Martinu: Symphony No. 6 'Fantaises symphoniques'

The sextuplet of Martinu symphonies originated within a very short time frame (Symphonies Nos. 1-5 within a mere five years – from 1942 to 1946 in the USA; Symphony No. 6, designated Fantaisies symphoniques, was completed in 1953) at a time when the composer enjoyed general acclaim and was bursting with creative energy. It was as if only on a new continent, where he was driven by war and was warmly welcomed, could Martinu muster up the courage to plunge into this classical form and seek to catch up on what he had “missed out on” until then.

The Anthology of the Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra is a transcription in sound of the concert-giving history of the Concertgebouw Orchestra, based upon radio recordings from the archives of Dutch Radio and Radio Netherlands World Service. Six decades of the 20th century are put under the spotlight in six boxes, each containing 14 CDs. We have chosen not only legendary performances under chief conductors of the KCO but also concerts led by countless guest conductors of both greater and lesser renown. Famous soloists make their debuts with the orchestra alongside world premieres of works that have since become classics of the repertoire. This fifth volume of the Anthology features the radio recordings made by the orchestra in the 1980s, presenting an overview on 14 CDs of the orchestra's artistic development under various conductors during that period.