Anton BRUCKNER (1824-1896)
Symphony No. 2 (1871-72; 1877 version; Nowak edition)
Northern Sinfonia/Mario Venzago
rec. 22-25 November 2011, The Sage, Gateshead
CPO 777 735-2 [56:30]
It is probably true that the Second Symphony is unlikely to achieve the fame
and popularity - if that is an appropriate word to use in relation to Bruckner
- of the later symphonies. Having said that, it is a substantial work lasting
more than an hour. It has a magnificent sweep of concentration, a characteristic
that is well delivered in this performance. What is lacking is that sense
of epic scale that Bruckner created as he grew older and more experienced
and which can be heard assertively in symphonies such as the Seventh, Eighth
and Ninth. He did however return to the score of the Second later on and made
revisions; Venzago has opted for the 1877 version.
Bruckner composed his Symphony No. 2 between October 1871 and September 1872.
He made various revisions before the first performance, given on 26 October
1873, when he conducted the Vienna Philharmonic. Then he made other changes
for a performance in 1876, and yet more in 1877 and 1892. William Carragan’s
2005 critical edition for the Bruckner Society attempts to come as close as
possible to the original of 1872. The score calls for two each of flutes,
oboes, clarinets, and bassoons, four horns, two trumpets, three trombones,
timpani, and strings.
Mario Venzago has recorded several Bruckner symphonies in this cycle for CPO,
the other orchestras thus far being the Tapiola
Sinfonietta and the Basle
Symphony. His relationship with the Northern Sinfonia as principal conductor
led to this recording. It was made recently at The Sage, Gateshead. Employing
what is essentially a chamber orchestra in Bruckner may lead to a few raised
eyebrows. That said, Thomas Dausgaard has successfully conducted the Danish
Chamber Orchestra in this symphony (BIS-SACD-1829). As we can now hear, the
fluency of Bruckner’s invention is well represented by a more lyrical
approach which seems to be released by chamber forces.
Perhaps the issue is that we tend too readily to consider the early Bruckner
symphonies from the wrong direction, from the perspective of the great masterpieces
from later in his life, rather than from the inheritance of Austro-German
symphonies from the previous generation, for example Mendelssohn and Schumann.
Venzago’s interpretation certainly puts these issues on the agenda,
and the music is none the worse for it. That said, it is a little surprising
that he did not opt for the first version of the score which has been so lovingly
recreated by William Carragan. To hear that try Georg Tintner’s Naxos
recording with the National Symphony Orchestra of Ireland (8.554006)
or as part of a Naxos boxed set (review
review).
Venzago allows vibrato only sparingly and this gives the music a special urgency
and a natural intimacy when the dynamic is restrained. In what appears to
be same edition of the score his 56 minutes knocks a full seven minutes off
the timing achieved by Otmar Suitner in the latter’s terrific live performance
with the NHK Orchestra in Tokyo (King International KKC 2009-10). Venzago’s
approach is equally valid, and once either performance begins the listener
is drawn in and the music sounds as though it could not possibly be otherwise.
Anyone acquiring this well engineered new recording of the symphony will likely
find its lighter style hugely satisfying, and it certainly does justice to
Bruckner’s vision.
Terry Barfoot