Four Centuries of Great Music September 24, 2022 The Symphony Through the Centuries Episode 5

On today’s 4 centuries of great music we have our fifth episode of The Symphony through the Centuries with 3 composer you probably don’t know and one you do.  

We open with Louise Farrenc Symphony No 3 in G minor Op. 36, yes the first woman composer in this series.  She was a French pianist and composer.  wrote exclusively for the piano from 1820 to 1830 to great critical success, expanding her range to include works for orchestra beginning in 1834.  Composed in 1847, the 3rd symphony was listed as one of the top 50 symphonies in an article in the Guardian newspaper.  It is in 4 movements
Louise Farrenc: Symphony No. 3 in G Minor, Op. 36  I. Adagio - Allegro     
Louise Farrenc: Symphony No. 3 in G Minor, Op. 36_ II. Adagio cantabile 
Louise Farrenc: Symphony No. 3 in G Minor, Op. 36_ III. Scherzo (Vivace)    
Louise Farrenc: Symphony No. 3 in G Minor, Op. 36_ IV. Finale (Allegro)


Next we have Felix Mendelssohn and one of my favorite symphonies, his Symphony #4 In A major, Op. 90.  It is in 4 movements:
Mendelssohn: Symphony #4 In A, Op. 90, Italian  1.  Allegro Vivace   
Mendelssohn: Symphony #4 In A, Op. 90, Italian  2.  Andante con Moto 
Mendelssohn: Symphony #4 In A, Op. 90, Italian  3.  Con Moto moderato  
Mendelssohn: Symphony #4 In A, Op. 90, Italian  4.  Saltarello,  Presto



We begin this second hour of Four Centuries of Great Music with Emilie Mayer's Symphony No. 2 in E Minor, yes the second woman composer of this series.  Emilie Mayer studied piano early but only began seriously composing as the was approaching 30 years old.  She began studying with Carl Loewe in 1841.  She premiered her first two symphonies in 1847 and after that moved to Berlin to continue her compositional studies and composing.  Lets listen to a performance of her second symphony in E minor.  It is in 4 movements:

Emilie Mayer
Emilie Mayer: Symphony No. 2 in E Minor: I. Un poco adagio - Allegro assai 
Emilie Mayer: Symphony No. 2 in E Minor  II. Scherzo
Emilie Mayer: Symphony No. 2 in E Minor_ III. Un poco adagio cantabile 
Emilie Mayer: Symphony No. 2 in E Minor_ IV. Finale. Allegro vivace


We will conclude today episode with Niels Gade: Symphony No. 4 in B-Flat Major, Op. 20.  Gade was  a Danish composer, conductor, violinist, organist and teacher and was considered the leading Danish musician of his day.  His work received early support from Felix Mendelssohn (whose 4th symphony we heard earlier today).  An important influence on a number of Scandinavian composers, he encouraged and taught many including Edvard Grieg and Carl Nielsen (who we will be hearing later in this series).  Let’s listen to his fourth symphony, the four movements are:

 I. Andantino - Allegro Vivace e Grazioso                   
 II. Andante con Moto  
 III. Scherzo_ Allegro, Ma non troppo e Tranquillamente                                  
 IV. Finale_ Allegro molto Vivace