Carl Maria von WEBER (1786-1826)
Overture, Oberon (1826) [9:37]
Dmitry SHOSTAKOVICH (1906-1975)
Violin Concerto No. 1 in A minor, Op. 99 (1955) [39:17]
Johann Sebastian BACH (1685-1750)
Sonata No.1, BWV 1001, Presto [2:53]
Antonin DVORÁK (1873-1943)
Symphony No. 8 in G major, Op. 88 (1889)
Slavonic Dance in C major (1886) [41:32]
Hilary Hahn (violin)
Berlin Philharmonic Orchestra/Mariss Jansons
rec. live, 26 November 2000, Suntory Hall, Tokyo
Picture format BD: NTSC - 16:9
Sounds formats BD: PCM Stereo, DD 5.1, DTS 5.1
Region code: 0
Booklet notes: English, German, French
EUROARTS DVD
2050448 [98:41]
For those who do much or most of their listening with the score in hand, a
DVD is not much use. Because you have to watch a DVD as well as to listen,
taking it down off the shelves and putting it on is more of an occasion than
listening to a CD is. It feels more like going to a concert to me, and indeed,
filmed concerts, like this one, do tend to work well.
Living a long way from any of the major musical centres, I haven’t had the
privilege of seeing any of the artists on this DVD in the flesh - though Hilary
Hahn did come to Toulouse some time ago. Watching it is therefore a major
compensation. The fact that it took place in Tokyo is of added interest, as
I’ve never been to Japan either.
To get the details out of the way first, the sound and picture quality are
outstanding, though people tell me that new formats are, and will be, even
better. The concert is sensitively yet simply filmed: I don’t think there
is a single moment when I wish the camera was looking at something else. The
concert is filmed in order, the only slightly disquieting aspect being that
the applause at the end of one piece is merged into that preceding the next
one, giving a slightly breathless feel to proceedings. There are no “extras”,
apart from four trailers for other issues featuring the Berlin Philharmonic
Orchestra, but the disc is accompanied by a booklet containing a typically
level-headed and informative essay by Keith Anderson.
The concert opens with a lively and exciting account of Weber’s Oberon
Overture. Jansons turns out to be a most interesting conductor to watch, conducting
from memory here, and without a baton. His hands are very expressive, and
he really is with the orchestra, looking at them the whole time, with
very clear gestures and no fancy histrionics. “Bravos” erupt from the audience
even at the end of this opening piece.
Hilary Hahn, twenty-one at the time of the concert, delivers one of the finest
performances I have heard of Shostakovich’s glorious first concerto. She and
her remarkable accompanists deliver the first movement in, as it were, a single
breath, hushed pianissimo passages particularly striking. She is clearly leading
the proceedings in the fast, second movement, constantly pushing forwards.
Then there is the Passacaglia, where the second statement of the theme brings
marvellous, perfectly balanced sound from the woodwind, so rich and nourished,
yet so terribly sad. The woodwind principals’ duets with the soloist in this
movement are particularly moving. Hahn begins the cadenza as if improvising,
musing on the material, communing with the composer and the instrument, and
we are observers, almost intruders. Jansons and members of the orchestra are
sometimes in shot, and their rapt stillness is touching to witness. There
are plenty of fireworks in the finale, and one is in awe to think that so
much force and energy can be created by someone so insubstantial and undemonstrative.
The audience erupts at the end, to which she gives a demure smile, a little
shy, as she also does after the Bach encore, played with spellbinding accuracy
and brilliance.
The Dvorák symphony is beautifully done. Conducting again from memory – he
had the score to hand in the Shostakovich – Jansons delivers a thoroughly
engaging and idiomatic performance. He caresses the second group of subjects
in the first movement, and helps the wonderful Berlin strings produce a sound
at the beginning of the slow movement that must be described as gorgeous.
The Scherzo is delicious, Jansons very successful at bringing out the Bohemian
atmosphere without a hint of parody, and the finale is totally successful,
exciting, heart-warming music that makes you glad to be alive, especially
in a performance like this. A Dvorák Slavonic Dance is given as an
encore, played, as is the whole programme, with astonishing aplomb and brilliance
by this magnificent orchestra. After this, the players decline the conductor’s
invitation to stand, preferring to applaud him themselves instead.
So whenever I watch this DVD it will probably be straight through, as if I
were at the concert. The performances of the two major works are as fine as
any I have heard, but the next time I want to hear just one of them I will
probably take down a CD. Maybe the score too, for good measure.
William Hedley
A very fine filmed concert from Tokyo, with the Berlin Philharmonic, Jansons
and the young Hilary Hahn on superb form