1st Symphony (Draeseke)
The Symphony no. 1 in G major , Op. 12 is not the first work that Felix Draeseke contributed to this musical genre. As early as 1855 he had written a symphony in C major, which he did not publish and which was probably later destroyed by himself.
History of origin
The first drafts for the Symphony Op. 12 were made in Munich in 1868. At the beginning of 1869, Draeseke set out on a six-month journey through France, Spain, North Africa and Italy, which had a very positive effect on his inspiration. A large part of the work was already designed before his return to Germany. In 1871/72 the final elaboration of the score took place and on January 31, 1873 the world premiere in Dresden under the direction of Julius Rietz .
sentences
- Introduzione ed Allegro: Adagio by espressione - Allegro con brio ma non troppo presto
- Scherzo: Presto leggiero
- Adagio molto
- Finale: Allegro con brio e vivace
Playing time: 35–40 minutes
meaning
Draeseke's First Symphony is an important milestone in his work. It is an example of the reorientation of the composer, who was formerly under the influence of the New German School , towards "future music in classical form", which sought to combine what was then new with the achievements of the baroque and classical masters. The work was recognized by contemporaries as important, with the exception of the very effective Scherzo, which appeared separately in print even before the full score, but was rather reserved. The most important part of the symphony is the extended adagio, which makes up over a third of the total playing time.
Like many composers, Draeseke was forgotten after his death. The classic label cpo, which specializes in first recordings, made a significant contribution to its rediscovery : in 2002 it had the first and fourth symphonies and the Gudrun overture recorded. In 1998 the label had recorded its third symphony and the funeral march, its second symphony and the serenade op. 49.
literature
- Krueck, Alan H .: The Symphonies of Felix Draeseke. A Study in Consideration of Developments in Symphonic Form in the Second Half of the Nineteenth Century . Zurich, 1967