Schubert: Andras Schiff (conductor and piano soloist) Philharmonia Orchestra,  29.03.2007, Queen Elizabeth Hall London (GD)

Symphony No 1 in D major

Piano Sonata in A major (D 664)

Symphony N0 4 in C minor
 

This was part of a series of Schubert symphony concerts Schiff is currently giving with the Philharmonia; each containing a chronologically corresponding piano sonata or major piano work. This rather unusual programming is most rewarding as it provides the opportunity to contrast Schubert’s orchestral/symphonic compositions with the often more intimate and personal sonority of his piano works. Tonight's concert gave us some extraordinarily accomplished musicianship; I can’t think of many musicians working today who could match Schiff in Schubert, with his ability to apply his exceptional gifts to Schubert symphonies and piano sonatas, with a nuanced ear for the subtle compositional convergencies/divergencies involved.

Schiff opened with a wonderfully deft and flowing reading of Schubert’s youthful first symphony in D major, written when the composer was just sixteen. Schiff wisely divided his first and second violins to great effect and deployed quite a large string band; but with crisp rhythms, agile phrasing and an exceptional ear for orchestral clarity the performance never sounded inflated. Schiff managed the enticing lead-in from the adagio opening to the main ‘vivace’ of the allegro perfectly. All the way through one was aware of thorough rehearsal preparation, especially in the many beautiful woodwind passages (most notable in the third movement trio…used incidentally by at least two Russian film-makers.)  With Schiff there was no hint of the second movement as a ‘slow’ movement; it was a true forward moving andante, with the lilting rhythm of its main theme beautifully phrased: redolent of the andante of Mozart’s great D major symphony K 504 (known as the ‘Prague’ Symphony, although not to Mozart!). The ‘Allegro vivace’ finale was here given all the buoyancy of phrasing and the right levels of rhythmic inflection…again the many woodwind figurations stood out as not only note perfect but as part of an wonderfully integrated ensemble flow. Schiff took the main exposition repeats in the first and last movements. My only quibble (and it applied more to the other Schubert symphony on the programme) concerned the many brilliant interjections from trumpets and timpani, which here needed that extra ‘edge’ to cut through the texture more.

The A major Piano Sonata (D 664) was written approximately six years after the First symphony:  I say approximately as we are not absolutely sure of its date of composition. This early sonata used to be played much more no doubt a popularity gained through it’s ‘song-like geniality’ - although things are never quite as straight-forward as that in Schubert - but recently it has not been played in concert as much as it used to be. Schiff tonight gave a performance as near to perfection as I can imagine; if indeed ‘perfection,' in the standard sense of ‘precision’, is an appropriate term for Schubert? Without wishing to sound too cliché’d, Schiff sounded totally ‘natural’ in the lilting opening phrases of the ‘Allegro moderato’. He understands, with consummate musicality, that subtending the gentle lyrical flow of the first allegro and exposition are more minor key inflections in the bass register between A major and A minor;  which eventually develop in to the A minor of the development section with its powerful ascending/descending octave figurations. The ‘Andante’ with its ambiguous tonal/emotional structure,melodic warmth tinged with melancholy, and the playful, rhythmically diverse ‘Allegro’ finale (once again with a hint of suspended drama within) were all managed perfectly. One was not conscious of Schiff’s ‘interpretation’ (although the performance was clearly that):  one was seduced in the most subtle way into marvelling at Schubert’s compositional/inventive genius.

All of the nuances and insights that Schiff had imparted to Schubert’s earliest symphony were apparent in his interpretation of the composer’s Fourth symphony, given the title ‘Tragic’ by the composer himself for reasons not specifically clear.  With the bold, agitated contours of the first movement's ‘Allegro vivace’ and the finale ‘Allegro’ especially,  a title such as ‘Defiant’ might have served his purposes more accurately.

By the time he composed his first minor key symphony in 1816, Schubert had moved a long way from the Haydnesque play of the earlier symphony. As many commentators have noted the influence of Beethoven is very apparent. In this work the fact of its C minor tonality reinforces the connection, C minor being an especially important key that Beethoven deployed for dramatic purpose. Overall,  Schiff gave a most impressive reading of the score,  but I  missed a certain projection of the work's intrinsic dramatic and dynamic qualities. There is a strong component of ‘Sturm und Drang’ in this symphony which mostly seemed to elude Schiff tonight. The opening C minor ‘adagio’ introduction was delivered in a rather matter-of-fact manner with quite prosaic phrasing. The stormy ‘Allegro vivace’ first movement exposition lacked the necessary elemental sense of drive and the tonal clashes between minor and major registers in the development section did not have the cutting edge implicit in the score. Similarly,  the A minor dramatic section in the ‘Andante' although beautifully articulated, failed to register that  certain urgency which one hears in older (available) concert recordings from Klemperer and Rosbaud (both with the marvellous Amsterdam Concertgebouw Orchestra).

The off-beat accents of the third movement ‘Menuetto’ (actually much more a scherzo ) did not have  the impact they demand. Here, as noted earlier, the powerful interjections from trumpets and timpani certainly lacked dramatic projection. Most of the final ‘Allegro’ , taken at a real allegro, was thrilling in its drive and dazzling energy, especially the last triumphant build up to C major just before the abrupt closing C minor  tutti octaves for full orchestra. Despite much excellence, the movement was devoid of  a certain dark, ominous, weight. Taken on its own merit however, this was a fine performance of a still relatively neglected classical symphonic masterpiece. Overall,  a memorable concert; one I shall remember long-term.

Geoff Diggines  

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