Search - Hermann Goetz, Edouard van Remoortel, Monte Carlo National Opera Orchestra :: Goetz: The Complete Orchestral Works

A LOVELY, LITTLE SYMPHONY

Melvyn M. Sobel | Freeport (Long Island), New York | 09/12/2001

(5 out of 5 stars)

"Hermann Goetz (1840-1876), whose brief life ended shortly before his thirty-sixth birthday, left in his humble wake compositions of long-lasting beauty and enduring charm. Goetz, despite the preponderance of composers whose names form the very foundation of the Romantic era, was not neglected or unknown during his lifetime; on the contrary, his music moved actively throughout Germany and all the way to the shores of England. Unfortunately, as with most "minor" composers, his music all but disappeared after his death--- and had to wait nearly one hundred years to be brought before a public hungry for "lost" 19th century masters.



The gem of this collection is, naturally, the Symphony in F, Op. 9, written in 1873, an amalgam of originality, symbiosis and a kind of musical anticipatory foresight. Yet, throughout, despite the fervor of the highest compositional efforts that surrounded him, Goetz always retains his own "voice."



The opening Allegro moderato (9:05) is a perfect example. After a rousing orchestral entry, not unlike Schumann in its exhuberance, there is more than just a hint of Wagner (cf. Siegfried Idyll) and of Richard Strauss (cf. Ein Heldenleben) trotting about before Goetz grabs the reins and counterbalances his stride with some strikingly original thematic and lyrical material. More than likely, Goetz knew Wagner's "Idyll," easily; however, the Straussian motifs predate Strauss by over twenty years. It makes for fascinating listening and comparison.



Similarly, the delightful Intermezzo (6:10), like "landler" fresh from the Alps--- horn calls and all!--- brings to mind more than bits and pieces of Mahler's First and Fourth Symphonies... both written 1888 and 1900, respectively... and years after the Goetz Op. 9 in F Major. The influence on Mahler is more than obvious and, again, fascinating. The movement, itself, is lovely, sun-filled, joyful.



The Adagio (10:56), for me, is pure, unadulerated, lyrical Goetz. It is a deeply-felt rapture, a nourishment for the soul. Following, in a burst of jubilance, the Allegro con fuoco finale (6:31) revives us--- and sails us away on waves of the most cheerful melodies.



The three overtures included round out the totality of Goetz, the orchestrator. "Shrew" (6:01) and "Francesca" (9:45) are actually opera overtures; "Spring" (11:39), however, composed in 1864, is a bonafide concert work in and of itself and, as such, is the most substantial of the lot, generous in its flowing invention, gracefulness and subdued melancholy.



The Monte Carlo National Orchestra, under the seasoned Van Remoortel, plays splendidly throughout and with complete empathy. The sound has transferred to CD exceedingly well and, in the process, has gained an improved warmth, openness and glow.



[Running time: 60:43]"