Reid Orchestral Concert

Brief programme notes by Professor Newman on the Schumann and the Dvorak.

Schumann composed this D minor symphony after the completion of his first symphony in 1841.  Ten, years later he revised the score in many details, including the mode of notation employed.  In this version, it was published as Symphony no. 4, although in fact it should be ranked as the second of his four symphonies.  The original version was performed by Sir Donald Tovey at the Reid Concerts many years ago.  In this performance, we present the revised version which is more commonly performed.

This F major symphony which we know as the third of Dvorak's five published symphonies, was composed before the D major and the D minor which we know as nos. 1 and 2.  As early as 1865, at the age of 21, Dvorak had already composed two symphonies which have in recent years also been published, although they remain virtually unknown.  It is possible that this F major symphony was revised by Dvorak before he published it as opus 76.    It was originally intended to be opus 24.  Performances of this work in Edinburgh have been extremely rare.  It was given once many years ago in the Reid Concerts and about three years ago, by the Scottish Orchestra.