Unlike his insouciant, cabaret-styled music for The Threepenny Opera, Kurt Weill's Symphony No. 1 (1921) and his Symphony No. 2 (1933-1934) seem more dutifully observant of the European Classical tradition and perhaps a little straight-jacketed by formal obligations. This is not to say that these symphonic essays are dull or artificial -- far from it. To the contrary, there are many charming melodies in the Symphony No. 2 that will remind one of Weill's most tender ballads, and aspects of his biting sarcasm crop up in the acrid dissonances of the modernist Symphony No. 1. Weill's symphonies have not yet become staples of the repertoire, perhaps because they seem too stiffly worked out, or are hard to reconcile with the composer of "Mack the Knife"; but both works show serious intentions, and are fascinating attempts at the form, suggestive of what Weill might have accomplished had he continued composing in the genre. The reliable
Marin Alsop and the solid
Bournemouth Symphony Orchestra deliver fully satisfying performances of these underplayed works, and also give a delightful rendition of
Robert Russell Bennett's concert suite, Lady in the Dark-Symphonic Nocturne, which is based on songs from the 1940 musical by Weill, Moss Hart, and Ira Gershwin. Naxos' sound quality is superb.