The Fourth Symphony, derived from Prokofiev's ballet
The
Prodigal Son, is, unusually, given in its early and very short, 1930,
version. It comes over as a tuneful and strongly balletic piece with few
dark undertones. In some ways, as Karabits himself remarks in the notes, it
has similarities with the final, Seventh Symphony, in that it is
comparatively simple and classical. In the later version of 1947, Op. 112 -
due to be released on the final volume of this series coupled with No.6 -
the composer strengthens and greatly lengthens the material such that he
felt the later version was almost a new symphony. Here the episodes of the
original ballet are given without huge stylistic change, though obviously
with much sophisticated development. It is an attractive work and quite a
surprise after the violence of parts of the Third Symphony.
The famous recording of the Fifth Symphony is that of Karajan and the
Berlin Philharmonic (
review ~
review). That recording featured an ear-splittingly loud tam-tam
stroke at the end of the first movement as well as the usual characteristics
of the BPO/Karajan team: beautiful string playing and the grandest of brass
ensembles. The symphony always seemed weighted towards the first movement as
a result. Karabits emphatically does not make this emphasis. His view is
much tougher and more angular with that gong recessed amongst other
percussion as it is in a live performance. His rhythms are tight and at
times almost balletic. No part of the orchestra is allowed to dominate and
as a result a stronger and more even symphony emerges without giving away
one iota of excitement. Make no mistake this performance is up there with
the best. There is detail and dynamic range in spades, the tempi are more
extreme, the opening is slow and slightly pensive and the fast passages make
more impact as a result. The very end is grander than Karajan, giving the
symphony a somehow more significant close whilst losing none of the
music's bounce. Over and over again Karabits paints in telling
details that add to the subtlety of his performance. This is Prokofiev with
sharp edges, as it should be. Maybe there is something in the old saw that a
Ukrainian conductor knows best about a Ukrainian-born composer.
The rarely performed
Dreams is given a suitably highly-charged
reading making it sound unexpectedly more interesting than the composer
himself thought. He is quoted as describing this early symbolist piece,
derived from the school of Scriabin, as 'false'. "One of
the conductors of the
Dreams said to me, 'I hope you
didn't mind the false notes.' My dear fellow,' I
replied, 'there wasn't a note in the whole thing that
wasn't false. I didn't recognise it as my own at all."
(quoted by Gutman, Prokofiev 1988). Well done to Karabits for giving it a
convincing airing despite this.
I was most concerned about the sound balance of
Volume 1 in this series, I am pleased to say no such
problems exist this time nor were there issues in
Volume 2 which I did not review. Indeed The Lighthouse sounds
like a great acoustic for recording for much the same reason as the
Southampton Guildhall was in times past for this orchestra: there is vital
space around the orchestra giving a welcome bloom to the sound. As one
attending concerts regularly in this venue I have to note it doesn't
sound like this with the seats occupied by an audience. However the
recording is a good representation of sound heard in recording sessions with
the seats retracted and the orchestra placed more centrally away from the
platform. As a sort of addendum I should note that, having also bought the
Litton/Bergen Prokofiev 5 on BIS SACD, that recording, of a
different, excellent but more traditional performance, the BIS recording is
noticeably superior in surround and high-resolution. I do wonder why
companies such as Onyx continue to use the obsolete 16bit/44.1 kHz CD for
such important issues as the BSO Prokofiev cycle. I am quite certain the
master recording for Onyx by Mike Clements is in high resolution. A
mystery.
Dave Billinge
Previous reviews:
John Quinn and
Michael Cookson
