Ernst von Dohnányi (1877-1960)

[kyjo]

You're making me want to relisten to those works! According to my notes, the Violin Concerto No. 1 was more enjoyable, but the others didn't hold my attention. I'll need to refresh my memory with the concertos then, including the Suite in F sharp minor.

If you aren't "blown away" by the VC no. 2, I'll eat my hat! I find it a more individual and succinct work overall than the first one.

[Symphonic Addict]

If you aren't "blown away" by the VC no. 2, I'll eat my hat! I find it a more individual and succinct work overall than the first one.

So, be prepared to taste it very well. 

I'm kidding. I'm gonna give it a listen today later or tomorrow.

[Symphonic Addict]

Well, today relistened to his VC 2, but alas, I remain unconvinced. I didn't feel anything particularly distinctive. In some aspects it's a sober piece. The movements with more appeal to me were III and IV. It's not a bad piece by any means, just that I don't find it interesting. His symphonies and most of his chamber music are much more of my taste without doubts.

[Mirror Image]

Well, today relistened to his VC 2, but alas, I remain unconvinced. I didn't feel anything particularly distinctive. In some aspects it's a sober piece. The movements with more appeal to me were III and IV. It's not a bad piece by any means, just that I don't find it interesting. His symphonies and most of his chamber music are much more of my taste without doubts.

I'm certainly inclined to agree, Cesar, but, honestly, I haven't heard any work from Dohnányi that hasn't too interesting or worth revisiting. In fact, I found a lot of the music just plain dull.

[kyjo]

Well, today relistened to his VC 2, but alas, I remain unconvinced. I didn't feel anything particularly distinctive. In some aspects it's a sober piece. The movements with more appeal to me were III and IV. It's not a bad piece by any means, just that I don't find it interesting. His symphonies and most of his chamber music are much more of my taste without doubts.

It's always interesting to see where our opinions diverge! To my ears, the work is the very opposite of "sober" - very colorful and with a character all its own.

[Mapman]

Here are my comments from my first listen to the 1st symphony. I didn't read anything about this symphony before I listened.

Going back through the last couple pages of this thread, I'll need to check out the American Rhapsody and Symphony #2!

Dohnányi: Symphony #1
Bamert: BBC

Dohnányi doesn't seem to entirely know what style he wants to write in; the most obvious influences are Dvořák and Bruckner. The first movement (of 5) starts out somewhat like Dvořák, with wonderful melodies, and the end of the movement treats them in a Brucknerian way. The second movement seemed the least cohesive and successful to me, but it has extensive solos for bass clarinet. The scherzo is fun and rhythmically interesting. (There are brief 5/4 passages!) The fourth movement is a nice viola solo. The final movement is possibly the most impressive: it starts with a dramatic introduction followed by a theme and variations and a fugue on a fun subject. I think I noticed reuses of material from the 2nd and 3rd movements; there's probably more that I missed. Overall an excellent symphony, and worth hearing in my opinion.

[kyjo]

Here are my comments from my first listen to the 1st symphony. I didn't read anything about this symphony before I listened.

Going back through the last couple pages of this thread, I'll need to check out the American Rhapsody and Symphony #2!

Very much agree with your comments regarding the 1st Symphony, an eclectic piece, for sure, but a highly enjoyable one at that. The finale is particularly exciting with its imposing, timpani-driven coda. Don't miss the wartime (WWII) 2nd Symphony, which is an even more impressive work, and similarly eclectic - it consists of a stormy first movement, a lush, Korngoldian slow movement, a sardonic, Bartokian scherzo, and a mega-edifice of a finale which consists of a set of variations on a Bach chorale and a triumphant, martial coda.

[Franco_Manitobain]

First listen to this disc.  Absolutely stunning music from start to finish!

[Jo498]

If you like the piano quintets, try the sextet (horn, clarinet, piano, string trio). There is a decent recording on Naxos but there are quite a few of them overall. The string quartets are also worth listening to although not quite as distinctive (except the 3rd and last, maybe). None of Dohnanyi's concerti (but I have not heard all) has impressed me like his chamber works.

[kyjo]

Indeed, Dóhnanyi's chamber music is of a uniformly high quality (though it's been a while since I've listened to his first two SQs or Violin Sonata). It's fun to chart his stylistic evolution from the Brahmsian (but not too derivative!) Piano Quintet No. 1 to the more individual SQ No. 3 and Sextet from the 1920s and 30s. While still broadly written within the late-romantic tradition, these latter two works have a harmonic piquancy, occasionally "jazzy" rhythmic edge, and a delightful sense of humor (in their finales) which is incredibly appealing to me.

[Scion7]

I was unaware of this American televison programme!
A few years before the composer's demise:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-RJiQjznrfM