Ernst Toch’s Second and Third Symphonies explore his chromatic, gnarly, mature idiom, which nonetheless manages to maintain clear melodic definition and fairly secure tonal moorings. In fact, he sounds a bit like a German Milhaud, and conductor Alun Francis’ experience with that composer’s complete symphonies for CPO clearly stands him in good stead here. Toch enjoyed exploring new sounds and sonorities. The Second Symphony includes parts for organ and piano (four hands), while the Third includes a Hammond organ (famous from horror movie scores), vibraphone, and a compressed air cylinder (otherwise known as “the hisser”). This latter work, recorded in the 1950s by William Steinberg and the Pittsburgh Symphony, reappeared on CD in EMI’s short-lived “Matrix” series in impossibly raw, unlistenably screechy sound. This new version, obviously, represents a huge sonic improvement and yields nothing to the EMI performance as an interpretation. Toch’s music isn’t easy on the ear, but if you listen closely, it draws you into its special sound world, and you may very well find yourself fascinated.
