Reinecke Symphony No.2/Overtures

[Alan Howe]

...forthcoming from cpo:
https://www.prestomusic.com/classical/products/9640017--carl-reinecke-symphony-no-2-overtures

[eschiss1]

Volume 2, I assume, after their fine disk of symphonies 1 & 3!

[Alan Howe]

Indeed. This is a must-buy - and not only for the Symphony.

[Mark Thomas]

It'll be good to widen the available Reinecke orchestral repertoire.

[eschiss1]

Anyone know why this thread has been Pinned? Just sincerely curious- thanks!

[Mark Thomas]

I think it must have been a slip of the mouse, Eric. It's no longer sticky...

[Alan Howe]

Hope it wasn't me! Thanks for your vigilance, Mark.

[semloh]

This very welcome, of course, but I wonder how it compares to what I thought was an excellent version on Chandos.

[Alan Howe]

Judging by the cpo recording of Symphonies 1 and 3, the Munich orchestra might be a factor in the new recording's favour - then there's the valuable couplings, of course.

[Alan Howe]

The Munich Radio Orchestra is 60-strong, so it's larger than a chamber orchestra, but smaller than most full symphony orchestras - probably ideal for this repertoire.

[Alan Howe]

CD now available from jpc:
https://www.jpc.de/jpcng/cpo/detail/-/art/carl-heinrich-reinecke-symphonien-vol-2/hnum/6100114

[John Boyer]

I have been listening to the overtures now that my copy has arrived.  I am reminded of how conservative a composer Reinecke really was. One can make a direct comparison with Raff in the 'Dame Kobold' overture. Listening to this -- and I get the same feeling when I compare Reinecke's quartets to Raff's -- I am surprised when I remember that Reinecke was two years younger than Raff, yet Reinecke sounds for all the world like a composer from half a generation before, say 1810, while Raff sounds like a composer from half a generation later, say 1835.  I attribute this to Raff's Weimar years and his flirtation with "the Music of the Future".  His mature works tone that down quite a bit, but he never lost that stylistic advance that it gave him over Reinecke.

[Alan Howe]

Agreed, John. That's a very perceptive evaluation - and comparison.

[Maury]

Yes Reinecke's music is conservative in the context of Wagner and Liszt or even Chopin. However with the passage of time these chronological distinctions become less and less noticeable as they should. I am surprised at how much I like Reinecke's music though. I only had his PC 1 on vinyl for years and never realized his extensive output until I came across this site. Many thanks as I continue to expand the Reinecke section of my music library. 

[Alan Howe]

Reinecke was a consummate craftsman - which makes listening a pleasure in itself. Add to this an ability to produce memorable material and you have an attractive, sometimes potent blend. What his music lacks, I think, is real ambition. However, it does offer genuine listening satisfaction - no mean feat, surely.