Starter Packs

Complete your collection with these curated titles, grouped at a special discount.

Shop Now
Schmidt: Symphony No 1, Music From Notre Dame / Sinaisky, Malmö SO
Naxos

Schmidt: Symphony No 1, Music From Notre Dame / Sinaisky, Malmö SO

$19.99 Only 2 left

Details

Composer
SCHMIDT, FRANZ
Artist
Sinaisky
Format
CD
Label
Naxos
Released
Mar 31, 2009
Catalog #
8570828
UPC
747313082872

About

That Franz Schmidt's 1899 Symphony No. 1 met with greater success than Mahler's contemporaneous Symphonies Nos. 1-3 seems surprising to us today, until we consider the conservative tastes of the Viennese in that era. Schmidt, though not necessarily a straitlaced "conservative" composer, did early on dutifully (perhaps too dutifully) follow the path laid by Wagner, as his magisterial first movement amply demonstrates. It's similar in style and harmony to Wagner's Meistersinger, but with less interesting tunes. The following Langsam movement also evokes Wagner through its not immediately apparent tonality and its rather languid atmosphere (as well as the beautiful writing for strings). But again the melodic material is not all that memorable.

The scherzo is best: it features a catchy tune with beguiling turns of melody and harmony that foreshadow the Schmidt of the Fourth symphony (particularly in the colorful and distinguished woodwind writing), his finest work in the genre. The finale returns to the prosaic, though it does boast an affirmative if seemingly obligatory chorale toward the conclusion.

Vassily Sinaisky shows real belief in and affection for the piece, and he leads a convincing performance with the Malmö Symphony Orchestra. He's certainly more involving than Neeme Järvi, who with his Detroit Symphony gives the impression he's always in a hurry to get to the good parts.

There are good parts aplenty in the Notre Dame excerpts. Composed only five years after the symphony, Schmidt's opera displays the composer's keen dramatic instincts and developing orchestral mastery (the colorful Carnival Music is quite captivating). Again Sinaisky and the Malmö players deliver a first-rate performance, captured in excellent sound by Naxos. If you're interested in early Schmidt, you'll do quite well with this release.

--Victor Carr Jr, ClassicsToday.com

Tracklist 7 tracks

  1. 1 I. Sehr langsam - sehr lebhaft 11:37
    Track
    1
    Title
    I. Sehr langsam - sehr lebhaft
    Duration
    11:37
    Composer
    Franz Schmidt
    Ensemble
    Malmö Symphony Orchestra
    Conductor
    Vassily Sinaisky
  2. 2 II. Langsam 11:25
    Track
    2
    Title
    II. Langsam
    Duration
    11:25
    Composer
    Franz Schmidt
    Ensemble
    Malmö Symphony Orchestra
    Conductor
    Vassily Sinaisky
  3. 3 III. Schnell und leicht 11:35
    Track
    3
    Title
    III. Schnell und leicht
    Duration
    11:35
    Composer
    Franz Schmidt
    Ensemble
    Malmö Symphony Orchestra
    Conductor
    Vassily Sinaisky
  4. 4 IV. Lebhaft, doch nicht zu schnell 10:47
    Track
    4
    Title
    IV. Lebhaft, doch nicht zu schnell
    Duration
    10:47
    Composer
    Franz Schmidt
    Ensemble
    Malmö Symphony Orchestra
    Conductor
    Vassily Sinaisky
  5. 5 Notre Dame, Act I: Introduction 04:30
    Track
    5
    Title
    Notre Dame, Act I: Introduction
    Duration
    04:30
    Composer
    Franz Schmidt
    Ensemble
    Malmö Symphony Orchestra
    Conductor
    Vassily Sinaisky
  6. 6 Notre Dame, Act I: Intermezzo 05:00
    Track
    6
    Title
    Notre Dame, Act I: Intermezzo
    Duration
    05:00
    Composer
    Franz Schmidt
    Ensemble
    Malmö Symphony Orchestra
    Conductor
    Vassily Sinaisky
  7. 7 Notre Dame, Act I: Carnival Music 05:51
    Track
    7
    Title
    Notre Dame, Act I: Carnival Music
    Duration
    05:51
    Composer
    Franz Schmidt
    Ensemble
    Malmö Symphony Orchestra
    Conductor
    Vassily Sinaisky