Joachim Raff: Symphony No 2 and Four Shakespeare Preludes

Orchestre de la Suisse Romande; Neeme Jarvi

CHANDOS CHSA 5117   77’47

Johan Svendsen: Orchestral works Vol 3

Bergen Philharmonic Orchestra; Neeme Jarvi

CHANDOS CHAN 10766     74’10

One of the great benefits of the over exposure of the popular repertoire is the way rare or even unknown works can take you by surprise. These two discs present finely honed orchestral works from the late 19thcentury which would not be out of place in any concert hall – yet I cannot recall ever having seem either composer on a recent concert programme.

Joachim Raff’s Second Symphony was composed in 1866 while he was working in Wiesbaden, and was re-published by Edition Nordstern in 2000. Colour and vitality spring from all parts of the score. The four Shakespeare Preludes move away from any narrative line to give a compressed emotional response to the plays in a matter unique to the composer; the impact may be late romantic but the style is geninely individual.

The third volume of Svendsen’s works brings us the Violin Concerto and the First Symphony. Again late romantic in feel, the concerto sits comfortably alongside Mendelssohn and Bruch in its lyrical outpouring and easy charm. The symphony recalls those of Parry and Stanford.

Both discs are convincingly shaped by Neeme Jarvi and the Bergen Philharmonic seems particularly at home with the Svendsen. Worth investing both time and money here! BH