Spohr’s late symphonies, the Seventh through the Ninth (or the Tenth, counting the one which he withdrew but didn’t destroy), don’t have the appeal to me of the earlier ones. Still, a complete understanding of his music needs to include these symphonies, and they have some interesting features.
The Seventh, written in 1841, follows an unusual plan. The title is “Irdisches und Göttliches im Menschenleben: Doppel-Symphonie für zwei Orchester” (earthly and godly in human life: double symphony for two orchestras). It’s a kind of concerto grosso, with a small orchestra and a full orchestra. There are three movements, each with its own title.
The first movement, “Kinderwelt” (world of childhood), is a conventional sonata movement. The children are well-behaved, and the music is pleasant but no more than that.
The second movement is called “Zeit der Leidenschaften” or “time of passions.” As you might hope from the title, things get more exciting here. It starts off at a Larghetto tempo, and a short introduction leads into a duet for clarinet and bassoon. Rapid scales in the strings build the tension, and the tempo picks up. It doesn’t lead to a grand expression of passion or conflict — not yet — but to a lively, folk-like tune for the solo violin. The ominous scales continue, now supplemented by drum rolls. After a while we hear fanfares in the trumpets and horns as the music turns distinctly military. The fiddle tune and the military march alternate, and the coda increases the sense of foreboding, concluding the movement with an emphatic drum stroke.
The third movement, “Endlicher Sieg des Göttlichen” (final victory of the godly), makes the best use of the two orchestras, and it has the most characteristic Spohr sound. The symphony doesn’t have a scherzo, but the first section of the finale has a scherzo-like feeling, with a 6/4 Presto tempo. The second orchestra plays an agitated theme while the first orchestra tries to establish calm. Gradually calm is achieved, and the tempo goes to a hymn-like Adagio, bringing the symphony to a serene if uneventful conclusion. The godly has sucked all the excitement out of the earthly.
The symphony was well received in Germany. Robert Schumann reviewed it enthusiastically. Like just about all of his works, it has faded from the repertoire. Spohr’s post-Dorette works seem to be missing something compared to his earlier ones, and that may be a reason why his reputation as a composer has fallen.