Klughardt: Symphony No. 4 in C Minor, Op. 57 & 3 Stücke, Op. 87

Featuring

Antony Hermus
Anhaltische Philharmonie
August Klughardt

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Composition History

The 'Three Pieces for Orchestra' were dedicated to Baroness Julie von Cohn-Oppenheim, a generous patron of Dessau who contributed significantly to the court orchestra's pension fund.

Composer's Artistic Vision

Klughardt and Hereditary Prince Friedrich von Anhalt shared a fervent admiration for Richard Wagner's music dramas and staged exemplary performances of these works.

Instruments

The 'Capriccio' from the 'Three Pieces for Orchestra' features extensive solo use of the harp, an instrument Klughardt had previously excluded from his symphonies and concertos.

Composer Biography

August Klughardt, the composer, served as court music director in Dessau from 1882 to 1902, succeeding his former teacher Eduard Thiele.

Composition History

Klughardt's Symphony No. 4 in C minor was first performed in Berlin on November 22, 1890, followed by a Dresden performance three weeks later, and then in Dessau in May 1891.

Historical Context

Dessau gained a reputation as the "Bayreuth of the North" due to its early and comprehensive performances of Richard Wagner's works, including the first cyclical performance of Der Ring des Nibelungen in 1893.

Critical Reception

A New York review from 1893 characterized Klughardt's C minor symphony as a "thoroughly noble work, solid in construction, clear and easy to grasp in its thematic structure, full of beautiful ideas, rich in melodic invention."