Sergei RACHMANINOV (1873-1943)
Complete Symphonies and Orchestral Works
CD 1
Symphony No. 1 in D minor, Op. 13 [42:49]
Youth Symphony in D minor [13:57]
CD 2
Symphony No. 2 in E minor, Op. 27 [59:59]
Caprice Bohémien, Op. 12 [16:43]
CD 3
Symphony No. 3 in A minor, Op. 44 [39:04]
Symphonic Poem ‘The Isle of the Dead’, Op. 29 [20:01]
Vocalise, Op. 34 No. 14 [6:13]
CD 4
Symphonic Dances, Op. 45 [34:30]
Fantasy ‘The Rock’ Op. 7 [13:43]
Symphonic Poem ‘Prince Rostislav’ [15:43]
CD 5
‘Aleko’ - Excerpts [10:02]
Five Études tableaux, orch. Respighi [21:27]
Scherzo in D minor [4:56]
Sydney Symphony Orchestra/Vladimir Ashkenazy
rec. 31 October - 22 November 2007 (Session and live) Concert Hall of the
Sydney Opera House. DSD
EXTON EXCL-00018 [5 CDs: 56:56 + 76:52 + 65:36 + 64:10 + 40:39]
When he took up conducting - in the 1970s if I remember correctly - among
Vladimir Ashkenazy’s first recordings were a highly regarded Sibelius
symphony cycle with the Philharmonia and an equally well-received series of
recordings of Rachmaninov’s orchestral works with what was then the
Concertgebouw. All these recordings were made for Decca.
Over the years Ashkenazy’s conducting activities have increased and
there has been a diminution of his work as a concert pianist, though I believe
the reduction in his appearances as a pianist is due chiefly to the onset
of arthritis, which is a great shame. He’s developed associations with
several orchestras, including the Sydney Symphony Orchestra, of which he became
Principal Conductor and Artistic Advisor in 2009. Prior to that appointment
he had led the orchestra in a festival of music by Rachmaninov in 2007, of
which this collection of CDs is the fruit. A subsequent Elgar festival in
2008 resulted in a further series of discs, which I’ll be reviewing
shortly. All Rachmaninov’s major orchestral works are here, though The
Bells is a notable and regrettable absentee
Ashkenazy has been a distinguished Rachmaninov pianist and I’d say that,
on the evidence of these discs, he’s equally successful in conveying
through the baton the spirit of the Russian master’s music. By coincidence
while I was appraising these discs I had the opportunity to review
a concert in which Ashkenazy directed a very good account of Rachmaninov’s
Second Symphony and in general I think he obtains similarly good results here.
The recordings are described as being “session and live”. That
suggests perhaps quite a bit of editing but I didn’t detect any conspicuous
edits and the performances cohere. Nonetheless, it seems clear that we’re
not hearing genuinely live concert performances. There is no audience noise
and the recorded sound is consistently first rate.
The collection opens with a good account of the First Symphony. This is music
that needs to be played with conviction, for it does have some weaknesses.
The requisite conviction is present here. There’s good vigour in I,
though the slower, wistful music, which is first heard from around 2:50, is
played delicately and with feeling. The slow movement is atmospheric and the
increased broodiness of the music (from 3:03) comes across well. The finale
is powerfully projected.
In the Second Symphony Rachmaninov reveals himself as a much more accomplished
symphonist. This Sydney performance is a good one - Ashkenazy seems to have
the music in his blood and directs with conviction. I enjoyed this reading
very much and would rank it not far behind André Previn’s magnificent,
benchmark EMI recording with the LSO made in 1973 (review),
which is saying something. Ashkenazy obtains a driving account of II and the
lyrical sections of this movement are warmly phrased. The principal clarinettist
makes a very persuasive job of the great solo at the beginning of III, though
Jack Brymer’s voicing and phrasing of this deeply expressive song for
Previn is something rather special. In this movement - and, indeed, throughout
the symphony - the SSO plays ardently; the strings bring weight and sweep
to their long phrases while the woodwind section also offers distinguished
playing.
The Third Symphony is another success. Ashkenazy leads a gripping, dramatic
account of I, in which Rachmaninov’s vivid orchestral colours are well
brought out. The mood of nostalgia that permeates much of II is nicely conveyed
by Ashkenazy. The composer was surely recollecting his homeland and is it
fanciful to note that the interpreter here is another musician long exiled
from Russia? The central scherzo section of this movement is dispatched with
panache. The finale features strong rhythms and in this exciting account the
Sydney players demonstrate admirable rhythmic vitality. They also make the
most of the several lyrical episodes. I think this is a fine rendition of
this symphony.
In a “blind
tasting” a few months ago on MusicWeb International Ashkenazy’s
Concertgebouw recording of The Isle of the Dead came out pretty
well. His Sydney remake is impressive too. From the start he distils a potent,
doom-laden atmosphere. He builds the tension well up to 7:58 and thereafter
the extended climax is delivered powerfully. This is a deeply impressive performance.
I also liked his Symphonic Dances, even if this performance doesn’t
surpass the magnificent Vasily Petrenko version (review).
The gorgeous, deeply nostalgic theme in I that’s first heard on the
saxophone is presented yearningly by the Sydney orchestra under Ashkenazy’s
idiomatic guidance. One senses that the musicians are fully in tune with the
ebb and flow of this wonderfully melancholic theme. The more extrovert, energetic
passages that bookend the melancholic section are delivered with panache.
The spectral waltz in II is invested with a fine sweep while the whole of
the final dance is gripping and exciting. If released separately this would
be a leading recommendation for this fine work.
But that last comment leads me to what may be a major obstacle for some collectors.
The remaining pieces in the set are all played very well indeed but they are
less important works than those mentioned in the preceding paragraphs. I imagine
these works acted as “fillers” in the various concerts and their
inclusion in this set, whilst by no means unwelcome, makes the set a substantial
and expensive proposition. In fact, I did a quick calculation and it would
have been perfectly feasible to fit all the music in the set onto four CDs
by including Respighi’s vibrant orchestrations of the five Études
tableaux on disc one and the Aleko items onto either disc three
or disc four. Recently I’ve seen this set offered by a UK mail order
retailer for just under seventy pounds sterling. Whilst it’s undeniable
that the quality of the performances is consistently high, this is pricey.
I hope that before too long the discs will be released individually with the
content reordered, perhaps, allowing those collectors for whom price is an
issue to select the performances they want.
However, having registered the caveat about price, the set represents a fine
achievement. The Sydney Symphony Orchestra turns in performances that are
consistently excellent and Ashkenazy himself displays a fine feeling for Rachmaninov’s
music, leading the performances in a very idiomatic way. When one adds in
the fact that the recorded sound is extremely fine then this is a most attractive
package. The quality of this set suggests that the partnership between Ashkenazy
and the Sydney Symphony may turn out to be very fruitful.
John Quinn
A most attractive collection of Rachmaninov’s orchestral music.