Hans Rott -
Symphony No. 1 in E major

(Nowak no. 35, Banks no. 45)


Updated on
August 23, 2017
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Copyright Martin Brilla
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Hans Rott composed the first movement when he was 19 - two years prior to the other movements. Whereas the motif and theme of this work were treated in a truly remarkable but to some extent rather simple manner, the other movements reveal that they have been written by a more experienced composer. Besides we have to take into consideration that Rott, with regard to the composition competition of July 2, 1878, worked under time pressure - he composed the first movement in 1 1/2 months, at the most.

Yet the jury members who had to judge the accepted works did not find fault with the technical value of the movement presented by Rott. They were rather irritated by distinct reminiscences of Richard Wagner; Rott's work failed.

We refrain from any analytical observations here; instead we refer to the detailed analysis (with many music samples) Litterscheid .

Yet it has to be mentioned that some characteristics, typical for Mahler's work, are clearly to be found in this Symphony, such as "bird calls" or "music from another world"..

This correspondence is best revealed by the Scherzo: It brims with stereotypes from waltzes and ländlers and anticipates in a stimulating way Mahler's technique of exploiting such models. But this is not enough: Mahler quotes from this movement in the third movements of his Second and Fifth Symphony. In the not too distant future this shall be illustrated by audio examples; until then we refer to Banks and Kreysing/Litterscheid.

How is the "value" of the Symphony to be estimated? Let us turn our attention to Gustav Mahler first:

"It is completely impossible to estimate what music has lost in him. His genius soars to such heights even in his first symphony, written at the age of twenty, and which makes him - without exaggeration - the founder of the new symphony as I understand it. He, however, did not reach entirely what he wanted. It is as if someone swings back to throw as far as he can and, still clumsy, does not quite hit the goal."
(Gustav Mahler in Nathalie Bauer-Lechner's reminiscences).

Mahler is certainly right here, for the Symphony is (not yet) a mature masterpiece. Rott was no prodigy which is sometimes revealed in the lack of experience as to composition as well as to instrumentation. If he had had a chance he certainly would have revised his Symphony in later years.

But another thing becomes equally obvious: Rott had not only been very ambitious, he also had an extraordinary musical imagination and he did not shrink from disregarding conventions if he considered it necessary.

"Yet I know what he is aiming at. Yes, he is so related to my very own that he and I seem to me like two fruits from the same tree, brought forth by the same soil, nourished by the same air. He could have been so infinitely much to me and perhaps the two of us together would have fairly exhausted the content of this new age which was dawning for music."
(Gustav Mahler, loc. cit.)

Hardly any further comment is necessary. As Banks (page 9) puts it: "One wonders what Rott could have achieved if his life had not been so tragically short."

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On the Origin of the Symphony No. 1 in E major (Bert Hagels)

Movements:

Alla breve

Sehr langsam (Very slow)

Scherzo: Frisch und lebhaft (Fresh and vivid)

Sehr langsam / Belebt (Very slow/ Brisk)

 

Orchestration:

2 flutes; 2 oboes; 2 clarinets; 2 bassoons; counter-bassoon; 4 horns; 3 trumpets; 3 trombones; 3 timpani; triangle; strings

 

Length: c. 60 minutes

 

This work is published by Ries & Erler. As of now a bound score (390 pages incl. symphony part of 1878 and critical survey) can be obtained at a price of 96.00 Euro; order no. 51121.

Recordings


Performances:
(without any claim for completeness)

March 4, 1989
Cincinnati Philharmonia Orchestra Gerhard Samuel Cincinnati/USA
First performance

Further performances:

March 10, 1989
Paris/F

March 12, 1989
London/GB, St. James's Church, Piccadilly

 
March 3, 1990
Wiener Symphoniker
Carlos Kalmar
Vienna/A
 
October 28, 1990
Thalia Symphony Orchestra
Eric Hanson
Seattle/USA, Broadway Performance Hall
 
March 22, 1992
American Symphony Orchestra
Leon Botstein
New York/USA, Carnegie Hall
 
January 28, 1993
SWF Sinfonieorchester Baden-Baden
(now: SWR Sinfonieorchester Baden-Baden und Freiburg)
Gerhard Samuel
Baden-Baden/D, Kurhaus, Bénazet-Saal
 
August 31, 1993
Helsinki Philharmonic Orchestra
Leif Segerstam
Helsinki/Finland, Finlandia Hall
(Helsinki Festival)
 
May 7, 1994
Sveriges Radios Symfoniorkester
Leif Segerstam
Stockholm/Sweden
 
March 26, 1995
London Symphony Orchestra
Michael Tilson Thomas
London/GB, Barbican Hall
(only the Scherzo)
 
April 20, 1997
Radio Filharmonisch Orkest
Jac van Steen
Amsterdam/NL, Concertgebouw
 
December 8, 1997
Campanile Orchestra
Scott O'Neill
Houston/USA, Rice University, Stude Concert Hall
(only 1st movement)
 

January 23, 1998
Radio Symphonieorchester Wien
Dennis Russell Davies
Vienna/A, Konzerthaus

Further performance:

September 22, 1998
Berlin/D, Philharmonie

 

June 20, 1998
Internationales Herrmann-Scherchen-Jugendorchester
Christian von Borries
Stralsund/D, Kirche St. Jakobi
(only 1st and 3rd movement)

 
October 14, 1999
Malmö SymfoniOrkester
Justin Brown
Malmö/S
 
October 15, 1999
Sjællands Symfoniorkester
Justin Brown
Kopenhagen/DK
 
October 20/22, 2000
Orchestre National de Montpellier
Friedemann Layer
Montpellier/F, Opéra Berlioz - Le Corum
 
February 2, 2002
Slovenska Filharmonija
Leif Segerstam
Maribor/Slovenia

February 9/10/11/12, 2002
Nederlands Philharmonisch Orkest
Hartmut Haenchen

February 9 to 11, 2002: Amsterdam/NL, Concertgebouw
February 12, 2002: Utrecht/NL, Vredenburg
(only the Scherzo)

 
April 19/21/22, 2002
Düsseldorfer Symphoniker
Ryusuke Numajiri
Tonhalle, Düsseldorf/D
October 20, 2002
Münchner Rundfunkorchester
Sebastian Weigle
Würzburg/D, Cathedral
 
October 23, 2002
Ungarische Sinfoniker Pécs
Hans Richter
Kempten/D, Stadttheater
 
January 16/17/18, 2003
Detroit Symphony Orchestra
Neeme Järvi
Detroit/USA, Orchestra Hall
April 26/27/28, 2003
Houston Symphony
Alan Gilbert
Detroit/USA
 
October 23/24, 2003
Orquestra Gulbenkian
Michael Zilm
Lissabon/P
November 11, 2003
Imperial Symphony Orchestra
Arthur Pranno
Lakeland/Florida/USA
 
December 7, 2003
Münchner Rundfunkorchester
Sebastian Weigle
Munich/D, Prinzregententheater
 

December 18/19, 2003
Orquesta Sinfónica de Galicia
Victor Pablo Perez

December 18: La Coruña/E, Palacio de la Opera
December 19: Vigo/E

March 5/6, 2004
Orchester des Staatstheaters Mainz
Catherine Rückwardt
Mainz/D
April 16, 2004
Orquesta Sinfónica de Tenerife
Victor Pablo Perez
Teneriffa/E
 

September 9 - 18, 2004
Neue Elbland Philharmonie
Peter Fanger

September 9, 2004: Pirna/D
September 11, 2004: Großenhain/D
September 12, 2004: Riesa/D
September 18, 2004: Coswig/D

 
October 15/16, 2004
WDR Sinfonieorchester Köln
Neeme Järvi
Cologne/D, Philharmonie
November 11/12, 2004
Japan Philharmonic Orchestra
Ryusuke Numajiri
Tokyo/J, Suntory Hall
 
December 5-7, 2004
Gürzenich-Orchester
Sebastian Weigle
Cologne/D, Philharmonie
 

March 14-20, 2005
Neue Philharmonie Westfalen
Johannes Wildner

March 14/15, 2005: Gelsenkirchen/D, Musiktheater im Revier
March 16, 2005: Kamen/D, Konzertaula
March 17, 2005: Papenburg/D, Forum
March 19, 2005: Recklinghausen/D, Rurfestspielhaus
March 20, 2005: Dortmund/D, Konzerthaus

 

April 22 - 25, 2005
NDR Sinfonieorchester
Alan Gilbert

April 22, 2005: Hamburg/D, Laeiszhalle
April 23, 2005: Kiel/D, Schloss
April 25, 2005: Lübeck/D, Musik- und Kongresshalle

November 25, 2005
Budapest Concert Orchestra MÁV
Johannes Wildner
Budapest/H, College of music (Franz Liszt concert hall)
 
December 1, 2005
New Russia Symphony Orchestra
Johannes Wildner
Moscow/RUS
 
December 25, 2005
Kyoto Philomusica Orchestra
S. Kin
Nagaoka-Kyo City/J, Culture Hall
 
February 6, 2006
Staatsorchester Kassel
Rasmus Baumann
Kassel/Germany, Stadthalle
 
February 16, 2006
New Japan Philharmonic
Christian Arming
Tokyo/Japan, Suntory Hall
 
June 10/11, 2006
Berliner Sinfonie-Orchester
Sebastian Weigle
Berlin/Germany, Konzerthaus
 
November 24/25/26, 2006
Orquestra Simfònica de Barcelona i Nacional de Catalunya (OBC)
Jesús López Cobos
Barcelona/Spain, L'Auditori, Sala Simfònica
 
November 30, 2006
Staatskapelle Halle
Hartmut Haenchen
Halle/Germany, Georg-Friedrich-Händel-Halle
(only the Scherzo)
 
December 15, 2006
Zagrebacka filharmonija (Zagreb Philharmonic Orchestra)
Johannes Wildner
Zagreb/Croatia
 
March 15/16/17/20, 2007
The Philadelphia Orchestra
Neeme Järvi
Philadelphia/USA
 
March 18, 2007
MDR Sinfonieorchester
Dennis Russell Davies
Leipzig/Germany
 
June 2/3, 2007
Basel Sinfonietta
Dennis Russell Davies
June 2, 2007: Samen/Switzerland, Aula Cher
June 3, 2007: Basel/Switzerland, Stadtcasino
 
September 27-29, 2007
Berliner Philharmoniker
Neeme Järvi
Berlin/D, Philharmonie
 
November 2/3, 2007
Residentie Orkest
Neeme Järvi
Den Haag/Netherlands, Dr. A. Philipszaal
 
February 4/5, 2008
Philharmonisches Orchester Augsburg

Rudolf Piehlmayer
Augsburg/Deutschland, Kongreßhalle
 
March 12/13, 2008
Thüringen Philharmonie Gotha-Suhl

Alun Francis
March 12, 2008: Suhl/Deutschland, Congress Centrum

March 13, 2008: Gotha/Deutschland, Kulturhaus
 
May 13, 2008
Osaka Symphoniker
Kiyotaka Teraoka
Osaka/Japan, Symphony Hall
 
June 20, 2008
Orquesta Sinfónica de Madrid
Jesús López Cobos
Madrid/Spain, Auditorio Nacional de Música
 
September 14, 2008
Bruckner Orchester Linz
Dennis Russell Davies
Linz/Austria, Brucknerhaus
 
November 1/2/3, 2008
Staatskapelle Dresden
Sebastian Weigle
Dresden/Germany, Semperoper
 
December 6, 2008
Osaka Prefecture University Orchestra
Kouhei Asano
Sakai/Japan, Sofia Sakai
 
February 9/10, 2009
Bruckner Orchester Linz
Dennis Russell Davies
Graz/Austria, Congress
 
May 22-24, 2009
Bayerisches Ärzteorchester
Reinhard Steinberg
May 22: Schweinfurt/Germany, St. Johannis
May 23: Bamberg/Germany, Aula der Universität
May 24: Munich/Germany, Herkulessaal
 
August 2, 2009
Fukuoka OB Philharmonic Orchestra
Kiyotaka Teraoka
Fukuoka/Japan, Acros Fukuoka Symphony Hall
 
September 19/20, 2009
Nürnberger Symphoniker
Rasmus Baumann
Nürnberg/Deutschland, Meistersingerhalle
 
Janurary 16, 2010
Royal Liverpool Philharmonic Orchestra
Vasily Petrenko
Liverpool/UK, Liverpool Philharmonic Hall
(only the Scherzo)
 
January 24 /25, 2010
Staatsorchester Braunschweig

Georg Mark
Braunschweig/D, Staatstheater
 
February 3/4, 2010
Sinfonieorchester Basel
Dennis Russell Davies
Basel/CH, Stadtcasino/Musiksaal
 
February 19/20, 2010
Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra
Paavo Järvi
Cincinnati/USA, Music Hall
 
March 13-20, 2010
Noordhollands Jeugdorkest
Bas Pollard

March 13, 2010: Purmerend/NL, Taborkerk
March 20, 2010: Hoorn/NL, Oosterkerk
March 21, 2010: Amsterdam/NL, Posthoornkeerk

 
April 14-17, 2010
hr-Sinfonieorchester
Paavo Järvi
April 14-16, 2010: Frankfurt a.M./D, Alte Oper
April 17, 2010: Aschaffenburg/D, Stadthalle
 
April 17/18, 2010
Orquesta Filarmónica de la UNAM
Alun Francis
Mexico City/Mexico
 
May 27, 2010
Brüssels Philharmonic
Michel Tabachnik
Salzburg/Austria
 
August 29/30, 2010
Orchester des Staatstheaters Darmstadt
Constantin Trinks
Darmstadt/D, Staatstheater/Großes Haus
 
January 14, 2011
Slovenska filharmonija
Uroš Lajovic
Ljubljana/Slowenien,Marjan Kozina Hall (Great Hall)
 
August 14, 2011
ORF Radio-Symphonieorchester Wien
Cornelius Meister
Salzburg/A, Felsenreitschule
(Salzburger Festspiele)
 
October 12/13, 2011
Orchestre de Paris
Paavo Järvi
Paris/F, Salle Pleyel

 
October 30, 2011
1st movement (piano transcription)
Vincenzo Maltempo
Milano/I, Spazio Teatro 89
 
November 9-11, 2011
Philharmonisches Orchester Altenburg-Gera
Jonas Alber

November 9/10, 2011: Gera/D, Theater/ Konzertsaal
November 11, 2011: Altenburg/D, Landestheater/Großes Haus
 
December 17, 2011
Symphoniesatz E-Dur für Orchester
Heemsteeds Philharmonisch Orkest
Steven Bourne
Heemstede/NL
 
February 10, 2012
Belgrade Philharmonic Orchestra
Uroš Lajovic
Belgrade/SRB, Grand Hall of the Ilija M. Kolarac Foundation
 
June 10, 2012
Bromley Symphony Orchestra
Summer Workshop
Legacy Hall, Langley Park School for Boys, Beckenham/UK
 
February 13, 2013
Radion sinfoniaorkesteri (Finnish Radio Symphony Orchestra)
Marc Minkowski
Helsinki/FIN, Musiikkitalo/Konserttisali
 
April 4/5, 2013
Real Filharmonia de Galicia
Christoph König
April 4, 2013: Vigo/E, Centro Cultural Novacaixagalicia
April 5, 2013: Santiago de Compostela/E, Auditorio de Galicia
 
April 19, 2013
Symfonieorkest Eindhoven

Daan Admiraal
Eindhoven/NL, Muziekgebouw Frits Philips
 
May 17, 2013
Osaka Symphony Orchestra
Kiyotaka Teraoka
Osaka/J, Symphony Hall
 
July 20, 2013
Münchner Symphoniker
Hansjörg Albrecht
Toblach/I, Gustav Mahler Saal
 
September 22, 2013
Northbrook Symphony Orchestra

Lawrence Rapchak
Northbrook/USA, Sheely Center for the
Performing Arts
 
October 3, 2013
UGA Symphony Orchestra

S. Eric Hawk
Athens/USA, Hodgson Concert Hall
 
January 25/26, 2014
Passauer Universitätsorchester
Alexander H. Quasniczka
January 25, 2014, 5 p.m.: Linz/A, Alter Dom
January 26, 2014, 2 p.m.: Passau/D, Kirche St. Peter
(only 1st movement)
 
March 12/13, 2014
Göteborgs Symfoniker
Marc Minkowski
Göteborg/S, Konserthus
 

April 3, 2014
Kuopion kaupunginorkesteri (Kuopio Symphonieorchester)
Alberto Hold-Garrido
Kuopio/FI, Konzerthalle

 
April 6, 2014
Orchester der Akademie St. Blasius
Karlheinz Siessl
Innsbruck/A, Großer Stadtsaal
 
June 4/5, 2014
Duisburger Philharmoniker
Axel Kober
Duisburg/D, Theater am Marientor
 
June 21, 2014
Shanghai Symphony Orchestra
David Stern
Shanghai/CN, Shanghai Concert Hall
 
September 21/22, 2014
Frankfurter Opern- und Museumsorchester
Sebastian Weigle
Frankfurt/D, Alte Oper
21.09.2014: 11 Uhr
22.09.2014: 20 Uhr
 
November 28, 2014
BBC Symphony Orchestra
Marc Minkowski
London/GB, Barbican Centre
 
January 31/February 1, 2015
Dresdner Philharmonie
Sebastian Weigle
Dresden/D, Schauspielhaus
 
February 15, 2015
Symphonic Movement in E major (1878) for orchestra
Shien Symphony Orchestra
N.N.
Osaka/J, Takatsuki Modern Theatre
 
March 20, 2015
l'Orchestre National du Capitole de Toulouse
Marc Minkowski
Toulouse/F, Halle aux Grains
 
March 28, 2015
Philharmonisches Orchester Regensburg
Tetsuro Ban
Regensburg/D, Audimax
 
June 27, 2015
Sinfonieorchester Magdeburger Musikfreunde
Gero Wiest
Magdeburg/D, Konzerthalle "G.Ph.Telemann" im Kloster
 
June 28, 2015
Sinfonieorchester Magdeburger Musikfreunde
Gero Wiest
Schönebeck/D, St. Jakobi-Kirche
 
July 14, 2015
Symphony No. 1 in E major
(Transcription)
Katharina Königsfeld, Klavier
Erl/A, Festspielhaus
 
September 17/18, 2015
Magdeburgische Philharmonie
Kimbo Ishii
Magdeburg/D, Opernhaus / Bühne
 
September 21, 2015
Symphony No. 1 in E major
(excerpts only)
Solistes Européens Luxembourg
Christoph König
Luxembourg, Philharmonie
 
November 8, 2015
Mozarteumorchester Salzburg
Konstantin Trinks
Salzburg/A, Großes Festspielhaus (11:00 a.m.)
 
November 19, 2015
Webern Symphonie Orchester
Johannes Wildner
Wien/A, RadioKulturhaus
 
November 26/28, 2015
Bochumer Symphoniker
Antony Hermus
Bochum/D, Audi-Max
 
   
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