Pyotr Ilyich TCHAIKOVSKY (1840-1893)
The Nutcracker, Op 71 (1892) [93:17]
Russian National Orchestra/Mikhail Pletnev
rec. Mosfilm Recording Studios, Studio 1, Moscow, March 2011
ONDINE ODE1180-2D [49:01 + 44:16]
In the early stereo period, eminent conductors - Antal Dorati, Artur Rodzinski,
and, above all, Ernest Ansermet - regularly turned out stylish recordings
of The Nutcracker. After the last two I reviewed - Svetlanov's coarse,
graceless account (Melodiya
MELCD1000409) and Maninov's inept one (RPO
SP006)- I feared that those days were gone. Fortunately, Mikhail
Pletnev shows that the old magic isn't completely lost.
First off, the post-Soviet Russian National Orchestra produces tone so polished
that veteran listeners might well not identify the players as Russian. The
horns are firm, neither watery nor wobbly; woodwinds, while distinctive in
timbre, blend well as a choir; strings are warm, but their phrasing is neatly
manicured and tapered, not shaggy. These suave sounds outclass those of Svetlanov's
USSR State Symphony by leagues. Indeed, the RNO surpasses Ansermet's Suisse
Romande Orchestra in technical expertise, though it can't match that ensemble's
uniquely translucent sonorities.
Interpretively, Pletnev has managed to preserve the positive aspects
of Russian orchestral playing: the bright, forward ensemble sound, the lyrical
commitment, and the high energy level. The tuttis, particularly in
Act One, are grand, full, and solid. The conductor's care over expressive
details is gratifying: the clarinet eases gracefully into the middle section
of the opening scene; later, the introductory bars of Grandfather's Dance
bring a similar sense of "pickup".
In much of Act One, however, the dynamism isn't always accompanied by a comparable
finesse of execution. In the crisp Petit galop des enfants, the 6/8
passage beginning at 1:25 goes with both lift and weight, but the balance
is off at 2:11, with the string and wind scales obscuring the trumpet's melody.
Slogging chords weigh down the passage beginning at 3:47 of the Scène.
The Departure of the Guests is taut and dramatic, but after 5:30 the reed
triplets keep threatening to come unstuck from the theme, or perhaps vice
versa.
Beginning with the easy, lyrical unfolding of the forest scene, however, things
mostly right themselves. The darting, anxious start to the Waltz of the
Snowflakes scene immediately draws the listener in. The opening of Act
II is leisurely and expansive, and Pletnev moves straightforwardly through
the Nutcracker's entrance, without any portentous grandstanding.
The characteristic dances, for once, have plenty of character: the faster
dances are crisp and lively; the slower ones atmospheric, even moody. An awkward
ritard at the end of the Danse des mirlitons causes a sloppy landing,
but the conductor recovers with forthright address for Mother Gigogne's entry,
and highlights the piquancy of the quirky waltz for the clowns. Indeed, one
of the subtle incidental pleasures of Pletnev's performance is the distinctive
character he finds for each of the waltzes. There's lovely breadth to the
Waltz of the Snowflakes; a translucent buoyancy to the Waltz of
the Flowers, though the tempo is slowish for dancing; and a hearty swing
to the Apotheosis.
When all's said and done, the flaws, while passing, keep this fine performance
just below the level of my longtime favorites: the gleaming Ansermet (Decca),
the lustrous Bonynge (also Decca), and the warmly played and recorded Dorati/Concertgebouw
(Philips - I've never understood the acclaim for his tense, wiry-sounding
Mercury
account). Pletnev's handling of fine points, however, makes it a worthy supplement
to one of those others.
Stephen Francis Vasta
Stephen Francis Vasta is a New York-based conductor, coach, and journalist.
A fine performance but just below the level of my longtime favorites.
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