Woldemar Bargiel (1824–97) was one of the best-known composers of his day, an important teacher and Clara Schumann’s half-brother, but his music has been largely forgotten.

In this important new recording from the Siberian Symphony Orchestra and its principal conductor Dmitry Vasilyev, Toccata Classics presents the first recordings of his only symphony and his three published orchestral overtures.

The Symphony (1864) has a Beethovian drive, and the overtures (from 1852, 1856 and 1861), which are symphonic poems in all but name, lie downstream from Schumann, with a Brahmsian weight and power.

This is the fourth CD to emerge from the partnership of the Siberian Symphony Orchestra and Toccata Classics, after releases of music by Shebalin, Spratley and Weinberg. Of the Spratley release, the Classical Reviewer observed: ‘There is some terrific playing from the Siberian Symphony Orchestra under Dmitry Vasiliev’.