Composer: Emilie Mayer
Orchestra: NDR Radiophilharmonie
Conductor: Leo McFall
Format: FLAC (tracks)
Label: CPO
Catalogue: 555293-2
Release: 2020
Size: 277 MB
Recovery: +3%
Scan: yes
Symphony No. 1 in C minor
01. I. Adagio – Allegro energico
02. II. Adagio
03. III. Allegro vivace
04. IV. Finale. Adagio – Allegro
Symphony No. 2 in E minor
05. I. Un poco adagio – Allegro assai
06. II. Scherzo
07. III. Un poco adagio cantabile
08. IV. Finale. Allegro vivace
No woman composer of the time compiled an oeuvre as extensive as that of Emilie Mayer, who was born in Friedland, Mecklenburg, in 1812 and made contributions to a wide range of musical genres. She succeeded in doing what remained a mere wish dream for most women composers of her generation: she reaped great praise from the critics and pursued a successful career as a composer and our three previously released CDs featuring her piano and chamber music have confirmed her mastery. Emilie Mayer wrote her eight symphonies between 1845 / 46 and (at the latest) 1857. The Symphony No. 1 very much leads one to believe that it may have been something like a final examination piece with which she concluded her instruction from him. She quite ostentatiously constructs classical models, displays her modulatory talent, demonstrates her rich formal imagination, exhibits her command of double counterpoint, and works through tonal intricacies with sovereign control (last movement) and does it all with unrivaled mastery. In the Symphony No. 2 Emilie Mayer emancipates herself from models and pursues completely new paths, above all in dramaturgical development within the compass of the large form.