Zemlinsky: Symphony in D Minor; Symphony in B-Flat Major

Featuring

Martyn Brabbins
BBC National Orchestra of Wales
Alexander von Zemlinsky

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Performer Biography

Martyn Brabbins, the conductor on this recording, won first prize at the 1988 Leeds Conductors' Competition, launching his career.

Composer Biography

Zemlinsky received a broader musical education than expected for his family's standing, learning piano, singing, and playing the organ at temple.

Composer Biography

Alexander Zemlinsky's family took in a lodger whose piano-playing influenced the young composer, helping to alleviate their financial problems after the 1873 crash in Vienna.

Composer's Artistic Vision

Zemlinsky's early works, including these symphonies, show him wrestling with the pedagogical parameters of his conservative Conservatory education while also exploring new musical ideas.

Composition History

The Symphony in B flat major won the prestigious Beethoven Prize, which was financed by Johannes Brahms and sponsored by the Tonkünstlerverein.

Composition History

Zemlinsky's Symphony in D minor was premiered in its entirety on February 10, 1893, conducted by his teacher Johann Nepomuk Fuchs, with George Enescu among the violinists.

Historical Context

The Viennese fin de siècle, while culturally experimental, was set against a backdrop of conservatism, with institutions often rejecting innovative ideas in favor of the academic status quo.