**Symphony No. 4; Variations on a Hussar's Song* Naxos 8.572118
- Composer: Franz Schmidt
- Conductor: Vassily Sinaisky
- Orchestra: Malmo Symphony Orchestra
Naxos’s critically acclaimed series of Franz Schmidt’s lush late Romantic symphonies culminates with this new recording of his heartbreaking Symphony No. 4, conceived as a requiem for his daughter Emma. The Variations on a Hussar’s Song, while recalling similar works by Brahms and Reger nonetheless showcases Schmidt’s sensitive handling of large orchestral forces. Symphonies No. 1, No. 2 and No. 3 are also available in what BBC Music magazine has praised as a ‘consistently impressive cycle of Schmidt symphonies’.
Symphony No. 4; Variations on a Hussar's Song Review
One of the glories of symphonic music from the first half of the 20th century is the set of Four Symphonies by Austrian composer Franz Schmidt (1874–1939). Vassily Sinaisky and the Malmö Symphony Orchestra have now concluded their cycle for Naxos with a recording of the Fourth, accompanied by Variations on a Hussar’s Song (8.572118). Franz Welser-Most and the London Philharmonic duplicate this repertory on the EMI label with performances that are more intense and dramatic, but Sinaisky fully captures the glorious sumptuousness of this music. His tempi are broader, but, if you have the patience, the payoff is there. This budget Naxos Schmidt cycle is clearly one of the supreme bargains of the year. Robert Reilly – CatholiCity