Paul Büttner - Symphonies Nos. 3 & 4 (Christopher Ward)

Information

Composer: Paul Büttner

• Symphony No. 3 in D-Flat Major
• Symphony No. 4 in B Minor

Rundfunk-Sinfonieorchester Berlin

Christopher Ward, conductor

Date: 2026

Label: CapriccioNR

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Paul Büttner (1870–1943), born in Dresden, trained in violin and oboe at the city’s conservatory and established himself as a skilled musician before gaining recognition as a composer. His Symphony No. 3, premiered in 1915 by conductor Arthur Nikisch, brought him acclaim as one of the leading symphonists of his time, following in the tradition of Brahms and Bruckner, with his Symphony No. 4 (1917) further solidifying his reputation. Despite his early success, Büttner’s music was condemned as “degenerate” by the Nazi regime in 1933, leading to his erasure from public musical life and a prolonged period of obscurity.

Christopher Ward, born in 1980, is a British conductor educated at Tonbridge School, Oxford University, and the Guildhall School of Music and Drama. Early in his career, he held positions at Scottish Opera, Zürich Opera, and Staatstheater Kassel, assisting renowned conductors including Sir Simon Rattle. In 2009, he became Kapellmeister and assistant to Kent Nagano at the Bavarian State Opera, leading new productions, world premieres, and concerts with prominent ensembles such as the Bayerische Staatsorchester and La Scala Opera Studio. Since 2018, he has served as Generalmusikdirektor of Theater Aachen, where he has expanded programming to include contemporary works, baroque period ensembles, and international recordings, while also appearing in major festivals and feature films.

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