broadcast.  I believe the same argument could be made for the previous Naxos release of the Giovanni Sgambati: Symphony No. 2; Sinfonia Epitalamio ('Nuptial Symphony').  Maybe Naxos has some more goodies awaiting from the Sinfonica di Roma.  A new Malipiero symphony cycle (or at least some of them) would be nice.

[Justin]

It would seem that this recording is maybe one that was "in the can" as they say

That was the case with the Martucci Sinfonia Festiva & Piano Concerto release, I believe.

[Alan Howe]

Naxos have probably been waiting for a suitable coupling: the Wolf-Ferrari is played by a Norwegian chamber music group.

[Alan Howe]

The Franchetti recordings here date from 2011; they have been coupled with a Wolf-Ferrari recording dating from 1995 and previously released on Marco Polo. It seems that the Franchetti works have simply never had suitable couplings also performed by the now-defunct Rome Symphony Orchestra under Francesco La Vecchia.

All of which is a shame, because this recording of Franchetti's Symphony (my reason for purchasing the CD) is far superior to its decidedly provincial-sounding predecessor on Bongiovanni and at last brings playing and recording which reveal the work in all its late-romantic finery. The brass in particular cover themselves with glory. No, it's not a masterpiece, but it's extremely enjoyable, especially in this recording. The coda to the finale is a riot of Wagnerian-style writing for the brass section, fully realised here.

[Mark Thomas]

Alan's spot on. The two Franchetti works totally eclipse the old Bongiovanni recordings in every respect.

[Alan Howe]

The new recording has consigned the old Bongiovanni to the waste bucket never to be seen or heard again. Please support this excellent Naxos release - there may not be many left from this source (RomeSO/La Vecchia) in the vaults.

[eschiss1]

There's a fair amount of almost completely unexplored Italian 19th century instrumental music that seems worth a look so hopefully a fine group like this is more a beginning than an ending.

[Alan Howe]

There's probably not much left from this particular source, but perhaps you could start a new thread on possible unrecorded Italian repertoire, Eric?

[Alan Howe]

Here's a positive review by Nick Barnard at MusicWeb:
https://musicwebinternational.com/2024/09/franchetti-wolf-ferrari-symphonies-naxos/