Franz Berwald

Symphony No. 5 in C 'Sinfonie Singuliere'

Symphony no. 5 in C, "Sinfonie Singulière" was composed in 1845 by Franz Adolf Berwald (1796--1868), one of the most original and forward-thinking Scandinavian composers of the 19th century. Written during a brief period of professional stability in Stockholm after years of neglect and financial hardship, the symphony reflects Berwald's highly individual approach to form, harmony, and orchestration--most strikingly in its unconventional structure, which compresses four movements into two large sections. The work received its premiere in 1845 in Stockholm, conducted by the composer, but was met with limited enthusiasm, emblematic of the misunderstanding that plagued Berwald throughout his lifetime. Largely forgotten after his death, the SINFONIE SINGULIÈRE was rediscovered and championed in the 20th century, when its originality, wit, and bold formal thinking came to be recognized as ahead of its time. Today the symphony occupies an important place in the Nordic orchestral repertoire and is increasingly performed internationally as a compelling example of 19th-century symphonic innovation outside the German mainstream. Instrumentation: 2.2.2.2: 4.2.3.0: Timp: Str (9.8.7.6.5 in set). Reprint edition.