Symphony No. 4 (Berwald)

Symphony No. 4 in E-flat major is an orchestral work by Swedish composer Franz Berwald written in 1845. Berwald considered naming the symphony "Sinfonie naïve" but the autograph score is simply inscribed "No. 4 in E flat".[1] Berwald attempted to interest French composer/conductor Daniel Auber in premiering the symphony but it had to wait until April 9, 1878 (ten years after the composer's death) when it was finally given a first performance under Berwald champion Ludvig Norman.[2]

The first published score[3] refers to the work as the composer's 3rd symphony.[4]

Instrumentation

The symphony is scored for 2 flutes, 2 oboes, 2 clarinets, 2 bassoons, 4 horns, 2 trumpets, 3 trombones, timpani and strings. It consists of four movements:

Structure
  1. Allegro risoluto
  2. Adagio -
  3. Scherzo. Allegro molto
  4. Finale. Allegro vivace

A typical performance lasts 25–30 minutes.

The slow movement is based on an unpublished keyboard work of 1844, En landtlig bröllopfest (A Rustic Wedding).

Discography

References
  1. Robert Layton: "Franz Berwald: The Four Symphonies", 1985
  2. IMSLP (whose source is the Swedish Musical Heritage website)
  3. Hamburg: Anton Benjamin, 1911 - available at IMSLP
  4. his 3rd perhaps because his "Capricieuse" was still believed lost at the time.
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