Gerhard Frommel (1906-1984) was a star pupil of Hans Pfitzner, and any attempt to dig into his personality and music necessitates going into historical and political events and the underlying active and reactive behaviour of the individual, as with many other German composers of his generation. Concepts such as opportunism and passive obedience spring to mind, but they cannot give a complete picture if they lack the contributions of contemporary witnesses. Frommel's situation during the years 1933-1945 becomes all the more significant as regards the works recorded here, both of which were written during that period. Familiar sounds abound, with Wagner, Bruckner and other past sources clearly in evidence. ‘For me, the First Symphony is at the centre of my oeuvre,’ Frommel said. The score of the work caught Wilhelm Furtwängler's attention, who then scheduled its premiere with the Vienna Philharmonic for the autumn of 1942.