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Review of newly released DVDs from Arthaus, Universal and TDK
The release of new classical DVDs is not yet a flood, but we are getting
there. |
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Arthaus continues to dominate the classical market with a constant monthly
release list that always offers something of interest. Universal, who have
just released their first batch of discs, have not yet had the courage to
throw caution to the wind and issue truly exciting material - instead, we
have well-worn favourites, usually from Met productions, that are staples
of the repertoire. Carmen, Il Trovatore and Die Zauberflöte are among
their first issues. TDK offer the most interesting disc under review here
(Bruckner's Eighth Symphony) - although I understand there are UK distribution
problems for new issues on this label. American readers will not take kindly
to the news that this disc, whilst (theoretically) available in the UK on
a Region 2 disc, and in Germany on a Region 0, is only seemingly available
in PAL format, and not NTSC. |
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The advantage of DVD over the video format it is slowly replacing is that
it offers the potential for extra material. To date, classical DVDs, always
more expensive than the mainstream Hollywood blockbusters, have singularly
failed to do this. It was refreshing, therefore, to receive Arthaus' new
disc of Penderecki's Symphony No 7, 'The Seven Gates of Jerusalem' [Arthaus
100 008]. This extraordinary disc not only offers us a definitive performance
of this large scale choral work, but a 60 minute profile of the composer
by Andreas Missler-Morell, a commentary by Penderecki himself on the symphony,
and a 20 minute interview with the composer. If this were not enough, score
plus, successfully used by DG on some of its CD ROM compatible discs, is
here accessible as a subtitle synchronous with the music.
Penderecki at one stage stood between the avant-garde and spiritualism. Threnos,
a politically sharp lament for the victims of Hiroshima, represented the
more modernist Penderecki, but as early as 1960 he was already writing heavily
religious works, The Psalms of David being one of the earliest. The Seventh
Symphony, based on Old Testament texts connected with Jerusalem, is a glorious,
large-scale work that mixes hymnal choruses of staggering mightiness with
poetic, reflective passages whose lyricism stands in direct contrast to the
overall structure of the work. It receives a fine performance with orchestra
and soloists dedicated throughout.
The profile of Penderecki takes us on a journey through the composer's childhood
and adulthood, his inspirations, both under communism and latterly under
a freer Eastern Europe, all interspersed with excerpts from his own music.
It is a revealing documentary of a major composer and with music from Threnos,
The Devils of Loudun and Metamorphosen (the second violin concerto) as
illustrations to Penderecki's work gives us a cogent and universal portrait
of the composer. This disc is highly recommended. |
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Arthaus continue the classical, as opposed to operatic, vein with a fine
concert commemorating the 450th anniversary of the Dresden Staatskapelle
[Arthaus 100 028]. Conducted by Giuseppe Sinopoli, the programme includes
performances of Strauss' Alpine Symphony, Wagner's Overture to Rienzi, Weber's
Jubel Overture and Vivaldi's Concerto di Dresda. Recorded in 1998, the programme
at first seems wildly eccentric but its raison d'être is simply to
allow the great Dresden orchestra to play those works of which it gave the
world premieres when it was originally called the Saxon State Ensemble.
This orchestra gave the first performances of many other works - including
Wagner's Tannhauser and Flying Dutchman, Richard Strauss' Elektra, Salome
and Der Rosenkavalier and, latterly, works by Wolfgang Rihm, Paul Dessau
and Hanns Eisler. Both the Wagner and Strauss pieces on this disc reveal
the opulence of this orchestra - particularly in the strings. Rienzi is given
a truly exciting account, but the honours go to Sinopoli's performance of
the Alpine Symphony - a magnificent, graphic and colour-hewn interpretation.
There are moments when the iciness of the 'on the glacier' section resemble
the frozen fountain of hair that has become Sinopoli's trademark. The storm
itself is effusively done, the fullness of Strauss' orchestration caught
in state of the art sound. Panoramic shots of the Semper Opera (so lovingly
restored after the destruction of Dresden) add to the attractions of this
disc. |
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Operatic discs continue to reflect a shortage of inspiration. Universal's
new batch of releases includes three operas from Met productions dating from
1989 to 1991. Of these, Carmen is the best of the bunch [073 000-9]. It is
an extremely exciting performance, quite beautifully staged and with Agnes
Baltsa and Jose Carreras both somewhere near the peak of their considerable
form. This is, however, traditional fare - no matter how lavishly it may
appear on screen. How people will respond to the Met's 1991 Magic Flute [073
003-9] will depend entirely on the merits, or otherwise, of David Hockney's
stage design. Moving Mozart's opera of freemasonry and fantasy to a hideous
fairy-tale world of grossly costumed caricatures and puppet dragons may be
appealing to some. A chariot pulled by lions, fluffy-felt looking camels,
clouds that resemble iron lungs, and a mountain that looks as if it is made
from boxes dominate in a production that often seems very wide of the mark.
It deflects from a sprightly interpretation (unlike Levine's latter-day Mozart)
and one that is sung with some flair. Luciana Serra, imperious as the Queen
of the Night, sings with considerable beauty of tone, as does Kathleen Battle
as Pamina. Even though James Levine is by no means as gaunt and statuesque
as Klemperer in this opera one constantly craves a little more electricity.
Rather more interesting is Valery Gergiev's Kirov production of Verdi's La
Forza del Destino [Arthaus 100 078]. Recorded in 1998, this production was
based on the original 1862 version which Verdi created specifically for the
St Petersburg premiere. Directed by Elija Moshinsky, this stage production
used sets based on the original performance more than 130 years ago. For
some this may be a drawback, but the results are highly persuasive. The St
Petersburg version deviates quite significantly from the Italian version
(the most commonly staged). Missing here are the turbulent war scenes and
Alvaro's suicide in Act III (here he lives again). What makes this a memorable
performance of one of Verdi's greatest operas is the sheer brilliance of
the cast. As Leonora, Galina Gorchakova is outstanding - giving us a lastingly
memorable 'Pace, pace, mio dio'. Gegam Grigorian, as Alvaro and Nikolai Putilin
as Carlos, are superb adversaries. It is conducted with Gergiev's usual fire
and panache. |
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The TDK issue of Bruckner's Eighth Symphony, recorded at St Florian, and
performed by Pierre Boulez and the Vienna Philharmonic, is a wonderful disc
and the only one of these discs I would unhesitatingly recommend [TDK -
DV-VPOBR]. I am not sure what it is about Bruckner's Eighth that makes it
so attractive to record companies to release on DVD, but this performance,
in a short space of time, is the third performance of this symphony to appear
on this format. Recordings by Zubin Mehta and Carlo Maria Giulini (not with
the Vienna Philharmonic, unfortunately) are, in their own ways, fine readings,
but Boulez's staggering performance leaves them standing at the starting
line.
My own view is that this is not the same performance which Deutsche Grammophon
recently released on CD [DG 459 678-2]. Though Boulez performed the symphony
a number of times over a short period of time, the DG recording has marginally
less electricity to it - suggesting that it was recorded without an audience.
It also appears to be played at slightly faster tempi. The greatness of the
interpretation remains however. This is still an awesome performance of this
Everest of symphonies - as dramatic in the two opening movements as it is
momentous in the final two.
What is now even clearer seeing Boulez conduct the work is how suited the
conductor is to Bruckner's particular sound world. Hardly the most idiomatic
of conductors, Boulez seems to conduct almost antithetically, but he still
achieves a miraculous sense of space and suspense. Grand gestures are clearly
taken up by a Vienna Philharmonic on magnificent form, even if Boulez' actual
beat seems often to verge on the point of deliberate vagueness. The tonal
continuity of this performance is ultimately irresistible.
Played in the actual church that Bruckner was organist, the performance has
an added authenticity that Boulez seems happy to divulge. With scenes of
frescos and skulls interspersed with close ups of the orchestra the sense
of this symphony's epic scale is visibly, as well as aurally, realised.
Included on this DVD is a short interview with Boulez - in German, but with
subtitles. It is not especially revealing (partly due to the rather dense
interviewer, I suspect), but nevertheless gives us an insight into how Bruckner
fits into the pantheon of composers Boulez has championed. There are some
interesting and perceptive comments from Boulez on performing within church
acoustics, but little else that is revelatory or new.
Both Arthaus and TDK seem to have the correct approach to classical DVDs.
Performances which are new to the visual format seem to me to be of much
greater musical and documentary value than previously reissued performances
which are of little or marginal interest. Enhanced picture quality and the
benefits of digital or stereo round sound are not significant virtues when
the performances can often be sterile. This is not to say that Universal's
first releases are unimportant because they are not, just that they do not
correspond to the ideal for the format. Universal do, of course, have quite
some exceptional live performances in their vaults - one thinks of Wagner
operas from Bayreuth or Strauss' Elektra, conducted by Karl Bohm, all of
which I would like to see issued sooner rather than later. They have partially
embraced the ideal of new material with a DVD release of Anne-Sophie Mutter
in Beethoven violin sonatas (and a documentary) and a future release will
include the nine Beethoven symphonies under Abbado.
I suspect that DVD will only take off in a big way if, and when, record companies
or indeed opera companies and orchestras realise the potential that contemporary
performances offer. ENO's recent production of a staged Verdi Requiem seems
ideal fodder for the DVD market (challenging, unique, visually stimulating),
yet I doubt it will ever see the light of day on any visual format. One could
argue that just as pirated performances of opera productions from Bayreuth,
Covent Garden, the Met or elsewhere have offered us an on-the-wings insight
into live performance, and enriched our musical understanding at the same
time, so DVD should offer us the same. This may be the future, and it may
mean that record companies have to put their houses in order to make it happen,
but at the moment it looks like the one lasting hope for the medium of classical
music on DVD. Just as CD buyers have learned to become discriminate in the
market place, buyers of DVDs will also become more and more choosy. Now seems
as good as time as any for record companies to look more carefully at the
DVDs people want to buy.
Marc Bridle
Ratings for DVDs reviewed:
Penderecki - 
Crotchet
£18.99
Dresden Concert -
Crotchet
£18.99
Carmen -
Crotchet
£19.99
Mozart -
Crotchet
£19.99
Verdi -
Crotchet
£24.99
Bruckner - 
Amazon
UK £18.99 |
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