Symphonies Nos.7, 9, etc : Shelley / Svizzera Italiana Orchestra

Louis Spohr (1784-1859)
Symphonies Nos. 7 & 9

Symphony No 9 in B minor 'The Seasons' Op 143
Symphony No 7 in C major 'The earthly and divine in human life' Op 121
Introduzione in D major WoO5
Festmarsch in D major WoO3

Orchestra della Svizzera Italiana
Howard Shelley, conductor

Recording details: August 2011, Auditorio Stelio Molo, Lugano, Switzerland
Produced by Ben Connellan
Engineered by Michael Rast

We talk of the nine symphonies of Beethoven and Bruckner but what about the ten of Spohr? Howard Shelley and the Orchestra della Svizzera Italiana conclude their survey of his symphonies with two that push the boundaries of the genre itself. Both Nos 7 and 9 are programmatic works, something that Spohr along with Berlioz did much to champion. In the Seventh, titled ‘The earthly and divine in human life’ and inspired by a holiday in Switzerland, he uses not one but two orchestras to great colouristic effect. His Ninth explores that perennial favourite theme of composers from Vivaldi to Glazunov, the Seasons (though Spohr starts with winter rather than spring). As if that were not enough, Howard Shelley also offers the premiere recordings of a brief, powerful Introduzione and a triumphant, at times almost Rossini-ish, Festmarsch. ( Hyperion )