Johann Rufinatscha: Symphony No 4 in B minor
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- เผยแพร่เมื่อ 31 พ.ค. 2013
- Johann Rufinatscha (1812-1893)
Symphony No. 4 in B minor
I. Allegro
II. Scherzo: Molto vivace - Trio: AllegroAdagio 13:30
III. Adagio 22:09
IV. Finale: Allegro 29:40
Cappella Istropolitana; Edgar Seipenbusch, conductor
Rufinatscha was born in 1812 in Mals (Austria, now in the Italian province of South Tyrol). At the age of 14 he came to Innsbruck, where he studied the piano, violin, and musical study at the conservatory. After that he settled in Vienna, where he would remain for the rest of his life.
During his lifetime he was most prominent as a teacher of piano and harmony in Vienna. Rufinatscha seems to have spent most of his life teaching rather than composing actively, which would explain why he composed fairly few pieces. He knew Johannes Brahms and composed a number of works (including several symphonies) during the period in which Brahms refused to publish any symphonic works because of his fear not to live up to Beethoven's legacy. While predicted by contemporaries to become a major composer of his day, this did not turn out to be the case, and as such he is still relatively obscure. However, as a music teacher he was influential; among his pupils were composers such as Ignaz Brüll and Julius Epstein. He died in 1893 in Vienna.
Rufinatscha is recognised as one of Tirol's most important composers of the 19th century. His works can be said to form a connection between those of Franz Schubert and Anton Bruckner. Shortly before his death Rufinatscha decided to donate the manuscripts of his compositions to the Tyrolean provincial museum, where they remain to this day. In the past few years some of his works have been recorded on CD, and are for sale from the Museum's shop.
Rufinatscha appears to have composed 5 symphonies. The following is a list of his known compositions:
Symphony No. 1 in D major "Mein erstes Studium" (composed: Innsbruck, 1834; performed: Innsbruck, 1844),
Symphony No. 2 in E flat major (composed: Vienna, 1840; performed: Vienna, Feb.1844),
Symphony No. 3 in C minor (string parts only have survived; composed: Vienna 1846; performed: Vienna, September 1846; wind/brass parts being reconstructed by Michael F. P. Huber for first modern performances on 24 and 25 November 2012),
Symphony No. 4 in B minor (formerly known as No.5 - composed: Vienna 1846; performed: Vienna, October 1846?),
Symphony No. 5 in D major (formerly known as No.6 - composed: Vienna 1850; performed: Vienna, Easter Monday 1852?).
Notes: (i) The work formerly identified as 'Symphony No. 3 in F major - lost' never existed. Instead, it seems that the work in F major is actually a concert aria with an opening orchestral section in the same key (which was taken to be the opening of an unidentified symphony). (ii) the work formerly identified as 'Symphony No. 4 in C minor' (1846 - of which only the piano four-hands adaptation of its three extant movements survives) is now properly identified as 'Three Movements of a Symphony in C major (not minor): orchestral version presumably never performed'. It is undated. It was erroneously identified as the Symphony in C minor now known as No.3 (above).
Piano Concerto (1850): scored for both orchestra and piano four-hands,
Serenade for Strings (nd),
Innerer Kampf ("Inner Struggle"): orchestral overture (nd),
Die Braut von Messina ("The Bride of Messina"): orchestral overture (1850),
Dramatische Overture (1878),
String Quartet in E-flat major (1850),
String Quartet in G major (1870),
Piano Trio in A-flat major (1868): third movement seems to be a reworking of the 2nd movement of the Piano Concerto,
Piano Quartet in C minor (1836),
Piano Quartet in A-flat major (1870): the first and the last movements possibly are reworkings of earlier compositions,
Sonata for Piano 4-hands in D minor (1850),
Piano Sonata No. 2 in C major, Op.7 (1855),
6 Character Pieces, Op.14 (by 1871),
Piano Sonata in D minor, Op.18 (1880),
The Tyrolean State Museum has released multiple CDs with works by Rufinatscha. Among them are the extant symphonies (nos. 1, 2, 4 [5] and 5 [6], the Piano Trio, the String Quartets in E flat major and G major, and the four-hand reduction of the piano concerto. As of November 2009 the full orchestra version of the piano concerto became available, along with two concert overtures.
A series of CDs of Rufinatscha's orchestral music is now being planned by Chandos Records, of which the first - the 5th [6th] Symphony and the overture The Bride of Messina - has now (March 2011) been issued.
I should note that I conducted the first official reading in this country of this magnificent symphony with the Orchestra Society of Philadelphia back in 2009, and I do hope to conduct its first public performance if I ever get the directorship of an orchestra and garnish their interest.
Yes, the first movement does sound like Schubert's "Unfinished" and, to a lesser extent, the first movement of Bruckner's seventh (in mood more than in notes), but for someone to have composed this work in 1849 proves that he had a major vision of where the romantic movement in 19th century music was heading. I have heard all his symphonies except the second, and I wish someone would post the first two symphonies as well.
EXTRAORDINAIRE , EXTRÊMEMENT , ÉVOQUANT , PRODIGUX , MERCI
Liked and subscribed as a new go-to channel for obscure composers!
Encore un génie qu'on a laissé dans l'ombre. des symphonies aussi belles que d'autres célèbres qu'on joue et rejoue... Dommage que la 3 ème soit perdue. Il y a vraiment des compositeur originaux et d'une grande maturité qui n'ont pas eu de chance, et c'est vraiment injuste...
This is quite a nice symphony with flowing melodies as the work progresses
Holy wow. Thanks so much for putting this up. Here's hoping it stays up.
Just... woah.
On hearing this again, I must declare it one of the great masterworks of the early romantic era. I find its neglect totally daft. And this is a very fine, convincing performance.
A superb masterpiece! Thank you!
well, here's something I wasn't expecting to hear at all - or not for a long while, since the one existing recording has very limited distribution... Bookmarking for listening very very soon. Thank you very, very very much.
There is a strong influence of Schubert's symphony no.8 (unfinished) in the first movement. Simply brilliant!
Increíble sinfonía!!
The orchestra sounds great!
Peter Kiral No doubt you will next heap praise on the violas! ;-)
wunderbar !!!
This symphony was composed in, or around, 1846. Schubert's Unfinished Symphony, although composed in 1822, was on a shelf in Josef Hüttenbrenner's cupboard in that year, and didn't see the light of day until discovered by Johann Herbeck in 1865. Although it is possible that Rufinatscha could have seen the score, it is extremely doubtful, and it is absolutely impossible for him to have heard it prior to composing this symphony, as Herbeck premiered Schubert's 8th in 1865 or 1866.
Great to know. You can speculate about influence but until you know the dates as I mentioned in my comments you can't be sure. While I could be sure he predated Dvorak you can see Dvorak being directly influenced by some of the sounds here. Also, where I saw a connection to Bruckner, there is a snatch at 9:16 to 9:35 that is uncannily like the theme from Bruckner 4's funeral march. Would Bruckner have heard this work performed or is this a coincidence? What do you think?
@@johnpcomposer why those time designations? That's the recapitulation of the first subject. You hear the same thing less than a minute in.
@@johnpcomposer Bruckner would have been 24 years old or so when this symphony was performed, so I would say it's likely he was at least aware of its existence, and may have even attended the premiere if he was in Vienna.
@@JAMESLEVEE Probably by the 2nd go around things were standing out and I was able to put my finger on exactly the piece of music it reminded me of. 1st listen and all.
Very pretty, and yes, it sure sounds like Schubert; but that's not unusual, as a 2014 Chevy will look a lot like a 2014 Toyota. It was the sound of the times. Thanks for uploading.
The uncanny thing is how much it sounds like Schubert's Unfinished Symphony in spots, despite the fact that Rufinatscha couldn't possibly have known that work when he composed his 4th!
Rufinatscha's style reminds me the most of Dvorak's symphonies. It is more of a pastoral, organic sound then Dvorak's. Dvorak's style is more of fiery folk sound, but the two are very similar in tenor.
(I've only heard his D major once-and-maybe-still-called 6th, and perhaps the overture on Chandos it's coupled with, so even though this is what I still think of as his 5th (odd... I hadn't heard of this composer until a few years ago anyway, and I liked to think I'd done a - fair amount of research :)... well. Anyway) - well, still, no reason to change what I just wrote... :)
the conductor's correct name is Edgar Seipenbusch
the CDs of his Rufinatscha performances can be baught here:
shop.tiroler-landesmuseen.at/catalogsearch/result/?q=rufinatscha
the symphonies were recorded live in 2006 and 2007 in a basilica in tyrol :)
+eragon812 Thanks! I've corrected it in the description, and it's a minor enough error in the title card, that I think I'll just leave it as is.
Hi James, thanks for the reply (also well presented). Regardless, I still think it's a brilliant symphony.
This is another CD from the Tiroler Landesmuseum Ferdinandeum in Innsbruck. I'm not sure of the number - it's probabably listed under Rufinatscha: Orchesterwerke. All I know is it's coupled with the 1st Symphony. A friend of mine burned me a copy and sent it to me a number of years ago, before I learned how to order stuff online from German-only language sources. At the time, this symphony was thought to be his 5th, if you will read the description, so look for Symphonies Nos. 1 and 5.
Touches of Mendelssohn and Schumann. Does anybody know what year this was written. He's quite ahead of Dvorak's time even though I see the resemblance in the 1st movement....would have to know more about dates to figure out the influences. Is he a slavic composer? You could see how Dvorak would have been influenced by this music if so. Anticipating the later Dvorak symphonies, symphonic poems and the slavonic dances if you ask me. Some Beethoven Eroica at 7:13 to 7:21. Then notice the middle section of Mendelssohn's wedding march 8:12 to 8:22. Then Bruckner 4th funeral march 9:16 to 9:35. Have never even heard of him until today. Must listen to some more.
According to the description above it is from 1846 - about the year of Schumann's 2nd symphony and when Mendelssohn sketched his unfinshed 6th symphony (both 1845)
Per essere del 1846 è molto personale e non si individuano a mio avviso influssi facilmente identificabili. Se proprio dovessi dire un nome,direi un giovane Schumann.
Just as I was about to think that Rufinatscha's music bore no resemblance to that of Brahms, here is a work that I could almost mistake for a lost, albeit early, Brahms symphony. I also briefly thought of Dvorak as did Brian Knapp, but I thought of the Schubertian influence that imbues his two early symphonies not at all! Then I re-played part of the first movement and did see a very slight resemblance to a theme from the "Unfinished", but I still must have a mental block regarding any greater similarity of content. I actually thought more of Beethoven's "Pastorale", at least in the feeling it conveys. I think that it's his most serene symphony, with an especially lovely and effecting 'adagio', and with his final (5th) symphony, his masterpiece.
ronald b woodall The really remarkable thing is that Schubert's Unfinished Symphony would have been totally unknown to Rufinatscha at the time this one was written.
"Like" on 18 February 2016
I'm promoting the re-numbering. :-)
But you're merely parroting the current state of research in which you played no part.
@@alanhowe7659 dissemination is the nature of my game, and I don't ask for even a single cracker. But, of course, I'll gladly parrot whatever research you have to offer.