Schumann: Symphonies 1&4

Featuring

François-Xavier Roth
Natalie Chee
Gürzenich-Orchester Köln
Robert Schumann

Did you know?

1/7

Performer Biography

François-Xavier Roth, the conductor, founded his own orchestra, Les Siècles, in 2003, which performs on both modern and period instruments, often within the same concert.

Composition History

Schumann composed his First Symphony, known as the 'Spring Symphony', in just four days in January 1841, despite it being the coldest time of year.

Interpretation

This album features the original 1841 version of Schumann's Symphony No. 4, which conductor François-Xavier Roth prefers for its 'radical' and leaner orchestration.

Historical Context

The Gürzenich Orchestra Cologne, one of Germany's leading orchestras, has historical roots dating back to medieval town bands and the first permanent ensembles of Cologne Cathedral.

Critical Reception

The D Minor Symphony, despite being premiered in 1841, was largely ignored at its first performance because the concert's main draw was a joint performance by Franz Liszt and Clara Schumann.

Composer's Artistic Vision

Schumann, a critic and composer, aimed for a 'new poetic era' in music, where works would be inspired by 'rare' and 'secret states of mind' rather than empty traditional forms.

Composition History

Schumann's D Minor Symphony, originally conceived as a 'Symphonistic fantasy' in one movement, was finished in early September 1841, but only gained recognition after a revision in 1851.