The Austrian conductor Johannes Wildner has joined forces with the ORF Radio-Symphonieorchester Wien to record the complete symphonies of the composer Johann Nepomuk David (1895–1977) for cpo—one of the many little-known contemporaries of Paul Hindemith, Michael Tippett, and Othmar Schoeck. Following two previously released CDs featuring the Symphonies No. 1 and No. 6 as well as the Symphonies No. 2 and No. 4, the Symphonies No. 3 and No. 7 are now finally available on CD (and, of course, on all streaming platforms).
As with the previous releases, this new recording has also been met with outstanding critical acclaim. Klassik.com, for instance, writes: “David’s musical language has developed consistently, and has also become simpler overall compared to the Third. It is not necessarily easy to put a distinctive stamp on this music, yet Johannes Wildner and the ORF Radio-Symphonieorchester Wien achieve it brilliantly. This is never about mere prettiness or soft lines; it is about consistency, ‘clear edges,’ and bringing out specific characteristics. Perhaps, to quote an old saying, Wildner could conduct the telephone directory and it would still sound exciting. Not many can do that, and the listener is deeply grateful to him for bringing forgotten treasures back to life with passion and intelligence.”
