SACDs - Spohr

Volume 3 of Cpo’s Louis Spohr Symphony series continues with Symphonies Nos. 1 and 6 and the Overture Op. 12. Once again we find weighty works, intricately elaborated and melodically appealing, expertly performed by the NDR Radiophilharmonie under the baton of Howard Griffiths.

On her third CD for Channel Classics, the harpist Lavinia Meijer (28) has brought together popular Fantasies and Impromptus by Spohr, Fauré, Pierné, Saint-Saëns, Roussel and Glière. Added to these are world premieres on CD of two completely forgotten harpist composers: Johannes Snoer (1868-1936) and Gabriel Verdalle (1845-1912).

On her first and very successful CD for Channel Classics, 'Divertissements', Lavinia Meijer also recorded only compositions originally written for the harp, with works by Carlos Salzedo, André Caplet and Jacques Ibert. On her highly commended CD 'Visions' she presented twentieth-century repertoire, with works by Byrnes, Isang Yun and Takemitsu, in addition to Britten and Patterson.

Lavinia Meijer graduated cum laude at the Amsterdam Conservatory in 2005. She was awarded the Netherlands Music Prize in 2009.

Howard Griffiths and the NDR Radio Philharmonic continue on their exploration of Louis Spohr’s symphonic works, with Symphonies Nos. 2 and 8. The widespread interest in Louis Spohr is growing and CPO’s series of the symphonic works aim to bring to light one of the most popular German composers in England from the nineteenth century.

Spohr wrote nine symphonies leaving the tenth unfinished. The later symphonies move from the classical style that he had inherited to music with a programmatic element. They remain relative rarities in the concert-hall today. Howard Griffiths once again presents a gripping interpretation informed by historical performance practice.