Schubert: Symphony nr 4 / Rosamunde

https://www.discogs.com/release/1653393-Schubert-Das-Philharmonische-Orchester-London-Sir-Adrian-Boult-Das-Pasdeloup-Orchester-Paris-Carl-Ba

Adrian Boult is, to me at least, mostly known for his work with the London Philharmonic. He had a while life before that however. He used to be conductor for the BBC before the war, and then was forced into retirement in 1950. Well before he single handedly revived the LPO.

Boult has made countless recordings, mainly for Decca and EMI. Lots of works from English composers, and he also premiered The Planets from his friend Gustav Holst. Especially in the early years, the LPO had to do hundreds of concert each year just to keep afloat financially. That, and the many recordings, established the name of one of the best and most demanded orchestras in the world.

The second piece on this record is more interesting though: the full incidental music for Rosamunde, a play. Nowadays only the ouverture makes it to the stage, but this is the work in full. Some of the themes that can be heard here, are also known from Schubert’s String Quartet in a minor (D804), also called Rosamunde.

This kind of self plagiarism was not unknown in Schubert’s time, and he did it a lot. Famous examples are Der Tod und das Mädchen and the Trout Quintet.

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