After Beethoven's death in 1827, Louis Spohr was considered by many to be the greatest living German composer.
Composer Biography
Louis Spohr was an acclaimed master and violin virtuoso by 1804, before writing his first program symphony.
Compositional Technique
Spohr's Symphony No. 7, 'The earthly and divine in human life,' uses two contrasting orchestras: a small group of eleven instruments for the divine and a full orchestra for the earthly.
Compositional Technique
Unlike most 'seasons' works, Spohr's Symphony No. 9 uniquely begins in winter, reflecting his personal misfortunes during that season.
Composition History
The Festmarsch in D major was composed for the wedding of Princess Marie of Kassel to Duke Bernhard of Saxe-Meiningen in 1825, and included a traditional German wedding dance tune.
Performer Biography
Howard Shelley, the conductor on this album, was awarded an OBE in 2009 for services to classical music and an Honorary Fellowship of the Royal College of Music in 1994.
Composition History
Spohr's Symphony No. 9, 'The Seasons,' has autobiographical significance, conceived after his wife's serious illness and his own concussion from a fall on ice.
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