Igor STRAVINSKY (1882-1971)
Le sacre du printemps (The Rite of Spring) (1911-1913) [33:25]
L’oiseau de feu (The Firebird) – Suite (1919) [23:28]
Scherzo à la russe (symphonic version) (1943-1944) [3:50]
Tango No. 72 (orchestral version) (1940) [2:27]
Budapest Festival Orchestra/Iván Fischer
rec. December 2010, Palace of Arts, Budapest, Hungary. Stereo, multichannel.
A DSD recording
CHANNEL CLASSICS CCS SA 32112 [63:10]
This has to be one of the most eagerly awaited recordings of recent times.
Ever since it was flagged up on the Internet, Iván Fischer’s Rite of Spring
has caused quite a stir among audiophiles, anxious to hear engineer Jared
Sacks’s high-res take on this aural blockbuster. Previous SACDs from Channel
have been very impressive indeed. Even their reissue of Fischer’s old Philips
recording of Dvor(ák’s Slavonic Dances – review
– breathed new life into an already desirable collection. Adding to the feverish
air is Channel’s active Twitter feed, which has kept this conductor and his
Budapest band in the public eye for months, with news of concerts and links
to glowing reviews.
Given that expectations are sky high, just how easy is it for Messrs Fischer
and Sacks to deliver? First off, the programme is a sensible one, although
I would have preferred a complete Firebird, rather than the suite
plus Scherzo and Tango; I suspect it would have been possible,
perhaps only just. As for the competition, where does one start? For the Rite
I’ve listened to a selection of discs, among them Sir Charles Mackerras (EMI),
Pierre Boulez (DG), Gustavo Dudamel (DG), Andrew Litton (BIS) and Jaap van
Zweden (Exton). The latter – review
– is my selected SACD version; as for the suite and Scherzo, I’ve
chosen Paavo Järvi’s SACD (Telarc). And I’ll be reviewing this new disc in
reverse, starting with the Firebird.
Initial impressions are mixed, with a somewhat murky opening that blunts Stravinsky’s
rhythmic edge. Thereafter the woodwind is pin-sharp and balances are beautifully
judged. That said, Fischer’s phrasing is just too unyielding for my tastes;
even for a suite the music ought to be delivered more seamlessly and with
more give and take than it is here. Indeed, Fischer’s Rattle-like attention
to detail means the narrative thread is too easily lost, although from the
galvanising bass drum thuds at the start of The Infernal Dance (tr. 19) the
performance does become more compelling; in particular, Stravinsky's vivid
colours are superbly rendered, the Super Audio sound remarkably tactile. the
Super Audio sound remarkably immersive. And in the Finale Fischer finds a
zesty, Russianate tang to the music that’s both apt and exciting.
Now here’s the thing; Paavo Järvi’s reading, which I didn’t care for on first
hearing, is a real flesh-and-blood affair, with a strong story line and a
top-notch DSD recording to boot. True, it’s not quite as lifelike as the Channel
one – the famous Telarc bass drum is just too prominent – but it’s a more
rewarding performance in every other respect. Just listen to the way Järvi
nudges and accents the rhythms at the start and compare that with Fischer’s
metronomic precision. So if you like your Firebird sleek and efficient,
Fischer’s the one for you; but if you prefer it with more flexibility and
feeling, Järvi’s your man. Honours are more evenly divided in the sparkling
Scherzo, although some may find Fischer’s Tango a little
po-faced.
I suspect it’s the Rite – premiered almost a century ago – that most
listeners will want to hear. It’s a work that’s open to many interpretations,
but whatever the finer details it needs to be animated by a pagan energy and
thrust, the whole shaped into a gripping narrative that ought to feel as elemental
and earth-shaking now as it did then. In that sense, the wide-eyed clarity
of Fischer’s opening bars aren’t quite what one might expect, although instrumental
timbres are exceptionally well caught. Rhythms are nicely judged too, especially
the dragging tread in the Dance of the Young Maidens (tr. 2), but for all
that this Rite lacks a degree of mesmerism and mystery.
Listening to several versions in preparation for this review made me realise
just how difficult it is to find a truly consistent and involving version
of the work, and whatever misgivings I might have about Fischer’s reading
it’s much better shaped and played than most. In some ways it’s like Jaap
van Zweden’s sophisticated – rather French – reading, which is just as persuasive
as a more immediate, atavistic one such as Riccardo Muti’s (EMI). Certainly,
those paroxysms and polyrhythms emerge with astonishing clarity and focus
here; just sample the formidable attack and articulation of the Dance of the
Earth (tr.8), which brings Part I to a thrilling close.
As for Part II, Fischer infuses the Introduction (tr. 9) with some of the
atmosphere missing from Part I. As always, the playing is alert and characterful,
the many strands of Stravinsky’s score laid bare in a way I’ve not encountered
before. The constant change of mood and metre is adroitly done, which certainly
helps to maintain impetus and interest. And when the Mystical Circles of the
Young Maidens arrives (tr. 10) it’s simply huge; no question, the sonics here
are unparalleled in their range and impact, the bass drum a thing of awe and
savage splendour.
By contrast there’s plenty of point and detail in the Rituals of the Ancestors
(tr.13), whose seismic irruptions are as unnerving as any I’ve heard. But
if the percussionists deserve high praise, so do the remarkably agile, chattering
woodwind and sneering brass. As for the final Sacrificial Dance (The Chosen
One) it’s better projected and propelled than most; indeed, Fischer maintains
amplitude and excitement to the very end, something that Boulez – for all
his strengths – signally fails to do. At this point Fischer’s accented drum
beats are just superb.
Despite a comparatively disappointing Firebird, Fischer makes emends
with one of the finest Rites in the catalogue. I’ve studiously avoided
comparisons with Litton, as I'm in the process of reviewing the download;
suffice it to say, Fischer has nothing to fear from this quarter. As for Channel’s
low-rent Digipaks, the less said about those the better.
Not an unqualified success, perhaps, but for many this new Rite will
become The Chosen One.
Dan Morgan
http://twitter.com/mahlerei
Masterwork Index: The
Rite of Spring ~~ The Firebird
Not an unqualified success, perhaps, but for many this new Rite will
become The Chosen One.