Review: Groovy Gouvy Symphonies On CPO

Gouvy: Symphonies Nos. 1-6; Orchestral Works. Deutsche Radio Philharmonie Saarbrücken Kaiserslautern, Jacques Mercier (cond.) CPO

[bigg]

To support Dave's pitch (not that his arguments are in need of support, but just to add a voice) - do yield to your curiosity and engage with Gouvy's music! I did during my period of inquiry into mid-19th Century symphonists (the "missing link" between Beethoven, Schubert and Brahms). CPO and Palazzetto Bru Zane series of recordings were my go-to sources, which I can recommend for high quality of presentation and research, as well as music!

In short, it was a journey that brought many pleasant surprises, but even among worthy competition (Kalliwoda, Ries, Gernsheim, Raff, Meyer, Farrenc, Goddard, Gade, Sgambati, et al.), boy did Gouvy's oeuvre justify expectations! His music is at the same time melodic and intricate enough to keep us interested, while not following the predictable models (except adhering to abstract classical form) and, as Dave affirmed, just being his own self. Not trying to step into the too-big shoes of the idols is what makes an artist free, while undoubtedly of his time. That Gouvy sometimes needed to pay for performances of his own music especially in France was OK in hindsight because it got him exposed to European audiences and later performed on merit. That included Leipzig, which had a redoubtable musical culture, and a public that was not easily forgiving to mediocrity. The style of Gouvy's symphonic works betray the composer's mixed French-German roots (he was in fact a man from the borderlands - too German in Paris, too French in Germany), and to modern ears the mix proves a winning one more often than not.

One cannot take away that despite the customary disregard for symphonies written "in the shadow" of the great Ludwig van. - the mid-19th C. was not lacking in people truly gifted to produce great dramatic, colorful, if not willfully original, orchestral music until Brahms the symphonist self-consciously emerged from their lot. As such those composers are fully worthy of (re)discovery.

[earlofmar]

I heard the sixth symphony on the radio some years ago and on the strength of that I bought this box. It has been lying around for quite some time now (the curse of having a large collection and too little time), so this review would be a good trigger to go listening to it...

[eugenebraig]

I do have that kind of curiosity and have already explored. Cheers!

Gouvy's symphonies qualify as among the highlights of his era for me.

[rbmelk]

Some of these symphonies are really great! I love his chamber music as well, especially his third piano trio in Bb major.

[chuckdorr]

Thank you, Dave for another wonderful addition to my collection.

[brunoluong]

Gouvy is Prussian born and rejected by Paris conservatory when he was young because of that. He then took french nationality at age 34. He lives the last 30 year and composes a big part of his works in the town called Hombourg-Haut (Moselle, Lorraine-Alsace, France), he is buried there. His composition revival happens about century late in 1993-1998, et the 100th of his dead anniversary. A series of recordings was released by K617 label, thanks to the support of Lorraine region with the Requiem. As many classical listeners at the time, my memory is still vivid when I first heard it : how such composer can be neglected ? Berlioz has has esteem on Gouvy.

[franklehman]

Bought this set after hearing a bit of one of the symphs on our local classical station (!) last year. Have not regretted the purchase: these are wonderful, characterful works. Gouvy really hits the ground running as a symphonist too: Symphony No. 1 is absolutely fantastic. Really scrambles my assumptions about orchestral music in mid-19th century France -- I thought there was really no one of interest writing great symphonies in the decades after Berlioz...

[daviddunlap]

I happened upon Gouvy a number of years back...and I can wholeheartedly endorse his music! (Why is it not in our concert halls??)

[JAMESLEVEE]

My only regret about Gouvy is his utter lack of concertante music for any instrument. I believe he wrote a Fantaisie pastorale for violin and orchestra. That's it. A full concerto or morceau de concert, for violin or any instrument, really, would have been nice.

[carlconnor]

I listened to #4 and I really enjoyed it. I know Gouvy predates him, but it sounded Dvorak-like, especially in the Allegro and in the Finale. I listened to #3 and heard nothing sounding like Dvorak; not that it has to for me to enjoy Gouvy. I was also underwhelmed by it. I listened to the breve and the Fantasie. I found the latter more interesting.