Johann Nepomunk David: Symphonies Nos. 2 & 4

Featuring

Johannes Wildner
ORF Radio-Symphonieorchester Wien
Johann Nepomuk David

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Composer Biography

Johann Nepomuk David, the composer, was a choirboy at the Augustinian Abbey of St Florian, where Anton Bruckner's sarcophagus lay beneath the organ.

Composer's Artistic Vision

David's musical philosophy underwent a radical change, leading him to declare that "Bach is the greatest miracle in music" and that counterpoint was a "musical manifestation of a theocratic principle."

Historical Context

In November 1938, David performed Stravinsky's Symphony of Psalms in Leipzig against the declared will of Nazi officials, incurring their displeasure.

Recording & Production

The ORF Vienna Radio Symphony Orchestra is known for its bold programming, combining classical repertoire with contemporary and rarely performed works.

Performer Biography

Johannes Wildner, the conductor, was a member of the Vienna Philharmonic and the Vienna State Opera Orchestra, which profoundly influenced his conducting style.

Composition History

The original draft of David's Symphony No. 4 was destroyed in a Leipzig air raid in December 1943, and he later reconstructed it from memory.

Compositional Technique

Johann Nepomuk David developed the concept of the monothematic symphony, where an entire work is derived from a single theme or motivic germ-cell, similar to Schoenberg's dodecaphonic technique.