Franz Lachner - Symphony No.4 (1834)

[@aranbenjo2695]

Lachner è stato un gran compositore. Bella musica.

[@songsmith31a]

Another very pleasing symphonic discovery - most grateful for the opportunity to hear and enjoy this previously unknown work. Thank you.

[@feraudyh]

I could not find a recording of this symphony on Idagio, so I am grateful.

[@eschiss1]

Symphonies 2, 4 and 7 have yet to be commercially recorded or published, I believe (actually, some sources from Lachner's lifetime or soon after, as I recall, claim his 2nd symphony was published soon after his 1st, but I've never seen published parts nor score of such an edition.)

[@gerdprengel7616]

I just listened this work while following it with the autograph from the IMSPL website and can just marvel about the huge labour which you undertook to make this rendition for us possible - thank you, Tuomas! Of this symphony I think the Allegro of the first movement is the most convincing part of the symphony: I like the lovely Allegro main theme (3:45) and especially the passages starting at 4:53, 5:59 (!!) and 7:16 at the end of the exposition, the great development from 13:50 - 17:00 and the whole recapitulation/Coda ... really a great movement!

[@TheGamingMotionTGM]

40:20 Reminds me of the song "knife cuts like a knife". The part of the lyrics "I went to masquerades" to be my point of interest.

[@philhomes233]

I really like the Lachner symphonies and hearing one I've never heard is a real treat. This is an excellent rendition. Many thanks for all your hard work, it was certainly worth it.

[@julianfwong]

Thank you so much for making this available. I'm enjoying Lachner's symphonies so far. I hope someone make his 7th symphony some day!

[@tuomaspalojarvi3300]

I'll make a note for this for next year: I had already transcribed one of its movements earlier and I might return to it later. In the meantime you'll get a good idea of the 7th Symphony by listening to the 7th Suite - Lachner re-used the symphony's opening movement and scherzo for that piece.

[@julianfwong]

@@tuomaspalojarvi3300 I see. Thank you for your hard work and the information.

[@paulusaurelius6563]

By the way, Lachner's Symphony No. 4 is a WoO (Werk ohne Opus = work without an Opus number) and it's key is E-Dur (E-Major). I hope this information is correct. Tuomas, thank you once again for posting it!

[@paulusaurelius6563]

Many thanks for posting this marvel. It is a real treat, and the rendition is excellent.Franz Paul Lachner is one of many composers who fell victim to the 'Beethoven-Brahms & Co Clan'., of which, personally, I admit I have had enough...

[@rogernortman9219]

Paulus, SO HAVE I !!!!!!!!!!!!! And I'm almost 80 !!!!!!!!

[@ewaldsteyn469]

Thank you very much for making this available. Excellent work - it sounds great! As for judging the worth of this symphony as well as the other symphonies of Franz Lachner. When listening to his symphonies one should keep in mind the period in music history during which Franz Lachner composed them, Although he had a very long live (1803-1890), this symphony was composed at the young age of only 31 (and already it is his 4th! - and 3 years later he had already completed no 6 also). What famous romantic symphonies were at that time available to him to learn from? Apart from the giant set of Beethoven, at best the only other famous romantic symphonies from which Lachner could learn were the 2 of von Weber and most (but not all) of Mendelssohn’s symphonies. I am not sure if any of Schubert’s symphonies had been performed by 1837, but most certainly not Schubert’s no 8 and 9. And no Schumann symphonised yet. I recently acquired his symphony no 3. And after also listening to this excellent NotePerformer renditions of no.4, as well as similar renditions of nos. 2 and 6, I cannot but come to any other conclusions that, given the period of music history during which Lachner composed these works, he was simply a brilliant composer of symphonies (although his symphonies are by no means his only great compositions - also listen to his chamber music and orchestral suites!), It is beyond comprehension that no one has yet recorded the complete set of these great symphonies. Hopefully it will happen soon.

[@tuomaspalojarvi3300]

A complete Lachner cycle one day would be an excellent treat. Besides the ones you had mentioned, Berlioz's Fantastique had just been premiered in the early 1830s, a revolutionary work surely studied by every symphonist of the time, and there was also Hiller whose earliest symphonies started appearing around the same time as Lachner's.

[@pietrolandri6081]

As answered to you elsewhere you wrote this comment, I agree entirely with your comment sbout time of composition as well as your regret that Lachner is still waiting to be given justice because of his job be mostly ignored by concert halls and recordings

[@pietrolandri6081]

@@tuomaspalojarvi3300 I share congratulations you received because of jour precious job. To date 1) Symphonies #1 (Singapore Symphony), 3 (Evergreen Symphony), 5 (Slovak Philharmonic) & 8 (Slovak Philharmonic) have been recorded (once only, each). 2) Symphonies #2, 4, 6 are available by renditions of benefactors of humanity like you 3) Symphony #7 have neither any recording nor renditions As Lachner is (by timing evidence) an anticipator of future languages (because he wrote most of symphonies before 1840) all his peer contemporaries as well as later masters owe him a lot. It's a matter of fact a criminal shame that no single recording of his whole symphonic output exists (including orchestral suites and concertos) and no main conductor/ orchestral team thought to include one or more of these masterpieces in their repertoire From time to time on YT I read silly comments that his symphonies are too long to be attractive. It's ridiculous as they last between 40 and 70 minutes whereas no remark is listened about length of Mahler #3 for instance (90 minutes) etc. Besides, as I wrote elsewhere, duration of music pieces is a fake issue. A good piece lasts as much as it should and making it shorter or longer would just spoil it. A dull piece remains dull independently on how long it takes. Another issue is that performers may spoil a good piece by playing it faster or slower whereas a dull piece remains dull independently on whether it's performed too fast, too slow or in right tempo. Regardless, we do appreciated your efforts to make us listen this great symphony.

[@songsmith31a]

P.S. And what a perfect painting to accompany the audio...absolutely right for the opening movement to "set the scene and the mood". That endless vista leading the eyes and the imagination on their journey of discovery.

[@horaciosuarezfuentes8414]

Pensé al inicio que era una orquesta de verdad... Suena excelente para ser sintetizada y me encantó la obra.

[@DavidA-ps1qr]

Very impressive work with NotePerformer, so much better than Sibelius as every instrument sounds like an accordion! Such a pity these symphonies haven't been recorded with "real" instruments.

[@tuomaspalojarvi3300]

Thank you very much!

[@vince-tcturner9082]

Great thanks for all your work. Great music. I've heard Nos. 1, 2, 3 and now this No. 4, and see Lachner as the natural successor to Schubert. My imagination thinks this is the sort of place where Schubert might have taken us if he had lived longer. Sure, it may be fantasy, but I haven't heard Schubert's influence to such a great extent anywhere else until now. Definitely fills a massive musical void for me. Thanks again. BTW 7:48 sounds like the opening of Glinka's Russlan and Lyudmila Overture. Co-incidence?

[@rogernortman9219]

Tuomas, What key is it in? Does it have have an opus # ? I love the Lachner symphonies? Can you upload his 7th? Can you facilitate the recording of Rudorff's 1, 2 ? Abert's 1,2,5,6,7? Klughardt's ## 2, op. 34? Syms. by Rietz, Ulrich, Vierling, Wuerst, etc. I am almost 80 but I love becoming familiar with more and more German Romantics. Grew up with Beethoven and Brahms syms. Get into lesser known by getting Raff syms. recorded 1st time in 1970's. I am composer myself, up on KZbin.

[@tuomaspalojarvi3300]

Thank you Roger! The key is E major. The opus number is uncertain: Lachner might have reserved either op. 46 or 56 for it, but in the end no opus number was assigned. Stay tuned for Lachner's 7th which I will try to upload soon. Lachner recycled music from that Symphony for his 7th orchestral Suite, but the Symphony is still by itself a great work with one of the greatest opening movements to almost any romantic era symphony that I have heard.

[@rogernortman9219]

@@tuomaspalojarvi3300 Do you have any knowledge of the potential availability pf any of the other composers I mentioned?

[@rogernortman9219]

@@tuomaspalojarvi3300 What about the other composers I mentioned?

[@tuomaspalojarvi3300]

@@rogernortman9219 Many of the other works you mentioned I'm unfamiliar with, but have you checked the channel of Martin Walsh here on youtube? He might have worked on some of those pieces. It might be a good idea to send him a message.

[@gprengel]

I must admit that when I heard this symphony the first time I appreciated only the first Allegro, but by now as I listened to it over and over again I love the whole work with all its movements!! Thank you again, Tuomas, for this great achievement you have done! Can you also present the score to us?

[@tuomaspalojarvi3300]

It's a marathon work, but definitely worth it! I'm glad you enjoyed the presentation. I find each movement having something worthwhile to say. Tongue-in-cheek, I have to highlight the Finale's mischievous timpani passages at 47:03, 49:54: not many of Lachner's contemporaries would probably have scored the part quite that way!

[@eschiss1]

Thanks!!

[@mcrettable]

you have a LOT of discipline haha