Étienne Nicolas Méhul ~ The complete Symphonies

Released to mark the bicentenary of the French Revolution, this is the only set of Mehul's complete symphonies on CD. In his day, Mehul was France's most famous composer —his many operas placed him alongside Beethoven and Cherubini. Typical of music in Napoleon's times, the symphonies are characterised by brilliance and virtuosity, qualities brought out by the partnership between Michel Swierczewski and the Orchestra of the Gulbenkian Foundation. Although forgotten by the Parisian establishment they are important in the development of the symphony before Berlioz.

Etienne - Nicolas Mehul (1763-1817) 
The Revolution of 1789 took away some things and gave France others. It put a stop to regular concert societies (though not to symphonic events), but it engendered the Paris Conservatoire, which opened in 1795. This Conservatoire provided the musical base from which M6hul began his regeneration of the French symphony.  In his own day, Mehul was France's most famous native composer, and was especially valued in Germany. His many successful operas placed him in the forefront of the music of his time, alongside Beethoven and Cherubini: Euphrosine, Stratonice, Ariodant, Une Folie, Joseph. When Ariodant was staged so splendidly in Berlin in 1816, the great critic E.T.A. Hoffmann analysed it out of homage to its learned and versatile' composer, concluding: 'Serious, dignified, harmonically rich, and thoughtfully fashioned, (it) Should not (be allowed) to disappear from the stage'. And yet, (one thinks of Berlioz!) Mehul had enemies within the French camp who were only too ready to discourage his new symphonies. Whereas No.l in G minor was later conducted by Mendelssohn (1838,1846), by Reinecke, and August Manns and Sterndale Bennett in England, the Parisian Establishment view was that only Mehul's operas should be remembered.
The scores of Symphonies Nos. 3 and 4 became lost, their orchestral parts only being discovered (by the present writer) in 1979. Nevertheless, M6huTs four complete mature symphonies form a definite group, created between about 1808 and 1810.

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01. Overture - La Chasse du Jeune Henri (10:35)

02. Symphony no. 1 in G minor - I. Allegro (7:43)

03. Symphony no. 1 in G minor - II. Andante (8:15)

04. Symphony no. 1 in G minor - III. Menuet: Allegro moderato (3:19)

05. Symphony no. 1 in G minor - IV. Final: Allegro agitato (6:40)

06. Symphony no. 2 in D major - I. Adagio - Allegro (8:49)

07. Symphony no. 2 in D major - II. Andante (6:55)

08. Symphony no. 2 in D major - III. Menuet: Allegro (3:56)

09. Symphony no. 2 in D major - IV. Final: Allegro vivace (7:52)

10. Overture - Le Tresor Suppose (4:28)

11. Symphony No 3 - I Allegro. Ferme et Modere (9:30)

12. II Andante (7:50)

13. III Final - Allegro (6:20)

14. Symphony No 4 - I Adagio - Allegro (9:33)

15. II Andante (6:20)

16. III Menuet - Allegro (3:26)

17. IV Final - Allegro (6:24)