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alternatively
Crotchet
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Ludwig van BEETHOVEN
(1770-1827)
Overtures
Coriolan, op.62 (1807) [8:10]
Die Geschöpfe des Prometheus (The Creatures of
Prometheus), op.43 (c1801) [7:15]
Die Ruinen von Athens, op.113 [5:53]
Fidelio, op.72c (1805 rev 1806) (1811) [7:27]
Leonora No.1, op.138 (1807) [10:17]
Leonora No.2, op.72a (1805 rev 1806) [13:40]
Leonora No.3, op.72b (1805 rev 1806) [13:59]
Egmont, op.84 (1810) [8:13]
 Chamber Orchestra
of Europe/Nikolaus Harnoncourt
rec. June 1993, (Leonora 3), June 1994 (Fidelio),
July 1994 (Egmont), Stefaniensaal, Graz; November 1993, Musikverein,
Vienna, (Coriolan and Prometheus), April 1996, Concert Hall (Megaron),
Athens (Ruinen and Leonora 1 and 2). DDD
WARNER CLASSICS
2564691750 [66:06]  |
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This is a very attractive, and very well played, disk of popular
Beethoven. Things get off to a very good start with a swift and
incisive account of Coriolan. There’s plenty of drama and
excitement here, but Harnoncourt doesn’t forget that he must lower
the temperature for the lyrical music. Die Geschöpfe
des Prometheus starts in all seriousness then explodes in
one of Beethoven’s happiest and, dare I say it, funniest overtures,
despite a slower, more solemn, coda.
Die Ruinen
von Athens is a play by August von Kotsebue, written for
the dedication of a new theatre at Pest, in Hungary. Beethoven
supplied the incidental music, which included this overture.
It’s a much lighter affair than the rest of this programme
and most welcome, as it gives us a little respite before the
onslaught of the four overtures created for his only opera.
And what a good idea to put these four works together like
this. Fidelio is treated perhaps a little lighter than
we might usually expect it to be, but it works because much
of the music really dances along. The small pauses in the
music are not as pregnant as they are in some performances
but this is a fine exposition of the music. The three Overtures
which bear the name Leonora are a fascinating lesson
in how to work out musical problems until you finally reach
a satisfying conclusion. It’s interesting that Leonora
No.1 bears little resemblance to the two other Leonora
Overtures; it seems much more comfortable to be placed with
the Fidelio Overture. It is more of a tone poem – although
tone poems were unheard of at this time. Also, quite critically,
it doesn’t include the dramatic interruption of the off–stage
trumpet.
Superficially,
Leonora 2 and 3 are very similar. Each has a
mysterious slow introduction, a fast, energetic section, before
the music is interrupted by the off–stage trumpet, then a
wild coda brings things to an end. But they are not the same
– I won’t start listing the differences – I will merely say
what a revelation it is to hear the two works side by side
like this. And, almost, to hear Beethoven’s thought processes
as the two works progress. Harnoncourt directs forthright
and exciting performances of these two pieces.
Egmont brings
the disk to a thrilling and very satisfying conclusion, even if,
at 6:32 he totally misses the point of the high violin attack
and ensuing pause. All but for Coriolan were recorded at
live performances and thus a couple of the tracks fade in a little
audience noise; this will not worry you for it is gone in a moment.
There is no applause following each performance. The sound is
consistent, no abrupt changes of acoustic, and there are long
pauses between each piece so we have time to assimilate what we
have heard and can prepare for what we are about to hear. If it’s
Beethoven’s Overtures you’re after you can’t go wrong with this.
Bob Briggs
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