Charles Gounod's reputation rests securely on his perennially popular opera Faust (1859), and though his other pieces still hold considerable interest, such as Romeo et Juliette and the Messe solennelle de Sainte Cécile, they are usually regarded as secondary in importance to his most famous composition. Yet a reappraisal of Gounod's lesser accomplishments may be in the offing now that his overlooked works are being recorded more frequently and a clearer picture of his growth is emerging. This 2007 release from Timpani presents the two symphonies Gounod wrote in 1855, shortly after his first operatic failure Sapho, yet just a few years before the premiere of Faust. The Symphony No. 1 in D major and the Symphony No. 2 in E flat major are comparable in flavor and style to the late symphonies of Haydn and the pre-"Eroica" Beethoven, and they show a markedly conservative outlook, in much the same way Bizet's Symphony in C major (also composed in 1855) reflects past ideals. While Gounod's symphonies can at times seem like Schumann's in their surprising accents and a few unexpected harmonies, these pieces are backward-looking in their formal designs and fairly restrained developments, and they offer no challenges to anyone well-versed in late-Classical symphonic writing. The
Beethoven Academie, under the baton of
Hervé Niquet, delivers charming performances of these works on modern instruments in a historically informed style and gives Gounod's symphonies a remarkably polished presentation. Timpani's reproduction is exceptionally clear and vibrant, and with the terrific sound of the orchestra, listeners may be tricked into thinking these symphonies are actually better than they are on paper.