MusicWeb International One of the most grown-up review sites around 2024
60,000 reviews
... and still writing ...

Search MusicWeb Here Acte Prealable Polish CDs
 

Presto Music CD retailer
 
Founder: Len Mullenger                                    Editor in Chief:John Quinn             

CD REVIEW



Some items
to consider

new MWI
Current reviews

old MWI
pre-2023 reviews

paid for
advertisements

Acte Prealable Polish recordings

Forgotten Recordings
Forgotten Recordings
All Forgotten Records Reviews

TROUBADISC
Troubadisc Weinberg- TROCD01450

All Troubadisc reviews


FOGHORN Classics

Alexandra-Quartet
Brahms String Quartets

All Foghorn Reviews


All HDTT reviews


Songs to Harp from
the Old and New World


all Nimbus reviews



all tudor reviews


Follow us on Twitter


Editorial Board
MusicWeb International
Founding Editor
   
Rob Barnett
Editor in Chief
John Quinn
Contributing Editor
Ralph Moore
Webmaster
   David Barker
Postmaster
Jonathan Woolf
MusicWeb Founder
   Len Mullenger


alternatively AmazonUK   AmazonUS

 

Heinrich von HERZOGENBERG (1843-1900)
Symphony no. 1 in C minor, Op. 50 (1885) [42:18]
Symphony no. 2 in B flat major, Op. 70 (1890) [34:48]
North German Radio Symphony Orchestra Hamburg/Frank Beermann
rec. Grosser Sendesaal, Hannover, Germany 1-3 December 2003 (1); 17-18 May 2004.
CPO 777122-2 [77:06]


The Austrian Herzogenberg was of noble birth. His title was Baron von Herzogenberg-Peccadue. He studied at the Vienna Conservatory and worked there and at Graz and later at Leipzig. His wife was Elisabeth von Stockhausen, an accomplished amateur pianist who had been a pupil of Brahms. Both husband and wife were on close terms with Brahms. Ethel Smyth was a pupil of Herzogenberg.

I am told that there are eight symphonies in total. These two were written under the Brahmsian spell not that they are submissive style-copies. Even so the First Symphony counterpoints it Brahmsian sobriety with a gauzy romantic intimations from Berlioz. The music proceeds as a lively blend of Brahms symphonies 1 and 4 and is not averse to hoarsely shuddering splendours. At times thunder and lightning crash and flash across a louring sky in the first movement. After a gentle second the third carries echoes of Schumann and Schubert. A pounding Brucknerian scherzo appears to be sublimated into the plot but there is yet time for pastoral wit and charm. The finale again carries in its discursive slipstream the exultant mark of Brahms 4 and celebratory Schumann Rhenish. The Second Symphony is shorter yet still substantial. It opens with a confident yet genteel sauntering theme akin to similar moments in Brhams 2 and 3. Later there are distinct currents from the more paradisiacal pages of Beethoven’s Fifth and festive moments from Goldmark. The quicker music in the latter movements has a beguilingly accented Mussulman sway – the alla Turca fashion had not quite finished.

CPO have done sterling work for Herzogenberg so I hope you might also take an interest in:-

CPO 999 372-2 Missa op. 87 in E minor

CPO 999 625-2 Three cello sonatas

CPO 999 765-2 Piano Quartet op. 75, String Trio op. 27/1

CPO 999 710-2 Piano Quartet op. 95, String Trio op. 27/2

Another not inconsiderable entry in the history of German romantic symphonic music. 

Rob Barnett 

 

 


Advertising on
Musicweb


Donate and keep us afloat

 

New Releases

Naxos Classical
All Naxos reviews

Hyperion recordings
All Hyperion reviews

Foghorn recordings
All Foghorn reviews

Troubadisc recordings
All Troubadisc reviews



all Bridge reviews


all cpo reviews

Divine Art recordings
Click to see New Releases
Get 10% off using code musicweb10
All Divine Art reviews


All Eloquence reviews

Lyrita recordings
All Lyrita Reviews

 

Wyastone New Releases
Obtain 10% discount

Subscribe to our free weekly review listing

 

 

Return to Review Index

Untitled Document


Reviews from previous months
Join the mailing list and receive a hyperlinked weekly update on the discs reviewed. details
We welcome feedback on our reviews. Please use the Bulletin Board
Please paste in the first line of your comments the URL of the review to which you refer.