Ernst von Dohnanyi

Symphony No. 1 in D minor op. 9

Symphony No. 1 in D minor, Op. 9 was composed between 1900 and 1901 by Erno (Ernest von) Dohnányi (1877-1960), shortly after the young Hungarian composer had achieved international acclaim with his Piano Quintet in C minor, Op. 1, championed by Johannes Brahms. Written in the grand Austro-German symphonic tradition, the work reflects the influence of Brahms and Bruckner while revealing Dohnányi's own gift for rich orchestration and expansive thematic development. The symphony was premiered in January, 1902, in Manchester, England by the Hallé Orchestra under Hans Richter, helping to establish Dohnányi as one of the leading musical figures of his generation and confirming the promise that had made him a prominent representative of Hungarian music before the emergence of Bartók and Kodály. The work stands at the crossroads of late Romanticism and the developing national schools of Central Europe, embracing traditional symphonic forms while displaying a distinctive Hungarian voice. Today the Symphony No. 1 remains a comparatively rare but highly regarded work in the late-Romantic orchestral repertoire. Instrumentation: 3(3rd dPicc)+1(Picc).2+1(EH).3(3rd dBCl).3+1(CBsn): 6.3.3.1: Timp.Perc(3-4): Hp: Str (9.8.7.6.5 in set). Reprint edition.