Jesús López-Cobos - Franck: Symphony in D Minor, FWV 48 & Le chasseur maudit, FWV 44 (1990)

“It’s simply one of the finest symphonic recordings I’ve heard in recent years, and reflects great credit on this orchestra, its obviously talented conductor, Lopez-Cobos, and also upon Telarc’s engineers.” —American Record Guide

Maestro López-Cobos and the Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra present two compositions that were both written during the final decade of Franck’s life, but that are quite different in character: his only published symphony, the Symphony in D minor, and his compelling tone poem, Le chasseur maudit (“The Accursed Huntsman”).

The Symphony in D minor has beautiful, chromatic “themes” which recur from one movement to another, and features an English horn solo in the second movement. This instrumentation caused an outcry when the piece was first performed; various “huffy” critics complained that Beethoven and Haydn had never used such an instrument in their symphonies!

Le chasseur maudit is based on a frightening story in which a hunter becomes the hunted. Unwilling to rest on the Sabbath, he instead calls his hounds and lackeys and sets out on the chase. Suddenly, his horse refuses to move and he is deserted by his followers. We hear the horrible curse (on trombones and tuba): he is condemned to be chased eternally by a pack of demons. Sound painting abounds in this colorful work—ominous string tremolos, blasts on the horns, bells and eerie silences tell their tale.