Hugh Wolff, Radio-Sinfonie-Orchester Frankfurt - George Antheil: Symphonies 1 & 6 (2000)

Posted By: ArlegZ

Date: June 27, 2025

George Antheil's one-hit wonder was the Ballet Mécanique. Although Antheil was a first-rate composer, it should be mentioned that most of his other works - the symphonies in particular - will sound somewhat conservative by comparison, at least in terms of means of expression and harmonic language. They are nevertheless chockful of fascinating ideas, imaginative developments, energy, color and spirit. Stylistically both symphonies here appear to be somewhat indebted to Russian contemporaries - the first symphony has touches of Petrouchka, and the sixth sounds very much indebted to Prokofiev, yet both of Antheil's works are unmistakably American.
The first symphony was written in 1922, and was apparently a success with musicians and audience but not critics. It would certainly have sounded original at the time; mischievously diverting, whirling, dancing and glittering - which suggests that the subtitle may be understood in some kind of generic way, since there is little actually gypsyesque about the music. Formally, the music employs various blocks that are piled together and juxtaposed rather than traditional symphonic development, but Antheil avoids making the music sound episodic. The opening movement is somewhat impressionistic and (evocatively) picturesque; the second is marked ragtime (hard to discern) and is wonderfully engaging; the third is poignant and heart-on-sleeve - but deliberately over the top, however, and it exudes tongue-in-cheek irony. The Ragtime fourth movement (again, hard to hear much ragtime here) is buoyant and jolly. Overall it may be an exaggeration to call it a masterpiece, but Antheil's first symphony is a very compelling, deeply enjoyable work well worth hearing.
The sixth symphony dates from 1949 and was apparently inspired by Delacroix's painting of Liberty leading the people. The opening movement is very much indebted to Prokofiev, but there is plenty of Ivesian deviousness about it as well - it is a really engaging movement, as is the second, a desolate, crystalline waltz in the style of Satie. The finale is easily reminiscent of the finale of Prokofiev's sixth symphony, but with a clear American schwung to it - and perhaps less ambiguous. Antheil described it as the "triumph of joy and optimism over despair, war, annihilation" and it makes for a powerful, compelling conclusion to an overall superb work. As a filler we get the five-minute, light and energetic Archipelago for orchestra.
The performances by the Frankfurt Radio Symphony Orchestra under Hugh Wolff are excellent.

Performer:
Radio-Sinfonie-Orchester Frankfurt
Hugh Wolff, conductor

Tracklist:
George Antheil (1900-1959)
Symphony No 1 »Zingareska« (1923)
01. Innocènte
02. Vivo, alla zingaresco, poi »ragtime«
03. Doloroso elevato
04. Ragtime
Symphony No 6 »after Delacroix« (1947-48)
05. Allegro molto marcato
06. Larghetto
07. Allegro
08. Archipelago (1935): Rhumba

EAC LOG

Exact Audio Copy V1.6 from 23. October 2020

EAC extraction logfile from 28. April 2024, 15:12

Various Artists / George Antheil: Symphonies 1 & 6

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