Information
Composer: Emil von Reznicek
Bern Symphony Orchestra
Frank Beermann, conductor
Date: 2005
Label: cpo
- (01) Symphony No. 2 in B flat major 'Ironic'
- (05) Symphony No. 5 'Dance Symphony'
Bern Symphony Orchestra
Frank Beermann, conductor
Date: 2005
Label: cpo
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Sturdy readings of two symphonies, but Donna Diana is the lady to watch
Who knows, perhaps a tighter performance might have helped, but Emil Nikolaus von Reznicek’s cheeky Second Symphony (the Ironic) of 1905 initially brought out the grouch in me. A second encounter made me appreciate that there’s more to this pithy, transparently scored creation than the occasional affectionate dig at the expense of Mahler, Richard Strauss, Brahms and Beethoven. Best think of it as a frothy sinfonietta (the label Reznicek wisely bestowed upon it in the first place), sit back and enjoy the composer’s teasing sophistication and sleight of hand.
Reznicek’s Fifth (and last) Symphony from 1924 is another one-off, a 40-minute set of four symphonic dances (Polonaise, Csárdás, Ländler and Tarantella) laid out for lavish forces and full of the most ear-tickling colour and incident. Admittedly, when it comes to sheer quality of invention and cogent sweep, the work doesn’t even begin to compare with, say, Rachmaninov’s Symphonic Dances (which it predates by some 16 years) but Reznicek’s engaging (if surely overlong) canvas certainly serves up a feast for the ears and often seems to be depicting some kind of hypothetical scenario – no surprise to learn that it was promptly turned into a ballet.
Frank Beermann and a hard-working Berne SO enter the fray with gusto and CPO’s ample sonics will give your loudspeakers a solid work-out. Even so, I’m still left with nagging doubts as to this music’s durability – definitely not a criticism which can be levelled at this same figure’s utterly captivating Donna Diana overture.
-- Andrew Achenbach, Gramophone
Who knows, perhaps a tighter performance might have helped, but Emil Nikolaus von Reznicek’s cheeky Second Symphony (the Ironic) of 1905 initially brought out the grouch in me. A second encounter made me appreciate that there’s more to this pithy, transparently scored creation than the occasional affectionate dig at the expense of Mahler, Richard Strauss, Brahms and Beethoven. Best think of it as a frothy sinfonietta (the label Reznicek wisely bestowed upon it in the first place), sit back and enjoy the composer’s teasing sophistication and sleight of hand.
Reznicek’s Fifth (and last) Symphony from 1924 is another one-off, a 40-minute set of four symphonic dances (Polonaise, Csárdás, Ländler and Tarantella) laid out for lavish forces and full of the most ear-tickling colour and incident. Admittedly, when it comes to sheer quality of invention and cogent sweep, the work doesn’t even begin to compare with, say, Rachmaninov’s Symphonic Dances (which it predates by some 16 years) but Reznicek’s engaging (if surely overlong) canvas certainly serves up a feast for the ears and often seems to be depicting some kind of hypothetical scenario – no surprise to learn that it was promptly turned into a ballet.
Frank Beermann and a hard-working Berne SO enter the fray with gusto and CPO’s ample sonics will give your loudspeakers a solid work-out. Even so, I’m still left with nagging doubts as to this music’s durability – definitely not a criticism which can be levelled at this same figure’s utterly captivating Donna Diana overture.
-- Andrew Achenbach, Gramophone
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https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Emil_von_Reznicek
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Frank Beermann (born 13 March 1965 in Hagen, Westphalia) is a German conductor. He studied at the Hochschule für Musik Detmold. Beermann became Generalmusikdirektor of the Robert-Schumann-Philharmonie in Chemnitz in 2007. He was also Generalmusikdirektor at the Chemnitz Opera for several years, and left the opera house after the 2015/2016 season to work as a freelance conductor. Beermann recorded several works by Robert Schumann with the orchestra named after him, and has conducted premieres and recordings of rarely performed operas and orchestral works.
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