LOUIS SPOHR (1784-1859): Symphonies No. 7 in C "The Earthly and Divine in Human Life" for 2 Orchestra, Op. 121 and No. 9 in B Minor "The Seasons", Op. 143, Introduzione in D, WoO 5, Festmarsch in D, WoO 3.

Description: One of Spohr's four programmatic symphonies, the Ninth of 1850 was inspired by a bad fall on ice, which is why, written during and after a months-long recovery, Winter leads the way, gray, leading, almost suffocating before the predictable birdie-songs of spring, a languorous summer and a huntin' an' drinkin' finale. The Seventh (1841) bowled Schumann over; it uses two orchestras, one of wind quintet and string quartet (plus a second horn and a double bass) and a conventional-sized full orchestra to represent respectively the "Divine" and "Earthly" parts of human perception. Different in form too, with only three movements ("Childhood", "Passion", "Final Victory of the Divine"). The World Premieres are a 50-second Introduction for an 1830 stage play and a 5:22 Festmarsch from 1825 celebrating the marriage of the daughter of the Prince Elector of Kassel. Orchestra della Svizzera Italiana;  Howard Shelley.