As a composer of instrumental music, Louis Spohr was second only to Beethoven in the category of widespread attention and recognition during the first half of the nineteenth century. After Beethoven’s death in 1827 he was regarded by large segments of the music public as the greatest living composer. In 1828 the leading music critic Friedrich Rochlitz asked very rhetorically, ‘Who else should now write symphonies?’’ Spohr was supposed to continue what Beethoven had begun. However, even then Spohr’s symphonic music was recognized as the absolute opposite of the type of the Beethovenian symphony. If genial musical license holds sway in Beethoven’s oeuvre, then in Spohr classical order prevails. But no matter – he was a leading figure in the concert world of his times and for this reason merited a fresh evaluation. Howard Griffiths recorded Spohr’s complete symphonic oeuvre for CPO with the NDR Radio Philharmonic on the basis of a new critical edition of the scores. Since Spohr had withdrawn his Symphony no.10, here it could finally and wonderfully experience its world premiere! Following the release of Vol.4 of our universally acclaimed complete edition of his symphonies, klassik-heute.com wrote, ‘‘One of the CPO label’s most significant projects!’
