Dr Kultur: Gustav Mahler Todestag Konzert. Glowing valecdictory 'Das Lied.' Claudio Abbado. A.S.von Otter, Jonas Kaufmann. Philharmonie. 18.5.11

Claudio Abbado accepted honor of doing 2011 Mahler Todestag concert for Berlin – commemorative of his passing one century ago. Two works from Gustav Mahler’s late period occupied this program. Adagio from the unfinished Tenth Symphony opened. Ample, well varied tonal opulence made interpretation here distinctive. A sense of contaminazione – through developing thematic material - became something with which to reckon. Lushness from the strings hearkened back to days the Berlin Philharmonic could play this music with still greater ease. The Philharmonic grew in other ways more attuned to playing Mahler under Abbado - its boorishness, klezmar, eccentricities all becoming more of a natural than during tenure preceding his.

Opening violas resounded distraught – searching, trailing off during introductory idea provided – then to fully realize obbligato to opulent first subject. Abbado deliberately marked recurrent theme for B section during its first visitation. More fully harmonized, brass increasingly prominent, Abbado slightly set back restatement of first theme to build early melodic intensity before through variation process thematic elements then begin disintegrating. Violins passionately sang descant over main theme, for all then to abruptly dissipate into trailing off recitative. Outpouring of emotion henceforth sounded put somewhat at an aesthetic distance, as though to temporally observe from afar.

Any deconstructionist feel is really Mahler’s own – that Abbado let speak for itself – also to eschew notion, even after numerous completions of the Tenth that it is still anything but a torso. (I believe Mahler Ten, though arguably could be completed through the third movement – there seems almost enough there for even the obviously uncompleted first scherzo second movement, but still silly to have attempted completing anything past ‘Purgatorio’ - brief third movement interlude.

Color during quasi-Allegretto-like Andante pages was piquant, with pizzicati in violas and cellos enhancing spectral pre-Messiaen bird call, flutter in woodwinds. Voicing in lower strings, doubled sometimes in the bassoons that often get covered up in an ersatz-Brahms or perhaps Reger like dense texture got fully drawn out to both expand upon the opulence of Mahler’s rhetoric while making one hear from beneath what also tears at, rends the fabric. Chamber groupings of winds with concertmaster strung out light febrile lines between dense tutti.

Any sign of insecurity here was likely due to nature of the material itself. One might have sensed matter-of-fact trailing of unaccompanied violins' duet right before damply realized organ like progression leading into the Adagio’s dissonant climax. Light Abbado shot through such accumulated dissonance then infused lines of peaceful resolve through the remainder of this while keeping violins restrained with their vibrato – until chromatically leaning into low harp starting cadence preparing evocative chord to follow. Brief moment stable in the key of E-Flat high in the violins provided fine benediction – Abbado following Mahler’s instructions to keep matters here simple. This place can ideally, hypothetically provide the listener glimpse of the other side – such a way the Tenth’s very incomplete finale gets spoken of. This Adagio, under the right circumstances, will say all that Mahler Ten can say; here it did.

The other symphony on this program was one alongside that of the Eighth Abbado has conducted least frequently of all of Mahler’s symphonies – unofficially his ninth - just called ‘Das Lied von der Erde.’ Numerous early Abbado Mahler performances were with the Chicago Symphony Orchestra. A cool temperament, grasp of atmosphere was paramount then, stressing the surface brilliance, linear clarity of Mahler’s writing, its virtuosity more than other factors then. A more thorough musicality, emotional depth he has eventually well provided, especially through again the Ruckert and Ninth symphonies with Berlin.

A glowing opulent radiance suffused the first movement, ‘Das Trinklied von Jammer der Erde’ throughout. Such in Mahler from the Berlin Philharmonic often gets replaced nowadays by something drier or urbane Things on top lines here started forthright in one, with feeling of some dragging (far) underneath. With this opening movement, Abbado seemed restrained about opening out very much, preferring to defer to his tenor Jonas Kaufmann. Kaufmann with lean tone and a ringing top brought out, unusually febrile, great expressivity of timbre while sustaining good legato and keen, impassioned attention to text. The forced joy on for instance ‘Herr, dieser Haus’, anti-heroism, deep angst came across completely. This piece can hardly get sung better than this.

Kaufmann resounded forth at ease with a ringing ‘euch Klingen’ – long sustained appoggiatura on (B-Flat and) A to fill out ‘Welkt hin du stribst. While stopping short of emphasizing surface brilliance at the music’s expense, Abbado continued slightly cool, detached, while always attentive to Kaufmann. English horn solo/obbligato during central orchestral interlude of this helped fill matters out, complemented morosely by Kaufmann on ‘Das Firmanent,’ for all to then fill with menace for ‘Du aber Mensch’; and ‘following.’ Even with Abbado deferring just emotionally one or two layers back, Kaufmann made very intense the start of last full stanza to this, then to gently back off at tormented brindisi’s conclusion. Abbado provided strong profile to dramatic utterances during its closing stanza.

In contrast with the more contralto like Thorborg, Ferrier, or Ludwig, we had here near as illustriously Anne Sofie Von Otter. “Einsam in Herbst’ here started off at easily flowing pace, never rushed - all orchestrally continuing to leave, likely deceptively a weightless impression. A richer quality to mezzo of choice’s middle register might be coveted, but pay-off in phrasing this music from a more youthful, intimate perspective here was very clear.

Between woodwind and string sonorities from the Philharmonic and Von Otter, there was in some of the modal harmony, lines a blended sense of capturing the blues, greens, rich lavenders of Mahler’s sonorities here. Gentle sense of naïve wonder filled Von Otter’s voice at ‘man meint ein Kunstler.’ Through passing indications of despondency, Abbado connected through overall flowing line without undercutting their emotional or expressive content. “Mein Herz ist mude”, coming off such a moment Von Otter darkly intimated in place of heavily underlining it. Contrast between achieving a brightly plaintive ‘Ich komm zu dir’ and finding deep sadness for ‘ich weine viel’ was excellent.

One had to rely upon the Berlin Philharmonic for sufficient lightness on ‘Von der Jugend.’ Deeply expressive was Kaufmann’s handling of sudden infusion of melancholy halfway through – after starting this reticent, heavily on purpose, over Abbado and Berliners lightly pointing the chinoserie; they then joined Kaufmann in lingering over melancholy of having encountered something deep, so unknowable midway through.

Lightness through ‘Von der schoenheit’ was, especially from woodwinds Mozartean - youthful stance of Von Otter to match. Several weak low notes apart, all gradually opened out to a world half-opiate, half-transfigured. Abbado wisely chose to keep slight lid on bacchanalian accents during middle section to this, both without losing character or instead unduly rushing Von Otter through it. Combined deep yearning and brightly rich colors infused closing stanzas, passing moment of occluding despondency in postlude to this - not shortchanged - only to highlight expression, sound world in very strong relief.

“Der Trunkene in Fruhling’, slightly deliberately paced, anticipating ‘Abscheid’ somewhat, sank things in more deeply. Kaufmann, equally as earlier, was again perfect. Something of a truly besotted Chinese temperament strongly rubbed off here – something all at once reticent, stubborn or distraught – drowsily reticent Kaufmann’s handling of ‘Der Lenz ist da.’ Indication of distraction from the wonder of Nature all about an irony-laced Kaufmann potently picked up - with honeyed tone several places. Abbado calibrated the bright chatter of woodwinds against both lighter string and more foreboding sonorities with utmost simplicity.

Abbado set his interpretation of ‘Das Lied’ – what may have been allusive to Bruno Walter and/or Herbert von Karajan already – slightly more apart with ‘Abscheid.’ Sense of the fragility of Mahler’s sonorities over deep undertow remained mainstay here. More radical sounding still was, in specifically spacing everything, austerely a sense of vast empty space – without any massive slowdowns to achieve it.

Von Otter, with lighter voice than perhaps customary, while completely filling out her lines, meaning within, sang somewhat obbligato to overall orchestral line This held true, at ‘O sieh; Wie eine Silberbarke’ – spinning forth at once lighter tone and intense word painting. Berlin woodwinds emerged deeply expressive, such as lied-like oboe at ‘Der Bach singt’ – Von Otter extending, floating out continuing line thereof. Von Otter then found it more sublime to instead of overstating despondency with ‘Die mude Menschen’ to, more potently, merely suggest it.

Anticipating dry, utterly desolate rendering of ‘Die Welt schlaft ein’ was Abbado to evocatively highlight, set up in foreground various strands of horn and lower woodwind obbligato over muffled strings. Other sudden change of perspective, switching what may be in background with foreground, or sudden emergence in fore of something absent a moment earlier was but one subtle means Abbado employed to draw all he could out of the ‘Abscheid’ – Abbado also less the novice with Mahler’s music than was Karajan when he helped give the world the Berlin Philharmonic’s very first commercially issued rendition of ‘Das Lied.’. The greater emotional, psychological engagement Abbado strongly insinuated hardly held back any secrets. Certainty restating opening recitative (‘Es wehet kuhl’) concerning much grief was complete. Beseeching friend final time before parting became, by still lighter means, most intimately expressive – without breaking line.

Coming off Von Otter’s dry, but fully engaged ‘Lebenstrunkene Welt’, arrived abruptly recapitulatory cortege interlude forthrightly issuing forth ongoing tread. Reach for deeply chromatic intervals in lower instruments underneath, naturally compelled much despondency to the fore. A plaintively febrile Von Otter re-entered with ‘Er stieg von Pferd’, all then quietly distraught with ‘Er sprach.’ Even with tone light, sentiment expressed continued to be deep. Arising, emerging from desolate landscape was Von Otter’s febrile, Schubertian impassioned ‘Ich wandle auf der Heimat, with winds left to fill things out further. In a way Von Otter’s interpretation of Mahler’s ‘Das Lied’ resembled Stotijn’s – perhaps a little more Stotijn as she performed this for Metzmacher than the more tragically weighted performance in London under Bernard Haitink several months later.

Coda starting with ‘Die liebe Erde’ with Abbado restrained from having strings dig in too deep, preferring to more sublimely suggest their doing so instead – all lingering, from Von Otter included – quickly turned all febrile. Through obbligato in mandolin, celesta, all emerged radiant and warm – blues through overall perspective gradually turned up without gilding anything - Von Otter’s ‘Ewig’s’, all melting into soft down Berlin provided, still had allotted to them modest remainder of the way.

BBC: Urbane Mahler Third from Rattle - Philharmonie Berlin - 05.02.11

What makes what one might esteem a performance of Gustav Mahler’s longest, most epic symphony, the Third, great? Mahler spoke of purpose of writing a symphony to create (afresh) a new world. No symphony better epitomizes this than his grandiose paean to nature - the Third Symphony. Herbert von Karajan was rumored during the early 1980’s to be about to attempt the Third, around time of twice recording the Ninth. Claudio Abbado instead became first music director of the Berlin Philharmonic to have on disc done so. His DGG account, replacing considerably earlier Vienna PO recording (DGG), was less finicky about attempt to capture all detail in this piece. Although it captures line and eventually good sweep for the final Adagio very well, the depiction of this piece’s colors is grayer, in part toward effort to better preserve and sustain line. Even while still somewhat slow, it maintains momentum better than happened in Vienna.

From Simon Rattle, much elaborate pointing of detail, coloration, balancing critically inherent therein was beautiful, especially during the opening three movements. And yet at nodal points returning state of nature from ongoing thaw back to frozen stasis - one picked up, dry, matter-of-fact the nagging sense of there being little fortitude toward effectively steering all forward – Rattle here maintaining a moderately leisurely gait. One with Pierre Boulez expects clinical objectivity throughout, but with him one can discern, especially while working with an orchestra, ironically enough, more sympathetic than the Vienna Philharmonic, what he prioritizes is important.

With Simon Rattle, however, such is unclear; it even makes it tempting to start with the Third Symphony’s finale, for once, except that this Adagio is no better than just one of the two most important movements in this work, so also on Rattle’s behalf, I hesitate. One noticed less with Berlin than from City of Birmingham (EMI) pressing need to overtly scrupulize the weight of accenting, length of held notes between horns and lower strings to open the first movement. Intent seems quite serious both times; as things would then ease up, one could then likely reckon all this passé. Except for mild impetuosity to rush forward early on and through brass entrances closing this section, calibration between sections, marked by incisive trumpet motto here all made apt toward building a good somber landscape. Past first thaw, trombone arioso continued firmly, toward stabbing crest to its lines, all accenting underneath very supportive, with percussion especially expert at marking rhythms, articulation. Reach down to low D in the basses, well inhaled, exhaled emerged measured and full.

Anticipation of ‘Spring marching in’ achieved through strings’ fugato emerged with deft precision and supple line, promising much ease and character for march to follow. Amidst much beautifully limned detail, a lack of sweep and of swagger through marking like ‘Schwungvoll’ through then phlegmatically handled accenting subtly belied that all here still might be alive. Transition back to ‘frost’ was again dry - extra oomph off of which sounded artificial. It took descending string tremolo to recapture good scale and atmosphere - almost too late. For lovely vocalized trumpet and trombone solo, arioso, illusion of achieving atmosphere with fine depth, encompassing myriad detail, emerged well – through heavily sighing English horn helping capture moment of stillness on earlier Mahler derived ‘Weh’ motif. Bucolic mirth heartily infused ‘the Rabble’, followed by naturally rapidly hurtling forth Storm – through fussily accented, but still accurate percussion. Beautifully prepared trombone arioso turned out very fine. Ample scale and character then recapitulated ‘Spring marching in’ – all toward very festive, albeit slightly rushed conclusion.

Flowery minuet intermezzo, in which ideal is to go mostly weightless received deft, elfin touch - varying hued light shimmering through its textures and arabesque – nothing encumbering anything. If Rattle achieved unqualified success on any single movement of this, here it was. Tone from principal oboe was suavely dark - Berlin strings remaining behind, then filling all out through lush refrain – for all again to freshly emerge Bouyant spring,. Mendelssohnian, for trio sections was ideal, with gusty breeze intermittently coursing through – even through trio of freely accompanying flutter tongued flutes above. Weeping on lightly descending high winds into Minuet’s first reprise turned all childlike, naive. Artfully delayed picking up of pace, reinforcing oomph for second trio section refrain, provided moment of earthy vigor. Same device hardly worked well in Birmingham earlier. Equally fairy-land, helping close all this, was plaintive duet for concertmaster (Guy Bruanstein) and principal flute (Emmanuel Pahud).

Merry woodland frolic inauspiciously opened main scherzo. Plaintive higher winds congenially took turns singing ‘Ablosung in Sommer’, over accompanying bird call. Beethoven Fifth parodying trio emerged wittily robust - with panoply of trills springing forth off hard plucked pizzicati – strings during engaging scherzo reprise turning randy, mixed with brass toward - timed better than in Birmingham - the awkward brass octaves descending run – all sylvan then upcoming retreating violins, high winds. Slavic pomp surged off preceding klezmer accents - for coda framing opening first posthorn episode. Its manner of trailing in then seductively took over - haloed violins aloft, warmly replying horns ideal. Brief wistful interlude wafted by, anticipating gently breezy violins’ tremolo guided scherzo reprise - klezmer goaded violins and winds acridly in ‘irdisches Leben” mode then seizing center stage. Slippery trio section fugato reprise however de-tethered pushed transition into passing recall next of fine posthorn episode. Mysterious ‘Nature call’ from horns got rushed - violins above dry, pedantic. Leisurely gait coming off this was fine – fearful perhaps that more thrust toward closing strongly might emerge disproportionate to glib coasting by right before.

Hesitant to sit more still, Rattle began Nietzsche movement with quiet, steady pulsation, but nagging sense of shallow depth. Nathalie Stutzman, aspiring to light and covered tone simultaneously began hooty and flat, waiting for her ‘Gib acht’s’ to find better intonation. Expert Berlin principal oboe upward portamenti, from others often emerging as ungainly squawk, sounded here positively lyrical, expressive - perhaps not such a misguided restoration of tradition after all. Violins entered warmly over horns for interlude, albeit lacking some definition for their lines. More focused, Stutzman, horns accompanying her, beginning verse two, restored to this music at last some air of mystery. Until bearing down on ‘Ewigkeit’, Stutzman made more freely expressive what followed – rapt concertmaster Braunstein right behind. Rattle then slightly rushed fleeting postlude, closing this out. Light bells and chimes illumined the start of the fifth movement - boys and women expressively blending, harmonizing their lines well. Stutzman, until slightly choppy at very end, sounded darkly expressive, stoically, nobly penitential. Light trailing up to shimmering conclusion was very apt.

Berlin strings began hymnal Adagio - moderately paced – with fine solemnity and resonance. Off back-phrasing of consequent to opening lines, line almost gave out regaining antecedent thereof. Febrile lean upward was expressively made to start first episode, but ill advised then sudden switch to foreground for first violins - all affected, vertically episodic. Much extended tenuti over repeated long pitch back into first theme also sounded affected, threatening again to break up overall line. Gentle reach from behind to continue was fine, winds then repeating first theme better defined than the strings, then re-entering at fore too heavily italicized. Reprise from Berlin principal horn, concertmaster of episode introduced by oboes earlier gradually restored simplicity, capacity for line to breathe. Anguished climax on ‘Weh’ emerged well, but in context of much matter-of-fact, slightly layered on. D Minor reprise of once more recurring first movement climax did so stodgily. Pedantry characterized much of what remained – glib over how dynamics had been planned out.

What Mahler may have intended came across curiously urbane, cynical perhaps; return to being reliant on bad Romantic tradition might better fill out things than occurred here. Much well observed detail likely had found poor soil – a stubbornness to yield to innate quality and ability to sustain much long term at all.

The weightlessness of such Mahler appears, in eschewing notion of hearing overtones - sostenuto impetus expected to emanate – as more one arriving from a learned aestheticism than that of a neophyte. One thing should a BBC orchestra’s Mahler sound like this, but yet another should it be the Berlin Philharmonic Here seemed to have merged a British urbane reticence with a Semitic asceticism partly removed from its moorings – stoicism. angst informing Otto Klemperer’s distinctive Mahler most of all.

Plethora of detail masterfully calibrated into semblance of oneness from Rattle revealed an expertise that, working with Berlin, may only keep a handful of peers. It perhaps is very strong purist conceit to not be able to listen to music older than Brahms, barring adherence to historically informed, ‘period’ practices - denying that music should carry any (spiritually) transcendent quality. However with little to replace it, it could be said to be like attempt to find luminous the appeal of taking stroll down a Manchester or Liverpool road on a chilly gray day – to be satiated only by occasional ray of sunlight.

Might’ve we here not traded in one banality for something equally bland, milque-toast?

classicfm: LA Phil/Dudamel Bruno Walter commemorative Mahler 9 at the Barbican - 28.01.11

The Los Angeles Philharmonic toured Europe with fifty years commemorative of making classic Bruno Walter recording of Gustav Mahler’s Ninth Symphony with the Columbia Symphony Orchestra – ensemble comprised then of much L.A. Philharmonic personnel. Sessions were held January 16th, 1961; Gustavo Dudamel showcased the work in Disney Hall on same date this year.

Tempos in particular for the first three movements were similar to those used then by Bruno Walter. The Adagio was the sole exception – especially in mind of Walter having moderated his tempo for the final Adagio from how he conducted it for his Anschluss era Vienna recording. It took not until Bernstein’s Amsterdam recording – among several slowest on record (with Levine’s two) but instead until Roger Norrington for Bruno Walter’s earlier tempos to very nearly be recreated – the swiftest on record – for which Arnold Schoenberg probably called Walter a coward. One reckoned Bernstein might serve partially as Dudamel’s model for this early stab at Mahler Nine. Bernstein was dissatisfied with CBS compelling him to keep length of his Adagio down to 23 minutes - two minutes more than Walter in 1961, nearly five more than 1930’s Walter.

Dudamel has had dicey luck with Mahler thus far. His DGG Fifth with the Simon Bolivar strains for ability to grasp form – lessons learned from which, I suspect he applied here. Dudamel’s inaugural Mahler First with Los Angeles missed nearly all the simplicity behind its inspiration – with tendency to distend phrasing to disproportionate lenghts, plus the fussy quality about it all. It missed what subtle nuance can best serve indicating how the Mahler First Symphony points forward as well. With Verdi Ernani, Lombardi store greater perils for the unwary than do Otello, Don Carlos, Falstaff.

Broad approach to the Ninth’s (supposed) profundity and fuss over less essential detail was less problematic here. Mahler’s Ninth presents some of his most open, exposed writing of any numbered symphony of his since the Fourth. It also hearkens back to emotional subjectivity of the earlier symphonies - after the more objectively conceived Ruckert – with the Ninth fourth within (broken) line of purely orchestral symphonies.

This was for sure a young man’s Mahler - Mahler not very deep into middle age when he composed this. The love of life, love of Nature it expresses is in part still that of a young man partly unwilling to let go. Dudamel kept the temperature slightly cool in approaching this music - somewhat in his still having a tentative feel for it overall, thereby a desire to be prudent, but also, welcome, most engaging of all with its lyricism. .Mistakes certainly became, during some of the Andante comodo, frequently obvious, plus some intermittent through the three remaining movements. Here is still work-in-progress interpretatively, but one also perhaps fully on its way to fruition. Some of the coolness or, if you will, objectivity may be due in part to both a still slightly thin quality of Los Angeles PO strings, but also the dryness of the Barbican acoustic. An airing of this interpretation from Vienna’s Musikverein might tell us more.

Subdued air pervaded the ‘Lebwohl’ opening – understated irregular pulsation underneath and falling quality of main thematic motif – gently filled out by slightly distraught warm glow. Eventually‘ leidenschaftlich’ characterized D minor theme started off with clear direction, then to have Dudamel fuss over minor crests in continuing line thereof, also turning filled out return of varied ‘Lebwohl’ (in D Major) slightly flaccid. Forward, light projection of ‘leidenschaftlich’ underpinned Exposition closing section, then momentarily making all curiously sound slightly weightless, but simultaneously finding something both naïve and refreshing within lift to overall line. Slight clipping of ‘irregular heartbeat’ on octaves put things slightly off, but then surfaced sufficient profile to nobly frame suitably restrained viola section lament.

Impulsivity lightly seized transition into weightlessly trumpet fanfare marked Mit Wut (and nicht zu schnell) that Dudamel firmed up with nodal point from doubled brass therein – then to let all slide away limber. Tricky proportioning out of imminent, truly marked ‘Leidenschaftlich’ became loose. Exchange of bi-tonalities on ‘Lebwohl’ got underlined well, but brief ‘schattenhaft’ to follow slightly picked apart. All to follow into climax to the Andante comodo flowed by - perhaps as though all easily achieved.

Dudamel could have been facing serious issues, had the movement almost ended there. For instead what happens, one began to sense Dudamel’s hearing past this point. All broadened out beautifully for weighted cortege entering from afar. Full orchestra broke off without fuss for beautifully shaped flute, concertmaster, horn solos. Key location throughout here was Dudamel’s just slightly rushed ‘Etwas belebter’ utterly spot-on – next to Lenny’s distended, deconstructive taffy pull - both in anticipating it and making the release. All then without bathos melted into clear, then fading away blues - almost as though to make one forget ‘multitude of sins’ encountered earlier.

Moderately broad in pace, strengthened thus, the ‘laendler scherzo started off with heavy marked rustic gait, knowingly, not self-consciously so, allowing this music’s charm and banality speak for itself – even while leaning hard on repeatedly inflected accompanying brass. First go at second laendler could have afforded heavier downbeats but all landing hollow, right on brass and timpani. Dudamel waited until later reprise of gentle ‘Lebwohl’ F Major laendler to linger over it more than matter-of-fact – indicating growing sense of mastering the art of omission alongside that of commission. Variation on somewhat already the ‘wrong-note reprise of Laendler II Dudamel momentarily had his horns accompany with a most comical slurp, impossible not to have tickled the funny bone.

Drawing out of transfigured colors its harmonic shifts turned poetic extended F Major laendler (reprise), making one indeed reflect upon Columbia Walter’s better virtues. Preparation of ‘dance is over’ solo bassoon reprise of Laendler I was fine, with earthy reply from woodsy solo viola, winds, concertmaster, followed by strong elan and heft for genuinely invested gutsy started mid-phrase Laendler II reprise. Following very intentional gaffe several minutes earlier came, equally witty, big unintentional one, on rushed restart of Laendler I, de-tethering just about everything – so much fun – with recovery very quick. Pulsation through low thudding perfect fifths beneath, dark ruddy color and macabre effect all about - purposefully, ironically including odd bow noise from the concertmaster - sardonically, ideally helped bring this scherzo to a close.

Strong parody, irony emerged more the intent with Rondo-Burleske than banal virtuoso display Other than slight thinness in the strings - Dudamel most attentive to achieving good accenting - the character of this music, taken moderately fast, came off fresh. Solo strings cutting through rustically klezmer parody of Third Symphony got sharply etched – follow through on lower winds’ voicing, marking also thoroughly characterized. High wind’s running preparation of main subject reprise was acrid, with dry reprise of further distorted march also spot-on. Trio opened with decent simplicity, especially as limned from aloft by the violins. Luminous buildup to the climax to developing its main idea became also slightly understated – through warm harp glissandi. Reprise of main section was more straightforward than fierce, with light pointing of strings led ‘operetta’ episode palpable, Accelerando by trumpet was slightly impulsive - utter enjoyment of everything in place of making display again paramount, with merry romp through lower brass toward concluding cadence of perhaps more lift than usual vehemence.

Dudamel framed opening the Adagio with strong lean on its unisons, but avoided sinking line by observing following internal separations well. .Pace was very slow overall, but did not feel it much except for C-sharp minor episodes. Several big crests to the line got understated, perhaps one or two slightly deflated – sign of inexperience but also already strong opinion on where more important emphases should lie. Probably nothing about this entire Ninth more took me aback, conducted by Dudamel - much heart-on-sleeve having been expected instead. Quieter sections of this Adagio were such for which Dudamel opened wide most frequently well calibrated space for them to project their deeply meditative quality, vernal shimmering lights in higher reaches – to recall the ever blossoming, renewing quality of much within ‘Das Lied.’ Others, certainly Bernstein’s first try at the Adagio make afterthought of these passages for great ‘wailing wall’ of obvious big refrains, but not Karel Ancerl – now hardly Dudamel either.

Reach toward large climax, through subtio piu mosso (marked Nun etwas drangend) was flexibly impulsive - Dudamel then gently applying the brakes for four descending big notes into starting the recapitulation. At similar crest in tutti minutes before, he eschewed over-emphasizing this for how more charged he could make large reach without forcing it, toward it all cutting off. Anguished high violin’s A natural - intense from Otto Klemperer - got mildly understated toward good, mature impetus lyrical shaping of entire line overall. Dudamel failed to quite open ‘Adagissimo’ final page slower than body of this Adagio – final show of naivete then some excessive lingering over this music’s ultimate fading away.

This interpretation of Mahler’s Ninth still has some ways to go - not to fall back on more conventional solutions, but instead perhaps to even take several extra risks. Most moving here seemed both Dudamel’s very close scrutiny of the score and amount of heart and imagination, if not surplus of intellect he has invested into thinking it out. With Los Angeles Philharmonic instead of with orchestra back home with which Dudamel can often rehearse over twenty hours each program he conducts, even with what mistakes, naivete present, this is the best I have yet heard Dudamel on anything – versus Dudamel the primed, pumped fawned over pawn of nefarious marketing forces active, omnipresent today. How much this aspect of the business he can put aside may well determine how he can prevent himself from ever again cheapening other repertoire - and then perhaps make great strides.

BBC Proms 2010: Proms 66 and 67. Berlin Philharmonic, Simon Rattle. Karita Mattila ravishing for Strauss Four Last Songs.

Prom 66. Berlin Philharmonic Orchestra. Sir Simon Rattle. Royal Albert Hall, London. September 3, 2010.

Way to open symphony reminiscent of one previous is how the Mahler First Symphony begins – only vaguely referring back to start to the Beethoven Fourth. Opening to the Beethoven, even given its enlightened classicism is particularly mysterious - sounding most likely to introduce some thorough philosophical conceit into the mix. The irony is that what follows in the Mahler First – comparatively naive opening so evocative of Nature, gradual awakening of it all - prefigures more along philosophical lines than on the surface does the rest of the Beethoven. There is an elusive beauty about the Beethoven Fourth - the simplicity of design, even a turned inward quality that makes it more complex organism than it appears – so deceptively simple at its surface.

One writer attending this mentioned much fussiness on Rattle’s part at interpreting these two symphonies. If anything, here was a greater flexibility, subtler limning of detail from within, making the Beethoven Fourth a more thorough experience than achieved on disc before with the Vienna Philharmonic – disc that had the more overt 'period' accents, drier quality, etc. One might speculate that it might be some new found liberty on Rattle's part to relax his quasi-'period' approach to Beethoven to include therein nuance to more appreciably articulate the formal and expressive content of this music. It is certainly appreciable for Rattle to have made this kind of shift that in having developed doing so seemed quite the opposite of fussy or mettlesome instead.

Deeply expressive again, as on EMI, was the introduction to the first movement, with slightly warmer sonority from the strings of Berlin. Sense of groping one's way through several remote harmonic transitions was just about equally acute between both - both equally suggestive of so much else - for us to fill in the blanks what the rest may be. Rattle made bracing the opening to the Allegro vivace both times, but gracefully then yielded onrush through it all to make suppler rubato here into first movement's second subject. Line, with accenting beautifully placed in context of all else, through the Development, was free and secure - most expressive on turn of phrase where it counts. Ease into making well proportioned retransition also contributed to Rattle's success here. It was only with approach to brief coda to the first movement that playing momentarily sounded under threat of becoming congested.

The Adagio here opened less assuredly, with Rattle's marking of dotted rhythm accompaniment to flaccid assumption of opening melodic line all phlegmatic, until winds repeated it. Rattle then pulled in firm the louder reprise of introducing accompaniment, followed by winds singing freely the Adagio’s opening theme. Approach to very lyrically played second theme on clarinet was gently spacious, but also as to point one’s view toward gradually increasing sense of agitation under the music’s surface. Phlegmatic handling of the tutti during the Development contrasted with pensive, hardly self-conscious spelling out of lightly scored completion of approaching reprise of the first theme and then a practically Italianate, vocalized spinning out of melodic line in the violins off broadly approached arpeggios from lower strings. Militaristic accents, culminating in menacing drum roll to frame final cadence made incipiently arousing to dissent, rebellion of sorts afoot even here.

The Scherzo here began rushed, almost clipped, but fortunately less conspicuously so than on EMI. Such healthy thrust in and of itself is of course much within character of essentially a sped-up minuet with from the get-go plentiful misplaced accenting. Rattle made amply spacious the antiphony of broad spelling of diminished chords to expressive effect. Trio section, with enhancing contrast of swagger with cadential dotted rhythms, was warm and especially from among fully cantabile Berlin winds.

In comparison with the more doctrinaire relentless pace with perpetuum mobile of a finale with the Viennese, Rattle within venture of slightly rethinking what he had achieved before, did not undercut a constantly running pulsation to it by opening things out here. Less intimidating then was the less frantic pace for principal basson reprise of opening statement in Berlin than in Vienna. As recidivist as it may sound, the graceful shaping, limning of the finale's second theme sounded remindful of Beecham - of what he had in his interpretative arsenal by way of graceful turn of phrase to apply to his Beethoven. Thorough capture of internal accenting on closing theme continued buoyant and free - with insinuating subversive or revolutionary accent underneath - attempt for this music to break its bounds never much distance away.

That Watteau-esque coloring of how the Mahler First opened got caught very mildly self-conscious would have one not mistake this playing for Concertgebouw - as under Haitink several decades ago. Tempo was broad for much of the first movement - stillness of all to the symphony's opening very rapt; long breathed retransition in place of Development later brought all intensely close to a standstill while keeping anticipation alive of overt frolic to come - heralded with fine clarity here by consort of French horns.

'Ging heut morgen', once picked up by the violins, let all sunlight in - after purposefully groping long ascent toward it to close the Introduction. Pointing of small accenting in the Development and elsewhere sounded just like world as easily captured in Webern's Im Sommerwind as in any Mahler. Introduction of darker accents foreshadowing drama to follow later entered guilelessly, bucolically from there. Buildup to far reach from behind for change to blazing D Major, fortunately without turbo-charging either anticipation or arrival made for ensuing strongly characterized merriment all the way through too frequently odd sounding ending to the first movement.

Rattle then effectively worked into the opulence of the tone of his Berliners fully achieved charge of earthiness into the Scherzo that made shaping of it most natural with no exaggerated dynamics - even while slightly tentative on a few downbeats here - as opposed to turbo-charged rewrite of Beethoven 7 the Development section so often resembles. For a true stickler, Rattle might have seemed free with Mahler's tempo markings, subtle relationships therein; little there was to interfere with genuinely ardent, while lingering, feel to this. Even with some gratuitous italicization, vigorous reprise brought the Scherzo to a cumulatively, earthily robust conclusion.

Solo double-bass on minor mode Frere Jacques played it vibrato-less for so very ruddy a sound, even at minor cost to intonation. All klezmer, even unabashedly from ultra-gilded violins was then made of wind band march. Violins then drooped naively, wearily in making transition back. Mildly self-conscious was very covered handling of start to lyrical episode quoting concluding part of the fourth Gesellen lied, before soon inviting back feeling for the naïve simplicity of it all. Quite convincingly, if dryly characterized was a relatively acrid odour to all air about with reprise of 'Frere Jacques' raised a half-step - as to somberly recall 'der irdisches Leben' – from instead the Wunderhorn lieder. Besotted toned bassoon helped bring all to its dour, mildly somber end.

Pacing of agitated opening to the finale sounded here mildly held back, with direct feel for accenting this music achieved, if anti-climactically with arrival of Exposition first theme. The most trouble encountered here thus far came with anticipation of episode thematically borrowing from musing over the death of Abel near end of the first part of 'Klagende Lied.’ Rattle then chose to layer things on thick. There was the haloed quality with the strings to sustain main idea through this passage, but naivete of such reminiscence oddly got almost entirely eradicated. Zuruckhaltend to achieve Mahler's practically vocalized opulent approach to final cadence here became unfeasible. Transition back to music indicative of how the finale opens was slightly glib; eschewing wisely however the making too much of the two dramatic transitions to follow was welcome, toward saving up for greater to come.

Obtrusive holding back then recurred until stealthy reprise of march strands from the first movement brought all bucolically back to life – working toward festive, bright, never overstated conclusion. If mind intermittently got led to wander during the finale, this Mahler First still turned out a very fine qualified success – so refreshing to encounter such a frequently engaging approach to very familiar terrain.

Prom 67. Berlin Philharmonic. Sir Simon Rattle. Guy Braunstein (leader). Karita Mattila. Royal Albert Hall, London. September 4, 2010.
Central to this Prom was the generous heap of short character pieces one set each from Arnold Schoenberg and his two disciples. As Simon Rattle has said, one does hear with immediacy how moments from each set of pieces comment on those from other sets so frequently. Complete appreciation of especially Alban Berg’s Three Pieces would be to reckon it alone as complete - chock full of content as any Mahler symphony – as opposed to making mammoth opus out of practically too much.

Sandwiching Anton Webern’s Opus 6 pieces between Schoenberg and Berg made them seem shorter than they are. How much more their character, all well played here, would speak, should this set be played between stylistically contrasting works instead. All three sets of pieces presented were written at height of Expressionist phase for the Second Vienna School – whereas there was considerable variety of form and idiom in which all three men wrote. All fourteen pieces given in one long haul offers ‘atonal’ expressionism at its peak at level of concentrate. Trespass however of unwritten limit on amount musicians and audience members can partake will dilute what can be processed thereof - even with fastidious effort put forth here.

The oxymoron is that with an urbane quality already characterizing Simon Rattle’s music-making, presenting so much together here provided cover. The edge of hearing the dissonance in this music has diminished over time, yet it is best within logical constraints to make the most of it. Most certainly the fragmentation one encounters here is unlike anything before, yet anticipated in the music of Johannes Brahms. One virtue of hearing Schoenberg from a recidivist perspective is in how doing so can severely undercut deceptive notion that this music is atonal. This was most evident during ‘Das obligate rezitativ’ (fifth piece), but at cost of smoothing out some of the hard edges one still should run up against. Stern brass made implacable presence felt toward its conclusion, but with Interweaving arioso among various solo instruments hearkening back to the late period chamber music of Brahms – his manifold extensions over the bar line, overlapping each other at times therein.

Lack of urgency for cellos’ thrusting motif somewhat held things back for ‘Premonitions’, starting Schoenberg’s Five Pieces, Opus 16. Oboe descent to low trill gave off more droll irony than agitation, alongside dour low intoning from trombones, all making interesting take on starting things off. Lightly played, almost clipped figuration in flutes sounded though like a combination of being shirked off and merely decorative instead of part of cumulative spinning into the overall maelstrom of the first piece. Much the same held true for similar incidence during ‘Peripetie’ (fourth piece). Brass made oppressive, stern their marcia collation of several motifs – big recapitulatory moment in Berg’s ‘Marsch later to recall it. Testament to the virtuosity of the Berlin PO, the placed back audibility of violins’ ostinati behind loud brass was very compelling.

Simon Rattle picked up on fleeting introspection from solo clarinet early during Peripetie’ more than on making full throttle of very jagged strands of activity starting it. Rapid fire antiphony among strings, pointed by their upward swooping portamenti and equally fast repeat-note tremolo in the trumpets made for good violent end to ‘Peripetie’ - muted brass chorale framing all forebodingly.

Individual pointing of sonorities, colors of various instruments, starting with distraught solo cello on framing motif in ‘Vergangenes’ (second piece) toward continuing line through unison clarinet and English horn, was very compelling for the two slower pieces. One acutely heard the special trading off of individually pitched resonances between well varied instrumentation to start off ‘Farben’ (Colours). Intertwining voicing between winds, violins, and muted trumpet made very subtly elaborate chamber music out of the second episode of ‘Vergangenes.’ This piece however exposed the risk of assembling together so many pieces of such acute character. Emphasized during ‘free atonal’ Schoenberg are ostinati, other figuration that break in upon the overall discourse, thoroughly interrupt it, and can also distinctively hold all still momentarily - events Michael Cherlin characterized as ‘time shards.’

Having all fourteen pieces presented as odd continuum of sorts can deny individual profile to so many of such events tucked within many of these pieces – with it so acutely brief how they appear in Webern. One needs neither to enhance much nor deny what nuance is marked therein. Very minute off-beats in mostly lower instruments intrusive upon the stillness of ‘Farben’, on the other hand, needed a little more space to resonate, whereby they better insinuate all at state of verging on virtual collapse - Rattle’s pacing of ‘Farben’, to capture its diaphanous stillness, was still circumspect.

Webern’s Opus 6 pieces opened tentatively - issue being balancing the abrupt first piece’s urgent impetus with its delicate sonorities. The second piece, marked very soft, also got smoothed out, but with wide-spaced tuba line and cry high in flutes both very expressive and anchoring opening statements in a piece lasting less than two minutes. Rattle self-consciously scrupulized figuration through arched, belabored crescendos close to midway through and ending the second piece. Rattle phlegmatically indulged reach for stretto therein with unmarked allargando; the piece’s conclusion also needed greater vehemence. After delicately tracing the klangfarbenmelodie third piece, Rattle honed in on dramatic, very measured tread of the fourth - with how lower brass made their first entrance through tight engagement upward through trumpets - through subtly placed, varied percussion for buildup to its shattering conclusion.

The fifth piece got off to the best start thus far in the Webern with pianissimo, deep, close interval lament in the horn creating illusion of vast, empty space- with tightly focused pianissimo shuddering about in lower strings to enhance the effect. Leader Guy Braunstein’s flautando very high over winds placed far back, over low pedal in solo contrabass was particularly eerie. English horn recitative spoke eloquently over steady ostinato in low harp - followed by solo viola on free inversion to echo the recitative on English horn. Dark, measured briefly passing shard of ostinato in harp offset chords in celesta over deep pedal far back for a veritably remote, ascetic end to Webern’s Opus 6.
Hubbub informing middle period Mahler and Berg’s Opus 6, reflecting the instability of pre-war Vienna suits Simon Rattle the cosmopolite well. Impetus toward conserving energy however persisted through the Berg. Grandeur of this work is such with which the often formally astute Rattle found himself at ease - other than for thickly orchestrated fury midway through Marsch fazing both him and members of his orchestra.

Praludium began restively on combined pitched, un-pitched percussion. Curiously, Rattle, settling in, secured some feel of voice leading, accumulated well in Berg’s scoring, for repeated sustained concert E-Flat in solo trombone (marked pianissimo) that perhaps should remain for sake of its character, detached from what immediately precedes it. Supple feeling for the vast scale of even this piece led to Rattle lingering over somewhat extended arioso through strings and imitative winds in anticipation of a cumulatively achieved high C. Rattle pointed well the dotted rhythm conclusion to each strand of arioso, yet within a mildly broad, less specific handling of each. Doom-laden, highly remorseful brief descending triplets in brass and dissembling rustle of string tremoli made this piece’s conclusion evocative, foreboding.

'Reigen' (Round) featured spectrally lit shimmer through wind and violin tremolo, fine lilt to its waltz rhythms, and fine pointing of detail. And yet into the first waltz refrain one noticed air of overconfidence about. There was suitable flexibility in drawing insinuation of jazz out of the brass under rhetorically anguished strings right after still episode, marked by elaborate harp glissandos. Sustenance of tension, as in many performances of this, got compromised, through trumpet paraphrase - against enormous aggregate of activity - of earlier line in the violins (just past light string tremolo marked breather for remainder of the orchestra). Harshly brilliant descending flute tremoli against dour low brass, gratuitously enveloped, sounded assured; due to some fussiness with nuance however, the febrile line that courses through all this became slightly detached – in mind of effectively shimmering conclusion to ‘Reigen.’

The fearsome Marsch though started off quite tentatively– especially with Mahlerian trilling horns polite. Besotted quality for second, most prominent instance of this was polite again - along with carefully approached crazy offbeat swooping, lunging about from full body of divided violins to follow trilling horn accented restart of the introduction Delicate, lyrical passages received much warm response. Contrastingly, the mechanical accenting of ominously militaristic strut - complete through like-minded antiphonal response - got its full due. Healthy push for the quasi-recapitulatory statement in Marsch conventionally compensated for dense thicket to follow - until very close to effectively dissembling hammer stroke two-thirds through. Rattle, supported by determined playing, still pointed the most important accents through overheated struggle of it all.

Intimation of wide shudder across blood-stained lake - ahead in Wozzeck – was stirring, but grandiosely enunciated trombone obbligato - oblique reference back to the Schoenberg - sounded curiously detached from hazardous transition to immediately prepare it. Incisive hammer stroke cut off well executed final stretto, to sum up broad, sweep through pre-war character pieces from path-breaking triumvirate of Vienna.

Indecisive earlier sounded the Act One Prelude to Wagner’s Parsifal. Good estimation of diaphanous sound world Wagner envisioned, dryly achieved, still spoke forth. Mention got made over BBC of ‘orchestra without feet’ that Debussy might have sought as an ideal. With hall acoustic also likely to blame, some drawing upon overtones to support how this music should float felt minimized. Key motifs exchanged between instruments, sections carried merely adequate profile toward building any unifying concept - toward making clear any connecting line through this.
Simon Rattle made sense of translucent textures accompanying Strauss’s Four Last Songs while leaving some of the animation, agitation to fill things out, make for better contrast than for all to merely get smoothed out. Unusually convincing was his very slow tempo for the final “Im Abendrot.” Warmly supportive of Karita Mattila, all opened out once she started singing. The voice, with occasional dead spot, slight hollowness now hardly at all stood in her way here. In reaching high notes, she sounded slightly careful at approaching handful of them, but most of them still freely opened out, pleasantly so. What made this song cycle a real experience was the intensity she invested in its text.

I think back once more to Evelyn Lear’s Marschallin – available to hear again on Philips - the voice a bit worn but how she allocated what remained to wisely, pensively make matter what really counts – the words. Mattila possesses more instrument than mid-70’s Lear – note the abandon with which she can still invest her lines – remindful of when vocally at her peak just several years ago. In an ideal world, one could see Mattila take on the Marschallin, let’s say opposite Christianne Stotijn as Octavian – then for the two to swap parts for two nights during the run Mattila could probably still handle doing so.

The words here selflessly became ultimate raison d’etre, through all very effectively sustained line, flow of air throughout. Most moving was a practically erotic yearning to it all, a reach for the refreshment that taking, inhaling in so much provides – yet with taint of mild self-reproach, and deeply calm a resignation to what mysterious inevitably lies ahead. Note the somewhat straight tone, but as beseechingly deep from within Mattila invested her closing lines to ‘Im Abendrot.’ Even, acknowledged already, in the more heavily taken first song, ‘Fruhling’, one could catch Mattila’s lightly floated ‘Vogelsang’ concluding one line, and then her impassioned reach for glittering’ high B through ‘Nun liegt der erschlossen,’ - none of this merely for effect.

Very poetic, in ‘September’, was Mattila’s limning of the stirring contrast, imaginatively anticipated, between a brightly colored ‘Sommer lachelt’ and heavily wistful ‘sterbenden Gartentraum’ at end of one stanza. Such tug of d yearning very poignantly, insinuated, confided so very much. We have all heard Four Last Songs in fresher voice, but seldom is it to experience these so lived, so personal as to take us places we think we dare not tread in happening upon so sacrosanct, valedictory a work. Rattle was with her every step of the way toward making all sublime.

BBC Proms 2010: Proms 48 and 57. Rotterdam Philharmonic, Yannick Nezet-Seguin. Simon Keenlyside. Minnesota Orchestra, Osmo Vanska. Gil Shaham.

Prom 48. Rotterdam Philharmonic Orchestra, Yannick Nezet-Seguin. Simon Keenlyside. Royal Albert Hall, London. August 21, 2010.

Second only to flagship among Holland's orchestras has been for some time the Rotterdam Philharmonic. They could have not sounded more tentative as such than they did here under their still relatively new, quickly social ladder ascending music director Yannick Nezet-Seguin - in BBC Proms debut together. Opening this prom was a decently but blandly played Overture to Wagner’s Tannhauser – enough for anyone sensible to question Nezet-Seguin being put at helm in any major house for the complete opera. All tended to linger over opening statement of Pilgrims' in first the brass, cellos continuing it - to point that infusion of back-phrase and ritard's within the line eventually became blatantly obvious. So little of such Wagner marked into what he wrote; Nezet-Seguin left purpose for it beyond that unclear. Muddying of contrasting textural layers hampered profile for first full orchestral tutti.

Nezet-Seguin then nuanced well strands of Venusburg through most of it to still casually emerge flat-line. Violins forcing higher reaches within their lines - with so little vitality being spent here - made meager their reason for doing so. Pointing of violins stringent offbeat repeat-note segue into bright refrain of 'hymn to Venus' got put into drive suitable for game pep rally – lopsided within flaccid context all about. Running figuration in strings through this and through transition into reprise of 'Pilgrims' Chorus was supple, proving some depth still remaining among Rotterdam ranks – indicative of orchestra well worth preserving, saving from further decline. Cheap underlining of timpani rolls failed to calibrate well with anything else. Weak intonation of violins in getting heard over loud brass further into conclusion of this plus layered on accelerandi in reaching the very end all spoke clearly of what was lacking here.

Abetted by Nezet-Seguin, Simon Keenlyside attempted making too much of "Ich atmet einen Linden duft’ and then more heavily several songs later of 'Liebst du um Schonheit’ Such compromised the elusive beauty of what both men chose to open Mahler's Ruckert Lieder. Nezet-Seguin deftly kept pace all flowing through the accompaniment - with good contributions from principal oboe, flute and horn; a certain working of the text and nuance to fill it found these two birds under the impression that this music needs more help of its interpreters - than it does. Keenlyside then ardently, warmly limned harmonic change within line starting with 'Der Lindenreis'. To fine scurrying accompaniment for 'Blickt mir nicht', he made fine expressive contrast between mild scolding to self-reproach and sweet affection, similar to what Mahler felt in writing it.

At such moderate pacing encountered here, 'Um Mitternacht' offered too well colloquial option of the path of least resistance. Contrasting verses to it, with fine Rotterdam solo winds left practically on their own to characterize their lines, glibly each lacked individual profile. Spacing of chamber music concertato from among them became indecisive soon before affirmative conclusion to this song. Casual fusion worked in of bending brass during climactic lines to this strongly hinted at encroaching ironically postmodern take on it all - for which Mahler himself hardly could have been inspiration. Other than to be easily shirked off, so weightless, inconsequential an impression got left in place of awe. Pardoning several weak low notes, Keenlyside evinced some grasp of what mysteries this song can reveal, but hardly intruded upon anything to make much of what opportunity here he might have availed himself.

"Ich bin der Welt' with flat-line assumption of opening lines from English horn, took several lines for it to get off ground. Slightly throaty first entrance by Keenlyside made one wait momentarily for him to achieve good measure of what he was singing. A line such as 'in meiner Himmel', while sincerely felt, still got worked - as to compensate for much homogenizing, streamlined profile of all about from Nezet-Seguin. It became all too predictable, my favorite among the Ruckert Lieder coming to so dour and gray a conclusion, devoid of magic, as it did here.

Nezet-Seguin's interpretation of the Beethoven Third Symphony came packaged with apparently intent to shock, but little achieved other than cheap effect - ever lurking about a self-satisfying ability to pull off handful of stunts without the thing altogether falling apart. Here is what might please the avid connoisseur, conducting student, or hybrid thereof to be up on the latest tricks, but little of which to work toward clarifying structure, dramatic argument, or even to be able to establish any frisson with such.

One thinks back to Sinopoli with at times his maddening attempts - maddening with him because with him at least there was still contact made with score in front of him. Here was an attempt to go well beyond – perhaps toward attempting to prove one's self somehow above, beyond the fray. Bernstein's old CBS first recording of 'Eroica', deemed so highly episodic, now seems close to all of one piece, after hearing this. One, in even a post-existentialist sense, got left asking so many questions not of overall argument here so much as of what wide variety of individual sub-phrases therein could as detached 'events' each on their own have to say.

First movement opening chords were raucous instead of both confidently in tune and including healthy thrust expected of them. Stabbing 'period' accents got layered onto natural laendler accenting written in, as responding to indecisively shaped first theme in cellos; harmonic spelling through internally contrasting laendler chords got ignored. Randy toned brass then sounded at ready to frame jazz riffs from the rest in leading what tutti that then emerged. Combination of shaky intonation and weak rubato from winds on second theme should have compelled one to reach for bottle of dramamine. Most vulgar, utterly verging on parody was the hatchet clipping of second beat on vigorous closing theme, especially considering Nezet-Seguin's crudely Romantic weighting of vigorous tutti offbeat chords to crest next surging line through this.

Nezet-Seguin then carelessly shaped the opening to the Development section; most disorganized was buildup through slapped at dissonances toward climax. Half-tone disonnances at most critical point got undercut by safe emphasis instead on less dissonant pitches in the chord. Subito piu mosso shift, unmarked, in retreat off the chords made way for most casual salsa-inflected introduction of 'new' inversion theme in the winds. Heavier emphases than for which Nezet-Seguin is adept characterized the usually vigorous retransition preceding first reprise of the 'new' theme. Ear-sore of a shouting contest ensued to form apex to heavily regrouped opening to the Recapitulation, but good strands thereof Nezet-Seguin let capably coast through before making wildly incoherent contrasting accenting out of ending the first movement.

The Marcia funebre opened with tentative negotiation of how to calibrate distended shaping of its theme with accompaniment beneath. Bowing and accentuation for full strings’ consequent to the theme got shifted twice within one phrase - with Nezet-Seguin changing all of it out for revisiting same place during the Recapitulation. Up to crudely 'period' accenting closing chords to each half thereof, phrasing of the Maggiore episode was also indecisive. The fugue here then proceeded coherently – but with further silly contrast of Romantic shaping with 'period’ accentuation. Very irregularly accented also was long submediant chord (A-Flat Major) on sagging trumpets into sound-decay infused diminished chord right afterwards. Hard slam to open the coda section hardly bespoke anything eloquent or noble about Nezet-Seguin's approach to everything here; it then hardly sufficed that he opted for making subdued the dying away, as-composed broken lines concluding it.

The Scherzo then lumbered, lunged forth in an alternatively tubby or flat-line, hectoring manner, making unbecoming the appeal of what invitation overtly rides its surface for going out on excursion into the woods about. Affectation of valveless achievement of cadences freely followed the Romantic modern approach from good horn players for the Trio - in keeping with the rest of the non-argument in play throughout. At least, pace remained vigorous, mostly unencumbered through an equally arbitrarily accented Scherzo as all the rest.

Unbecoming in making either good accenting or intonation was how strings made their descending run to open the finale. Lighter, overtly dance-like motion through the finale accommodated Nezet-Seguin’s approach better than did the first two movements. Insistence during episode of chatter in the flutes got so pushed as to practically make Messiaen out of it. Still, something a little farther reaching than episodic here still remained beyond grasp at finale’s conclusion - after futile attempt to grandiosely make something cumulative – verging on self-parody instead - out of fullest moments during Andante epilogue right before clattering rush to the very end.

Prom 57. Minnesota Orchestra, Osmo Vanska. Gil Shaham. Helena Juntunen, Charlotte Hellekant, Eric Cuter, Neal Davies. BBC Symphony Chorus. Royal Albert Hall, London. August, 28, 2010.

Night after performing a questionable edition of the Bruckner Fourth Symphony - with annotation leaving it unclear as to what it possibly could have been, the Minnesota Orchestra under Osmo Vanska surprisingly found better footing with their second concert at the 2010 Proms. Their very well played Barber and also acerbic Shostakovich (with decent soloist in cellist Alisa Weilerstein) their first night was still worthy of note.

Gil Shaham (replacing Lisa Batiashvili on short notice) and Osmo Vanska sounded to have come from almost opposing perspectives for the Berg Violin Concerto. It quirkily represented interesting meeting of two minds here - if not always compellingly so. Vanska brings to the table a 'period' driven adherence to text in front of him, deemed ‘fundamentalist’ - that quite frankly disallows some flexibility in his interpretations at times. As overtones are not written in, gut strings often do a mediocre job of reproducing them - Minnesota strings here modern but affecting 'period' by limiting vibrato.

Berg, especially but not exclusively with the Violin Concerto, implicitly inculcated back somewhat thoroughly the overtone series into the emergent Schoenberg devised twelve-tone system that only had thrown out the suggestion part of the way of there remaining any tonal hierarchy. In doing so, Berg had introduced a new dialectic most likely inevitable from amongst the triumvirate anyway. In taking a stance with the Berg of stressing the modernism, dissonance of his writing at a little expense to the rest, one ideally can look back to an especially younger Pierre Boulez. Osmo Vanska’s results may approach something similar, but (source of) information, impetus behind Vanska taking on Alban Berg is much different.

With acutely probing microscope on notation to open the Berg, things moved clearly note-by-note on divided spelling of the row getting passed around. On first impression, jarringly, Shaham then developed openly violinistic in place of more purely fantasia like assumption of line to follow. Ultimately it was no more grand-standing from Shaham than some lack of assumed needed orchestral weight to support him and ideal interpretive freedom thereby. Being written so close in spirit, even style of figuration to Lulu, the violin part here affects so well paraphrasing there being some still yet undiscovered vocal line as factor here.

Shaham came up slightly short in balancing full cantabile of his lines with the internal architectonics of the unique tone row here. In working with someone also approaching this music externally, Shaham’s thoughtful assumption of his part was still often fine. Moment of losing intonation on double-stops upon starting laendler half of the first movement and making too openly improvisatory some of the cathartic opening half of the second movement weighed in slightly. The orchestral sequence of inverted diatonic triads from especially cellos also lost intonation. Compensation arrived with the care with which Shaham made chamber music with good handful of first stands onstage.

Shaham delicately traced segue into coda to the opening Andante, off lightly, freely managed long sequencing of rapid sextuplets - then into riskily broad handling momentarily of arrival at the coda. He then quickly recovered full interpretive focus with passionate inflection of his lines. Swooping upbeats in following laendler more overtly than how to keep at forefront the bigger picture stressed the grotesquerie of Alban Berg's seemingly besotted ways. This then hurt Shaham by luring him into broad-brush handling of further sextuplet action as obbligato over boorish tuba continuing the laendler rhythms. Even with generally good feel for this music’s character – Shaham especially infusing Manon Gropuis as portrayed here with strong element of caprice - slight rushing from pair of flutes over sax obbligato, then clipping of the Carinthian tune breaking in evinced an element of timidity, glibness in being able to fully engage with this music. Interaction between broad taking on of strands of laendler refrain and sensitively limned solo flute and clarinet obbligato was thought-provoking, further establishing amicable interaction in play between two different approaches to this music - all to have, even precariously, happened with only minimal loss of focus throughout.

Complexity of tackling the accompanied improvisatory writing to open the second movement evinced at once a broad approach - as though to defy weightless perspective Vanska and his Minnesotans provided Shaham. Brass mildly clipping their detached figuration, sounded choppy. Shaham wisely remained deliberate at imitating the brass – to eventually find good, harmonic ear influenced support from flute and oboe obbligato.

Shaham’s well played, lightly accompanied cadenza came across somewhat high and dry, as though to anticipate degree of weightlessness in how all would combine for running Bach chorale-based canon through the Adagio - for which Shaham sensitively adopted role of one further first stand among Minnesotans. He achieved very convincing unity with them at last - for sublime, if on terms of harmonic weight, spacing alone, a two-dimensional perspective on the Berg. Eventually toward draining this music of all emotionality, playing early on during the Adagio was hauntingly beautiful - after honing in with unusually probing accuracy on retreating brass lines through lowest voices coming off satisfactory climax to the Allegro - readying one well for preparation of the Bach chorale. This performance, though mildly eccentric, made no exception in offering chance to absorb a fresh perspective on this music.

Compared with previous Beethoven from this team, a more enlightened, flexible manner of shaping Beethoven seems to have established itself. Though a drier realization of the Beethoven, especially with it being the Ninth, I can not resist suggesting some possible comparison with what was deemed not long after its release as proto-'period' Beethoven – Concertgebouw cycle on Philips under Eugen Jochum. There is hardly any denying how Concertgebouw wind playing seldom gets rivaled anywhere else.

A moderately brisk pace allowed refreshing space for clean-cut, slightly dry playing to open the first movement - to some ears perhaps short-circuiting the air of mystery to this opening - but in context of all transpiring here worked just fine. Spelling of the loud diminished chord right before first major cadence therein was more distinctive here than norm for 'period.' Pardoning a little flaccidity with thirty-seconds spinning off the second theme, shaping for the idea itself was lyrical, unforced, and supple. Unencumbered by stylized conceits, Vanska made speak voicing through marking of harmonic changes during the Development; preparation for fugato to follow was clear well ahead of time, all maintaining tone of an intimately brooding, yearning character. Palpable sense of tension remained through Beethoven's harmonically deferring retransition, winding eventually up in slightly undercut statement to open the Recapitulation. Shaping thereof was slightly less assured than of parallel Exposition - without but seldom any loss to focus to playing overall. Vanska closed a fine first movement with nobly shaped cortege, sung well by his woodwinds, marked well by brass - just past unyielding segue into it.

One frequently expects, not only in 'period' Beethoven Ninths long by now a heavy clipping of the opening of the Scherzo that then throws off all accenting and shaping of its lines. Fortunately such clipping here reduced itself to nearly imperceptible, helpful toward line coursing through it to maintain pulsation, lightly animated lift and shape. Separation of winds from the rest was most distinctive. Bucolically, joyously, so obviously at first was accented on downbeat upbeat dancing cadential figuration from woodwinds. It took into the Development for one to encounter any loss of concentration - such detachment to have occurred possibly having been on purpose - with such strong marking of timpani to follow. With excellent solos from Minnesota winds, folk quality of tune for the Trio section clearly spoke forth - all to have distracted from some lack of differentiation to repeats on french horn of main idea for it.

Pacing for the Adagio-Andante, brisk, minimized contrast between sections, but once near end of first paragraph yielded deftly for fine legato played cantabile to freely emerge. Singing tone in principal clarinet completing line up to B-Flat bolstered profile in closing the opening paragraph to this. Minnesota strings made fine cantilena of alternating B section - then gently insinuating in suppler shaping of ornamented reprise of the Adagio. Winds made sunny reprise and hushed simplicity of B and A (as chorale) respectively. Vanska then played it safe with flowing line of sixteenths - in placing violins just somewhat behind winds so lyrically beneath making song out of first theme. Rhetorically loud cadential statements emerged matter-of-fact. Strings were still supple in spinning off - winds then lightly securing close to a gently sublime Adagio here.

Give then Vanska a colloquial slap on the wrists for very unyielding pace on lower strings for recitative to announce Ode to Joy - helping to make transition into starting Ode to Joy too brusque. Finally at last the main idea in play here Vanska had his forces vocalize, simply so - even through loud tutti final repeat of the theme before real voices enter. Neal Davies made spirited his opening lines, if with slightly intrusive tremolo, but balancing out with such some mild choppiness with the big tune itself. Solo quartet to follow caroled what Beethoven has spin out for them, with hardly sign of strain - quite unusually so. Slightly, unusually top heavy final dominant chord framing 'tavern band' variation on the Schiller ode was purposeful.

Nobody enjoyed what then transpired more than did tenor Eric Cutler - heard to unusually fine advantage - everything as bon vivant as to introduce his solo, and without the inevitable crescendo turning into Teutonic fart shouting contest it has so many times previously. Vanska had his winds fully determine the character of this passage, with Cutler and mens' chorus all ebulliently following suit. Close to equally refreshing was to hear then emerging fugato also to come off unforced.

Hands extended out simply, beseechingly so with 'Seid umscblungen' - Vanska most prudently waited for high entering sopranos above men to halo this. Vanska told what Brahmsian, even Brucknerian ponderousness to ensue here to just take a hike, time off, - no stronger reminder of late 1960's Jochum than here. Ample room for all voice leading through more thorough reprise, top-balanced chorally, of the ode got provided easy sway, jaunt above - strongly pointed beneath. Apart from tense high B, Helena Juntinen emerged best during what is often extended mouthwash gargle of extended solo melisma passed between all four voices. Choral forces framed all with glowing translucence - helping make controlled romp of the very conclusion to still a very fine potpourri of much merriment - all eager to burst forth at final cadence. Willing to put aside several lapses, one must’ve left this visit by Minnesota and Vanska, their second evening at this year’s Proms both thinking and refreshed by what had transpired.

BBC Proms 2010: Prom 34. Triumphant adieu to DSO Berlin for Ingo Metzmacher at Proms. Leonidas Kavakos. 10.08.10.

Certainly hallmark from Ingo Metzmacher lately has been his interpretation of the Mahler Seventh Symphony. Here we could hear it again from very different sonic perspective than from the very warmly reverberant Muiskverein Wien last spring. Differences between the two, suitably accommodating both halls, were subtle. Metzmacher too it seems, can sometimes be the least of anybody satisfied with his own results. With music so well-nigh perfect as the Seventh, perfection in how to approach it is and will always remain slightly elusive; there is the finale deemed so problematic – often inexcusably taken for granted. Metzmacher achieved still greater refinement with the Seventh in London – some of it taken slightly quicker than before.

It was a natural last March to capitalize upon the Musikverein’s warm acoustics as did DSO Berlin. Here one picked up Mahler from a more linear perspective. With how the Mahler played in Vienna, there was same goal in mind. In making overt the darker undercurrents in the Seventh, as more overtly, less subtly happened in Vienna, Metzmacher’s interpretation still distinguished itself from that of Michael Gielen. Whether heard in Freiburg, Berlin or L.A. Gielen’s interpretation ranks prominent to many Mahlerians. Placing music on the first half of this program of sunnier quality, greater kaleidoscopic variety than the Hartmann Kavakos played in Vienna also may have contributed to what subtle transformations occurred here for the Mahler.

Heard from London was drier, more stringent string section engagement of their grizzly sonorities, edge to figuration to start the first movement - together with still distraught tenor horn solo. Perception of being out over deep waters still registered, even if provided warmer resonance in which to wallow last March. Rhythmic markings in Vienna to begin the Exposition were more forthright, but very well marked here too. Noticeable improvement in London over Vienna was also most supple handling of the second theme, still with slight slow-down, yield into it, but played here on purpose as though to float a little more above harmonic underpinnings beneath - and with improved rubato now, to run Gielen very close. Arched leaps for high dissonances in the violins became more acerbic, making slight jerk back into main tempo more sharply characterized.

Metzmacher handled awkward transitions working their way into pastoral episode less emphatically - with inner lines better helping carry all forward. Spacing was slightly more distinct for the pastoral episode, approached again reticently, but with Wei Lu making starker contrast of his solo midway through it here. The ‘Sehr breit’ reprise of the second theme, so undercut by others by making too much retard on the second theme earlier, here in the cavernous space of Albert Hall floated more aloft in the violins, above ultimately better marked sonorities (seemingly) farther beneath. Metzmacher then handled remaining transition into the Recapitulation, avoiding better the trap with violins entering high to respond to extended brass cadence - that never achieves recovery of main tempo quickly enough – more distinctively now, with terracing of jagged fanfare stretto into the Recapitulation now more acutely realized – where ‘Leidenschaftlich’ indeed is marked. Neurotic current carried through inner voices toward making sharply coherent all upcoming awkward transitions, through finally very supple handling of recapitulation of the second theme, and searing, well marked sinister, (mock-) heroic ending to now a most fully realized first movement.

Sinister accents opening first Nachtmusik got less underlined toward subtler building of more suggestive feel for what may lurk beneath – and with less arched buildup toward long, freely rapid descending scale into horns here most warmly intoning principal march theme for this movement. First episode, characterization of what underpins it quite pungent before, was more subtly flowing over all that goes ’bump’ underneath. Feel for empty space all about with horn calls heard as from afar achieved better simplicity this time. Very stark pointing of trills in lower woodwinds was indicative, flagship for more lightly achieved, more flowing elfin feeling for the entire serenade – at surface.

Less of early unmarked slowdown was made of firm bass clarinet underlined segue into spectral, plaintive Wunderhorn second trio section. Klezmer feel for continuing march and forthrightly affirmative, very stridently woodwinds’ decorated reprise of the main march idea here helped confidently traverse all of the rest. More spectral and widely spaced was the brief episode answering klezmer cortege announced on light violin and harp tremolo on high B natural and then later on final concertato of winds spinning all off. All contrasts here got as incisively marked as before, where what fuss did occur was great fun; all became subtler, thus still more sinister in London.

At surface, with drier resonance, ‘Schattenhaft’ may have overtly spooked less here than in Vienna, but through this and the second and warmer Nachtmusik was at last what just got mostly achieved before. What must have impressed Schoenberg, even including the finale - carrying same trait forward - was the great achievement of linear counterpoint on Mahler’s part, where you have so many lines course through both clear texture, implicit overtones as though all free of harmonic moorings underneath. The art of making art out of the finale to the Seventh lies precisely therein. Icy shiver through the Scherzo contrasted then so well with wafting breezes through Nachtmusik II, the latter in reply to drowsy malaise on snatch of Traumerei as captured by Wei Lu, with no effort to underline anything. If anything, the Scherzo here brought with it a greater lingering effect on the psyche – as not quite fully been able to come to grips with which one has been struck until little stretch afterwards; stronger underpinning before of erratic rhythms produced oddball the more visceral effect.

Guitar and mandolin, with piquant irony, answered equally so by winds, tuned and strummed away disingenuously unaware of better places to land harmonically than Mahler has them. Singing ardor for Schumann-esque trio was still most supple, within pace slightly breezier for Nachtmusik II than before. Caught most ideally was the slight shudder, inhalations right at its conclusion – answered by long ardent exhaling line in low register clarinet – all as out of ‘Ich atmet einen Linden duft.’ There was even perhaps hint of Gallic feel – i.e. the extra airiness of texture for the cello/horn led middle section and contrast of pointed acrid winds therein - for Nachtmusik II’s neo-classicism that made so elaborate such fully infiltrated detachment and linear freedom here.

Rondo-finale merrily jostled forth, this Seventh again at slightly quicker clip than when played in Vienna. Now both Gielen and Metzmacher have made the argument that this rondo is no way inferior to other Mahler. It is just in being able to hear all of it that this is so. Hubbub, some blur thereof emerged in full relief, but with practically all voices, harmonic spellings, however awkward or eccentric, speaking through it all. Half ironic framing of chorale entrances by brass, calliope effects, operetta references and other parody resounded forth in full relief, with many lines running through it all - to be as sophisticated at play as informs the rondo-burleske in the Ninth Symphony.

First-movement caravan episode - less overt a shudder to it in London than in Vienna – became eerier for sensation of all interweaving lines through all preceding it arriving at such an encounter. For as notably revelatory a Seventh this was, the interconnected feel overall without any smoothing out was most unique. Remarkable was the greater sense
of play, frivolity with it here, with pointing of humor therein at one point – high and dry solo flute making widely spaced cadence to match Gielen – but truly risible now added a most besotted slurp of portamento up from violins during final ‘operetta’ episode. Lightly inebriated pointing within the brass right before ‘the caravan’ episode also caught one unawares. Most grotesque of all was this being Metzmacher’s final concert as in charge of DSO Berlin. There’s now one more story to tell from this rowdy finale bringing all to a close more than Mahler might yet have reckoned.

Drier acoustic of the more reticent Royal Albert Hall made delicate to more fleshed out Mahlerian and Schrekerian textures sound forth from DSO Berlin - as more illuminated from within - than at Musikverein or Kurhaus (Wiesbaden). Metzmacher made his debut conducting opera with Der Ferne Klang in 1988 (Brussels); it may have helped as well to conduct the Nachtstuck here, in wake of recent Zurich run with the complete opera – employing lyric voices for Fritz and Grete. It is hard to grasp how this music can achieve at once the most aesthetically true and pleasing results - as such avoiding trap of acoustical hedonism to which Michael Gielen has made reference.

Some greater repose at this music’s surface got achieved here, prevailed better than at Wiesbaden. Wafting sense of reverie through much arabesque, development thereof and interplay with repeat and development of the piece’s opening cortege motif for got provided better relief here. Such made jagged, sudden shifts and turns, for remote tonal centers, in such a way to intrude upon the psyche, more unsettling, disturbing this time internally or subconsciously – as most likely intended. Logic of what decisive turns occur then would lodge in memory as immersed in illogic – as even opportunity to reflect upon the character of the turns that take place in the opera’s narrative. Such notion reflects discourse less along lines of traditional morality and logic than along such to reflect varied mental states. Rationale for my calling Schreker impressionist may be loosely corroborated with Alan Lessem’s comments in his book on Schoenberg music and text (UMI Rsch Press 1973, pp. 71-72) on recurrent timbres reflecting new sensations, even perhaps a new spirituality - moreover suspending tonality - being that out of which is built formal cohesion, independent of motivic or thematic content.

The trick in interpreting the music of Schreker (and of Korngold) is being able to separate out emphasis on such sonorities, truly novel relationships between them from cliché, to which Schreker’s music can still easily succumb. The oxymoron is that in making too harsh or jagged or a clash where sonorities intersect or interlock will inadvertently lead one’s ear to naturally, devoid of any concept of spirituality, rely on its more suave harmonies, cadences, where Schreker allows a certain element of cliché – situation made worse by so much music since cheaply derivative of what have become very time-worn devices or crutches one finds therein. This latest take on Nachtstuck, following strong guidelines instead, made one at last yearn to hear more.

Oasis between tumult of the Schreker and Mahler here was the Violin Concerto of Eric Korngold, written post-war well after the traumatic (initial) phase of expressionism, even as persisted between world wars, was over. Most characteristic here was, within precisely tuned shaping thereof, strong emphasis on both the modernism and angularity of solo lines on part of Leonidas Kavakos. Such playing, without layering on any extra sentimentality, let in more probing air of nostalgia than is clichéd norm. Kavakos handled very masterfully the negotiation of runs in melodically awkward figuration, even through the double-stopping and then free swagger with which the ‘concerto’ finale come across. Kavakos and Metzmacher made well varied between them the numerous repeats of swaggering first theme of the finale animatedly with vigor. Kavakos’s spinning off arpeggios, decorated by so many dissonant or off-chord chord exotic intervals from main idea, was spectacular.

Most distinctive was the echt-Vienniese ardor with which so many elaborately rhapsodic lines were filled, from initial reach through wide span for eventual major seventh to help open the first movement. All got achieved by other means than infusion of artificial sweetener to bring out the ache in the sound, even an intermittent harshness of tone. One can achieve even a bitter taste with such nostalgia – here the sense of world lost far beyond what can ever be recovered, personal loss felt as well for home as it was before exile, without tastelessly going about it. Kavakos and Ingo Metzmacher both proved this as impetus for the lavish care they bestowed upon Korngold’s music here.

This concerto has so frequently become star vehicle for generous technical display – with orchestral accompaniment, so often reckoned pointlessly ornate, elaborate. Metzmacher proved ‘gold standard’ in picking up the Hollywood cliché, especially in the finale, with its ‘cowboy’ swagger - especially when reaching the horns - glittering strings above - in grand style on big sky, ‘big country’ theme that sends all the music wide-screen for good moment or two. Such was followed by fine drop-off highlighted by half-harmonics limned consequent by Kavakos, to riveting effect. Interplay between low trilling clarinet generated light obbligato in high winds to wide dissonant interval figuration in Kavakos’s part scintillated halfway through first section of the opening Moderato. Change from austerely realized long held trilled C-sharp following elaborate cadenza, to very bright clearing of the air for D Major opening to Recapitulation was acute – in part for backing off from softening up change occurring there.

The Andante opened atmospheric, toward preparing sweetly sung entrance by Kavakos. Quite pointillist, widely varied figuration limned exotically colored E Major ‘nocturne’ - coming off somber pause midway through, having all take on a neurotic tinge or edge underneath. Follow-through thereof of flighty alternation of caprice and deep yearning from Kavakos remained forefront. He then achieved over shimmer in vibraphone elegaically restful reprise of the main theme – to develop into making exotic, drug-induced his closing lines. All at high level of simplicity got cosseted by evocative spelling of so much from DSO Berlin forces right behind, making things seem all ready for the Mahler – yet with ‘cowboy’ rondo ahead instead.

http://thedavidsoperaworldblog.blogspot.com/2010/06/orf-dso-berlin-musikverein-mahler-7.html

BBC Proms 2010: Proms 24 and 27. BBC Scottish SO, Donald Runnicles. Karen Cargill. Halle Orchestra, Mark Elder. Paul Lewis.

Prom 24. BBC Scottish Symphony Orchestra, Donald Runnicles. Karen Cargill. Edinburgh Festival Chorus. Royal Scottish National Orchestra Junior Chorus. Royal Albert Hall. August 4, 2010.

This resulted in second Mahler collaboration by Sir Donald Runnicles and the BBC Scottish Symphony Orchestra for the BBC Proms, the first one of which, Mahler’s Lied von der Erde, also featuring Karen Cargill, anticipated Runnicles assuming helm this past regular season as their new chief conductor.

As first one of these I heard, this interpretation of the Third, in its overall profiling of form, was reliable, but in finding the character of this music within such, tentative. The first movement, paced well, but with self-conscious thrust on occasion to keep all moving - for fear of instead dragging things - made inchoate slush out of some of its fabric. Such became only able to fully dissolve right before end of the first movement. Boorish romp of the Rabble episode and enunciation of most trombone arioso both happened very capably. Runnicles distinctively also found a rapt stillness for long rests between more dramatic utterances, mostly during wintrier episodes of the first movement.

Curious was a tendency to press forward sometimes, to get stopped by numerous sub-phrases in early funereal sounding rumblings through this - the losing sight of being able to press still a little more forward through series of these. Excessive dovetailing of many phrase endings in arioso developing in solo brass, partly to hide how expressively generic Runnicles’s handling of all this was, also became distracting. After first soggy intimation of thaw outdoors, Runnicles made confusing in terms of placement (vis-à-vis accompaniment) trombone lines through concertato of brass to what gets intended as fairly definitively nodal, sufficiently final conclusion - before real thaw settles in. Deep pulsation in the lower strings to close this section only compensated so far.

Some haze was made of figuration leading into more complete thaw to arrive, followed by adequately, surreptitiously entering march; handling of climatic music to cap further overt pressing forward was stodgy. Large segue back to renewed cold blast (in D Minor) got rushed and brass arioso solos to follow again were shapeless, with change into brighter color for brief duet between concertmaster and principal horn matter-of-fact, only minimal. The Rabble section started off well, very much in character, but then lost – eight measures in – lack of focus to line ensuing through it. Strings through the storm then got drowned out, compromising the full effect of a summer storm to wrest one through the midst of all occurring about. Runnicles then awkwardly jumped over good two beats of rest for snare drum to urgently segue in the recapitulation Calibration of rustling tremoli beneath more spacious spinning out of arioso in trombone was even a little more emphatically off than before ‘rabble’ and tempest, but BBC Scottish cellos framed eloquently their closing phrase to what followed.

Lift verging on Disney, cartoon-like opened second half of the Recapitulation. March tune, though through much of the rest gained better shape and dark episode right before the end, with its large, wide sweeping gesture, ascending runs too finally at last gaining the profile they deserve. Push to the end from here turned so light, detached from all the previous to insipid length, perhaps to help one forget the limited engagement of the shifting variety of colors and light through such a sprawl of a Mahler first movement.

Dragging accents from the oboe principal apart, the Minuet took on pleasant shape, but with Runnicles once into first Mendelssohn like trio self-conscious about downbeats, to make sure his forces all enter right. Clarinets, coming off strong gust of wind coursing through the meadow with refined attention to where downbeats are, restored requisite lightness to the touch for most of this. Drowsy feel, though on verge of becoming too gilded, informed reprise of the minuet, but nervous insistence on securing downbeats stood in the way of finding sufficient magic for varied strong breezes to waft on by through reprise of the trio section – bespeaking less than fully adequate preparation for intricacy to ensue through all this. Not all charm could get lost here, but there continued a nagging sense that there could be more to all this than to come by underlining so much – with final restoration of the opening section here. The heavy gilding of the light surge into the Neapolitan in the violins indicated perhaps higher rates of humidity out on a summer day in the highlands - or near Brenham where the bluebonnets grow and by the ice cream we eat, we surmise the cows near here think they graze in heaven.

Third movement, marked Comodo, got to the most promising start of anything thus far, with all rustic accents clear and good jaunt to the Beethoven parodying trio section. Just the concertato of winds at play through the scherzo seemed, one could surmise, as effective self-guided, as having to be extra attentive all the time to reassure the maestro that, for their section, all remained intent on staying together. A few disproportionate accents and over-emphasis on fortissimo crane downward of octave staccato brass distracted from overall good flow in advent of expansive posthorn interlude to follow.

Broadly taken post-horn interlude began magically – post-horn placed more forward than perhaps is ideal. Some element of the vernacular then crept in, even crooning of such, into the playing, limiting to ordinarily sublime this adieu to romanticism. Spirited enough, forthrightly paced, extra pointing of kletzmer accenting and sloppy attack in the strings during scherzo reprise turned vulgar. Birds, perhaps wanting to catch more Mozart, Schumann in the posthorn calls when they resumed, had to blithely settle once more for muzak instead; with perk aplenty, they did just that. Runnicles made something too lightly restrained for very close to the scherzo - after slight trouble right before with notably brief, mysterious episode – before all got sent hurtling off to a very rollicking conclusion.

Equally flat-line as mysterious episode right before - it called for to be very close to still anyway - was how opened the Nietzsche lied. The deep toned, highly expressive and solemn Karen Cargill guided horns into obbligato of very well sculpted line; violins followed suit eloquently on their cantilena between verses. Cargill, past illusion of practically too motionless re-start, gave her lines, starting off very quietly, the fuller ardor, urgency with no lapse in quality of what she poured out. Why could not have the childrens' choir been called to rise out of their seats right before the caroling fifth movement, instead of two seconds in? All was crisp from both choirs, with Cargill lightly but very expressively delivering much expected penitential fervor for her lines.

Solemn fervor marked most of the Adagio, with measured, freely expressive slow opening to its noble line and arch. Mildly extra arched leaning into climactic passages, particularly the vertical handling of a last one to reprise of Minore episode, proved distracting. Fine overall legato, filling out of transfigured light pretty much however still ruled the day. One or two transitions produced from Runnicles tentative opening to coda reprise of the hymnal main theme. Second part of double reprise at one point also got a little more chewed upon than should be ideal. Runnicles, apart from excessively projecting allargando turns in the trumpet parts, showed restraint in bringing his steadily paced Adagio to a measured, very euphonious conclusion. Apart from several lapses, still achieved here was a fairly acceptable rendition of the Adagio, to close halfway decent, but ordinary stroll through Mahler's paean to Nature - his Third Symphony.

Prom 27. Halle Orchestra, Mark Elder. Paul Lewis. Royal Albert Hall. August 6, 2010.

One among set of ‘Impressions’, nine minutes long, John Foulds’ evocative ‘April-England’ opened this altogether fulfilling single Halle prom for the summer. It opens with bright woodwind dominated carillon of alternating perfect fifth triads, perfect fifth apart - cellos responding with folk-like air of their own. A passacaglia takes up the entire middle half of this piece. Mark Elder preferred within fine enveloped profile to emphasize this music’s warmer colors, but without understating too much its brasher qualities, as in some of its extended polytonal leanings almost coming loose from their tonal moorings. It is perhaps as much as anything our knowledge of the music of William Walton, that in this music’s brasher qualities and brighter dissonances, one may pick up on the surface some Petrouchka like quality to the scoring, but deeper still the influence of Busoni. Mark Elder preferred having this music play in mildly broader, Romantic context, but within fine technique on display from the Halle. For all the free alternation of contrasting, clashing strands to jostle about the Halle exuded much confidence. If not as fully characterized as possible, Elder made overall good nature of this music, with its vernal splash, still something to be presented as at forefront.

An air of self-conscious reticence with quasi-period abbreviated note values opened the orchestral Exposition for the Beethoven Third Piano Concerto. All suggested some fine opening out of the line with winds, their entrance with the lyrical second theme, Except for distracting clunky negotiated cadence of sorts, fine calibrated tremolo through Halle strings assisted very well preparing Paul Lewis’s severely negotiated first entrance, with even octave length runs slightly more rolled than how he played similar later.

From this point on, even including the on purpose strained sturm und drang opening to the solo cadenza, everything from this point on just fell ideally into place, with hardly ever any lapse to encounter again. In all three movements, Lewis’s alternation of solo lines with principal winds and elaborate accompaniment to them was astutely, keenly sensitive - Lewis always also providing strong shape or at least preparation to everything in this way. While always highly attentive to maintaining classical proportions, Lewis still brought out a fire, a stormy quality to even ends of lines of animated figuration to extend and highlight a solo line both seamless and febrile with vitality – all without even a hint of self-consciousness. It was very evident how close Lewis and Elder had come together long by the coda by the very rapt attention to all at hand from both, in as tricky a passage to calibrate as anything in the Third Concerto. Lewis’s marking of long first descending run with forthright marking of thematic motif in strong octaves beneath into scintillating subtly varied trills was further hallmark.

Even a hint of Lisztian fire subtly infused spinning off cadenza like runs in the Largo within sublimely classical profile, noble shape to it all; bel canto ardor for beautifully singing line on the Hamburg Steinway employed for this entire venture was clear. One had to take note of how nobly profiled slow measured ascents on staccato sixteenths to accompany chords in the winds then set off much spin-off of very bright filigree in the right hand to follow. All then through subtly profiled alternation of simpler lines restored complete sense of noble frame to the Largo.

On purpose hesitant solo opening to the rondo overtly suggested openly mischievous play to come – in most varyingly enlightened openly Haydn-esque a manner. Lewis made suggestion of Lisztian quality to most brilliant flourish in the writing, but as still strongly characterized and framed by very forthright classical profile to it all. Elder and the Halle could have scarcely ever missed a beat in what continued as their best efforts in combining so well with Paul Lewis. This even rang true through raptly attentive, well articulated fugato to frame re-entry by Lewis into sublimely framed E Major reprise of opening theme. Reclamation of the opening idea in C Minor by the Halle, sternly astute, recalled overall tenor, sonority of the first movement. For further contrast, skipping descending second theme was both sprightly and minutely pointed from within by Lewis – for Halle solo winds to attempt precisely matching him at it – at which they mostly succeeded. Lewis entered slightly early on purpose, rhetorically to spin out very brilliantly the bracing cadenza and coda to follow with, though rigorously firm, a very merry, bustling conclusion to not only a definitive interpretation of the rondo, but of much of what preceded it, concerto as a whole.

Richard Strauss at the 2009 Proms shared, between several major tone poems performed, the giving off of more brilliant virtuosity than have either Bychkov's 'Alpine' or this Heldenleben entrusted to Mark Elder. Whereas good characterization in Strauss takes much virtuosic ability to achieve it, the Halle, while understating it, remained confident. There is certainly a ruminative, philosophical element to take into account. Ironically, in taking such an approach (Luisi's 'Alpine' not lacking some special insights –cross-referencing to other Strauss), some of the humor that occurs in this music can feature in stronger, even high relief - as opposed, for instance, to resembling just another dollop of virtuosic gesture. Much, not all of the Mehta Don Quixote last year, brilliantly played, demonstrated very good ear for it.

There is certainly risk, with Heldenleben, in taking excessively the meditative or ruminative approach. Try for instance still fairly recent EMI disc by Simon Rattle and the Berlin Philharmonic - in which I had placed high hopes. It stands as one of the most pure, perfectly staid, marmoreal Heldenleben's around on disc today – nevertheless so well executed. With there being so much about the 'romantic life' with Strauss's hero, self-portrait here, one seeks, strives in vain for indication of anything healthy to this going on - apart from maybe Strauss’s long-standing patience, virtue, but hardly masculinity in living long with a woman who when peeved could on a dime turn shrewish. Toscanini, had he perceived impetus behind writing this was just as Rattle picks it up, might have held Strauss in close to same regard he did Bruckner - or speculate as to when Richard and Pauline might have taken up Christian Science or anything likewise ascetic.

It was thus with mild trepidation I approached listening to this Heldenleben; but glad to report glass considerably more full than empty here. Certainly one could construe a certain Victorian mild manner, restraint, reticence in going about this, but fortunately we were clearly into world as Strauss conceived it - thus farther away from Dream of Gerontius or The Apostles than with Rattle's still well polished Heldenleben.

Mark Elder made lean fervor out of the 'hero' theme, encouraging violins to make sharp cut-offs to their interjections between statements thereof. Foray into enharmonically achieved harmonies immediately turned all airy, with even incisive coloring of reverie penciled in - no gilding allowed. Fine, muscular striving was made out of broader reaches into restatements of the 'hero' idea ultimately into strongly marked passionate sweep up major ninths in the violins toward making freely broad cadence to this section. Elder relied not at all on prop of hairpin pause to politely frame adversaries' entrances; their insolence got forthrightly, rudely emphasized instead - with all variety of cocky wit possible, just exactly as all should happen. Languor from violins was in full supply to stoically provide empathy.

Cheeky reprise of 'hero' material refrain then ushered in Lynn Fletcher, first very pensively as 'Pauline.' – as though shy to enter center stage just as of yet. Her mastery of much delicious caprice to follow showed a few cracks - hardly at all to impede upon the variety of attack, wit, color with which she displayed the flighty moods, passion of Pauline Strauss. Surge of passion from all tstands behind her developed gradually - eventually to take it on in full, with simultaneously steady tone and unbridled passion, while keeping the simplicity of Strauss's design in focus.. Fletcher then with great ease fell back into fine state of reverie as full participant in taking it all in. it would have been churlish to ask for more. Rattle's 'Pauline' episode had practically become staid to effect it could have made D.H. Lawrence blush - not forgetting how well Berlin can still play it. Fletcher’s unusually fine portamento, coming off well limned harp glissandi, provided great finishing touch – followed by very fine reflectively ardent principal clarinet.

Battle proceeded with consistent touch of irony, strong wit. One waited s in vain for the Halle to make as grand a cacophony as one might immediately draw out of a Berlin or Chicago, but no matter. Shift in emphasis here was at least in spirit as much in line with what Strauss wrote as any hollow bombast to be made out of this. Much sharp intricacy of the writing in so much interplay very skillfully, especially in light upper strings and winds highlighted the irony. Such vain conflagration shifted gears with ease into lean, direct repeat of idea of 'man of the bourgeoisie' hero Strauss was - with repeat chord accompanying winds driving all stirringly forward. Elder only lost a little focus in this music taking on greater heights than perhaps his interpretation would sustain - yet with french horn principal excessively underlining his part (through notable quotation of Don Juan) as though attempting to take it all on alone. His excellently very controlled soft playing in final episodes, however, came across most refined.

Noble cast, broad pace, also expressively guided mild liberty with Strauss's tempo markings informed closing passages to this Heldenleben. If there were one or two places the Halle strings could have sung out more passionately, they only held back once again with overall shape of the discourse here in mind. A hanging, drained tone of reverie over still, rocking obbligato in English horn was most poetic, following agitated stretto Elder avoided making too brusque. The woodsy toned reminiscence of earlier tone poems in previous episode found Elder on equally intimate terms with all of this. Passing reminiscence of adversaries became oppressive, almost as though something frozen in the psyche - all the greater for arriving conclusion to be more reassuring.

Lynn Fletcher's duet with principal horn maintained very slow steady line - all riding out beautifully poised toward horizon – with brief following moment of peroration all devoid of bombast. If not the most inspired Heldenleben, it still had plenty to say - what genuine, fervently humane qualities in full this music should still ideally communicate.