MDR Figaro - Save The Children Sendai Benefit: Leipzig Gewandhaus, Riccardo Chailly in harrowing Bruckner Eighth (ed. Nowak). 06.05.11

Recalling time Riccardo Chailly started recording Anton Bruckner’s symphonies, ingredients for making of a fine Bruckner interpreter were likely present, but vague to discern. On half of the mature symphonies, little better than tentative came to fruition - the later recorded Sixth, Eighth, and Ninth exceptions. The Seventh Chailly, hardly older than thirty, recorded with RSO Berlin now cries out for him to return to it in Leipzig soon. His take on Bruckner, already modernist, was one to immediately emphasize clean lines, but easy to find fragmented, confused sounding with verticality of Bruckner’s sonorities, emphasis on projecting tone, including with lush quality of the string writing - all cutting in at various angles. Hieratic aspects of Bruckner’s music, with hardly well focused alternative to replace them, got understated.

Chailly’s Decca Bruckner cycle, recorded in Berlin and then Amsterdam, came to a conclusion with the Eighth – good qualified success with it - fourteen years after recording the Seventh. Now twelve more years have passed. After fifteen years in Amsterdam, first ten years of which seemed to reflect some unease, situation in Leipzig with Chailly there these past five years seemed to hit the ground running from the outset. Leipzig’s strings have a little darker patina and fibrous edge to their sound than their Dutch counterparts - woodwinds darker color as well. Chailly has infused Leipzig’s playing with a deep smoldering fire that surges through them all.

Chailly and the Gewandhaus toured four Asian cities last March - Seoul, Hong Kong, and several days before the terrible northern Japan earthquake Tokyo with an all-Dvorak program and the Bruckner Eighth Symphony each. This performance happened as a benefit for Save the Children – regarding the many young victims of this catastrophe. Not only on humanitarian terms, but also on musical and aesthetic ones, this performance of the Eighth reflected selfless commitment by Chailly and all involved, most memorably to Anton Bruckner’s music.

In aspiring to grasp nobler, loftier heights in scaling the architectonics of the Eighth in Amsterdam, Chailly adopted an almost quasi-Brahmsian approach to slurring lines somewhat heavily over ends of phrases, employing allargando, other device to make space for doing so. Such (mild) affectation has mostly vanished now. The Ninth Symphony, as an aside, addresses new conflict, but without the ability to sustain the titanic conflict that at different junctures during the Eighth makes it so gripping. Chailly however with this Eighth, and with fine discipline not to sentimentalize the argument, took pains to place some of all this back, deciding upon an Eighth in which the music can most straightforwardly speak for itself.

Romantic conceits of making the Eighth metaphorically of either Promethean or transcendent Faustian proportions rested content to just be suggested here. The drama of Bruckner’s inspiration overall stepped aside from overtly taking on metaphysical proportions, but also not succumbing to any ‘period’ practice musicological conceit.

Chailly picked a comparably moderate pace for first movement to what he had before, but here inexorable forward motion beneath unimpeded by slightly belabored feigning of making overall reaching line connect. Fragmented character of the opening subject received more definite shape, less luftpausen, attenuation to make things slur over more than necessary. Confidence in both line and its components at last sounded assured. More expansive second theme still sounded mildly underlined, phlegmatic here, but enhanced by solid firmness underneath – still better separations within line observed once recapitulated. Forthright consequents in the brass were firm - retreating transition through woodwinds flowing, supple, through more classically arched, steady, trudging forward third theme group.

All continued taut underneath while supple through strings and winds spinning out inversions of first two theme groups. Anticipated arrival of the recapitulation, thoroughly prepared, sounded forth, gradual its buildup to a purposefully qualified climax full and compact. In 1999, Chailly, toward keeping all moving, rushed the quiet principal flute descant over unaccompanied trumpets’ ‘Annunciation.’ Toward maximum cumulative effect, all was steady this time - in mind too of expansively handled Adagio to come.

Expanded out transition to second group - by not over-blowing apex achieved right before - over single pitch continuing ‘annunciation’ trumpets made eloquent heavily descending unison strings intimating first subject as backed by Chailly’s from outset mildly classicizing conception of this music – still open to capturing this music's impetus to transcends formal restraints. Propulsion through third theme group toward ringing climax – full arrival at last of ‘Annunciation’ was infused with febrile sense of mystery. Picked up first theme group fragments Chailly gathered shape for from underneath in their mimicking the scaling of earlier achieved fine proportions.

Chailly, in 1890 scoring less elaborate than 1887 (original version), brought out the folk element in the Deutscher Michel’ rotating idea dominating the Scherzo here. Playing too was less thick from Leipzig strings than previously from Amsterdam, for shimmer of different colors and light to freely emerge through rustle mid-to-back to fill panorama still remaining full of much empty space. Chailly had his strings in Leipzig purposefully rise and fall, contract and diffuse in context of what was in front of them with fine simplicity, certainty and ease. Mystery capturing all this, while keeping prominent a never over-emphasized indigenous element, was complete.

Strings, deftly began Trio section, deferring to extended horn obbligato, then placing themselves more forward vis-à-vis clarinet, toward building, supported by brass, opulent cadential phrases, limned febrile thereof by harps. Intimation of great weariness infused brief re-transition, Chailly waiting until higher reaching cadential lines to employ underlining.

At considerably slow pace Chailly took the Adagio, there still remaining intimated sense of pull forward through its peaceful opening – palpably conveyed also here a sense of spiritual fatigue. Contentment with suggesting grandiosity for long ascending lines off heavy doubled third in the bass - as opposed to bloating them - was very apt toward preserving legato. Less absorption remarkably in what sonorities get built up through such opening revealed more thorough grasp of what gets confronted here.

Reprise of big ascending consequent Chailly then provided firmer shape. He made intentionally gradual grand arch to line in the cellos as second theme proceeded, from having started it, conventionally shaped, at a slightly accelerated pace. Reply from Wagner tubas toward cellos making part of the climb a third time warmly, succinctly framed the cellos doing so. Chailly very tellingly hesitantly shaped light transition to full reprise of the first theme - for winds reaching high for cadence, providing harmonically therein glimpse of light further opening out would later provide. Subtle detachment of ascending brass attempting to wrest themselves free of growing anguish in building stretto in strings above informed next full reprise of the first theme. Simplicity prudently informed next second theme reprise, limned well by fine concertmaster solo therein. All following striving then turned febrile, toward exposed violins making poetic lift - prefigured by winds - over which Chailly made beautifully sustained allargando.

Eschewing making harmonic change from very dark, fortissimo brass enunciation of first theme in B-Flat Minor to large A-Flat chord (slight awkwardness of Bruckner’s revision - Nowak edition here) from sounding climactic, Chailly slowly continued inexorably accumulating musical and dramatic tension – goal clearly perceptible here numerous paragraphs before – to stoically a noble climax. The risk-taking, interesting from Barenboim in Berlin last year, seldom otherwise, of imposing big accelerandi toward making it was not for Chailly – helping this Adagio, two and a half minutes longer than in Amsterdam, make it out to twenty-eight minutes - without becoming too slow or losing grasp of simplicity.

Strings on following harp-accompanied consequent eloquently eschewed fleshing out deeply constructed chordal progressions, making then all sound febrile on top. Subtlety Chailly might not have managed well much earlier, he included a hair-pin accelerando within starting final brass enunciations of first theme, pulling back from doing so right away, giving the conclusion of this Adagio full sense of repose and hinted, subtle impetus toward pressing forward at once - recalling DGG Berlin recording for how Karajan overshot the mark here. This was all true - vast empty space all about - achieved by taking this Adagio conscientiously slow. Very quiet break - almost ninety seconds - before the finale could begin was rapt.

The finale, only slightly slower than in Amsterdam, gained here finer nobility, resolve thereby. Contrast with urgency infusing starting idea in brass and chorale like well voiced second theme, was telling. Broad reach as slightly from behind in making transition to overtly breezily propelling forward third theme group paid fine dividends – brass consistently dark well beneath the strings. Fortissimo pressing forward on snatch of third theme, still plenty loud, eschewed making empty bombast thereof in favor of bringing out the strength of the trumpets’ motif, all toward readying poised Exposition closing lines. Hesitant false starts in strings with which Bruckner opens what follows Chailly provided fine shape, especially through replying brass.

Stoically insistent strings’ marking of brass sequence of descending consequents reminded of Klemperer’s manner of conducting such a passage. Febrile anxiety expressed by strings, followed by flexibly slackening of musical tension, excellently informed making re-transition off nodal sequencing preceding it. Ascending string tremoli spinning off firmly urgent restatement of first theme in full turned risky, in awaiting brass to lend all profile - better yet something achieved from observing all from very wide perspective.

Second theme sounded fuller than as encountered earlier. Third theme group pressed breezily its trudge forward, preparing first movement main theme arrival in C Minor well - rhetorical terracing of dynamics in the strings through their extended lines very fine. Chailly then began (arguably remainder of) the coda spaciously, brass deep in lament at outset, dotted rhythms then strongly marked – with at last second, press forward into final, stoically firm achievement of C Major, blazing forth unto measured proclamation of final four descending unison line to close all out, with it uncertain how, other than sternly, fulfilling a conclusion has at last arrived. Others, profoundly 1944 Furtwangler (Vienna PO), have found greater serenity in this finale; stoical perspective however though should be found equally valid.

This turned out Chailly’s most significant Bruckner to have easily run across thus far. It proved never lacking in philosophical import, with very well spaced sonorities common, abetted by broad shape to much of this – first movement alone in at slightly less time than in Amsterdam. Chailly’s vision of Bruckner here, making it to such complete fruition, crossed Gewandhaus footlights very compellingly.

Much spacious pacing vaguely recalled Sinopoli in Dresden (DGG); mostly some of its grayer modernist, despairing perspective got replicated here. Chailly lowered previous Romantic conceits by nakedly revealing with beautiful simplicity what vastness all about. It would be good to release this with perhaps for extended time Save The Children receiving proceeds toward relieving continuing great suffering in northern Japan – some expressive parameters of this Bruckner Eighth perhaps more acutely informed than usual by harrowing imagery of indeed a great tragedy - all very affecting, disquieting.

DR Kultur: Barenboim offers provocatively dialectics inspired view of Bruckner Eighth. Beethoven/Bruckner zyklus - Staatskapelle Berlin. 26.07.10.

Pairing earliest written concerto of Beethoven with the Bruckner Eighth Symphony, Daniel Barenboim made relatively modest proportions of it. A good share if not quite all the characteristic wit and vigor of the young Beethoven came through. Barenboim contrasted making spaciously firm character of opening to the orchestral exposition and then after a couple of expected brooding turns to minor mode, light Haydnesque or Italianate staccato pointing of same opening theme, giving glimpse ahead of the dialectics between Classical and Romantic tendencies from even early Beethoven to eventually something far more advanced.

Barenboim’s playing through solo exposition was fluent, well animated. His handling of half-cadence into second theme had light clarion ring, then finding introspection for turn to both flatted submediant and minor mode during transition from elegantly turned second theme to catching the impetuosity of closing material, in sequence of scales - pointed octaves above to hold all in check. Brief exploits into fantasy during superficially the simpler Development got delineated, anticipating marching light stretto of staccato chords between wind concertato and soloist broken by skipping triplets for the latter. In practically Beethoven’s parody of sounding academic, Barenboim pointed out in the cadenza the building contrast for antecedents, consequents between right and left hand, to lightly all go storming forth toward ultimately gentle, brief cadential reply from Staatskapelle at the end, eschewing coy treatment for any of this.

Nobility for slow movement got supplied in full measure. Expansion of line through second theme, even through much light filigree became spacious, with good pointing of winds and soloist on alternating half-phrases throughout. Within context of such eloquent rhetoric, hushed close to ending lines was moving, with Barenboim making light pause for final trill and brief line trailing off all speak - framed by luminous close in Staatskapelle winds, buttressed earlier by weight from the strings.

Given Barenboim’s unqualified success with rondos to both Third and Fourth concerti, his restraint toward giving Haydn-esque offbeat accenting the oomph it needs to make Beethoven out of this rondo was curious. Apart from that, his fetching quality to rapid runs, tripping staccato with off-beat grace notes made practically complete character of the rest. Gently playful was his take on more agitated middle section; Barenboim also understated firmness in making transition back to reprise of rondo theme, to preserve requisite lightness for it. Pause for turn to G Major fully infused it for ironic ‘upon second thought’ air to it. Barenboim then made fine flourish of all that remained – half-unwitting misplacement of several accents aside.

Gauntlet ahead, for all involved, was the Bruckner Symphony No. 8 in C Minor, following triumph enjoyed evening before with the Seventh. Here good results were more qualified. This was an Eighth that the further one made one’s way into it became more involving. Including on ‘live’ Teldec recording of the Eighth with the Berlin Philharmonic, Barenboim has attempted making something very fluid out of phrasing the work’s broad, arching lines, to provide argument overall fine sense of liberation from the constricting influence of bar lines and downbeats on melodic, harmonic progress through its long paragraphs. It is such that he among many identify with the legacy of Furtwangler – frequently considered definitive for Bruckner.

Barenboim also attempted then with the Philharmonic to make entirely fluid its narrative, - and as aside, make it further clear that result sought was not what sheen, great luminosity he could pull out of the Philharmonic – such as we associate with late-career Karajan - last several times he recorded the Eighth – or with ‘The 101 Strings.’ Claudio Abbado had already spent nearly five seasons in Berlin when the sloppily edited Teldec Eighth got released, with sound engineers having stopped short of fully negotiating the difficult acoustic of the Philharmonie. The change to the Philharmonic is clearly felt, even from time - close to when Abbado took the helm - that Barenboim started recording his then still new Bruckner cycle. The feel Barenboim had for the Eighth then was too confident, even almost improvisatory, making it more of a curiosity than what one can reckon one of Barenboim’s more successful Bruckner recordings.

First movement here raised similar doubts, with hint of brass turning fractious toward Exposition final cadence. Pace was just slightly less breezy for this movement, than it had been on disc. Dotted rhythms were intermittently still loose, particularly with opening theme of the movement, upbeat to the same. Doleful tuba on yet again the same theme got Development section underway with fully characterized, incisive winds replying with its inversion. Slightly contrary to what is marked Barenboim made somewhat risky footing of inverted Theme 2 sequencing into broad arch - streamlined in feel - with first theme derived upbeats deep - slightly loose from their hinges. Without clipping that marred previous Philharmonic effort, majestic climax got achieved well. Violins on inverted second theme figure in half notes elastically maintained fine current through it - with risk of becoming too free-floating still present - less excessively so. Safety net below was found with trumpets precisely marking their quietly ominous ‘annunciation’ motif – allowing better space for descending principal flute – as if to make paradoxical contrast between this and loosely played upbeats earlier.

After broadly pacing second subject well, Barenboim effectively built excitement through rocky third subject, with still risky accelerandi - obbligato principal horn in effect jumping in, as though chomping at the bit. Something of just cut above human dimensions was made of the ‘annunciation of death’ – impact felt very well thus in place of taking it on along lines of metaphysical dimensions; all then prudently faded to silence with well achieved stillness for all at near total cessation of activity.

Barenboim infused circumspectly better paced Scherzo with clumsiness to ‘deutscher Michel’ notion behind its main idea - with thin strings above to start things off. Light timpani strokes underpinned light re-transition in the strings throughwistful gray descending cascade in the flutes. Grand rhetoric from unison violins marked final step of re-transition back to recapitulation very well. Slight drag to four note motif in trumpets derived from central rotating idea here was very apt and abetted restraining crudely clipping heavily brass laced repeat final cadence endings, of making anything so cursory thereof. Strings betrayed slight fatigue toward the end; otherwise, scherzo reprise made slightly more compelling case than first time through – with succinctly captured shifts in color, perspective on oscillating idea emerging in full.

Barenboim chose leisurely tread for the trio section this time, with broad rhetoric of its phrase endings and glow of light suffusing now spaciously accommodated harp arpeggio endings to each half - beautifully voiced horns the second time through. Strings re-entering after double bar sounded drowsy, but texturally open with opening statement reprise more specific in shape, plus fine sense of striving toward a peaceful close.

Central to Barenboim’s interpretation of the Eighth was the Adagio - finale effective denouement to follow. The Adagio in the Seventh prefigures to extent the Adagio in the very different Eighth; alongside such insight, Barenboim was effective guide the night before. With great yearning, violins assisted by fine pulsation underneath exerted pull with opening long held notes to the main theme, purposefully dragging well descending lines germinating thereof. Barenboim’s pace through just the huge buildup on A Major cadential chord, after Teldec, was still slightly brisk - not digging in all one could on doubled C-sharp in the bass. Moving through this chord too urgently denies making it count all it should. Abbreviated restatement toward more steeply achieved cadence (one whole tone higher) was firmer. Principal flute spurred cellos onto finer heights to fully achieve ardently sung second theme – rubato from calm French horn segue into such supple within the line – little to prepare for what risks Barenboim would then engage in.

Winds became impulsive during ‘Langsam’ interlude back to first subject, compelling strings to almost overstate their reply. With expressive shape maintained for new reprise of the opening theme, subtle immediate use of accelerando made felt on the consequent descending figure, once the strings picked it up, the impetus to break away. One might suspect Barenboim, trying to affect being Furtwangler, even to take things a step further - as occasionally suspected from an otherwise often circumspect Eugen Jochum.

Forceful repeat of same descending consequent in blazing doubled B-flat Major was anguished - behind it push to keep things moving ahead. Barenboim then circumspectly made fine separation for descending lines to restatement of the second theme; things kept rolling forward, even toward enfolding bright nodal pronouncement of second theme in C Major within the overall line. Pulsation was good for sextuplet accompanied reprise of the opening theme, but at restive pace, freely achieved pulling away became obvious. Establishment of D-Flat Major is such from which in the long run this music never entirely breaks free. Inexorable rush forward, though sufficiently loud climaxes in B-Flat Minor and A-Flat Major (Robert Haas restoration calmly in-between), indicated also by now a positivistic sense - striving by earthly means to achieve something of the infinite - to this, with, contrariwise hint of ‘annunciation’ becoming better heard tugging underneath lines to follow. After the shattering climax, French horns provided warm lit noble repose, to endure past the Adagio’s final cadence.

Barenboim’s impetus, what freedoms he took, was hypothetically to reveal the dialectics and accompanying stress – i.e. the special pointing of Scherzo idea to depict ‘Deutscher Michel’ crosscutting energy being directed toward constantly pushing forward motion to dilute, diffuse away such characterization. Here, finding a life-force in activity, motion forward made synthesis with dark underpinnings underneath. Here was not the Bruckner of Romantic devout faith or layered on with Romantic tradition learned device. Such goading, pressing forward imaginatively encountered here provided means of trying to close gap painful to leave open. Irritation with such handling, for straying away from conventional guidelines, could be expected - to perhaps be earned here slightly.

Detachment achieved was not such for Barenboim to find in an academic or intellectually achieved deconstructionist way, but out of necessity – including in such dialectical environs as how to maintain utter fluidity of line while keeping large impediments in trying to choke off all life behind it so prominent in its path. Subtle sense of decay through developing processes of this Adagio – even of main idea with Tristan derived pull to it – prefigures similar processes to occur in the Ninth. Constant positivistic striving to break free, keep life going, keep one oblivious of contamination from dialectical tensions all made itself felt. The beauty of this Adagio - in light of newer aesthetic than Furtwangler ever knew - Barenboim and Staatskapelle hardly ever compromised.

Insistent forward motion infused hefty, but rollicking start to the finale – fanfare in trumpets prudently placed halfway back, followed by reserved longing to infuse second theme group - with how beseechingly brass played their calm reply. Broad recitative in the strings in reply to insistent marcia third idea on purpose appeared detached from the rest. The Haas emendation to the finale sounded too bright, in response to first theme derived hard push on dominant chord for the mediant (E-Flat). Barenboim then also made too weighty opening the Development, next leaving brass flaccid in their repeated loud inversion of the first theme, in having arisen out of reprise of marcia idea heard first time slightly earlier.

Barenboim then became fastidious with lightly forward driven re-transition, insistent with it as though coda to the preceding section - all precisely marked. All prepared for an at once hair-raising, yet prudently held back start to the Recapitulation. Antiphony between pairs of trumpets for fractious secondary development was held prominent over rapidly scurrying strings toward dotted rhythm building of stretto of their own. Deep yearning infused again the second theme, at point - with no loss of poise - the physicality of all having transpired has this music practically crying out for place to find rest. Spacious provision for extended cadence in flutes, high winds to close this section was eloquent, as to even foreshadow Sibelius.

Finale coda, during which stable foundation for how to close entire dramatic argument had more than halfway been found, trudged slowly forward with third theme, culminating with arched climb in strings for harrowing restatement in C Minor at last of first movement first theme. Dissembling toward end of section (Coda, first part) also rhetorically aped sounding Sibelian here. Much air around violins for opening part two over rock solid brass helped complete picture toward – through steadily taken tricky brief D minor interlude – deliberate, purposefully a less than triumphant close.

This was arguably Barenboim’s finest movement – even while demarcated more conventionally than the preceding Adagio. This is not quite a definitive account of the Eighth; strides forward however with this interpretation are considerable - reckoning of what lurks beneath deep. As achievement here with the Seventh was enormous, so is potential with Barenboim on the Eighth and can happen in full. DVD release for four of the symphonies, including the Ninth, out of this STK Berlin series (with only perhaps further redo of the Eighth – one under review here plentifully exciting) would be very welcome, with for filler the Beethoven Fourth Piano Concerto.

DR Kultur: Daniel Barenboim leads glowing Bruckner Seventh. Beethoven/Bruckner zyklus. Staatskapelle Berlin. Philharmonie, Berlin - 25.06.10

Speaking with student from Tokyo years ago, I learned quickly he knew some piano and had some interest in classical music – in addition to whatever else on the side. On my mind was a Bruckner Seventh Symphony to come over the air later that evening from Chicago under Daniel Barenboim. What I then had to ask Keigo was what if anything anybody knew of how the great late maestro, prolifically recorded Bruckner interpreter Asahina Takashi was getting along. Upon arriving home, some minutes before Norm Pellegrini (DSO emcee) came on, I discovered notice that he had passed away several weeks earlier – right before end of 2001 – and after having conducted in Nagoya his final concert two months earlier as fifty-four year music director of the Osaka Philharmonic.

I then quickly emailed Keigo for both of us to reckon the Seventh on in memory of whom Barenboim and Henry Fogel brought to Chicago for much too delayed U.S. conducting debut at age of 87. The Bruckner Fifth Symphony at Orchestra Hall then beamed to television sets all across Japan – in May of 1996; a friend of mine living in Indianapolis made the drive up to attend This Orchestra Hall Seventh among Bruckner I had yet heard from Barenboim went just adequately, mildly phlegmatically. He had put out in 1992 a fine recording of the Seventh (Teldec) with the Berlin Philharmonic. Now very lately there has been this performance by Staatskapelle Berlin several days of necessary breather after three consecutive nights of both Beethoven concerti and three preceding Bruckner symphonies at the Philharmonie.

Re-reading Robert Simpson’s notes and inspired by what just got played at the Philharmonie forces one to somewhat rethink what one has smugly concluded from its overall serenity to be one of the most conservative of Bruckner’s symphonies. Things are not always as they appear on the surface. The Seventh is instead perhaps Bruckner’s most quietly radical and thus mostly quietly innovative creation thus far. The layout of there being three theme groups for such as an Exposition and Recapitulation for its first movement do not really tell any story of this movement’s formal properties. So much gets redefined in this first movement, for on the surface, it one must label it, the great arched binary form it is instead. Rich with so much supple modulation (between keys) and manipulation of its material, there is much found within to anticipate what Bruckner would write in his Eighth and Ninth symphonies. Unique to stand on its own as is the Sixth, that Bruckner considered his most original (thus far), it subtly anticipates some of what happens in the Seventh.

The open sonorities, gleaming quality about its melodic material, as Simpson says, make for the lay listener the more congenial experience of Bruckner than a number of his other symphonies. In this happening however, one can fear there is as much or perhaps more lost than illuminated. My earliest experience of the Seventh live – Houston Symphony under Efrem Kurtz (1979) – was mostly likely so unwittingly deceptive. Though happy at the time with what I had heard, but having developed just some intimation toward what Bruckner is about, I felt vague dissatisfaction.

Assessing the Seventh to be of mostly classical formal characteristics is misguided and can often lead the interpreter to hold where and how this music stretches boundaries too much in check. There is tempting often safe choice to sentimentalize, even make stodgy long paragraphs and expanse that happens between what proportions, according to textbook, are readily assumed to conventionally emerge.

Barenboim took the Seventh in 1992 on disc at quite a stately pace, but still flexibly shaping narrative of what transpires with good cohesion and fine handle on logic. At more moderate tempos here and utmost flexibility with which one can keep this music intact, he opened out the Seventh’s unique characteristics the best I have ever heard anybody do at all lately. Barenboim assuredly managed working in diminuendo into opening line of the first movement as it leans into the dominant - B Major – consistent with his finding more flexible sweep to this movement’s opening paragraph overall than previously. He then clarified with inevitably accumulating sense of anxiety this music’s inability to hold on to such as any stable tonal center - balm arriving in form of (as Simpson typifies it) the half supertonic of C Major to at last help confirm B Major as (partially) achieved tonality at last.

Allowing a few lax rhythms, Barenboim freely achieved fine internal rubato for bourree like third theme. Later passing reference to it got heavy emphasis when more prudent to understate anticipation of pianissimo arrival of (tonality for) main theme in E Major moments later. Judiciously scaled moderate sweep suited Barenboim for grandiose inversion segue into C Minor re-statement of the opening theme – impressive here – in context of his ease at making all breathe very well throughout all else. Fortunately he avoided overstating what is effectively incidental reference to the home key where is conventionally expected a more prepared, fulfilling restatement. Barenboim wisely held off making significant allargando, until reaching consequent to it here; trumpets glistened in doubling this once more further enhanced lean into the dominant (B Major). Off entrance of second theme, almost half a beat early (on purpose), came playing of restive deep longing, as if to proclaim continuance this direction (B Major) as tenuous at best. Barenboim then insistently made segue to A Major from third theme group. Inevitable large parenthesis of the main theme consequent - mostly non-enveloped here - then ushered in without large slow-down a fully enthralling, blazing conclusion in E Major.

Equally passionate, thoroughly developed was Barenboim’s now moderate paced traversal through the Andante – more Andante here than very close to ‘Adagio’ he took on disc, others have also taken - very affectingly. Now he is near two thirds quicker to an arguably, mildly controversial not ‘sehr langsam’ Andante Metzmacher took last year with DSO Berlin. Metzmacher found the more linear means of exploring Bruckner’s innovation with form than Barenboim; his scaling of Bruckner’s horizons was the starker for it. Barenboim achieved more fulsome results, even if perhaps more intuitively than how Metzmacher, more consistent artist, had.

The Andante opened mostly elegiac, in place of sounding hieratic. Strings made pensive their musing, coming off firmly resounded refrain to main theme. Lines throughout were suffused with fervor we associate with line from Bruckner’s Te Deum. Passionate crest was made to opening paragraph of this Andante on half-diminished supertonic, but without denying scale of what was imminent, while making supple long descending clarinet lines and sonorous comment on Wagner tubas. Cantilena for second subject was close to Italianate – Barenboim’s experience at La Scala starting to show – in its fully vocalized grace and sensuality. Gentle yearning in upper violins coming off this episode was very affecting. Great sense of striving,achieved by supple means, infused rising crests through the remote tonalities of C and G Major, latter of which through passing cadence in C Minor, this music returns to C-sharp Minor by means of tertiary relationship with A-Flat (or G-Sharp). Gentle second theme, enhanced by floating violin’s descant, all centered in A-Flat, facilitated very reflective following retreat thereof.

Sense of great strain was apt in making last ascending reach or two from gradually accumulating sequence for explosive climax in C Major (leading tone or half-subtonic to C-Sharp Minor) – all seemingly to not have encumbered the line coursing through all this and the ease with which flutes (in D-Flat) found lift in making retreat from it. Deftly achieved sense of light lingering beyond - past notably sad lament from horn and Wagner tubas - ended what continued sounding very incredibly assured. Barenboim, in finding the self-transformative character of this music, had this Seventh speak very much as anticipatory of the Eighth (and Ninth).

Rollicking broad bow strokes and posthorn sounding principal trumpet made merry romp of the scherzo. Sweep and shape up to end of first half was all free, yet precise to the ear - open air and light interplay made of bucolically accented retransition to restatement of the opening. With simplicity Barenboim caught drowsiness of start to the Trio, letting in vernal shaft of light to anticipate making benediction out of restatement of the same, underpinned evocatively by not quite awakened ruddy sounding low French horn.

Mercurial jaunt opened the finale rapt – all keenly observed the rapid harmonic shifts between episodes and through elaborate figuration within. Barenboim treated somewhat strictly one inverted restatement of the opening theme in the strings midway through, to avoid making cliché of such. He then made very solid the forceful brass unison ascending craggy, igneous restatements of the main theme. Hush coming off such last statement by Staatskapelle brass to frame chorale second theme was very telling - after keeping first statement of the same chorale simple several minutes earlier. It spoke naturally it being felt by all on stage of having accomplished (considerably) more than what usually passes as good norm for the Seventh. With the fire these players let course through the tricky closing pages of the Seventh, there seemed no further challenge too great. Following evening, it would be the Eighth.

Beethoven’s Fourth Piano Concerto provided gateway to such a fresh open-ended outlook on the Bruckner Seventh. The breaking free of a semblance of classical grace and poise seemed practically as much theme song for this concerto as for the Bruckner - as though Beethoven could have been composed as catalyst thereof. Fine precisely scaled enveloping was made for parenthesis into minor key submediant during the solo exposition, but already with a Lisztian fire on cusp of bursting out from the playing, yet without loss of poise. Barenboim both as soloist and conductor provided with measured finesse balance between antecedents and consequents in the line, their internal exchange of masculine and feminine phrasing, accenting. There was also the orchestra’s role of, colloquially speaking, taming the near-savage beast. Calibration between soloist and orchestra through the frequently agitated Development was excellent – with quasi-operatic rhetoric for long cadential segue through pensively remote C-sharp minor episode into well characterized capricious G Major re-transition.

Equally Mozartean from Barenboim were doubled broken thirds restatement of first movement opening idea and vocalized phrasing he drew out of Staatskapelle oboe and other winds under much filigree. Cadenza to have started tentatively quickly regained its footing, poise with well shaped lyrical second subject and incisive interplay between insistent first theme derived motif in left hand and increasingly elaborate response in the right. Putting thought of virtuoso display for its own sake aside, quite an engaging drama played out from there before all attained to Elysium for a most bel canto opening to the coda to the first movement, and equally impassioned playing to achieve its close.

Broad allargando for firm orchestral accents contrasted well with poised, hushed reply from soloist, with Barenboim making it subtle the string tutti’s retreat from making confrontation. He then curiously eschewed threat to overstate the ‘lion’s roar’ near close of the intermezzo - after fine beseeching quality to his phrasing right before.

Barenboim then made rhetorically slightly hesitant accents of rondo theme upbeats, without deflating any vitality of the rondo to ensue. Pace was a vigorously stated healthy Moderato that allowed the expansive second theme high in the right hand ample space to sing out. He then wisely eschewed making anything too arched out of largely re-transitional Development – with fire to internally spur on both line and filigree and alternate accents between orchestra and soloist as from within, toward making something febrile of its entirety. Thinking well ahead, he phrased return of the second theme in the tonic with greater poise and then made broad allargando, written out such, of slowly descending and ascending chord resolving on the subdominant for playfully clarinet doubled restatement of opening theme - replied to contrastingly with great vigor.

Fully weighted then were the vigorous octaves to open brief cadenza - to soon thereafter spin off pointed ascending, jumping trills into orchestral re-entry. His reach for the large clash of thrashing secondary dominant to the subdominant was found lacking nothing in heft toward bringing this rondo to a furious conclusion. Nothing could have proved better showcase, not so much for Barenboim, but for Beethoven and Bruckner to rouse anyone listening out of last vestige of lingering sense of complacency. This was what this concert was all about, what got accomplished here.
www.dradio.de