BBC - BBC NOW, T Fischer. G Capucon. Probing Shostakovich Sixth central to program of crisply evoked Russian moods. Cardiff, Wales. 17.9.2010

Motivation not to miss this - season opener at St David's in Cardiff - was clear - the Shostakovich Seventh that became major highlight of the BBC Proms. This all-Russian program featured instead the Shostakovich Sixth Symphony – one of his best.

Mussorgsky's Night on Bare Mountain was first of two pieces on this program to conjure up the supernatural; with utmost simplicity Thierry Fischer and BBC National Orchestra of Wales caught it. Like Vladimir Jurowski at the Proms, Fischer opted for the Rimsky-Korsakov orchestration of this piece. Fischer's means, with the more smoothly executable orchestration of Rimsky-Korsakov to bring out much still remaining savagery was the simpler, less contrived - better, more clearly thought out than with Jurowski. Insistence on drier sonority than is perhaps norm with the more Romantic orchestration of this piece was just partly key, alongside bracing capture of the music's insistent rhythms. Under-girding of most animated, agitated passage-work was solid, supplying means by which orchestral voices above could find easy lift and bounce. Without needing extra boost or being worked in the least, the ferocity of this music spoke forth in fine relief. Strings opened lines in the tranquil epilogue to this piece with retiring stance, opening space for most expressive playing, handled limpidly by both flute and clarinet, answered by light harp arpeggios and bell tolling in the distance.

The diabolical frolic to open this program got immediately followed aristocratically by the Tchaikovsky’s Rococo Variations, played by Gautier Capucon. Most evident at first was the ease with which Thierry Fischer and his Welshmen picked up on the simplicity of the Romanticized classicism behind this piece. Some lingering over sub-phrase endings in the violins happened normally as expected. Gautier Capucon matched well at first, and with minimal bow pressure, with what was accompanying him – all with polished affectation of rustic air to the phrasing. With upbeat accent on octave jumping bassoon, concertato of winds starting interlude and also postlude to first variation had almost equally good say as did soloist, with fine lift over variation formed over long sequence of triplets, and forthright tone and direction for the second variation – well accompanied until hard push on concertato of concluding flutes. Expressive, supple shape was made of following C Major romanza with fine decoration to line from light winds, with soloist also deftly making long descent in triplets with fine staccati light, as verging on spiccato, anticipating full spiccato in brilliantly running up and down fingerboard for quasi-cadenza material in gently gavotte-step variation to follow.

Principal flute, making simple reprise of main theme, was excellent, over felicitous caprice from Capucon - some of it then beginning to sound worked and extending caprice a short ways into largamente transition to the slower melancholy D Minor variation. Capucon started this exaggeratedly soft, but with clarinet principal to match his tone in responding so very well. Final variation started dryly with good propulsion, but then with intruding rough negotiation of double-stops, octaves off ascending trills - making less confident conclusion to the Tchaikovsky than how things began. Faure's Elegie in C Minor, with dark tone, strong profile of its melancholy, nobly served as encore, with fine introspection from clarinet and oboe principals to supplement Capucon. Broad feel for transition to conclusion of this piece kept all mostly intact, overlooking some roughness for cadenza like passage therein.

Shostakovich’s Sixth comprised most of the second half. Fischer got some criticism for his Shostakovich Seventh at the Proms being a little too dry, perhaps even unfeeling – a little dry, yes, but the rest I did not sense. Here he has followed up with the Sixth. For someone not akin to the idiom, Fischer certainly chose a broad enough tempo for the opening Largo – similar very slow pace as Metzmacher took with San Francisco two seasons ago. Less controversially, Metzmacher caught the music’s Romantic overtones more fully than did Fischer - so for the opening Largo, it was Fischer who took the greater risk. Lean quality to the music-making, ascetic, even acerbic at certain junctures was striking - such that Fischer was able to sustain through quiet, almost entirely still spaces during especially the latter half of this opening Largo. Toward eventually making lean, arched shape of lengthy reach for first loud ending of a phrase, Fischer brought out of his violins fine glimmer of light, to avoid anything becoming too detached; violins became then both supple, distraught, plus lean, to sufficiently cap off the grand line.. Harmonic spelling of undulating horns under ascending winds toward second crest within such line was clear and firm, then naturally making space for violins to ruminatively break in with strands of the first theme, mostly the cadential ending to it, spinning out from there and so darkly echoed by lower winds with same manner of entering, over more filled out undulation in triplets.

Fischer marked very well episodic piccolo first theme reprise, making how well it delays more conclusive, incisive climax felt very well - with its descending trills from upon high over devastating interjection from brass and timpani. Remindful warning from full orchestra Fischer had frame, away from doleful English horn solo and duet between flute and bassoon to further comment, from expansive space made for lengthy flute cadenza over sustained quiet trill and tremolo. This was framed on other end by warm horns slowly and warmly marking single pitch dotted rhythm that marks opening of the first theme over octave trill to - avoiding banal overstatement - naturally gild them in celesta.

After long retransition violins then calmly, resolutely recapitulated the first theme - with as though all fire taken out of them. In answering comment by mourning low bassoon, strings made all spectral and anguished, febrile of their broad final line – all hovering beyond moment last chord has sounded with something definitely foreboding.

At decent Allegretto pace, solo high clarinet and flute circumspectly tossed off opening lines– supplemented by fine sense of naiveté. For elaborate development to ensue, Fischer made acute our catching his still ever fluid ear for the special language in which this music is written - a Shostakovich debt to Carl Nielsen. Wiry run in strings, making all sound precarious, spun off xylophone toward preparing curiously weightless brass in making half-trivial, ironic refrain to follow, that followed soon by very animatedly on purpose matter-of-fact dissembling flute and piccolo first theme and runs. Full climax to this maelstrom of a scherzo was just sufficiently regularly paced toward austerely provoked climax - while recalling, uncharacteristic for him, Metzmacher’s larger than life approach to same passage – opposite approach - with purposefully banal fugato to have preceded all this (under insistent repeat note tremolo in strings from both). All coming off then had a light, dissembling air to it - Fischer profiling quasi-glissando runs incisively in several winds, especially high clarinet and flute over great void. Capturing high endings to these helped make them resemble meteor showers or shooting stars on a cold, clear night, as though all untethered, ready to collapse over the void. Steady pulsation through the end, contextually helped make sense of pointed piccolo solo refrain framing conclusion to mad scherzo - with then all dissembling into thin air over insistent timpani.

Insistent trot to step, pulsation marked good light bounce and lift to opening lines of the final Presto. Very incisive winds paprika’d their off-beats marking second half of first subject to the fore, with their succeeding runs capping all off as off-kilter as Shostakovich wrote them. Fischer made stretto endings to it all very incisive and lean. Heavier dance in three Fischer also kept light, while avoiding turning it into resembling cheaper brand of Prokofieff. Danse macabre spinning out was instead striking, with raft of pitches in winds and brass unusually heard over firmly insistent and ominous intimations of D-S-C-H in brass and percussion. Reprise of opening to the finale surreptitiously made its way back in - deftly by concertmaster Lesley Hatfield in reply to doleful bassoon. The carnival-like coda to this had a very Circus Polka feel to it – with snarling brass in mid-ground underneath – with the dry sound, texture Fischer can favor, that final strands of this turned excessively brash on him. Fischer still had fine success with this Sixth - supplementing well the Seventh that so notably this year preceded it.

Revelation of an uncannily innate sense of how Rimsky-Korsakov’s music works made May Night Overture to open the second half an unqualified success here, to supplement altogether wholesome interpretations for so much of this program. Intimation of Weber’s Oberon on opening horn calls, answered so ardently amorously by languishing strings and winds, was rapt, even exotically so. Thierry Fischer revealed a special knack one associates with Russian conductors of more than fifty years ago, albeit they offered richer color, nuance than one can expect from Fischer. In development, mostly if not entirely reprise of especially lyrical subjects, extracted from two major duets of romantic interest during opera to follow, Fischer lent a transformative sense to how they recur, plus a piquant sense to woodwind then stern brass interjections.

Fischer’s way of making transition from often expansively lyrical ideas to vigorous dance-like conclusions and episodes just so independent thereof was very supple, as combining ardent line in cellos with divisi violins on dance rhythms right above not long before concluding the overture. All came to a conclusion that was very winningly both vigorous and fresh, rapt with color and febrile line, infused by (Ukranian) folk-like spirit - with dance rhythms especially. The vernal spirit, freshness of music to introduce the first and tbetter of Rimsky-Korsakov’s two far too neglected village operas Fischer met with ideal simplicity. This could have made a wonderful closing piece, parting shot - suffice it to say it opened an altogether fine second half.

BBC Proms 2010 - Proms 6 and 8. BBC SO, Jiri Belohlavek, Paul Lewis (Beethoven cycle opener). BBC Nat'l Wales, Thierry Fischer. Alexander Toradze.

Prom 6. Beethoven Piano Concerto cycle. Paul Lewis. BBC Symphony Orchestra. Jiri Belohlavek. Royal Albert Hall, London. July 21, 2010.

The BBC Proms continued festive with opener to complete Beethoven piano concerto cycle – one better in having Paul Lewis as soloist. Two of the concerti comprised this series opener - the First and the Fourth. As Lewis explains, the First is obviously the more outward looking of these two, the Fourth the more inward, but enough to trade off between them as opportunity for Lewis to work in much subtlety, if not quite to fully academically achieved level of his mentor, Alfred Brendel - with that from Brendel sometimes some spontaneity abandoned.

The prom opened with Egmont Overture, some luftpausen - lyrical receding from which compelled some interest - toward start of it coming off indecisive. Jiri Belohlavek resorted to a little clipping to attempt firming up shape to first tutti in the Exposition - following noble arch in line for his cellos to introduce the main theme. Underlying accents with the main overriding line in tutti above got calibrated less fully than optimum. As matters wore on however, things gradually began to adopt more definitive shape with goal of achieving for the noble Egmont Overture a bright, heady conclusion.

One however had to wait past the First Concerto to find Belohlavek near his best. He had nobody better to emulate than Paul Lewis in this collaborative effort. Paul Lewis, much in alla breve manner of early Brendel, lavishly played up the brilliance of the solo writing and gregarious opera buffa element to this concerto’s outer movements. Occasion even to be outlandish, including big glissando into decisive start to the Recapitulation – as to have burst out of the shadows lurking about right before – was always right on target.

Belohlavek attempted making the BBC Symphony phrase about exactly as Paul Lewis was streaming all forth himself – albeit without their parts being functionally alike to his at all. With so much internally worked in device and rubato, the effort for orchestra to keep up with or capture much of the same became futile – glad nevertheless that soloist and maestro should indeed be very like-minded. There was much delightful here – the winsome smile with which Lewis characterized his opening solo, the on purpose garish brilliance with runs, rapid sequences and other feats of display. Belohlavek rendered phlegmatic a few introspective moments in the orchestral exposition, but Lewis searchingly, poetically the more deeply probing Development. Cadenza optimally came off with great wit, brilliance, and panache.

Bellinian line and reverie, never encumbered by any layering on - such as may have run Lewis aground on handful of movements during traversal of all the thirty-two sonatas two years back - characterized the Largo here in full. Sensuous duet with principal clarinet offered very pleasing equilibrium, tranquility, both soloists interchangeably enhancing the other's expressive efforts to the uttermost.

The rondo finale here continued the overall high spirits, with after Schnabel’s example, light, playful rushing down on bouncing accents at opening thereof, to make all jocular and light. Paul Lewis was also lightly brash, angular with middle section, retreating lines from both him and winds ideally balancing with poise much shaping they contributed here. Zip through ascending, smoothly terraced upward runs toward ending the rondo, playing off reprise of its main theme, was infectious. Lewis sang out last phrase to fine bel canto length, with only furious, rousing affirmation left to go.

Belohlavek then hit his stride with more vigorous than norm account of the Prometheus Overture, as to hint at much fire to draw up from underneath in the Fourth Concerto to follow. Belohlavek’s getting mix of both Italianate leggierezza and sturm und drang just in sync set all ablaze, as to make all galante or Biedermeier accents retreat. In doing so, he cut neither himself nor this music, its inherent charm short. All sufficed certainly well here to give the dilettantes in first audience ever for this a good jolt, Lord knows, what we always need these days, from anywhere, to do the same afresh.

The Fourth Piano Concerto turned out altogether a fine warm, glowing success. An unerring simplicity in setting all up quickly became rule of the day. The necessary poise was there for the opening unaccompanied soloist entry, without any affectation in the least. Lewis, after gently allargando inflected ritornello from Belohlavek, infused much opening elaboration with excellent singing quality to draw in full upon the roots from which this kind of writing lies - light air of fantasy infusing the arpeggios to spin off from that. While maintaining complete classical poise, Lewis expanded out for transition into the flatted mediant with open freedom, space liberally allowed for such. Lewis clearly provided this place specific shape regarding this music’s classical proportions, and at same time, indicate how they on a grand scale verge on bursting apart. He then scaled down virtuosic right-hand figuration to mid-ground behind prominent line in the woodwinds toward closing the Exposition. As though observing the solo part from alternating prism angles, Lewis ideally proportioned opposing tendencies under-girding much here.

A hushed sense of wonder, of foreboding opened the Development. Agitato ascending arpeggios Lewis played as only slightly more prominent toward crest of each sequence of these than overriding line orchestrally. After passionate spinning forth of ensuing mini-cadenza, Lewis then made retransition gleefully light into stretto to open the Recapitulation. Spinning forth of descending elaborate writing off the second theme was brilliant, but as to avoid calling attention to itself. Lewis prudently framed opening of the cadenza with its alternating octaves, and then made Lisztian fancy of what then spins off from them to gently limned reprise of the second theme. Capricious agitated writing in the right hand very proportionately contrasted with sternly enunciating first subject, with stylized quasi-operatic turbulence to follow - all as though to clear the air through spinning forth single line through level upon high to limn orchestral re-entry.

Prudently enunciated intermezzo followed, with beautifully timed, proportioned rhetoric from both Lewis and Belohlavek. What virtues had transpired thus far infused the sonata-rondo finale with airy lift and winsomeness, while still in context of music turned more inward than that for the First Concerto. Fine, excellent calibration of agitato passages in mostly the Development Lewis made open in their impulsivity, contrasting them with unaffected soaring line up high over long pedal point in the lower strings. Reprise of the main theme, especially one variant on it with light melodically broken octaves, became exceptionally playful and witty. Belohlavek contrasted hushed rustle to opening of the finale with fine heft with matters arising toward direct confrontation between soloist and orchestra. Cadenza went by forthrightly - fine virtuosic spinning off the octaves and deftly upward bouncing trills to lead into Elysian legato singing of the main theme from woodwinds in reply. Spark infusing huge secondary dominant clash helped inexorably bring all to a fine conclusion, making overall conception of the rondo complete. Among three very fine performances of the Fourth lately, the Elysian Freire/Metzmacher and more impassioned Barenboim, this one captured the Fourth with fullest sense of perspective. It all proved very satisfying – anticipating a second all Beethoven evening from Bremen-based chamber orchestra that in affecting much accomplished very little.

Prom 8. BBC National Orchestra of Wales. Thierry Fischer. Alexander Toradze. Royal Albert Hall, London. July 22, 2010.

In order to hone in better on central work on this program – Britten programmed as its direct accessory, good to start by discussing the Prokofiev First Piano Concerto placed in-between. Thierry Fischer is frequently welcome guest at the Proms for his very formally astute, rhythmically incisive, and dramatically insightful to even searing interpretations.

Alexander Toradze, who recorded all five Prokofiev concerti with Gergiev and the Mariinsky, asked rightly so for more orchestra behind what commonly is very forceful playing from him on Prokofiev. Fischer accommodated Toradze best he could, therein helping develop quite a meeting of the minds, as can be expected in imaginatively approaching Prokofiev’s music from contrasting angles. Whatever few notes were missed, a few chords stumbled over, much imagination and vitality invested here into a slightly off-center interpretation of early Prokofiev, neurotic and plentifully insightful, paid off. BBC Nat’l of Wales sounded slightly thin for the very start of this; Toradze's pro-actively helping make his playing of the often clangorous introduction integrate with the rest, from a customarily heavier approach one is accustomed to from Toradze, was most beneficial. Toradze played scherzo passages with spiky incisive wit – precariously arched negotiation made of ascending passages toward arousing much excitability.

Without being as self-conscious as Gergiev, Fischer gave this music a restive sense of nervous anxiety already near this music’s surface - to run as strong undercurrent to much at hand, in joining Toradze toward intimating what is ahead in the G Minor Concerto. Peppered by upward glissandi from Toradze, all lurking shadows for first somber intermezzo were intact. Fischer’s feel for romanticism may not be so naturally full-throated as from a Slavic podium for extended slow passage midway through; Toradze presented himself fully poised to bring it all out - with Fischer his very close ally in fully reassuring all it would. Stringent push forward into final scherzo reprise toward segue into grandiose reprise of the opening of the concerto was riveting. This Prokofiev proved informed energetic antidote to sobriety of the two works book-ending this program, major work in key semitone lower than this concerto - opening Britten in key a semitone above.

Kurt Masur’s Orch Nat’l de France Shostakovich Seventh became outstanding climax to recent Shostakovich centenary year at the Proms. Before discovering Mravinsky’s recording of the Seventh ten years ago, I hardly at all well reckoned this work's very real importance. Mravinsky gets to layers beneath others a little beyond how I had ever heard anybody do the Seventh before – really since. The not particularly Slavic Thierry Fischer gave the Seventh an unusually probing look. Such was halfway expected, but extent to which he took matters was truly outstanding. With lean textures, even slightly detached quality Fischer opts for, one had to wonder how he might fare with such epic Shostakovich. My gut had me think back to, in wake of devastating Eleventh Metzmacher did last year, to retrying an old Andre Cluytens recording of again the Eleventh, beautifully transferred (Testament) from muddy sonics before (EMI).

A drier quality of the playing, rhythmic, expressive simplicity and substantial emotional reticence Fischer and Cluytens now share, quite inimitably so. They now both have made music of something justifiably reckoned of encompassing historical relevance. When one hears ‘cosmopolitan’ referring to Shostakovich, one often first thinks Haitink or Simon Rattle, who each can rise to the occasion, less the agit-prop, shibboleth of a Rostropovich, Bernstein, or of even Toscanini – latter whose Seventh the composer despised (should Solomon Volkov be trusted).

Fischer began the symphony in somewhat ironic style – majestic start to ‘calm before storm’ episode – in giving it a regimented feel and even lightly interjected brash lift to succeeding line – that all with crisp gesture and much insinuation underneath fully started getting various points across. Fischer traced lines through contrasting orchestral voices with acute sensitivity – with much ominous hint of what is to come infusing so very much, as in almost comparably individual way to Ancerl or Mravinsky on disc. Richly voiced interaction between winds and lower strings well anticipated the gently limned second theme plus much else.

With Fischer, one had not the voice of the people so to speak, but that of the individual, that of a small voice through it all - without cheapening anything, humanizing Shostakovich in the process. Uneasy peace prevailed well until the ‘war march’ with out of all development of lyrical and melodic strands also would come on another level the darkest and most sinister motifs to emerge here as well. As has been said before, it is two sides of one coin that get depicted here. The Seventh is not quite two types of music that all as though through happenstance got stitched together to make some program out of it; it certainly was not here.

After benighted good cheer from piccolo and tense, thinly played high cadence by Lesley Hatfield, ensued the non-Development ‘war march.’ Fischer was unabashed in giving first full brass variation of it good swagger, and at what uncertain goal he hears everything here - with it no longer specifically the Wehrmacht any rationalization. Shostakovich, in writing the march, more likely had much noise, celebratory balloons surrounding Stalin’s five year plans in mind - source for the march being both German and Russian (including motif from Lady Macbeth of Mtsensk). A certain cool, glibly detached steady push forward on Fischer’s part here accurately depicting such behemoth - suggested mechanization, bureaucratization of society, of all human impulses thereby - moved forward to crush all. Without inculcating any untoward accelerando, Fischer had all inexorably strut forward through passing terror to very impassioned grief, especially in trumpets and high strings. Following somber long bassoon solo was most eloquent - amidst much sullen, numbed, shocked grief; it was starting with the loud opening of the Recapitulation at which Fischer logically found the heart of this sprawling movement. Expected reprise of opening material followed - with mildly less thrust, thus plentiful space for single pitch warnings in lower horns over low tremolo in timpani to sustain full sense of foreboding to its conclusion.

Fischer wisely chose to take the scherzo moderately swift - it too easily achieved some bonhomie, bourgeoisie sentiment in keeping with this music’s supposedly populist appeal otherwise. Even in single line in the violins approaching pizzicato reprise of the opening to segue in the middle section Fischer found element of harmonic impetus behind it, not just that of the Scherzo, but of continuing train of thought throughout the entire symphony. Fischer made for middle section insistent rocking motion forward with shrilly played piccolo clarinet high above agitated and very stark. He gave middle section of the Adagio - with its close-interval trumpets over driving percussion – similarly vigorous, virile stringency, despondency. The shudder, choked back tears associated with flutter tonguing in the flutes toward end of the Scherzo was subdued, as instead to sparsely depict numbed frozen expression of grief. If less moving than example set before, there was still the somber, distraught bass clarinet to eloquently fill all out.

Fischer’s keeping line very well sustained through the Adagio - with stark, Stravinskian austerity with which he infused its opening heavily doubled chorale for winds - was most convincing. He settled for gentle lift to accompany long spun, developed several pitch falling figure Tchaikovsky Third String Quartet quotation. Cellos provided Tchaikovsky quote second theme fine tonal warmth to fill out what first flute stand had rhapsodized five minutes earlier. At moderately slow pace, this Adagio coming in close to nineteen minutes, Fischer let nothing meander off for anything merely incidental or to risk untoward over-emphasis. Better the simplicity this music conveys so well on its own. If not quite Shostakovich’s most inspired Adagio, it still has plenty to say, doing so most freely with much prudence regarding its construction - as encountered here.

The finale rustled with lightly setting off, urgently insistent press forward through the ‘battle music’, but toward no clear goal of victory in sight. Rapid swirling about, approaching fugato, turned furious – albeit wisely at level of controlled inexorably organic press forward. Fischer made very underlined and insistent his transition into the preponderant Moderato epilogue to both the finale and entire symphony – as for it to carry very significant weight as to counteract what false has often been construed of this finale. Fischer was so very specific, purposeful with it all to even have set in relief measure or two of caccia style triplets in the horns to catch all off guard. All remained lean, very tense through the end, as opposed to all loud and chutzpah, with fortissimo trumpets hanging on to dragging, but firm dotted rhythms on pitches of E and D-sharp to refer back to, crying out over all the rest, Fischer’s very dogged start to the Moderato. At pacing of the finale a little quicker than usual with pounding timpani to drive everything home at the end, all became much enhanced here, never short-changed.

Here was then indeed a resolution on purpose insufficient at resolving earlier accumulated tensions, thus as close to definitive an account of the finale I have yet heard. Fischer honed such with an ear for relationships at semitone, whole tone, tritone between harmonies - also as spun out in (quasi-) a cappella lyrical passages. As again voice here for the small voice or simple individual to carry weight, through such very thorough preparation Fischer provided here, there is unsuspected by dull-witted coterie of apparatchiks an ever strong element of formalism – more probing at it than possible earlier with the more popular Fifth.

For greater eloquence, Fischer might invite some of his principals to sing out their lines a little more fully. Ancerl’s opening out of space for fierce high trill in flutes above much racket had more fire (with such ample space Ancerl provides). than from tighter embouchures at work here. Such quip here is churlish, in context of everything here – a real ferreting out of all text that lies beneath other text; look of exhaustion, including very minor incidence off final chord, was fully earned. All most necessary to communicate here remained steadfast, paramount.

The program though opened with the Sinfonia da Requiem by Benjamin Britten. Thierry Fischer refused to comfortably settle with standard idiom for conducting Britten's music – complacent level at which can make Sinfonia da Requiem sound utterly formulaic – as happens so often. The fleshing out of the internal harmonic structure of the music and motion carrying through it, whether fast or slow, was highly compelling here, and impetus for Fischer to take slightly more extreme than the norm in what tempos he chose. Nothing stood out as being particularly at either extreme. It was most of all Fischer's tenacity to maintain his tempos in interest of a rock steady pulsation to persist through the outer slow movements. Such simply provided bedrock, against which all voicing, even open singing of the lines throughout spoke with febrile line to the uttermost - for what novel writing lies beneath and within to also fully register.

Jaunty ease with ‘Dies Irae’ death-dance of sorts got traded in for something more incisive, telling as such. Breaking apart of much activity at the end sounded as though having organically processed out of abundantly clear tendencies to all have emerged right before. Precision of ensemble, with everything very doggedly worked out, was indeed remarkable at the fast clip Fischer took, all for most musical of purposes. Especially in the Requiem movement, noting subtle dark coloring with which the winds underpinned ascending strings, things hinted at very similar harmonic relationships spelled out and developed in the Shostakovich to come. Such a purpose driven, historical and time relevant account of this piece - as to have fit entirely well the expressive to symbolic purpose of programming arranged here – seems rare indeed.

Such fragile impression of life communicated in febrile limning of very steadily paced chorale by which Fischer led the slow finale, highly affecting this way – several remaining voices at the end distinctive while fading away as well. Played with such conviction, all sense of foreboding emerged complete.

BBC Proms 2009 - Proms 61 and 62 - Jansons, Concertgebouw

Magdalena Kozena (Duparc chansons). Concertgebouw Orchestra Amsterdam, Mariss Jansons. Vesko Eschkenazi, Liviu Prunaru, leaders. Royal Albert Hall, London. August 31, September 1, 2009.

With Mariss Jansons, concerning especially the first two symphonies of the great Finn, one has sensed often a taste for the iconoclastic - as one might assess more brash or wannabe than really effectively breaking with anything much. Among Sibelius’s first several symphonies, it is the First that, from anything that had come before it, shows the most progressivism, notwithstanding moments in the Second and Third Symphonies – moments in the Third that momentarily anticipate highly unusual genius with the Fourth.

Concertgebouw, when they have done Sibelius before, have tended to do so with qualified reserve. Whether in part as replying to just or unjust criticism of his Sibelius, tendencies of Jansons’s Sibelius familiar before were still there, more circumspectly so this visitation. It could have been to better achieve effective grasp at last of the larger picture or perspective.

Clarinet tone was deep, soulful to open the first movement, but with nagging there to be perhaps some gap underneath. It still should not get heavily enveloped, but perhaps somewhat out of which in somewhat igneous manner the jagged opening theme of the Allegro energico body of the first movement can freely emerge. It did so, much more circumspect certainly than on earlier occasions, with rhythm and shape more intact now, but also phlegmatically this time around. More, swaying lyrical consequent to this got back phrased, and swoops up in rapid sixteenths to tutti reprise of main idea muddied, covered up.

Exposition closing statements were detached, verging on breaking the music apart, such as common to earlier Jansons renditions of this, but obviously without the jagged impetus that had preceded what occurs here before. Animation of dancing woodwinds spinning about was strong, but with under-girding ascending runs in lower Concertgebouw strings weak – not good for reputation based on many years of tradition for this orchestra. Framing of flutes, clarinet, horn during the second Tranquillo was lovely, merriment of wind concertato that then spins out perfectly bucolic, but Jansons denied climax for final agitated triple-forte descent in the strings by hitting accents too hard right beforehand, thus showing his mapping of the first movement coda to be found wanting.

Moderately paced, the Andante started off blandly, with retiring attitude for opening statement - with all for a while then proceeding in pleasantly direct manner and feeling for atmosphere. This was true most of all in the Molto tranquillo section for harp and violins’ accompanied bevy of horns. Overall shape to frame connecting episodes throughout however remained unclear. Cello line out of rhetorical recitative, both based upon first theme became soggy - with denatured clipped arabesque runs in descant woodwinds. Jansons then applied a check on vulgarity through stretti to follow - in such a way that made most of the remainder of the Andante careful, reticent, instead of peaceful and flowing - or as toward making definite resolution.

Outer sections of the scherzo emerged jerky, detached, without near enough driving this music from underneath, not overlooking fine contributions from woodwinds. What was found atmospheric in color with the Trio section was denied by thoroughly episodic grasp of how to render it shape; Jansons regrouped the retransition thus for it to be almost completely out of place with the rest - leading eventually to closing the scherzo not only flat-line, but that also gave us flat Concertgebouw brass - indicative of the ‘world’s greatest orchestra’ – under secure leadership evident here.

Horns just adequately anchored strong string section recitative to start this ‘quasi una fantasia’ finale. Other than some soggy playing in descending winds, the first Allegro molto, though bumpy from Jansons getting into it, was properly incisive. Shaping, coordination of line over long breathed ballade second subject proved awkward. Tchaikovskian strings' doubling of it for the recap sagged, proved on verge of total bathos, after efficient, but choppy, almost untethered negotiation of spirited enough fugato during the Development. So much was made out of every episode on last page or two of this Sibelius First that a potentially exciting ascent in cellos to help save the overall effort and bring it a broadly paced finale to a fine conclusion somewhat misfired. The clue, solution to this Sibelius First is in achieving some grasp of form, but nearly required as much vitality as has Jansons’ certainly misguided former approach, still half-alive, to this music. It is foremost in securing grasp of Sibelius’s individual mastery of form, that all can best come to life.

Concertgebouw, with deft ear for textures, got somewhat of a rest with set of Duparc that followed, as sung by Czech mezzo Magdalena Kozena. “L’invitation du voyage” proved languorous, but as a bit thick, pushed in production, hooty from Kozena. Support by febrile grasp of Duparc’s at times vague harmonies beneath the vocal line proved effective. Kozena lent “Extase” fine grasp of naivete, though with swallowed consonants - with horn solo alleviating some sogginess also in the accompaniment; the lovely postlude from lower winds at the end proved sufficient anchor to what had preceded it. Kozena’s manner with “Chanson triste” showed some want for better emotional intimacy, but for latter song, Concertgebouw provided opulent support wafting along through harp led accompaniment and lines in clarinet and horn. Kozena and Jansons both provided “Phydyle” subdued, debauched sense of the song’s smoldering eroticism, with Kozena’s voice opening out at last with the freedom one sought, soaring to affirmative G-Flat right before the end.

The Debussy Villon cycle excerpt, proved animated from both - well pointed in rhythm, color, Spanish charm - but “Clair de lune” (orch: Caplet) after the following Ravel proved perfectly amorphous, rhythmically distorted - enough to fully anticipate complete desecration of “Jeux” from the London Philharmonic so soon to come.

Fine grasp of birdsong from winds and other somewhat well gauged atmospheric effect was not quite enough to save an overall work-a-day, phlegmatic rendition of warhorse such as the Daphnis et Chloe Suite No. 2. Even with lack of specific shape to proceedings through much of this, textures were maintained self-consciously lean and mildly lacking in resonance. Emily Bynum played the long Pantomime with fine technical aplomb and fine animation, yet with slightly approximate accuracy of idiom. Jansons’ tweaking of accents, incisive moments came across as contrived at least as often as they might generate steam. Fortunately, Jansons spared organic development of “Lever du jour” opening portion of the suite from being too thrown off. Clarinet solo and other fine woodwind tracery through “Danse generale” did not suffice in saving it from much heavy docking in the brass, crude negotiation of arabesques of trumpet trios, and heavy clipping right before the end. Anyone could tell that most of this concert got played efficiently enough, but should not more be expected from Concertgebouw than this?

The second prom a little more surprisingly did not sufficiently respond well to, hypothetically speaking, such inquiry. Jansons provided the Haydn a fine introduction to its first movement, at least up until point of slightly ham-fisted cadence letting in the Allegro. Fine accenting from within of tempestuous episode right before and chortling bassoons and lift to consequents in the violins to graceful antecedents were all fully apt, toward setting things off. Charm of Allegro opening theme was intact, but regularity of ensuing pacing slightly careful, self-conscious in how much proceeded from there. Light marcia closing theme to both expo and recap was found not so coy to be over-the-top, but just adequately charming; contrasts, transitions through tricky Development section were marked well to be clearly heard and characterized. However, Jansons then rushed reprise of the opening theme, as perhaps to rationalize enforcing strong downbeats for following tutti of the same. Upward rapid flourishes in the violins were clipped during first movement coda. as to render them fully stylized, swooping quasi-glissandi.

Generous color and suavity of Amsterdam winds got the second movement off to a fine start, but one could already suspect here something insufficiently specific in shaping of its (deceptively) simple lines. Incisive trumpet call demarcated lines in the following Minore variation followed but for reprise of C Major, Jansons failed to avoid sag to the line and even risked eclecticism. Things from here on took turn toward being often alternatively stiff and flaccid in accenting - impetus to line in both tutti and concertato almost alike. Minuet and trio, taken moderately, Jansons gave excessive lift in proportion to its weight, and thus to the dignified, great noble feeling of nostalgia and poise that we are accustomed to thinking that this music at such pace for it should convey. With coy trim and clipped phrase endings, it could not. More forceful statement of opening theme, upon return after the Trio section, turned comical, that still in its aftermath failed to lend things more character - after alternatively excessively galante manner for and jerky, clipped transitions during the Trio.

For just slice or two of plentiful Haydnesque sleight-in-hand in nuance and transition to follow, Jansons settled for kitsch - or if you will, post-Shostakovich Ninth, post-Schnittke Haydn. Closing theme, especially during the recap, was door to modern day toy shop fully ajar, to practically high whistling vulgarity, including for comfort’s sake airbrush away of any potentially harsh sound effects. If without best shaping of its lines or true respect for Haydn’s rhythms, proceeding remainder of finale to Haydn’s ‘Military’ coasted along well – fine especially if this had been St. Louis Symphony Haydn instead.

Jansons during the early 1990’s recorded the Shostakovich Tenth Symphony in Philadelphia - arguably one of its finest several recordings the past forty years. Not as having blind allegiance to the first recording I have heard of a piece of music, I was first time I heard it, quite mystified, reminded well of an old Svetlanov on Melodiya - indeed the first Tenth I ever remember hearing. The broad shaping of the music’s ideas was similar, with making strongly etched ideas or dramatic points along the way. What made Jansons compelling then was the complete follow-through and inner vitality for it in having taken the approach he did.

With Concertgebouw here, I heard nothing so specific, though certainly reminded well occasionally – where things here succeeded most – of how it went before. First sign this time of less clear definition was that lower strings tended to sag when playing, repeating opening statement for the first movement – with violins and violas then at least firming things up in reply to lower strings repeating it. Jansons then suggested bloating the brief climax that ensues right before first occurrence of ‘waltz’ subject. A tendency to excessively underline and approach phrasing from retiring perspective turned mannered – in effect withholding confident shaping of the arch that frames the often fractious interior of the first movement.

Brass sagged on their forceful statement of the waltz subject, resulting in a brief trailing off of lighter trills seeming to have had the air taken out of it. Jansons understandably then leaned on things hard to achieve tight climax to the first movement - as though achieved organically from further back than it really had been. Coming off this, Jansons bulged – to remind one of Rostropovich - heavy unison straight eighth note rhetoric from the strings; focus on line resulted in being off again before another minute had passed.

Lower strings, rock solid, regained Jansons a surer footing through lighter duet of fine clarinets on ‘waltz’ subject, along with very fine searching piccolos in high register to nearly close the first movement. The nocturnal focus, character of the first movement, with terror from the immediate past reflected upon, got shortchanged here, as strings rhetorically inflected perhaps a strand of phrase line or two too much, too many again.

A measured, calculated approach curiously held sway for the following whirlwind of a scherzo. Jansons’ grasp certainly held firm, but then some of this music’s character was lost. Virtuosity of the Concertgebouw went unchallenged - such even to deny that this music is about much more than that. As played here, Jansons excessively understated the character of this music in being too careful, anticipating downbeats and overall being deliberate toward encouraging this music to generate a good head of steam.

Underlining, other marked gesture during the third movement made for a more detached, glib account of this music than usual. It seemed to be so for sake of uniquely pointing out such instead of for better than half of this having it depict overall state of mind, composure for picture in view. Rhetorical dragging of the first theme, clipped pointing, so chic, of concertato wind band right afterwards, distension of violin section led ritornello into back phrased climax toward end of movement all seemed to try telling us that if we should be able to fully appreciate the sophistication of the composer’s inspiration here, better perhaps to hold all of this movement at considerably more than arm’s length. We should be grateful for being so engaged as far as we have instead – such as held true too with Zinman in Schubert and Mahler a previous night. Not all sense of atmosphere, scope, character of this music was denied or got removed. Jansons though has already given us a much more unified perspective on this music on disc than encountered here.

Intonation somehow got lost on concertmaster and viola solos right before the close of the third movement, but woodwind solos opening the widely spaced landscapes that desolately open the finale were very fine. Jansons, before finding good lift, vitality, even simplicity for the dance rhythms of the vigorous fast section to follow, was inclined here to take so much a straightforward approach. It apparently led him to start rushing past crying laments of fine Concertgebouw winds and more obviously hurried ruminations from lower strings that demarcate them. Off-setting some streamlining of fast sections and after achieving fine peroration to so much agitation that has built up by this point, laments in the winds and mournful sense of loss in the strings received their full due. Jaunty reprise of Allegro first subject in low bassoon was equally apt.

After slightly clumsy landing to close the Shostakovich, Jansons followed up with a lugubrious, curiously episodic, detached account of Sibelius Valse triste - unclear as to what it should say, as was unfortunately much of this year's visit by Concertgebouw to the Proms.

DSO Berlin/Tugan Sokhiev - misguided replay of 2007 broadcast

This broadcast of DSO Berlin should come as warning to a good number of people in Berlin as to what can happen to a good orchestra if left to the wrong leadership. Should DSO Berlin be left something to be free-agent status among a coterie of young marginal talent with very powerful booking agents, we can expect results, as I report below - more often similar to how described here than not.

First piece on the program, by 1950 born Elena Firsova proved quite a find. Firsova rose quickly while in her twenties to prominence on the international new music festival scene after study, consultation with Edison Denisov and also with Austrian émigré composer and Anton Webern protege, Philip Herschkowitz. Firsova wrote Garden of Dreams as homage to Shostakovich. In its well regulated but entirely spontaneous atmospheric writing, redolent of nocturne movements in concerti, symphonies by Shostakovich, this twelve minute piece is really something quite substantial. Subtle psychological references, even quoting the previous composer’s DSCH motif come up. Brass writing at times had chordal structure – luminosity through such occasionally, mildly remindful of the music of Messiaen.

One this occasion however had to listen a little harder than perhaps should be so for this music’s virtues. Tugan Sokhiev, protégé of Valery Gergiev and from same province (Ossetia) got, uncharacteristic of DSO, muddy playing out of the strings, and overall, playing amorphous in line and formal grasp. Calibration of percussion ostinati, similar as to be found in late-period Shostakovich, was weak. In order in part to compensate for what was lacking, Sokhiev tended to underline things excessively; hardly convincingly would doing so ever amount to much.

The Cello Concerto No. 2, Opus 126, of Dmitri Shostakovich, followed. Truls Mork was soloist. Between Sokhiev and Mork, one sensed here unfortunately an apparent contentment to be able to reach a certain level with this music, but to not even attempt making it anywhere beyond that, with what demands this music makes. This performance thus shortchanged the alternatively wistful, elusive, metaphorical, menacing, and ironic character of this music. Interaction by contra-basses of DSO with Mork at the beginning sounded gauzy, vague of both pitch and shape. Mork, in excessively sinking into his opening lines, perhaps in order to better match Sokhiev, denied them the shape they could have.

Contrast between darker sonorities between for instance the opening and of D Major for berceuse second theme got cheated as well; no underlining was at all going to make the difference, including interlude for lower winds that went sour in intonation directly preceding the berceuse. Sokhiev, in embellishing, gilding the ‘toy-shop’ motif episode in the first movement, denied this passage its quintessential surreal, sinister character. Doing such happens, equally misguided, with the first movement of Symphony No. 15. Woodwind parts got covered up to the point of nearly being inaudible and when heard, crudely accented; the climax of the first movement became then overblown. Vague shaping and placement of voicing, color persisted to the end of the first movement, through lingering horn appoggiatura to close all off.

‘Buy my bagels’ was next, but metaphor between (a whore’s) street cry and minor ninth semaphores of living in a mechanized world got smothered out here. We got the usually expected stilted opening to this brief scherzo instead – clipped, bumped - in other words again, the usual. Humor in this very sardonic music got heavily underlined instead of the both subtle and brutal irony of it all Shostakovich’s rhythms abet – as one can so readily hear on a truly definitive recording of this by Frans Helmerson and Valery Polyansky (on Chandos).


In order to keep what vague rhythm persisted in Sokhiev’s concept of this piece secure, he began breaking up and compartmentalizing this music into little sections and then to kletzmar things up even more dragged the beat behind Mork for reprise of the opening tune. Helmerson, pacing things right, makes very convincingly a desperate cry out of all of this. No simplicity, that one had to listen hard for is ever lost on the Chandos disc.

Fanfare/cadenza opening of the third movement was shapeless, mildly apoplectic from all involved. The six-eight of the opening undulating theme of the third movement, first moment of relaxation in six minutes, loosened close to point of being an Elvis nine-eight. March interludes that followed, though with Mork understating matters well, Sokhiev turned into self-caricature. Interaction between upper winds and Mork through much of what then transpired lacked sense of good pulsation underneath. Four note figure antiphony, out of which is built a toccata, instead became demarcated to the point of being silly, followed by Sokhiev making ‘Disney’ out of a more than interesting enough wind-percussion concertato Snare drum and Mork then joined each other in slapping at the music - further attempt at characterization. That led up to a dressing up well of the movement’s climax, thus rendering void all its menace.

Mork, uncharacteristic of his playing, became slithery in pitch in crucial passage before the end of the concerto. Nothing glaringly to least bit inconsistent with what had come before in this performance happened for the last five minutes of this, including Sokhiev’s odd regroupings at the end - i.e., all his scrupulizing with percussion et al.

Perhaps a specialty of the house for Sokhiev, Rachmaninov’s Symphonic Dances started unpromisingly, with the standard clipping of opening notes, rests, barking of the brass dominating the stretti that follow. Sokhiev showed what link Symphonic Dances might have with film music, making even one wonder perhaps if Sergei could have been – even if nobody was looking - a fan of early John Wayne. It is better, especially from double-basses, to leave this kind of suggestion not so easily perceptible.

Sokhiev did not ever sufficiently gain any real steadiness with this music, until into the slower middle section, in which the well played melancholy saxophone solo and violin section copying him gave his idea decent shape. Over-emphasis did become the order of the day right before re-transition to the A secton of the first movement, the re-transition following through with further over-emphasis in much jerky subdividing – making almost combat-Rachmaninoff out of the re-transition.

Molto marcato marking for reprise of the Intro to the movement was too clipped and rushed to be marcato. Sokhiev gilded to 'palm court' level a closing consolation from the violins and then beat time through interesting descanted sonorities of piano, bells, and harp.

Trumpets greeted flat the opening of the waltz second movement, followed by Sokhiev with concertmaster allowing the line proceeding from opening fanfares to sag. DSO’s English horn achieved sour, even almost watery tone for the opening waltz subject, which violins then proceeded to gently back phrase – things thus far not quite out of character yet. Things then clotted in achieving first major crest to the line. Sokhiev had his flutes, upper winds feel, that in order to keep animation or life going, they must heavily accent what they are playing in what started sounding quasi-apoplectic – also making the music break up into minutiae, little sections, much as happened earlier in this concert.

In seeking ever greater profundity for this valse morte, Sokhiev back-phrased each remaining two or three re-statements of its main theme a little more than its previous. For pointing on this and/or slower transitions, an ever heavier application of unsteady vibrato, to grotesquely so, took over here - making ability to achieve the right feeling for this passage way overdone. Intonation in winds in remainder of the waltz turned moldy, mildew-y before all got said and done.

From how things had gone so far, nothing unpredictable happened with the usually capricious finale and through what resulted in a highly clipped and brutal ending to Symphonic Dances. Sokhiev accomplished nothing except to show off what taste he has for incurable over-emphasis. The opening D octave starting the movement got struck so hard that all overtones to the pitch were lost. Much slithery and gauzy tone and intonation greeted more lyrical or subdued passages - clipping and heavy regroupings the main scherzo-like section(s) of the finale.

After hearing how DSO Berlin has been playing lately, it is on verge of slander to pull this broadcast out for replay – except for the value of the still relatively new Firsova piece. One should of course welcome Russian guests on the podium with DSO, such as Vassili Petrenko, Ilan Volkov, and Valery Polyansky. Comparing with Polyansky’s Russian State SO, DSO Berlin here achieved less of their own virtues than does RSSO on their disc of the Shostakovich cello concerti. RSSO aspires well for the intonation that DSO Berlin can get; DSO Berlin itself did far less so here.

Sokhiev does not altogether lack ideas; his having to tweak the music so much apart though comes across that he neither trusts the music to be better able to speak on its own nor also quite has the technique to handle real task at hand.