César Franck's Symphony in D minor might be regarded as the symphony that Richard Wagner never wrote, with a combination of intricately woven motifs and great breadth. To strike a balance between its French and Germanic elements is not a simple task, but it's elegantly accomplished here by the Luxembourg Philharmonic Orchestra under Gustavo Gimeno. Gimeno was named conductor of the Toronto Symphony around the time this recording was made, and perhaps North Americans can look forward to hearing his clean, energetic readings ...
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César Franck's Symphony in D minor might be regarded as the symphony that Richard Wagner never wrote, with a combination of intricately woven motifs and great breadth. To strike a balance between its French and Germanic elements is not a simple task, but it's elegantly accomplished here by the Luxembourg Philharmonic Orchestra under Gustavo Gimeno. Gimeno was named conductor of the Toronto Symphony around the time this recording was made, and perhaps North Americans can look forward to hearing his clean, energetic readings in person, but the little-heralded Luxembourgers accomplish everything he asks, including beautiful execution of the lyrical interlude of the English horn in the middle movement. The Variations Symphoniques in F sharp minor are not quite as successful: the big Russian-style performance by pianist Denis Kozhukhin doesn't quite mesh with what Gimeno is doing, but this is an impressive performance of the Franck Symphony in D minor. ~ James Manheim, Rovi
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