HERMANN BISCHOFF (1868-1936): Symphony No. 2 in D Minor, Introduktion und Rondo.

Description: Exactly two years after the Symphony No. 1, we offer this Richard Strauss friend and disciple's Second, completed at the end of 1910. At 43 minutes, it's almost a quarter shorter than his First and the first two movements have a lighter quality: the first has the sort of joyfulness that you find in the first movements of Dvorák's early symphonies and the second is a diaphanous and sparkling Intermezzo not far from Tchaikovsky ballet music in feeling if not in actual style. A long adagio reminds us a bit of Strauss and Bruckner before an allegro molto finale full of affirmation and light. The Introduction and Rondo, not very far different stylistically, appeared ten years later and was apparently the last orchestral work Bischoff composed. Deutsche Staatsphilharmonie Rheinland-Pfalz; Werner Andreas Albert.