Stravinsky
composed five works that used the word symphony in their titles.
It is the three presented here that come the closest to the
classical symphony as we know it, and even these have some substantial
alterations. Sir Simon Rattle and the Berliners present taut
and energetic performances in this latest installment of a series
of live concert recordings by these forces to be released on
EMI Classics.
The
Symphony in Three Movements had its origins as a concerto
for orchestra, and was begun in 1942. It was not completed nor
was it even intended to be a symphony until Stravinsky was commissioned
by the New York Philharmonic to write a sort of ‘victory’ work
at the end of the Second World War. It received its first performance
in 1946 at Carnegie Hall. Thicker and with more resonant sonorities
than the other two works in this program, the music takes a
bit more ear space to absorb. Rattle takes advantage of the
Berlin orchestra’s brilliance by letting loose with a generous amount of
sound. Yet he never sacrifices clarity. To these ears the live
recording is a bit dry, but there is enough boom to ensure a
thrill or two.
The
Symphony of Psalms was commissioned by Serge Koussevitsky
and the Boston Symphony to celebrate the Orchestra’s fiftieth
anniversary. That the composer delivered a choral work was a
bit of a surprise to all, but the choice of texts, and the work’s
dedication first to the glory of God, and then to the orchestra
was a clear indication that Stravinsky had not only rediscovered
his Russian Orthodox roots, but had begun to delve into the
thick of Roman Catholic theology. The result is an austere but
rather poignant work, curiously orchestrated and full of rhythmic
contrast. Rattle captures the devotional spirit of the work,
but it seemed to these ears that the chorus phoned it in. The
tone is professional enough, but there is little true commitment
to the texts. The choir lacks warmth for the most part, and
this is particularly evident in the gorgeous moments of repose
at the beginning and end of the final Psalm.
The
Symphony in C was also American-inspired, and was given
its first performance in Chicago, the orchestra to whom it is
dedicated, in 1940. Stravinsky clearly had the classical symphony
in mind as he cast the work in the über-conservative key of C major, and laid it out in the traditional four
movements; vigorous and fast on the outer edges with a slow
movement and scherzo for the inner workings. Of the three performances,
this one is the most convincing, with Rattle drawing clear and
even sparse sounds from the orchestra and paying careful attention
to Stravinsky’s very well constructed counterpoint. The first
movement gives us ample joie de vivre as well.
It
seems logical in these days of monumental recording costs for
small returns that even an orchestra as well funded as Berlin would lean toward live recordings instead of meticulously edited studio
projects. It is rather refreshing to hear an orchestra play
through whole works on the fly as it were. Berlin’s audiences are most kind as there is no hint of noise whatever. EMI’s
entertaining “Opendisc” format, by which you can access a plethora
of multi-media material via the internet and rack up points
toward free downloads is an added bonus.
Kevin
Sutton
