Uploaded September 2025 | Updated September 2026, 2 weeks ago
Mainz Philharmonic State Orchestra conducted by Hermann Bäumer.
I - Allegro (𝅘𝅥 = 152) - Tempo I - Tranquillo - Tempo I: 0:00
II - Andante sostenuto (𝅘𝅥 = 69) - Tempo I: 11:29
III - Vivace scherzando e con grazia (𝅘𝅥. = 63) - Pesante: 19:56
IV - Allegro con spirito e giocoso (𝅗𝅥 = 120) - (𝅗𝅥 = 104) - Animato - (𝅗𝅥 = 96) - (𝅗𝅥 = 108) - (𝅗𝅥 = 104) - Tranquillo - Animato - (𝅗𝅥 = 120) - (𝅗𝅥 = 104) - (𝅗𝅥 = 96) - (𝅗𝅥 = 108) - Grazioso - (𝅗𝅥 = 104) - Molto allegro (quasi doppio movimento) e sempre più animato al fine: 22:56
Gernsheim's Symphony No.3 was composed between August 9 and October 26 of 1895. It was premiered in Mainz on January 22 of 1896, performed by the Mainz City Orchestra conducted by Gernsheim himself. In 1896 the Berlin Philharmonic and its famous conductor Arthur Nikisch also took up the work, which made a strong impression even on a composer of completely different leanings: Richard Strauss. The symphony was soon played in cities such as Cologne, Bonn and Frankfurt.
Gernsheim was a conservative composer and a friend of Johannes Brahms, to whom he is frequently compared. They met on 1862 and both shared their disregard for program music and lack of interest in opera. Gernsheim had learned much from Brahms, especially in his manner of working out thematic content and, to a lesser extent, in his manner of orchestration. However, his music also successfully melds together echoes of Beethoven, Mendelssohn, Spohr, Schubert and (of course) Brahms into a convincing style of his own.
Gernsheim's biographer Karl Holl has the following to say about the piece: "In his Fourth Symphony, Gernsheim seems to have achieved the late crystallization of his memories of youth. There is no reason to doubt this." Because credit for many of the details in Holl’s biographical account is due to Gernsheim’s wife (and probably to him as well), there is indeed no reason to doubt this. It is not difficult to consider the various movements as depictions of mood from his youth, but none of the sources offer any further programmatic content, unlike the third symphony.
The first movement is structured in sonata form. It begins with a rhythmic main theme in B-flat major, introduced in a series of piano-forte dynamic contrasts between strings and full orchestra. After reaching a fortissisimo climax and a transition, a lyrical second theme in F major is exposed by cellos and violas. The music reaches a vigorous climax before gracefully leading to the more dramatic development section. Fragments of the material are transformed and the music modulates through several keys. The main themes are then recapitulated, ending the allegro with a victorious coda.
The second movement is also written in sonata form. It opens with a widely lyrical main theme in E-flat major, presented by the clarinet in piano over horns and strings, before passing onto full orchestra in a romantic way. The second theme is more rhythmic and solemn, before a transition leads to a development with harmonic twists and passages that seem to invoke the influence of Mahler. The material is then recapitulated in a varied manner. A gentle coda ends the andante sostenuto with a nostalgic tone.
The third movement is a very compact scherzo in ternary form. It begins with a graceful main theme in B-flat major, presented in piano between strings and woods before reaching a short fortissimo climax. The trio quickly follows with a melodic second theme in G minor, with a certain melancholic touch. The main theme of the scherzo is then recapitulated with a varied orchestration, culminating in another fortissimo tutti climax. The movement ends with a light, almost playful pianissimo coda.
The fourth movement is structured in sonata form. It opens with a deceptive G major series of chords, leading to a rhythmic and vivacious main theme in B-flat major, fully exposed by the horns in forte over strings pizzicati. A transition leads to the lyrical and cantabile second theme in F major, introduced by strings before passing onto clarinet and then full orchestra. The ensuing development mainly focuses on the main theme, subjected to modulations and even more accented rhythms. After reaching a fortissimo climax and a transition, the material is recapitulated. Rushing ascending string figures and brass fanfares lead us to a triumphal coda with which the symphony ends.
Picture: "Flaming June" (1895) by the British painter Sir Frederic Leighton.
Musical analysis written by myself. Sources: tinyurl.com/2b8rp574 and tinyurl.com/2aeu533m
To check the score: tinyurl.com/22hvgx5g
Mainz Philharmonic State Orchestra conducted by Hermann Bäumer.
I - Allegro (𝅘𝅥 = 152) - Tempo I - Tranquillo - Tempo I: 0:00
II - Andante sostenuto (𝅘𝅥 = 69) - Tempo I: 11:29
III - Vivace scherzando e con grazia (𝅘𝅥. = 63) - Pesante: 19:56
IV - Allegro con spirito e giocoso (𝅗𝅥 = 120) - (𝅗𝅥 = 104) - Animato - (𝅗𝅥 = 96) - (𝅗𝅥 = 108) - (𝅗𝅥 = 104) - Tranquillo - Animato - (𝅗𝅥 = 120) - (𝅗𝅥 = 104) - (𝅗𝅥 = 96) - (𝅗𝅥 = 108) - Grazioso - (𝅗𝅥 = 104) - Molto allegro (quasi doppio movimento) e sempre più animato al fine: 22:56
Gernsheim's Symphony No.3 was composed between August 9 and October 26 of 1895. It was premiered in Mainz on January 22 of 1896, performed by the Mainz City Orchestra conducted by Gernsheim himself. In 1896 the Berlin Philharmonic and its famous conductor Arthur Nikisch also took up the work, which made a strong impression even on a composer of completely different leanings: Richard Strauss. The symphony was soon played in cities such as Cologne, Bonn and Frankfurt.
Gernsheim was a conservative composer and a friend of Johannes Brahms, to whom he is frequently compared. They met on 1862 and both shared their disregard for program music and lack of interest in opera. Gernsheim had learned much from Brahms, especially in his manner of working out thematic content and, to a lesser extent, in his manner of orchestration. However, his music also successfully melds together echoes of Beethoven, Mendelssohn, Spohr, Schubert and (of course) Brahms into a convincing style of his own.
Gernsheim's biographer Karl Holl has the following to say about the piece: "In his Fourth Symphony, Gernsheim seems to have achieved the late crystallization of his memories of youth. There is no reason to doubt this." Because credit for many of the details in Holl’s biographical account is due to Gernsheim’s wife (and probably to him as well), there is indeed no reason to doubt this. It is not difficult to consider the various movements as depictions of mood from his youth, but none of the sources offer any further programmatic content, unlike the third symphony.
The first movement is structured in sonata form. It begins with a rhythmic main theme in B-flat major, introduced in a series of piano-forte dynamic contrasts between strings and full orchestra. After reaching a fortissisimo climax and a transition, a lyrical second theme in F major is exposed by cellos and violas. The music reaches a vigorous climax before gracefully leading to the more dramatic development section. Fragments of the material are transformed and the music modulates through several keys. The main themes are then recapitulated, ending the allegro with a victorious coda.
The second movement is also written in sonata form. It opens with a widely lyrical main theme in E-flat major, presented by the clarinet in piano over horns and strings, before passing onto full orchestra in a romantic way. The second theme is more rhythmic and solemn, before a transition leads to a development with harmonic twists and passages that seem to invoke the influence of Mahler. The material is then recapitulated in a varied manner. A gentle coda ends the andante sostenuto with a nostalgic tone.
The third movement is a very compact scherzo in ternary form. It begins with a graceful main theme in B-flat major, presented in piano between strings and woods before reaching a short fortissimo climax. The trio quickly follows with a melodic second theme in G minor, with a certain melancholic touch. The main theme of the scherzo is then recapitulated with a varied orchestration, culminating in another fortissimo tutti climax. The movement ends with a light, almost playful pianissimo coda.
The fourth movement is structured in sonata form. It opens with a deceptive G major series of chords, leading to a rhythmic and vivacious main theme in B-flat major, fully exposed by the horns in forte over strings pizzicati. A transition leads to the lyrical and cantabile second theme in F major, introduced by strings before passing onto clarinet and then full orchestra. The ensuing development mainly focuses on the main theme, subjected to modulations and even more accented rhythms. After reaching a fortissimo climax and a transition, the material is recapitulated. Rushing ascending string figures and brass fanfares lead us to a triumphal coda with which the symphony ends.
Picture: "Flaming June" (1895) by the British painter Sir Frederic Leighton.
Musical analysis written by myself. Sources: tinyurl.com/2b8rp574 and tinyurl.com/2aeu533m
To check the score: tinyurl.com/22hvgx5g
