# SS 17.11.18 - Honegger #4 "Deliciæ Basiliensis"



## realdealblues (Mar 3, 2010)

A continuation of the Saturday Symphonies Tradition:

Welcome to another weekend of symphonic listening! 
_*
*_For your listening pleasure this weekend:*

Arthur Honegger **(1892 - 1955)*

Symphony No. 4, "_Deliciæ Basiliensis"_, H. 191

1. Lento e misterioso - Allegro
2. Larghetto
3. Allegro

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Post what recording you are going to listen to giving details of Orchestra / Conductor / Chorus / Soloists etc - Enjoy!


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## realdealblues (Mar 3, 2010)

Another weekend is upon us and another symphony is up for your listening enjoyment. This weekend it's Swiss composer Arthur Honegger's Fourth Symphony. I've only heard this one a few times so I look forward to hearing it again.

I'll be listening to this one on disc:




Charles Munch/Orchestre National de l'ORTF


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## D Smith (Sep 13, 2014)

I'll listen to Plasson from this excellent set.


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## AClockworkOrange (May 24, 2012)

I’ll go with Serge Baudo & the Czech Philharmonic for this work.


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## Mika (Jul 24, 2009)

Will listen this one


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## KenOC (Mar 7, 2011)

This is the one I have, so I will listen to it.


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## Haydn man (Jan 25, 2014)

D Smith said:


> I'll listen to Plasson from this excellent set.


This will be my choice via Spotify


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## CnC Bartok (Jun 5, 2017)

Czech PO/Serge Baudo for me too!


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## elgar's ghost (Aug 8, 2010)

D Smith said:


> I'll listen to Plasson from this excellent set.


Pour moi aussi.


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## Manxfeeder (Oct 19, 2010)

I have all of the Honegger symphonies but No. 4, so I'm listening to Hogwood's recording, because that's the first one that comes up in Amazon Music.

Which reminds me, why haven't I spent any time lately with this composer's music?


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## Merl (Jul 28, 2016)

I'll give this one a spin.


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## cougarjuno (Jul 1, 2012)

Going Swiss with this one with Jesus Lopez-Cobos and the Orchestre de Chambre de Lausanne. A wonderful disc. The Honegger 4 is by far my favorite symphony of his. A symphony reflective of his summers in Switzerland. Those wonderful harmonies and rhythms, a sweet and balanced first movement. How Honegger has these slight dissonances throughout the movement and then relaxes the mood each time with brief woodwind passages is brilliant. The jolly theme carried by piano and glockenspiel that comes through mid-way through is nice, but it's that beautiful string writing underneath the theme that show Honegger's mastery of the orchestra. Throughout the symphony the use of the piano is always perfectly blended. The second movement's soft slow march-like rhythm and the last movement's counterpoint are also absolutely extraordinary the third movement reminds somewhat of Malcolm Arnold. The repeating horn passage in the third movement sticks in the brain, and to me is one of the symphonies most satisfying moments. I've often looked at this score to see his composition process. If I could describe the symphony in one word it would be piquant.


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## D Smith (Sep 13, 2014)

I really enjoyed this and will make a note to listen more often. (I admit I listen mostly to his 2nd and 5th symphonies and Pacific 231). I think cougarjuno hit the nail on the head when they described it as 'piquant'. An excellent Saturday Symphony choice this week!


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## Josquin13 (Nov 7, 2017)

I've listened to the old Georges Tzipine recording on You Tube, with the Orchestra National de la Radiodiffusion, out of curiosity, since Tzipine was a lifelong friend of Honegger's, & championed and premiered many of the composer's works: 



. (I was struck by how this music can sound similar to Roussel at times.)


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## Malx (Jun 18, 2017)

Via Spotify - I don't have this in my collection, first impressions are favourable, definitely one to try again.

View attachment 109920


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## 89Koechel (Nov 25, 2017)

Well, strange as might seem, I have (on open-reel tape, a dub from a local FM station) a very-fine version with Ernest Ansermet and his Swiss Orchestra. … OK,"realdeal", thanks for reminding us of the particular, singular parts of this very-Swiss composer, as they reached certain fruitions.


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## Vaan (Nov 17, 2018)

Ansermet with his Suisse Romande orchestra. I also have the cycle by Fabio Luisi with the same orchestra but it does not impress me at all.


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## tdc (Jan 17, 2011)

I listened to the youtube link provided in post #2. An enjoyable work, I generally find Honegger works good. He has tasteful use of harmony, this work is no exception. As far as structure goes and displaying a unique compositional voice - in these areas perhaps I'm not blown away, but maybe I need to listen more before coming to a final conclusion on that. In this work he certainly has provided an aesthetically pleasing experience.


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## KenOC (Mar 7, 2011)

Just sneaking in under the rope on this one. I listened to the symphony twice. It’s imaginative, far from boring (the first movement is quite kaleidoscopic), and beautifully orchestrated. And yet, like other works I’ve listened to by Honegger, I don’t quite get why he wrote it. It seems, with his skill and talent, there ought to be something compelling here, some story to be told that matters. But I simply can’t hear it.


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## starthrower (Dec 11, 2010)

My favorite Honegger symphony. I have the Dutoit set on Apex.


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