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Charity Symphony Orchestra's first professional studio recording is now on saleSchumann - Symphony No.3 'Rhenish' Recorded by Chris Taylor and Sanjay Rajo for Hi-sonorous Pear Tree Church Hall, Southampton, April 2010 Mixed at Purple Squares Studios, Southampton Mahler - Lider eines fahreden gestellen Recorded Live at St. Mary's Church, Southampton, November 2010 William Houghton -Baritone Charity Symphony Orchestra Craig Lawton - Conductor |
Introduction to the project
2010 was a special year for the two composers on this disk. It marked the 200th anniversary of the birth of Robert Schumann and the 150th anniversary of that of Gustav Mahler.
Since the first concert in 2006, the Charity Symphony Orchestra has grown and developed substantially. The orchestra reachednew heights in 2010 through performing ambitious and exciting programmes with talented and devoted musicians of all ages from across the country. Mahler and Schuman shared something in common that gave me the idea behind this CD project – their mental health andwellbeing. Gustav Mahler’s life experiences directly influenced some of his core creative output. His relationship with hismother, his brother’s suicide and an unhappy love affair all gave impetus to the Lieder on this CD. For Robert Schumann, theevents were more dramatic. After wrestling with voices in his head for several months and fearing he would hurt his wife Clara, thecomposer threw himself into the Rhine, the very river that had inspired his Third Symphony. Having survived his suicide attemptby being pulled from the water, Schumann committed himself to an asylum where he spent the rest of his short life. Mental health is an illness that many people still live with. Thankfully, in the 21st Century there are charities that aim to provide services to those with mental illnesses who also challenge the stigma attached to mental health. Solent Mind is one such charity: it has been a great pleasure to embark on this recording to raise money for them. The Charity Symphony Orchestra is grateful to the Trustees of the Barker-Mill Foundation for a donation which allowedus to complete this project. For more information on the Foundation please visit www.barkermillfoundation.com |
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Notes on the recording - Schumann Symphony No.3
Gustav Mahler – Lieder eines fahrenden Gesellen
The Lieder eines fahrenden Gesellen was composed as a result of an unhappy love affair with soprano Johanna Richter, and is Mahler’s first song cycle, written between 1884 – 1893. The text of the Lieder is by Mahler himself, though he would certainly have been influenced by Des Knaben Wunderhorn, a collection of German folk poetry. Listeners familiar with Mahler’s works will recognise the second song as being used in the First Symphony.
Schumann – Symphony No.3 ‘Rhenish’
The Third Symphony was actually the fourth and last symphony that Schumann composed in 1850 and published in 1851. After an unwelcoming response to the Fourth Symphony in 1841, Schumann withdrew the piece, revised it, and published it ten years later after the Third. Composed after a visit to the Rhineland with his wife Clara, the symphony conveys the happy experiences the couple had on their journey.
During his career, Mahler edited some of Schumann’s symphonies including the Third. After studying Mahler’s personally edited score of the Third Symphony, housed at the University of Southampton I have incorporated some of the revisions into this recording. The main changes I supported were the ‘toning down’ of the trumpet parts throughout the piece, which in places covered up the harmonic progression and splendid harmony of the symphony.
Listeners will hear the musicians of the Charity Symphony Orchestra recording a heartfelt and committed rendition of a fantastic symphony in just one studio session. It is through their passion for music and fund raising that I am able to find myself here writing this today.
The Lieder eines fahrenden Gesellen was composed as a result of an unhappy love affair with soprano Johanna Richter, and is Mahler’s first song cycle, written between 1884 – 1893. The text of the Lieder is by Mahler himself, though he would certainly have been influenced by Des Knaben Wunderhorn, a collection of German folk poetry. Listeners familiar with Mahler’s works will recognise the second song as being used in the First Symphony.
Schumann – Symphony No.3 ‘Rhenish’
The Third Symphony was actually the fourth and last symphony that Schumann composed in 1850 and published in 1851. After an unwelcoming response to the Fourth Symphony in 1841, Schumann withdrew the piece, revised it, and published it ten years later after the Third. Composed after a visit to the Rhineland with his wife Clara, the symphony conveys the happy experiences the couple had on their journey.
During his career, Mahler edited some of Schumann’s symphonies including the Third. After studying Mahler’s personally edited score of the Third Symphony, housed at the University of Southampton I have incorporated some of the revisions into this recording. The main changes I supported were the ‘toning down’ of the trumpet parts throughout the piece, which in places covered up the harmonic progression and splendid harmony of the symphony.
Listeners will hear the musicians of the Charity Symphony Orchestra recording a heartfelt and committed rendition of a fantastic symphony in just one studio session. It is through their passion for music and fund raising that I am able to find myself here writing this today.
Recording session photos
Peter Hall 2010
Peter Hall 2010
