DR Kultur: DSO Berlin - Tame Sacre du printemps blots Tugan Sokhiev MD designate debut. Piotr Anderszewski, soloist. 26.11.10. Philharmonie, Berlin.

This marked Tugan Sokhiev’s debut as music director designate of DSO Berlin. Most prominent here wasa work Ingo Metzmacher also did his first season – out of his three with DSO – Le Sacre du printemps by Igor Stravinsky. Sokhiev, originally from Ossetia, just like his mentor Valery Gergiev, and continuing a little while longer as Orchestre Capitole de Toulouse’s conductor, is said to have close to decade long relationship with DSO Berlin as guest conductor. He also replaced Zubin Mehta on short notice during the Vienna Philharmonic’s fall 2009 Asia tour. More than I could have known, he has been serious contender to take Metzmacher’s place for months now – since Metzmacher suddenly announced resigning from DSO Berlin in March of 2009.

Musical qualities to Sokhiev’s work have surfaced – most notably on a Dvorak and Tchaikovsky program he conducted with the orchestra last season – and also for some of this program as well. He has an ear for the lyricism of the music he conducts, a decent ear for balances, yet there are other elements that perhaps are still lacking for position carrying the prestige of having been founded by Ferenc Fricsay.

This program opened with the Roman Carnival Overture of Berlioz. Benevenuto Cellini’s romance to Therese – here sung by English horn – received lovely warmth, ardor, and shape. Once bacchanale – choral during the opera (conducted by Gergiev at Salzburg recently) – began, spiritedly here, some flaccidity however in getting the shape of its tune and rhythms began to creep into the strings of DSO Berlin. In order to compensate for the lapse, urgent push forward gradually then surfaced. Such eventually left woodwinds slightly off ensemble wise, and then violins sounding strained, forced. Risk also began to emerge of conducting slightly ahead of the beat. Even with all carping above, all still ventured forth in a spirited manner and on reasonably secure footing.

Piotr Andrszewski proved consistently fine soloist for the Bartok Third Piano Concerto. The folk-like simplicity, earthy accents, engaged rumination over mystery infusing this music all got matched with limpid Mozartean line, plus secure engagement of quasi-Lisztian virtuosity some of the way therein. He was also very keen on listening to all going on about him as keen to accurately interact with such toward achieving optimum results for all. Sokhiev proved supportive, but one has to reckon tentatively so. The hushed mystery opening Adagio religioso from strings of DSO Berlin he assisted in making rapt and middle section of antiphonal bird call between soloist and solo winds in DSO Berlin had all color, piquancy, echo to resonate very effectively.

DSO Berlin strings sounded slightly thin, tentative at outset of the first movement – but with good sense of pulsation underneath evident – Andreszewski playing his opening bird-song lines with singing tone and deftly applied color – consistent from him with much to follow here. Making glib Bartok’s excellent rhythmic shape to opening lines, DSO Berlin strings made something curiously flat-line of their opening tutti – DSO winds then soggy toward sufficiently being able to color their lines. Andrswzewski continued unencumbered – then with good attempt to assist him from woodwinds – into shaping sprightly second theme with excellent brightness and lift.

Winds then dragged unison allargando line into the Development – canon between Anderszewski and them to follow belabored by tentative beat from Sokhiev. – but with all finally coming together well for quietly haunting segue into the Recapitulation. Qualities that dragged down earlier passages resurfaced again, but concertato winds with Anderszewski on the second theme lightly fed off the nuance he provided them and all eventually came to a light, heady close with Anderszweski deferentially accompanying solo flute. The rarefied, transfigured quality of how the ‘leave-taking’ Adagio religioso opened was again special here. Anderswzweski settled for playing forte as marked anguished chord progressions in the first A section of this, but strings as leaning on similar during return thereof lacked such perfect subtlety., followed by good despondency in making forceful response from Anderszweski, then to help bring all to, very rapt, a peaceful close.

PIotr Anderszewski proved most useful, in marking accents right to keep motion, pulsation flowing right, all calibrated as well as possible through the vigorous finale, different episodes thereof – albeit with first A section fugato more in Sokheiv’s hands than that of the soloist for most of it. Prredictably results were approximate, followed by clotting of matters toward its conclusion. After further muddying of several passages, awkward accenting of the last page of this, tricky in its own right, almost threw Anderszewski off, but all held on sufficiently to a completely vigorous send-off of the end of the concerto. Anderszweski always remained confidently engaged with in both the vigor and often also playful wit of this music.

Memories float back of hearing Helene Grimaud play Bartok Third with Metzmacher and the San Francisco Symphony Orchestra – Grimaud who can be colloquial bull in the china shop on Schumann, Chopin, Ravel, even Rachmaninoff, but with the SFSO playing at previous DSO Berlin levels, all crisp, rapt, lightly intense through entire duration of this fine performance – Bartok Third that Grimaud had recorded already with Pierre Boulez.

If one accepts Rite of Spring as concert tone poem, nothing to offend then about how Tugan Sokhiev approached it. However, some listeners still reckon it deserves better. Consistent with making it mere showpiece, this was equally as tame as many performances of Rite arrive these days. Simplicity here felt put aside right away with a heavily nuanced opening principal bassoon solo. With careful anticipation of bar lines and getting mildly stuck on brief concertato of flues and English horn - things waited until right before ‘Augures de printemps’ to sufficiently gather steam. Adequately pulsated streamlined grip on proceedings took over from there. Excess legato from brass and several faulty entrances from winds apart, a secure grip on matters at last manifested itself. “Jeu de rapt’, featuring excellent rapid tonguing from flutes, gradually got weighed down by soggy accents.

Introduction and then climax and brass interjections to ‘Spring Rounds’ got underlined, smoothed out – remindful of a young Semyon Bychkov Woodwind descant first well limned fine steady pulsation underneath to get the main section underway. Reprise of intro was better - following odd pause inserted before rapid stretto coda to ‘Rondes’. Similarly gilded allargando defanged the opening to ‘Jeux des cites rivales.’ Marked grace note upbeats on woodwind got clipped and a few thereof misplaced; streamlined was the rest with which for Sage to make grand entrance. It took a good ten seconds for Danse de la terre - eventually tamed by numerous carefully anticipated downbeats and flat landing, rhythmically - to help weakly conclude Part One.

Shape altogether got abandoned for much savoring of texture, sonority for just about entire Introduction to Part Two – garden variety gilding of strings and horns amidst muted trumpet duo episode sup-par as usual here. Jansons on Concertgebouw live disc proved slightly more competent surface wise, but similarly insipid here. When will such Karajan-esque flaccidity – upon which Bychkov predictably picked up so well early on – be abandoned on this music for good? Perhaps good for it to remain around for shock occasional good performance of Rite will still provide. After DSO strings playing flat and dull entry to ‘Cercles mysterieux’, principal flute and clarinet led the ‘piu mosso’ therein well – compromise then to resurface for how all the first half to Part Two ended.

The great practically Tennessee Ernie Ford (I almost typed ‘Tennessee Williams’) style hitch to the git-along – as I put it - that a dismayed Stravinsky discovered from Karajan took over for Glorification de l’elue ‘, Sokhiev letting all go for it to risibly take on a life of its own for return of main section thereof. Semaphoring between brass and strings for ‘Evocation’ also sounded eccentric. ‘Action rituelle’ emerged fussy, indecisive, with silly curlicue to woodwind cut-offs, funny streamlined clipping of upper violin ostinati and then of brief episode of antiphonal gesture between winds/brass and strings. Only the climax to this truly significant portion evinced some genuine savagery – or real mystery.

“Danse sacrale’ started off promisingly, then for cross-accents between especially strings and timpani to start throwing Sokhiev off. Strings became phlegmatic, starting its main section. Sokhiev avoided overdoing slurring on slow stretto concluding first repeat of how main section opens – partly to compensate for damp accenting of strings attempting to forcefully begin the written out first repeat. Gilding of violins and flutes helped Sokhiev prepare carefully negotiating cross-rhythms opening extended coda. Underlined, gilded (!) rip up solo trombone very risibly ushered in final twenty-two measure loud sustained ritornello for the entire ballet. Sokhiev, trying to recover being incisive, scrupulized the codetta to ‘Danse sacrale’ - bass drum imitating timpani getting lost - all toward making a whimper of concluding Rite. Sokhiev has some invested spirit, musicality for this, intermittent bad use of judgment aside; like numerous others, some just only complacent, he lacks the sufficient technique - that is, on any major podium.

Metzmacher is still clearly the aesthetician with Rite, similar to Fricsay – very similarly with the London Symphony on this piece eight years ago. By his first season with DSO Berlin, he had developed a more individual voice for “Le Sacre’ and thus on his precise terms, the simplicity and pervasive primitivism of this score came across very alive and fresh – even leaving Fricsay slightly behind in several episodes. The new lift – while feeling slightly stifled for air – to reprise of main section to ‘Glorification de l’elue; was most arresting to the ear; equally heart-stopping was the quiet, very precisely pulsated ‘Action rituelle’, followed by a fraught ‘Danse sacrale’ – equally so to how ‘Glorification’, its main section had resumed earlier.

Piotr Anderszewski followed the Bartok Third Concerto out of which he had very confidently made chamber music with - as encore - Three Hungarian Folksongs from Csik (Sz 35). Slightly different from softer touch, rhythmically more delicate turns of phrase expected from a Hungarian pianist quickly became evident. Andeszewski slightly off-center interpretatively, drew out of the first two, slower portions of this a richly colored texture, illuminating the filigree written therein with rich overtones. Dynamics for such intensely lyrical playing may have gotten raised a notch. Gain in perspective was still had from everything through carillon style ringing tone on arpeggio chords for brief jubilation rounding out a most distinctive showing here.

DSO Berlin (06.12.2009) - Return of Tugan Sokhiev for scintillating Tchaikovsky 5. Johannes Moser, cello (Dvorak).

December return by Tugan Sokhiev to DSO Berlin tells altogether a different story than did previous visit – all Russian program – of Sokhiev’s work with this orchestra.

This was the fourth DSO broadcast within seven months of a cello concerto, as conducted by second to third tier men – Hanno Lintu, Hans Graf, and as previously, Sokhiev. Lintu and Sokhiev, Isserlis and Mork divided the two Shostakovich between themselves respectively - Mork one of two most successful out of four. The other, as just conducted by Sokhiev, is Johannes Moser. DSO principal Grunkorn on the Barber turned out fine as well, but especially compromised by having had to make concessions to a weak podium.

Before the Dvorak, we had Alexander Borodin’s ‘In the Steppes of Central Asia’ - first time I recall seeing this fine morsel programmed in quite some time. In its exotic charm, simplicity, it seldom makes itself unwelcome. It also has its subtleties to trip up anyone unsuspecting as to excessively understate the case for it - or try to make too much of one. Sokhiev, depending in part on very fine wind principals of DSO Berlin, achieved fine, expressive results. In shaping soulful English horn solo, when handed over to the strings, Sokhiev’s affection for this piece was clear. What may strengthen his next go at it is to anticipate downbeats less, rely less on doing so to be expressive. His ear for balances was still good here, plus his feel for atmosphere, apart from slightly heavy underlining and occasional soggy attacks from the brass.

Equally atmospheric was the brooding opening to the Dvorak concerto on clarinets. Some bearing down on the horns, making way into first orchestral tutti did not necessarily augur well for the rest of this, but fortunately only proved momentary lapse. Getting absolute clarity with downbeats still proves an issue with Sokhiev; the good news is that it may not be crippling his efforts so much anymore, it seems, for instance accompanied less by so much bearing down - as true several seasons ago. His considerable slowing down for second theme in the horn could have stalled matters, but both the artistry of DSO Berlin principal horn and of Sokhiev encouraging warm understatement of the case made doing so fine. He then provided fine lift for polka step raptly anticipating solo entrance.

Johannes Moser made controlled entrance of notable dignity, warmth, reserve, nobility, unfazed by double-stops and other technical challenges in the part that encumber many second-tier down cellists right away, attempting this. Pointing of woodwind concertato underneath was crisp, attentive – without any stiffness as found for similar writing in the Barber last week. Second theme sounded forth equally as genuine as from horn player in the orchestral exposition - then spinning forth into sextuplets with flute obbligato with fine aplomb. And then for sake of making slightly heavy rhetoric out of gestures on part of about all, closing section before ritornello and Development, for just about minute taken came across episodic.

Sokhiev recovered poise just about two lines into ritornello; starting with rapt, broadly paced musing that Moser gets to re-enter with, all proceeded through the Development with fine simplicity. Sokhiev made crackling transition, led by trumpet, then flutes and Moser together, into ending well the first movement.

Only momentarily self-conscious accenting, and disallowing violins enough foreground over brass (not playing too loudly) for opening of its middle section hampered a lovely, atmospheric handling of the second movement. Moser’s gently broad, arched, singing line, and Sokhiev’s sensitive accompaniment all related matters well, alongside fine concertato of DSO winds. All sentiment was unabashed, but very seldom ‘worked.’ Feeling of heartbreak at end, as the music on its own spells out nobly in sublime manner, came across entirely genuine.

The finale, with its internal contrasts between, within sections came off best. Wei Lu, in descant to Moser during long, extended final section to this rondo finale sounded curiously slightly placed back, but played his part fluently, expressively well. Crisper downbeat to dance accents near the start of this, from Sokhiev, might have been better though. Without being to the Bohemian folk manner born, he perhaps can still come closer to definitive in conducting this music with crisper accent for the more animated tutti frequently occurring in Dvorak. One could hear most of the impetus for this already present. Vigorous stringendo with which he invested starting the finale made the case.

Spiccato, fluent work on fingerboard, confidence to make animated flourish out of much of this, together with sensitive interaction with wind principals of DSO Berlin and Wei Lu made complete what Moser brought to this. It was still moreover confidently the very noble sentiment and line and rich tone one will most likely recall of Moser's playing the Dvorak. Cheers and mostly well achieved encore of Bach’s first sarabande (G Major) for unaccompanied cello were both richly deserved A dove-tailing of two lines in first half of the Bach was self-conscious; once past halfway, Moser made introspectively enraptured supple, focused, noble line out of all the rest. May we hear much more of Moser and thus pick up how Moser will most likely be able to take his playing from here.

If it was not for what risk-taking occurred during Sokhiev’s interpretation of the Tchaikovsky Fifth Symphony, mostly delivered well, I might have quickly deduced that what he brought here to Berlin was hardly more than case of ‘specialty of the house.’ Witness however the steeply arched, bombastic affect that Gergiev endowed this piece on a much hyped Vienna Philharmonic release of the same some years back. Little of this seems to have rubbed off on his student here; it also hardly sounds as though I write of same person conducting this as I did on Russian repertoire before.

A fine imaginative, attentive sense of narrative coursed throughout so very familiar terrain. When there might arrive mild understatement of at times overly emphatic internal tempo instructions on the composer’s part, it was always with long view of the whole picture in mind - deftly stated as such. No definitive interpretation of this piece surfaces yet, but Sokhiev here is still only thirty-three. Aim of being headed at least somewhat in the right direction certainly seems unmistakable.

A few miscalculations, mistakes occasionally belied someone experienced being on the podium, but the youthful spirit with which he engaged this music, for instance the fine swagger he gave the opening of the finale and coda restatement spoke very highly of how he had prepared us so well earlier for what would transpire. Lithe feel for the third movement, with open rustle of fresh breeze throughout its trio section and beautifully, subtly calibrated figuration from there into return of main section all sounded very fresh..

It was clear from the first few minutes of this Tchaikovsky Fifth – I can happily report - we were not embarking on approach to something of fate-obsessed, metaphysical aspirations, such as one will pick up in one way from Bernstein (DGG) and more achieved on surface, brilliantly, 1970’s Karajan - or as odd hybrid between - Eschenbach (Ondine). If so, as from someone with Sokhiev’s limited experience, there would be a much different review to read. Sokhiev gave us a Tchaikovsky Fifth in what impact it might have had, intimating cross between 1960’s Karajan and Mravinsky, without achieving as confident security of the former or interpretative depth capable of the latter

Sokhiev’s simple doleful handling of first movement introduction, with his extending out of (dotted) half notes in fate motto for clarinets, with it barely perceptible his doing so immediately revealed sense of aspiration for some aesthetic finesse with this music. No less was it so with the long breathed wistful sigh he made out of opening of both exposition and recapitulation from both strings with lithe accompanying winds, and then dourly introspective bassoon respectively. It is only perhaps on the surface that what resembled a miscalculation was a marked early slow down for final chain of restatements of opening subject as such to close the first movement. Transitions otherwise were effortlessly achieved. Youthful impetuosity with a few moments, such as bridge transitions each time to second theme unexaggeratedly emerged fresh.

Beautiful too was the weighted introduction to the Andante - that Sokhiev made emphatically slow (but pulsated with intent of keeping the line alive). This then remained an Andante - as something to have organically emerged out of how the first movement ends. If one sought bombastic rhetoric at key nodal points here, one looked in vain. More primary on Sokhiev’s mind was how to always sustain a continual sense of narrative throughout this, even past fleeting doubt of his handling of one or two transitions therein. A slight phrasing from behind of clarinet seemed overt, starting middle section to all this; such concern also only proved fleeting. Lines for solo horn were long-breathed, but with Sokhiev requesting a Slavic inspired affectation of Gallic formed embouchure in playing horn for sake of desirable color, regardless what risk.

A certainly rapid-fire approach to much of the finale brilliantly closed the concert, but while similar in pace to Mravinsky or Gergiev, eschewing excessive bombast of the latter. Heavily accented start to the Exposition for amassed strings alone came across portentous. The shove into rapid brass re-statement in C Major of ‘fate’ was risky, for how transition into the Development realistically should work. Without any derailing or threat of such, all proceeded organically from what had opened up here.

The opening of the finale, eschewing grandiosity, certainly something just to stand on its own as so much rhetoric Sokhiev revealed being interpretively mature to realize, lest one prefer much empty hectoring instead. Sokhiev instead proceeded with fine swagger, such as with stepping out for a brisk walk on morning of bright sunlight over remaining frost on the ground. Sokhiev in the coda subtly pointed out dark chromatic progression in undergirding brass to violins’ unison ‘fate’ motif in E Major to bring us full circle from whence things started.. Brilliant, closing flourish to all this came across most refreshing.

My only trepidation about writing in as such is that of too much a push this still fledgling career receives today. This is first time apparent to me there is indeed a real gift here not only for orchestral, but more so for operatic work. The repertoire is vast, challenges, temptations great, such as have already tripped up greater men than, at thirty-three, Sokhiev. He stepped in for Mehta in Seoul for Haydn 104 and Brahms 4 (for his VPO debut?) last fall. There are subtleties with Brahms 4 that must still confound eager youth - youth nothing to disparage. More than immediate success, one can best wish Mr. Sokhiev much prudence in planning what may result in rewarding career ahead for him.

DSO Berlin/Tugan Sokhiev - misguided replay of 2007 broadcast

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

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

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

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

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

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


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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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