Four Centuries of Great Music September 11, 2022 The Symphony Through the Centuries Episode 4

Today on 4 centuries of great music we are continuing our series of the symphony through the centuries with one composer who was famous in his time but I bet you never heard of him.  A composer you have heard of but not for symphonies and probably one of the most important symphonies of the first half of the 19th century - all three works written between 1830 and 1834.

Louis Spohr: Symphony No. 4 in F major, Op. 86

During the early and mid 1800s Louis Spohr was one of the most performed symphonic composers throughout Europe following only Mozart, Haydn and Beethoven.  But the popularity of his work wained as the 19th century progressed with only the 4th symphony, which was recognized as one of his masterpieces and continued to be performed until 1920s.

The Symphony No. 4 in F major, Op. 86 composed in 1832 was quickly acclaimed as the composer’s symphonic masterpiece after its first performance. It is a forward-looking, programmatic work with many of its characteristics used by future symphonic composers including Tchaikovsky and Mahler.

The symphony is in four movements with the following tempo markings:
1. Largo - Allegro  
2. Andantino - Allegro  
3. Tempo di marcia - Andante maestoso
4. Larghetto - Allegretto

The Largo–Allegro is in the grip of decorative bird-song and a stormy Schumann-like manner. The Andantino–Allegro speaks of a sensitive gentle soul. It's a predictor of  the calmer aspects of Schumann and Brahms. After this comes a Tempo di Marcia–Andante maestoso, subtitled Ambrosianischer Lobgesang. This is characterised by strident trumpet fanfares and hunting calls resolving into a march with a sturdy swagger and sparky brilliance. The final Larghetto–Allegretto traces a slow and peaceful curve into contentment.   This slow finale was an important example to future composers including Tchaikovsky and Mahler.


Mikhail Glinka: Symphony on 2 Russian Themes

Mikhail Glinka is considered the father of Russian classical music and the Russian style that had great influence on composers such as Peter Tchaikovsky and The Five Mily Balakirev, César Cui, Modest Mussorgsky, Nikolai Rimsky-Korsakov and Alexander Borodin.   He is most know for his opera and a few orchestral overtures.  But in 1834 he also wrote the Symphony on 2 Russian Themes.  It is in a single movement in sonata allegro form based upon the folk songs In the Field and Don’t Go.   Here is a performance of


Symphonie fantastique: Episode in the Life of an Artist … in Five Sections is a programatic symphony written in 1830 by Hector Berlioz and was one of the foundational symphonic works of the first half of the 19th century.  It is in 5 movements:
I. Rêveries - Passions
II. Un bal  
III. Scène aux champs 
IV. Marche au supplice 
 V. Songe d'une nuit du Sabbat