The compositions of Johann von Herbeck have fallen almost completely into oblivion, although, as professor, conductor and director of choirs, concerts and opera houses, he was one of the most influential personalities in the Viennese musical life of his time and was a staunch advocate of the works of both Franz Liszt and Anton Bruckner. In the use of the organ as a tonal complement to the orchestra in his 4th Symphony of 1877 he was as much as nine years ahead of Camille Saint-Saëns in his vastly more popular „Orgelsinfonie“. Martin Haselböck and „his“ period instrument orchestra the Wiener Akademie has programmed the piece alongside two symphonic poems of Liszt, both of which he completed in 1857.
The latter's Symphonie zu Dante’s ‚Divina Commedia‘ was based on a literary source, as in the case of the Faust-Symphonie. He completed only two of the planned three movements. The inspiration for his Hunnenschlacht, on the other hand, came from a historical painting of the same name by Wilhelm von Kaulbach, which had beguiled him in the New Museum in Berlin in 1855: „I feel a strong temptation to write a musical composition on the subject“, he wrote to a female friend. „Needless to say, it won't be a guitar solo (….).“
Johann von Herbeck (1831–1877)
Symphony No. 4 („Orgelsinfonie“) in D minor, Op. 20 (1877)
Franz Liszt (1811–1886)
Hunnenschlacht. Symphonic Poem No. 11, S. 105 (1855–57)
– Interval –
Franz Liszt
Eine Symphonie zu Dante’s `Divina Commedia‘ for full orchestra and Soprano and Alto Chorus, S. 109 (1839, 1845–48, 1855–57)
Zita Nauratyill | Organ
Chorus sine nomine | Female choir
Orchester Wiener Akademie
Martin Haselböck | Conductor