This is the first of Ma and Ax’s two recordings
of the Brahms Cello Sonatas, not to be confused with their Sony
version of 1992. I have not sampled the later one, but I suppose
one reason they may well have felt the need for a re-think so
soon after this RCA disc may be to do with tempos. All movements
are pretty slow, but the E minor in particular suffers a rather
ponderous, plodding approach that alters the character of the
music.
Tempi per se are not a problem to me, but it
does need artists of exceptional calibre to bring readings like
this off. Luckily, we have two musicians who fit the bill of ‘outsize
personality’ perfectly, and while I would not necessarily
agree with the booklet writer that this disc is an ‘instant
classic’, it has many considerable virtues to balance the
frustrations.
The E minor Sonata, as mentioned, is possibly
the more controversial performance of the two. Ma and Ax set a
slow basic pulse for the first movement that is definitely observes
the non troppo rather than allegro marking, bringing out a sense
of gravity and unease rather than impassioned romanticism. The
second subject could have had a touch more fiery contrast (track
1, 2’11), but with exposition repeat observed, the overall
impression here is of weighty, brooding intensity. Nothing wrong
with that, but the second movement’s quasi Menuetto marking
seems also to be largely ignored, so that a dance-like feeling
is replaced with a droll charm. I like the atmosphere of the Trio
section, where Ax tries to literally follow Brahms’s col
ped marking throughout, creating a nice sense of lonely, otherworldliness.
Luckily for the shape of the whole work, the fugal finale is invested
with plenty of imperious grandeur. The two players, especially
Ma, are not afraid to play around with phrasing and rubato, but
the slow-ish basic pulse allows plenty of subtle detail to emerge,
as well as allowing for a proper presto coda that is not too breathless.
The much later F major Sonata gets a strong,
boldly characterised reading. The opening may not sweep you off
your feet, mainly due to Ax’s pedalling (or lack of it)
but his observance of the p marking in his part correctly allows
the cello to dominate. Ma’s rich, upholstered tone is a
great joy, and the typically Brahmsian ‘purple passage’
at 5’07 (track 4) is wonderfully shaded by the cellist.
The closing passage (try around 8’42) is whisper-quiet in
its delicacy, and all the more moving for it. The slow movement
is almost wholly successful with pacing, phrasing and intonation
spot on, especially the difficult cello pizzicatos. The amiable,
good-natured finale is again unhurried (properly so), with these
two great players in perfect accord, Ax in particular supporting
his partner with playing of translucent beauty.
The recorded sound is excellent, slightly favouring
the piano but not to any problematic degree. There is no filler,
but given that most of the competition (including these two) favour
unnecessary transcriptions of the violin sonatas, this is not
a particular problem. It is always worth having more than one
version of staple classics like these, so you could consider this
budget disc alongside other, more fleet-of-foot readings, such
as Maria Kliegel (Naxos) or Steven Isserlis (Hyperion), for there’s
no doubting the star quality on offer here.
Tony Haywood
Yo-Yo Ma (cello)