The Danish romantic Franz Berwald is a relatively unknown composer. Only long after his death, in the course of the 20th century, was his quality recognized. During his life, he had the greatest difficulty in selling his music. People found him to be a strange person who entrusted difficult and eccentric sounds to paper. To make ends meet, he was the director of a glass factory. His chamber music was played here and there during his life, but his symphonies were simply boycotted.
One year before his death, he was finally appointed as a professor at the Stockholm Conservatory, partly thanks to the intervention of the king. He then died of pneumonia and was unable to complete the commissions he received as a result of his appointment. Listen to two of his brilliant symphonies, which demonstrate a great deal of craftsmanship, but which are still played too little even in our time.
Franz Berwald – Symphony No. 2 in D major, Sinfonie Capricieuse Danish National Symphony Orchestra conducted by Thomas Dausgaard
Franz Berwald – Symphony No. 4 in E-flat major, Sinfonie Naïve Symphony Orchestra of the Danish Radio conducted by Thomas Dausgaard
