# Louis Spohr



## jurianbai

Like always I've always fascinated by violin oriented composer from classical to early romantic era. According to many readings, quite confirmed that Spohr was an elite around his time.

So, I'm looking forward for some glorifications for Louis Spohr from this forum  , anyone?

reading :
http://translate.google.com/transla...=1&u=http://www.louis-spohr.de/&sl=auto&tl=en

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Louis_Spohr


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## Guest

His Octet and of course the magnificent Nonet are perhaps my 1st choice


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## Artemis

Louis Spohr (1784-1859) was the composer in the spotlight a few weeks ago on BBC Radio 3 "Composer of the Week". Here's the link to the first episode.

For each composer selected, there are 5 x 1 hour programmes spread throughout the week. Although the UK might be going "down the pan" according to some not-so-patriotic members, we at least have the BBC which puts out quality broadcasts such as this.

When I manage to find time to listen to these broadcasts (which are repeated each evening) I often find that by the end of week I have become interested in a composer I was previously largely unfamiliar with. (It's a marvellous cure for becoming over-addicted to only a small number of composers only). Such was the case with Louis Spohr. I haven't yet purchased any CDs, but I took a few recordings which appealed from material played throughout that week's set of programmes:

Octet Op 32 
Nonet Op 31
Septet Op 147
Quintet for piano & winds Op 52
Violin concerto No 11, Op 70
Overture Faust
Grand Concerto Overture
Sextet for strings Op 140 (recorded from a separate source)


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## jurianbai

thanks Artemis but the re listen link is not available already, what a loss!

I am surprised the program didn't mentioned his achievement in Clarinet. I have his string quartet (no.15 and 16 op.58) and clarinet concerto no.1 in c op.26)


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## Guest

It is not often that you get a chance to hear the Nonet at a concert, I have heard it once in 1998 performed by a combination of The Esterhazy Wind Quintet-Budapest String Trio and Istvan Toth Double Bass. The work itself is a decedent of Beethoven’s Septet which gives the Violin a prominent part as does the nonet, Sphore did not like Beethoven’s later works but must have had a soft spot for the Septet. The nonet was commissioned by Johann Tost who in earlier years had been the “Dedicatee” of Haydn’s Op 54,55,64 St Qts and he commissioned quite a few of Sphors works.


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## Artemis

jurianbai said:


> thanks Artemis but the re listen link is not available already, what a loss!
> 
> I am surprised the program didn't mentioned his achievement in Clarinet. I have his string quartet (no.15 and 16 op.58) and clarinet concerto no.1 in c op.26)


The "listen again" facility ceases 7 days after broadcast, otherwise it would be impossible to store all that amount of programme material.

In the first day's programme on 14 Dec, the following clarinet work was played:Clarinet Concerto no 1 in c minor op 26 (1808 / publ 1812)Performer: Michael Collins / Swedish Chamber Orchestra /Performer: Robin O'Neill (conductor)
Hyperion CDA 67509, tr 1-3​I didn't record that work, as I must have missed it. I can't see any more clarinet works later in the series.

The general idea of the programmes is to explain enough about each composer to provide a good introduction to the composer's own development, and to give some examples of specific works. They are not meant to be exhaustive or comprehensive with regard to any composer. For some really major composers they tend to look at certain aspects of their lives only, e.g. there was a series about two years ago which focused on the very late works of Schubert, in the 20 months after Beethoven's death in March 1827 up to November 1828. It was fascinating to get the insights of a real expert in this area.

This week the composer is Zelenka, next week Borodin.


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## jurianbai

I don't remember to have ever listen to a nonet either. Spohr also produced the mystical 9 number of symphony.


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## jurianbai

symphony no.6 "Historical" was written in each movement represent each historical classical music style.






First Movement: Bach & Handel's Period, 1720 
Second Movement: Haydn &Mozart's Period, 1780
Third Movement: Beethoven's Period, 1810
Fourth Movement: Contemporary Period, 1840


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## HarpsichordConcerto

I never knew about this thread. I have always mentioned music by Spohr but it seems not much response.

As jurianbai knows, record label Marco Polo (i.e. Naxos wearing a different coloured outfit) is endeavouring to record all his string quartets (over 30), and string quintets (7). Other chamber music have also been recorded, including double quartets. Two cycles of his ten symphonies have been recorded/are in progress (Hyperion and CPO). His nine or ten violin concertos and four clarinet concertos are interesting works in themselves. I also have an opera, _Faust_.


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## jurianbai

We are both into Spohr's music curiosity.

He was 1784-1859. He grew up of Late Haydn (-1809), the late Mozart (-1791). Witnessed all Beethoven's year (-1827), Paganini for his Violin influence (-1840), Early Brahms (1833-1897), Liszt and Schumann. Plus, as a violin virtuoso he was touring, from Germany, French, Russian (St Petersburg) to Italia.So his references on first hand data of other master music must be complete enough. (but, his first impression of Beethoven Symph. 9 was not very great). The first to invented , or popularized, baton (curiously, odd to imagine Haydn and friends conducting by waiving a bare hand...)

Like Harpsichord mentioned, his string quartet cycle is consistency being published by Marcopolo. I think this year the issue have reach Vol.15, (link http://amzn.to/y96yWm).


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## suffolkcoastal

I know all 10 of the Spohr symphonies and enjoy them all. The 3rd is generally regarded as the finest, though personally I think the 5th and 8th finer still. Both of the latter symphonies were written in periods of personal sadness/difficulty and Spohr responds with music of real emotional depth, the slow movement of the 5th Symphony being a good example. There is also the odd 7th symphony with its double orchestra of a 'chamber' orchestra of 11 players and the full ensemble. This creates some interesting textures and harmonic ideas.


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## Blake

I'm going to have to give this guy some more attention. I've heard snippets of a couple symphonies and clarinet concertos and was impressed. If I remember reading correctly, he was an important transitional figure from Classical to Romantic.


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## Skilmarilion

I have recently taken to this 3rd Quartet and 8th Violin concerto. In places his music sounds rather Mendelssohnian -- which can't ever be a bad thing.


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## elgar's ghost

Consistency is a key thing with Spohr, especially with his chamber music - I have a number of his chamber works and there is enough variety in them to dispel some of the accusations that he was all meat and no gravy. I also like another work of his that has been criticised, the 6th symphony ("Historical"), in which each of the four movements represents a different musical era: 1720, 1780, 1810 and 1840 respectively - quite novel, I think.


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## PeterF

The music of Louis Spohr is one of my very favorites among what is often referred to as the second tier composers. Long ago I decided to search out a variety of music from other than the greats such as Haydn, Mozart, Beethoven, Brahms, Schubert, Schumann, Mendelssohn and Dvorak. Once I discovered Spohr, I began to collect as much of his music As I could find.

I now have all his string quartets, and most of his string quintets, symphonies, violin concertos, clarinet concertos, double quartets, and a variety of other chamber music.
With such a wide selection of recordings by Spohr on my shelves, I pull one or two off to play very often and am never disappointed.


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