SEEN AND HEARD INTERNATIONAL

Schubert: Symphony No.8 in B minor, D759 (1822)

Bruckner: Symphony No.9 in D minor (1887/1896)

 

Two unfinished Austrian Symphonies might not make one complete Symphony, but they do make a very satisfying concert when played together, as they were tonight. Both works were left incomplete for totally different reasons; Bruckner died before finishing his work – although it’s obvious that if he hadn’t taken two years to revise and recast his 8^th Symphony the 9^th would probaby have been completed. Schubert’s case is somewhat different, and there could be a number of reasons for the 8^th being left unfinished. I have two theories, first, it would have been one of the final works upon which he was engaged prior to receiving the diagnosis of syphilis, which brought his life to an abrupt conclusion only six years later – after the diagnosis was made his music, and his way of thinking about musical structure, changed radically. Secondly, after writing three movements – there is a scherzo fully written out in piano score but only the first eight bars or so were orchestrated – each of which are in ¾ time. I wonder if he thought that he couldn’t write a finale in common time and so abandoned the work due to his supposed inability to bring about a satisfactory conclusion. Whatever the case, we have two movements which are just about perfect in their relationship to one another.

 

Too many conductors see Schubert’s two movements as being similar, and thus insist to making the tempi almost identical – the first is marked Allegro moderato and the second Andante con moto. The problem with this is that the high drama of the first movement is lost, and the calm resignation of the second goes unnoticed. No such problems with Keable who directed a very dramatic and forthright account of the first movement – sensibly repeating the exposition – which seldom allowed for respite – except for the gorgeous second subject, whose beautiful lyricism was allowed full voice. The second movement was restrained and treated, in the main, as a kind of song without words, but Keable’s vision was not without its moments of tension and passion. This was a superb account of this Symphony and the orchestra responded with warm, rich, playing which truly suited this music.

 

Keable also knew exactly how to handle Bruckner’s unfinished masterpiece. His vision was simple, let the first movement say what it has to say, allow the scherzo to stamp and shout and the finale to build towards an earth shattering climax. Within a concept that simple, much happened. The word architecture is often applied to Bruckner’s music because the large scale of his works seem to many, to be redolent of Cathedrals, but certainly not of music written for the liturgy. It’s true that there are many peaks in his music and Bruckner is always working his way to the heights, but along the way he develops his ideas as he goes and takes his time doing so. Even without a real end in sight, the Symphony ends at the conclusion of the third, slow, movement. Keable built a structure of granite and stone, which was frightening in its intensity and relentless in its forward momentum. He took his time in the first movement, skilfully using the big acoustic of St John’s to help him point the climaxes, and allow for a brief breathing space, during the reverberation, before renewing his ascent of the rock face. The coda was truly horrifying in its monolithic insistence. The scherzo was as malevolent as you could wish – here were nasty trolls intent on the most subversive acts here. The only disappointing moment was that the trio, which should be as light as gossamer, was slightly too heavy in execution. The great Adagio, which brings Bruckner’s life’s work, and indeed, his life, to a close was full of torment and anguish. Quite rightly, Pierre Boulez has pointed to the fact that Debussy’s Prélude à l'après-midi d'un faune is the start of 20^th century music. Likewise, the monumental eleven note chord which crowns this movement must be seen as the death knell and end of 19^th century music. Keable gathered his forces so well, that the ultimate moment was of apocalyptic strength and awe.

 

I have been privileged to attend all the Kensington Symphony Orchestra’s concerts this season – there is one more on June 21st – but none have had quite the white hot intensity of this one. This show was a marvellous achievement and everyone concerned can be happy in the knowledge that they reached out and touched the audience with such fine music making.

 

Bob Briggs