Felix MENDELSSOHN (1809-1847)
Ruy Blas Overture, Op. 95 (1835) [7:48]
Symphony No. 1 in C minor, Op.11 (1824) [30:06]
Symphony No. 4 in A, Op. 90 Italian (1833) [28:06]
Bergen Philharmonic Orchestra/Andrew Litton
rec. Grieg Hall, Bergen, Norway, August 2007
BIS SACD-1584 [67:09]
The grim, portentous opening brass chord of Ruy Blas suggests that
Andrew Litton may finally be coming to grips with the expressive potential
of music, moving beyond the glorified traffic direction that has mostly characterized
his work thus far. The phrasing is sufficiently directional to generate a
fair amount of drama, and midrange melodic phrases for doubled woodwind and
strings have an appealing, dusky tone. If the arrival at 2:59 of the "big
tune" goes almost unnoticed - Previn on EMI and, particularly, on RCA, subtly
marks it off within the forward impulse - and if its working-out and climax
seem a bit matter-of-fact, the bustling sense of the piece still comes across.
In the symphonies, Litton unfortunately reverts to his previously established
form as a phlegmatic routiner, displaying little feel for orchestral sound
or texture, chugging along heedless of the music's expressive or structural
requirements. Attacks need more point and precision, and the legato phrases
more attentive tapering.
Thus, the C minor's turbulent opening movement, played too consistently "on
the string," sounds heavy and melodramatic, though the superior Bergen woodwinds
infuse the second theme with real delicacy. In the Andante, the string
textures lumber a bit, and the seemingly flowing, "natural" tempo turns out
a bit fast for the little scales at 2:29, where there's no time for any expressive
inflection. There's some buoyancy to the Menuetto: Allegro molto, a
scherzo in all but name; the Trio is spacious, but needs calm, and there's
a clumsy agogic ritard returning to the scherzo proper. The finale is routine
- the trade-off of string and woodwind fragments at 2:46, for example, lacks
real character - but its momentum and drive hold interest: in concert, truth
be told, it might still bring down the house.
The playing isn't noticeably more attentive in the Italian Symphony
- the first movement is nervous, with the various scampering parts not quite
in sync, and the soggy unmarked ritard at 6:55, preceding the recapitulation,
is unhelpful. But sheer rhythmic energy helps bring off the performance, though
it's hardly comparable with the virtuosic Szell (Sony), the heartfelt Bernstein/New
York (Sony), or the firm, solid Colin Davis (originally Philips).
In plain frontal stereo, the sound is good enough, but it impressed me less
than I expected, given Bis's audiophile reputation. Then again, a clear, focused
recording can hardly be expected when the playing is generalized and diffuse
to begin with.
Stephen Francis Vasta
Generalized and diffuse playing.