RECORDING OF THE MONTH
Johann STRAUSS (1825-1899)
Waltzes, Polkas and Overtures
Tritsch-Tratsch-Polka, op.214 (1858) [2:48]
Die Fledermaus - Overture (1873) [8:28]
Csárdás (from: Die Fledermaus) (1873) [4:42]
Nordseebilder-Walzer, op.390 (1879) [9:25]
Im Sturmschritt - Polka Schnell, op.348 (1871) [2:17]
Neue Pizzicato-Polka, op.449 (1892) [2:56]
Perpetuum Mobile - ein Musikalischer Scherz (revised version), op.257ii (1881) [2:51]
Frühlingsstimmen-Walzer, op.410 (1883) [6:42]
Der Zigeunerbaron - Overture (1884) [8:07]
An der Schönen Blauen Donau - Walzer, op.314 (1866) [10:53]
Egyptischer Marsch, op.335 (1869) [5:11]
Éljen a Magyar! - Schnell-Polka, op.332 (1869) [2:52]
Furioso Polka, Quasi Galopp, op.260 (1861) [2:34]
Anima Eterna Brugge/Jos van Immerseel
rec. L'Arsenal, Metz, France, September 1999. DDD
OUTHERE REWIND REW505 [59:35]
There are already countless recordings of Johann Strauss to suit all tastes;
even those with very little are well catered for, as the current phenomenal
success of André Rieu's Johann Strauss Orchestra testifies. Historically
informed performances like these, from Belgium's excellent Anima Eterna under
Jos van Immerseel, are much rarer. With over 25 years experience together,
Immerseel and his ensemble are better known for more 'serious' repertoire,
like their numerous period-instrument recordings for ZigZag of French composers,
such as Debussy (ZZT313), Poulenc (ZZT110403), Berlioz (ZZT100101) or Ravel
(ZZT060901). This is not to forget their core Austro-German repertory, such
as complete symphony cycles of Beethoven (ZZT0804026) and Schubert (ZZT308)
and numerous discs of Haydn and Mozart. By coincidence, incidentally, ZigZag
(actually part of the Outhere stable) have just released a 6-CD box set of
a selection of those Mozart recordings, including several of the violin sonatas
where Immerseel is pianist.
Immerseel does not hold with the common prejudice against Johann Strauss's
music, a perception only aggravated by the candy-floss/hum-along renditions
of André Rieu. Brahms, Richard Strauss and Schoenberg all held Strauss's
music in high regard, and whilst it would be wrong to ascribe any great profundity
to it, it is also reasonable to argue that subsequent snobbishness is based
on 20th-century interpretation, itself arising from the misrepresentation
of Strauss by various publishers. A perusal of a random selection of the massive
available discography confirms this: a morass of turgid, syrupy renditions
that pay little heed to Strauss's original ideals or even scores.
For this recording Anima Eterna makes use of a recent critical edition of
the composer's works published by Bärenreiter. The resultant sound, whilst
obviously still retaining Strauss's inherent terpsichorean mellifluousness,
has less of the Photoshopped Viennese cake-emporium about it. Immerseel instead
comes up with a more low-fat, raw-ingredient recipe - most significantly a
reduced string section - that allows the individual flavours to be savoured.
This is self-evident in the csárdás from Die Fledermaus,
with its genuine Hungarian folk-coloured introduction and ending. It can also
be heard in the heightened atmospherics of the Egyptian March, which,
if it came from many another's pen, would surely feature regularly on more
serious bills.
The programme would need the Emperor Waltz and Vienna Blood
at least to be considered a 'best of' selection, but the several works that
will be familiar to most listeners - the Tritsch-Tratsch Polka, Frühlingsstimmen
('Voices of Spring') and especially the Blue Danube waltz and Fledermaus
overture - all come across as fresh and vivid, rather than the knackered warhorses
the New Year's Day concert at Vienna threatens to turn them into. The Perpetuum
Mobile and Furioso Polka can be heard for what they are - models
for the next generation of 'light music' classics by Eric Coates, Ronald Binge,
Vivian Ellis and others.
No one can accuse Outhere, incidentally, of not making an effort to sell this
recording: the present disc was released previously on ZigZag in 2006 and
2002, each time with a different cover. Aside from the sheer quality of the
music-making, the audio is very good - a recorded sound from fourteen years
ago that knocks spots off many recent releases. Engineering as it should be!
The French-English booklet notes are also valuable, giving not just Immerseel's
account of the development of this Strauss project, and a description of the
origins of the individual works, but an interesting discussion of the facts
and fiction of nineteenth century dance music by Edith Lalonger and Patrick
Nollio, dancers with whom Immerseel collaborated to get the rhythms of Strauss's
music as authentic as possible.
In sum, this is one of the finest recordings of Johann Strauss ever made,
a worthy tribute to a superb melodist and an inspired orchestrator.
Byzantion
Collected reviews and contact at artmusicreviews.co.uk
One of the finest recordings of Johann Strauss ever made.
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