The Third Symphony by Charles Gounod, which is incomplete, is recorded here for the first time ever, thanks to the Gounod family providing the manuscript.
Recording & Production
The Orchestra della Svizzera italiana, featured on this recording, has made numerous studio recordings for major labels including Chandos, Hyperion, EMI, and Deutsche Grammophon.
Notable Performances
The Scherzo from Gounod's First Symphony caused a sensation at its 1855 premiere, with the audience demanding an encore.
Composer's Artistic Vision
Charles Gounod, described as "hyper-Romantic" by his friend Fanny Mendelssohn, aimed to channel his inspiration into the sonata form to achieve the highest expression and concision.
Cultural Impact
Georges Bizet, a French composer known for his opera "Carmen," not only made a piano reduction of Gounod's First Symphony but also used it as a model for his own Symphony in C major.
Critical Reception
Gounod's symphonies were well-received, contrasting with the cold critical response to his early lyrical works like "Sapho" (1851) and "La Nonne sanglante" (1854).
Performer Biography
Oleg Caetani, the conductor on this album, considers Nadia Boulanger, a renowned French music teacher, to be the driving inspiration of his career.
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