Weigl, K: Symphony No. 6, etc.

February 2006

****

“When Karl Weigl moved to the United States from Nazi-occupied Austria at the age of 57, he found it extremely difficult to adapt to his new cultural environment. This large-scale four-movement work, which is steeped in the Austro-German late-Romantic tradition of Mahler, Reger and Schmidt... contains some haunting moments, notably the ethereally scored closing bars of the slow movement which evoke heartfelt nostalgia for the land he was forced to leave. The companion piece Old Vienna, a charming medley of waltzes, explores this theme in more overt terms... the performances are compelling, and Weigl's rich scoring is matched by a suitably opulent recording.”