Josef Bohuslav Foerster - Symphonies Nos. 1 & 2 (Hermann Bäumer)

Information

Composer: Josef Bohuslav Foerster

• Symphony No. 2 in F Major, Op. 29
• Symphony No. 1 in D Minor, Op. 9

Osnabrück Symphony Orchestra

Hermann Bäumer, conductor

Date: 2008

Label: Musikproduktion Dabringhaus und Grimm

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Review

These are the works of an out-and-out 19th century Central European romantic. Foerster wrote five symphonies, 350 songs  and six operas of which Eva has been recorded by Marco Polo. In December last year his Violin Concerto No. 1 put in a rare appearance at The Barbican. 

The Second Symphony appears first on the disc. It is a work of Dvořákian affability. The opening allegro is something of an amiable amble amid leafy Bohemian woodland with birdsong decoration. There’s also a theme which sounds like a second cousin to the Hymn in Finlandia and a zesty torque suggesting Dvořák 8 as the inspiration. The second movement is a very sombre then gradually very romantic (rather Rachmaninovian at 4.45) essay. We return strongly to Dvořák with a peppy yet pointed and elegantly gentle Allegro. The finale has Brahmsian accents in the manner of the Third Symphony with overtones of early Josef Suk as in the rather magical violin solo at 6:10. The effect is rather like that of Dvořák's Othello on the one hand and Brahms' Tragic Overture on the other. One can even pick out a feminine theme or two which might suggest Desdemona. The finale is the most original of the four with a swinging carillon climax at 7:13. 

The First Symphony is much shorter - only half an hour. After a musing introduction the music takes on a plunging open-air quality with a downy violin-chased silver filigree at 2:03. It is even rather Tchaikovskian in the manner of Symphony No. 4. It ends with a nice rocking motion curving down to repose (4.22). This is followed by an affable summery Andante. The allegretto scherzando (III) - which here goes rather ploddingly - touches base with the innocence of Elgar's Wand of Youth music. The Allegro energico makes way for stern echoes of Glazunov's Stenka Razin and the Liszt tone poems but all crafted with the suaveness of Dvořák. The work ends upbeat; a brass paean rings out with a grandeur that carries an undercurrent of Russian Orthodox chant. 

We know the Foerster 4th Symphony from Naxos and several Supraphon recordings so I hope that the next disc will give priority to the unknown Symphonies 3 and 5. 

Hermann Bäumer is to be congratulated on the results here. He is already known for his BIS recording of Leifs' Edda 1 but I also look forward to hearing his recording of Karl Höller's symphonies 1 and 2. 

Here are two symphonies rooted in, but not weighed down by, a heritage in Dvořák and Brahms. Foerster declares his individuality in the many subtle and often soloistic episodes in this music. He looks forward especially to Suk and across the garden fence to Tchaikovsky.

-- Rob Barnett, MusicWeb International

More reviews:
ClassicsToday  ARTISTIC QUALITY: 7 / SOUND QUALITY: 9

http://www.classical.net/music/recs/reviews/m/mdg21491a.php

https://www.allmusic.com/album/josef-bohuslav-foerster-symphonies-nos-1-2-mw0001404230

https://www.amazon.com/Symphonies-1-OSNABRUECK-SYMPHONY-ORCHESTRA/dp/B001355OWA

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Josef Bohuslav Foerster (30 December 1859 – 29 May 1951) was a Czech composer and musicologist. Born and educated in Prague, he produced numerous compositions, but his music is not nationalistic in the sense of employing the idioms of Czech folk music. Foerster's compositions include five symphonies, other orchestral works including a symphonic poem based on Cyrano de Bergerac, much chamber music, at least five operas, concertos for cello and violin, and liturgical music, among other works, over 170 published opus numbers in all. Many of his works were dedicated to his family members.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Josef_Bohuslav_Foerster

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Hermann Bäumer (born 28 January 1965 in Bielefeld) is a German conductor. He studied at the University of Music in Detmold, then served with the Bamberg Symphony Orchestra, the Berlin Philharmonic Orchestra, the Deutsche Kammerphilharmonie Bremen, as both an orchestral player and at the podium. Since 2004, Bäumer has been General Music Director of the Osnabrück Symphony Orchestra and has guest-conducted in Germany and abroad. He has recorded for labels such as cpo and BIS. From 2011/2012 season onwards, Bäumer has been the General Music Director of the State Theatre in Mainz.
https://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hermann_Bäumer
http://www.hermannbaeumer.com

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