[78-L] Max Steiner, "Symphonie Moderne"

[DAVID BURNHAM]

I was just listening to an RCA recording of Max Steiner's "Symphonie Moderne", played by the Janssen Symphony of Los Angeles conducted by Werner Janssen.  This record is not too well liked;  I looked it up in both issues of David Hall's "Record Book" that I have and there's nary a mention, similarly there's no listing for it in WERM either.  I googled it and found a Gramophone review of the disc from March of 1944 - a scathing review which treats it as little more than musical trash, and doesn't imply a high opinion of American listeners either, (let me adjust my Maple Leaf).  I will admit that it certainly isn't a masterpiece of classical music but it isn't that bad.  I found nothing offensive about it.  But I guess, saying that, I should come out of the closet;  as much as I enjoy the Symphonies of Mahler, Bruckner and Spohr, I must confess that I also enjoy the Warsaw Concerto and the Cornish Rhapsody.

It's 3:58 AM so I guess I'll go to bed now!

db