Comparisons:
Menuhin/Philharmonia/Furtwängler
(EMI)
Hahn/Baltimore Symphony Orchestra/Zinman
(Sony)
http://www.musicweb-international.com/classrev/2002/Oct02/beethahn.htm
Vengerov/London Symphony Orchestra/Rostropovich
(EMI)
David Zinman’s series
of Beethoven recordings with the Tonhalle
Orchestra Zurich on Arte Nova has consistently
attracted critical praise, of which
more later. With a piano concerto cycle
in progress, it’s good to see that Zinman
and co are turning their attention to
other works too. The triple concerto
is already available on the continent,
but so far as I know has yet to make
a splash in the USA or UK.
This present recording
of the violin concerto and two romances
sticks very much to the interpretative
path forged by previous recordings.
If you are familiar with them you will
have a good idea of what to expect.
Blown away is the Romantic ‘dust’ that
has gathered on these scores over the
years, having become ingrained in the
notes – as it were – through the traditions
of performance. Zinman’s view, as captured
in this recording, is worlds away from
that of Furtwängler who encourages
the Philharmonia at every turn to give
the orchestral body weight, sonority
and inevitability. It’s not as if Zinman
takes a view that’s just at odds with
those recorded several decades ago either.
Vengerov and Rostropovich turn in a
performance that in some respects is
almost as indulgent in terms of tempo
choices, yet does not quite convey the
monumentality of the music to the same
degree. As with Menuhin, I find Vengerov’s
tone beyond criticism and his approach
makes sense of the music’s architecture
too.
So what of this Tetzlaff/Zinman
recording? Gone is any sense of inevitability
or predictability in the music-making.
Instead, the orchestra are en masse
on the edge of their seats, and one
feels that they might be playing the
music for the first time, even though
you know they are not. Alertness to
rhythm and litheness of orchestral line
are key to this recording for the orchestra,
and the soloist too, although this is
not a performance that shies away from
the dramatic extremities of the writing
either. Timpani and brass are forwardly
placed and the dryness of their impact
readily brings to mind the sound achieved
in many period instrument performances.
Indeed this is not the only place where
‘period’ performances leave their mark
on this reading.
It’s instructive as
well to contrast it with Zinman’s earlier
Baltimore recording with Hilary Hahn,
which is a more wholly traditional view
of the work. Some critics - in printed
journals - I recall found her playing
somewhat aloof [but not
here]. One I read even went as far
as to say ‘non-committal’, which I translate
as ‘Hahn had no definite statements
of her own to make about the work’.
Whilst I would not go that far, I would
agree that when placed alongside Menuhin,
Vengerov and indeed Tetzlaff, Hahn maybe
does not delve as deeply into the notes.
But her playing never fails to be musical,
and having been recorded at a tender
age it is possible she approached it
too early on disc; how I would like
to hear a reading from her now! Zinman
opts for broader tempi almost without
exception and greater body to the orchestral
tone too.
An artist of reputation
in the concert hall and on record, I
have in live performances of Beethoven
occasionally found Tetzlaff a bit rough-toned
to be ideal. Here he leaves the feeling
of having lived with the music for a
while before deciding to react against
certain performance traditions, most
prominently in the choice of cadenzas
he plays. Gone are the traditionally
performed ones by Fritz Kreisler. In
their place are Tetzlaff’s violin transcriptions
of Beethoven cadenzas written for the
piano arrangement of the concerto. For
many they may take some getting used
to within the overall context of the
work, but Tetzlaff’s advocacy of them
is spirited and thematically they are
well suited. On the whole there is little
rough tone here, except at the beginning
of the first movement cadenza, where
one feels it is intended. Aside from
these points his reading is notable
for the joyfulness he brings to the
recording – an aim that his contribution
to the brief but useful booklet note
underlines.
There can be no doubting
that Tetzlaff’s vision to ‘review the
Beethoven we know’ is shared by Zinman.
I find that the outer movements have
a notable degree of spring in the rhythms,
whilst the middle adagio amply captures
a sense of intimacy in the confidences
shared not only between soloist and
orchestra, but players and listener
too. This aspect was not quite so notable
in the Hahn/Zinman recording, even taking
account of its slightly broader tempi.
Of the Romances, the
only comparable version already mentioned
is that presented by Vengerov, and I
find his performances to be perfectly
genial – indeed, I wish he brought more
often a touch of the tautness of vision
he finds in them to his reading of the
concerto. Tetzlaff sees the Romances
as cut from the same cloth as the concerto,
and plays them in the same spirit, although
the readings they receive are not as
likely to change your view of Beethoven
to the extent that the rendition of
the concerto might.
Having previously mentioned
period instrument performances, it was
not so long ago that Norrington et
al supposedly ‘revolutionised’ the
way we heard Beethoven on disc. Whilst
then I did not find the musical manner
of authenticists always tasteful, now
I find that many of their recordings
have aged rather badly. A glance at
previous reviews of Zinman’s Beethoven
recordings reveals a tendency amongst
critics to overstatement along the lines
lavished on the authentic movement.
One even goes so far as to state, "Zinman
is Beethoven" (not my italics).
Well, Beethoven and Zinman are their
own selves – and one has been around
for a lot longer than the other. How
long Zinman’s currently in vogue view
of Beethoven remains in common circulation
has still yet to be seen, but whilst
it does, it provides an alternative
to more traditional interpretations
and is worthy of more than one audition.
That said, it’s to Furtwängler
and Menuhin that I will continue to
return most often.
Evan Dickerson
Reviews of the other Tonhalle Zurich
/ Zinman Beethoven recordings:
Complete overtures:
http://www.musicweb-international.com/classrev/2005/Feb05/Beethoven_complete_overtures.htm
Complete symphonies:
http://www.musicweb-international.com/classrev/2005/June05/Beethoven_symphonies_zinman_7432165410-2.htm
Missa Solemnis:
http://www.musicweb-international.com/classrev/2002/Apr02/Beethoven_Missa_Solemnis_ArteNova.htm
Further listening - Christian Tetzlaff:
Artur Schnabel violin sonatas: Arte
Nova 74321 27798
Christian Tetzlaff (violin) 
