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Thursday, July 16, 2020

Robert Radecke - Orchestral Works (Kaspar Zehnder)


Information

Composer: Robert Radecke
  • (01) Overture to Shakespeare's King John, Op. 25
  • (02) Symphony in F major, Op 50
  • (06) Nachtstück, Op. 55
  • (07) Two Scherzi, Op. 52

Sinfonie Orchestrer Biel Solothurn
Kaspar Zehnder, conductor

Date: 2016
Label: cpo
https://www.jpc.de/jpcng/cpo/detail/-/art/robert-radecke-symphonie/hnum/8455669

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Review

The life of the evidently handsome Silesia-born Robert Radecke (see illustration in booklet) spanned the 19th and 20th centuries. His world is very much of the romantic late 19th century. He was appointed music director at the Royal Court Opera Berlin in 1863 but gravitated towards ecclesiastical music; not that this is apparent here.

His personal acquaintance with Schumann, Wagner, Liszt, Brahms and Richard Strauss is, in the case of the music on this CD, evidenced in a certain resemblance to Schumann and Brahms. His work-list extends to songs, chamber music, symphonies (three of them), overtures, hymns, choral works and organ music. The present disc is reported to be the first of two exploring Radecke and crowd-funded from Biel and through a direct grant by Christian Radecke, the composer’s great-grandson.

The King John concert overture is suavely dramatic taking in elements of the accelerando manner of Schumann with the calming aspects of Mendelssohn's Fair Melusine and the kinetic variety of Weber's Oberon. The four movement Symphony again touches on Schumann especially in the first and last movements; this time the Fourth Symphony. There's a downy Mendelssohnian chatter to the second movement while the third suggests the dreamy slow-motion of a thronged ballroom. The Nachtstück has an unhurried quality and is dark and tense before giving way to yearning romance. It's clear that Radecke was no slouch when it came to music with a rushing pulse and the two Scherzi play to this strength. In fact they teeter and sweep excitingly around the world of the early Tchaikovsky symphonies and of the vintage era Glazunov symphonies. The second Scherzo also sports some charming writing for woodwind.

Neither Sinfonie Orchester Biel Solothurn nor Kaspar Zehnder are familiar names - at least not to me. However they are more than equal to the task of advocating Radecke persuasively. Let's hope they will take on more Radecke and also be taken on by CPO to move into stormier territory - perhaps with Bruno Walter's Second Symphony; well past time to take up that inspired baton again. The readably detailed liner-notes are excellent and are in German, English and French.

This is not heaven-storming music but is eminently craftsmanlike and satisfying both at technical and emotional levels. It will appeal to listeners who already have an appetite for Mendelssohn and Schumann or further afield for the orchestral Benedict and Sullivan.

-- Rob BarnettMusicWeb International

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Robert Radecke (31 October 1830 – 21 June 1911) was a German composer and conductor. He was born in Dittmannsdorf, in Silesia, and received his musical training in the Conservatory of Leipzig. In Berlin, Radecke played second violin in Ferdinand Laub's quartet, and gave many successful concerts. He was made royal Kapellmeister in 1871, and in 1891 succeeded Carl August Haupt as director of the Royal Institute for Church Music. An artist of ability on pianoforte, organ, and violin, Radecke is best known for his compositions, which include two orchestral overtures, an operetta and many songs.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Robert_Radecke

***

Kaspar Zehnder (born 27 August 1970 in Riggisberg) is a Swiss conductor and flutist. He studied classical languages at the Lyceum in Bern and music at the Bern Academy of Arts, and took conducting master classes with Ralf Weikert, Werner-Andreas Albert and Horst Stein. From 1997 to 2006, Zehnder was an associate professor at and conductor of the Orchestra of the Bern Academy of Arts. He was chief conductor of the Prague Philharmonia (2005-08), and currently is the artistic director at the Murten Classics Festival. Since 2014 he is the music director of the Biel Solothurn Symphony Orchestra.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kaspar_Zehnder
https://www.kasparzehnder.com/de/

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Enjoy!

5 comments:

  1. This comment has been removed by the author.

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  2. Fantástico ... un 10 sería la caja completa del compositor también de Cpo ;) mucho pedir, seguro, pero por provar ... GRACIAS 1000

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  3. compositore a me sconosciuto. una bella scoperta !
    grazie
    S.

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