Royal Scottish National Orchestra, Neeme Järvi - Wagner: Two Symphonies (2012) [Official Digital Download 24/96]

Our series of works by Richard Wagner, performed by the Royal Scottish National Orchestra and Neeme Järvi, continues with a disc of early symphonies, later marches, an overture, and a prelude. Early on in his career, Wagner composed two symphonies, both of which are included on this disc. The Symphony in C, which he wrote when he was just nineteen years old, is heavily influenced by Beethoven in its character, mood, and instrumentation. Written two years later, in 1834, the Symphony in E was left unfinished, Wagner completing only the first movement and thirty bars of the second. The completed version recorded here was prepared by the conductor Felix Mottl more than fifty years later at the request of Wagners widow, Cosima. The two marches on this disc are the composers most obvious contributions to the genre of pomp and circumstance. The Huldigungsmarsch was written in 1864 for King Ludwig II of Bavaria. The march-like rhythms and brassy colours complement sections in which the strings provide a continuously flowing movement, all leading to a jubilant conclusion. The Kaisermarsch (1871) was a commission from the publishing firm Peters, who requested from Wagner a heroic morale booster at a time when the German countries were at war with France. Having initially composed it for military band, Wagner soon rewrote it for symphony orchestra, the version recorded on this disc. The Overture to Rienzi, Wagners third completed opera (1838 40), incorporates the melody of Rienzis prayer at the start of Act V, which became the operas best-known aria, and ends with a dazzling military march. The Prelude to Act III of Lohengrin (1845 47) has the energy, fervour, and brassy sounds of the Overture to Der fliegende Holländer, and displays Wagners lasting fascination with creating drama by symphonic means.

This is stirring stuff and a reminder that Wagner had a life before becoming engrossed in opera. The C major symphony, strongly played by the RSNO, is unrecogonisable from mature Wagner, couched as it is in a style drawn from Beethoven and Weber. The unfinished E major symphony does betray portents of operatic drama, and the two later marches are firmly in Wagnerian mode. **** –Telegraph,04/03/12

A superbly played and recorded SACD Performance ***** Recording ***** –BBC Music Magazine,May'12

Jarvi digs deep and early into the Wagner catalogue –Gramophone,June'12

Pleasurable and thought-provoking listening is guaranteed. –IRR, May'12

TRACKLIST

Richard Wagner (1813-1883)

Symphony in C major, WWV 29
01. I. Sostenuto e maestoso (12:34)
02. II. Andante ma non troppo (9:42)
03. III. Allegro assai (5:39)
04. VI. Allegro molto e vivace (6:21)

Symphony in E Major, WWV 35 (arr. F. Mottl)
05. I. Allegro con spirito (13:29)
06. II. Adagio cantabile (5:47)

Huldigungsmarsch in E flat major, WWV 97 (arr. J. Raff)
07. Huldigungsmarsch (5:23)

Overture to 'Rienzi, der Letzte der Tribunen', WWV 49
08. Overture (11:24)

Kaisermarsch (Imperial March), WWV 104
09. Kaisermarsch (8:51)

PERSONNEL
Royal Scottish National Orchestra
Neeme Järvi - conductor