Arnold Schönberg (1874-1951)
Kammersymphonie, Op 9
Sechs Kleiner Stücke, Op 19 (arr. Holliger)
Anton Webern (1883-1945)
Symphonie Op 21
Fünf Sätze, Op 5
Orchestre de Chambre de Lausanne/Heinz Holliger
rec. 2021, Opéra de Lausanne, Switzerland
FUGA LIBERA FUG794 [53]
This recording follows upon an earlier release by this fine ensemble from Lausanne in 2013 in which Heinz Holliger directed works by Schönberg and Webern including Verklärte Nacht, Chamber Symphony No 2 and Webern’s early Langsamer Sätz. The Orchestre de Chambre de Lausanne was founded during the Second World War by Victor Desarzens, after which he was succeeded by Armin Jordan, followed by Jesus Lopez Cobos, Christian Zacharias and Joshua Weilerstein until 2021, when Renaud Capuҫon was appointed as artistic director. Throughout its history, the ensemble has performed world-wide and recorded in a repertoire ranging from the baroque through to premiering modern works. Their recordings include the complete operas of Haydn, and concertos by Mozart and Beethoven.
Schönberg’s Kammersymphonie (1906) is in total contrast to the great orchestral scores of Mahler and Strauss of this period, and despite its transitional nature already bears the composer’s expressional, conceptual ideas prior to his later progression to atonality. It is intriguing that Holliger in this survey picks his more controversial student Anton Webern to provide further music of the new Viennese school, but the disparity between the two composers and each of the four pieces gives the listener a fascinating portrait of early 20th century music.
Written in quartal harmony, Schönberg’s Kammersymphonie already embraces dissonance in its opening bars and at once develops a bustling idea of fourths on the horn, leading to a brisk passage in a rather cheery idiom; here, each musician is playing a different element. The sequence of music is intense, with a driving momentum on the brass, contrasted by beautiful playing on the woodwind. There is an insightful passage on the solo violin, which leads to intense playing by the whole ensemble and the sudden emergence of a tune that is quickly brushed aside as if unneeded. Once more we hear assured playing on the brass amid a somewhat nervous energy, emphasised by dramatic bursts from the brass, contrasting with eloquent harmonies from the woodwind with a brief yet beautiful bassoon idea – a cadence in F major - followed by a chirpy flute. There unfolds a dominant passage of reflective music, ranging from intensity to quiet solos across the orchestra prior to an energetic climax on the brass.
Hearing Anton Webern’s symphony immediately after his mentor’s own work is particularly striking, as Webern presents a different world of reflection and emptiness in a beautiful, static mosaic. The mood is Expressionist, with these brief miniatures showing the diminishing power of tonality.
In the opening Leicht, zart movement of Sechs Kleine Stücke - originally written for piano and here stunningly orchestrated by Heinz Holliger - there is a lovely horn solo, accompanied by the harp, while in the second movement, Langsam, we hear charming playing from the strings. In the third movement, Sehr langsam Viertel, we hear darkly threatening playing from the woodwind, and in the fourth, Rasch, aber leicht, the mood is evocative, yet this mood disappears as soon as we hear the fifth movement, Etwas rasch, with bewitching playing on the flute. In the final movement, Sehr langsam, we enter into a remote stillness, as if from another world.
In the opening movement, Heftig bewegt, of the version for string orchestra of Webern’s Fünf Sätze, we hear a cutting dynamic in its driving rhythm supported by wonderful playing. In the second movement, Sehr langsam, an idea expressed on the solo violin leads to an intensely dramatic passage, but in the next movement, Sehr lebhaft, a pleasant reflection enters, which is dramatically uneasy. In the fifth movement, Sehr langsam, we hear a rather brutal attack on the violins and some agonisingly poignant playing in a deeply tragic sequence, as if telling of a great loss emphasised on the double-bass and by the first violin before the music dies away into silence.
The recording and engineering by Fuga Libera give one the impression of sitting in the front row - and throughout the clarity and ambience are exceptional. There is an interesting note on the music in the CD booklet with translations into French and German, but unfortunately no information about the performers, despite attractive colour photos of them in the booklet and on the cover. This is a very fine addition to the discography of these two composers; the recording is blessed with world-class performances and a recording to match. One hopes that this outstanding ensemble and conductor will continue their exploration of this repertoire.
Gregor Tassie
