Charles Villiers Stanford’s Symphony
No.3 (Irish) is one of my favourite Victorian/Edwardian examples of the genre. I
have always enjoyed the subtle balance of vibrancy tinged with melancholy – which
is just as it should be. This symphony, which
dates from Stanford’s early period, is now considered to be one of the ‘most
characteristic and beautiful compositions by its composer.’ The ‘Irish’
Symphony was completed early in 1887 and was premiered in London on June 27 of the
same year at a Richter Concert held at the St James Hall.
In fact, of all Stanford’s seven symphonies,
it is the only one that has managed to keep a toehold in the orchestral repertoire.
In the years after it was composed, the ‘Irish’ Symphony held its own for
several years before largely disappearing from the concert listings. The first
sign of revival was the recording by Norman Del
Mar and the Bournemouth Sinfonietta on EMI ASD 4221 dating from 1982. This was followed
by its inclusion in the two impressive cycles of Stanford’s symphonies issued by Chandos and Naxos.
I discovered
a review in the Musical Standard
dating from 19 January 1889 of the ‘Irish’ Symphony’s
premiere in Scotland. It was a less-than-impressive account. One of the interesting
facts about the concert was the performance by the Scottish pianist and composer
Helen Hopekirk of Beethoven’s Emperor Concerto. In recent months a splendid CD
of Miss Hopekirk’s piano compositions has been released on the Toccata Label. Possibly
more about her in a subsequent post.
The
Fourth Concert in Edinburgh piano-makers Paterson and Son’s series was held on
Monday, 14 January 1889 at the Music Hall. This building is now the Assembly Rooms,
54 George Street. The Orchestra was conducted by August Manns. This concert marked
the return of Helen Hopekirk to her native city after an absence of ‘several
years.’ She was born in the nearby suburb of Portobello on 20 May 1856. The
reviewer noted that ‘Mme Hopekirk played Beethoven’s Fifth Concerto, in which she
was ably seconded by the band, and also three short solo pieces, being encored
on each occasion.’ Other reviews are not
quite so enthusiastic about the balance between soloist and the ‘band.’ The solo
pieces were the ‘Menuetto Capriccioso’ in E flat by Theodor Leschetizky, ‘Träumerei’
by Robert Schumann and the Liszt-Schubert version of ‘The Erl-King.’
Other
works heard at this rather lengthy concert included the choral version of
Alexander C. Mackenzie’s Benedictus. This work, at least in this orchestra only
version out-Elgar’s Elgar. Then listeners heard Otto Nicolai’s delightful,
sometimes Sullivanesque, overture to his opera The Merry Wives of Windsor and extracts from Georges Bizet’s L’Arlesienne.
The
Italian soprano, Elvira Gambogi performed the ‘Jewel Song’ from Charles Gounod’s
Faust, ‘Lotus-Flower’ by Robert Schumann
and G.J. Bennett’s ‘Serenade’. Gambogi was also a composer. Another post possibly?
The
correspondent of the Musical Standard
then turns his attention Stanford: ‘The instrumental novelty of the evening was…[the]
Irish Symphony, which was played for the first time in Scotland. It cannot, however,
be said to have created a great impression; indeed, the tedious first movement
sorely tried the patience of even the most enthusiastic lovers of native talent,
and, when leaving the concert hall, the words “that wearisome symphony” were heard
on every side.’
I
do wonder if they were hearing the same work that we know today. I have always loved
the way the composer lays out his material in this opening movement. The final
comment on Stanford was that his ‘contrapuntal verbosity is very remarkable, but
at the same time, is rather trying.’ It is something I have never struggled
with.
Fortunately,
there are a couple of other contemporary reviews of the Scottish premiere of Stanford’s
Irish Symphony, which are more positive.
1 comment:
This is one of my favorite symphonies from a composer outside the 'great composer racket'. The quirky opening of the finale always makes me smile.
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