Symphony No. 2 in D major, Op. 73 [40:47]
Leoš JANÁČEK (1854-1928)
Glagolitic Mass (1926, final version 1928) [43:25]
Tatiana Monogarova (soprano), Marina Prudenskaja (mezzo), Ludovít Ludha (tenor), Peter Mikuláš (bass); Iveta Apkalna (organ); Peter Dijkstra (chorus master)
Chor und Symphonieorchester des Bayerischen Rundfunks/Mariss Jansons
rec. live, 31 March 2012, KKL Concert Hall, Lucerne, Switzerland
Video director: Michael Beyer
Sound Formats: PCM Stereo; DTS-HD Master Audio 5.0;
Picture Format: 16:9; Region Code: worldwide; Resolution: 1080i High Definition
Subtitles: GB, DE, FR, Kor (Glagolitic Mass)
ARTHAUS MUSIK BLU-RAY 108 080 [88:00]
This highly appealing Blu-Ray disc from Arthaus contains two works
filmed in concert at the annual Lucerne Easter Festival last year.
The world class Symphonieorchester des Bayerischen Rundfunks under
their chief conductor Mariss Jansons are joined in the Glagolitic
Mass by a quartet of Slovak/Russian soloists and the Chor des
Bayerischen Rundfunks quite superbly prepared by Peter Dijkstra.
Opening the concert is the Brahms Symphony No. 2,composed
in 1877 just one year after his First Symphony. This D major work
was written swiftly mainly during a summer holiday in Pörtschach
on Wörthersee Lake, Austria a resort that had become a favourite
holiday destination. After completing the score in Lichtenthal near
Baden-Baden, Brahms wrote modestly to a friend, “I don't
know whether I have a pretty symphony. I must inquire of learned persons!”
It was Hans Richer who conducted the première in Vienna with
the Philharmonic in 1877.
Jansons and his players are steeped in the music of Brahms. It has
been a mainstay of the orchestra since its foundation. Sometimes referred
to as Brahms’ Pastoral Jansons’s endearing reading
radiates an airy freshness and quiet contentment. Here we encounter
an abundance of lyricism and romantic expression coupled with buoyant
textures; never dragging or feeling heavy. A slightly more seriousness
side is revealed in the brooding slow movement. The Scherzo
has some remarkably vibrant playing especially from the glowing woodwinds.
The opening oboe solo is notable. In the closing Allegro con spirito
there’s a robust sense of Alpine freshness. The work is ended
in a majestic manner with trumpets and trombones finally letting gloriously
loose in the last few pages.
Janáček’s major contribution to Christian ecclesiastical
music is his Glagolitic Mass for soloists, chorus, orchestra
and organ. Janáček reached back to Old Church Slavonic
script (Glagolitic), the earliest written Slavic language dating from
medieval times. Here it could be said that Janáček was
highlighting the communion between the Slavic peoples and displaying
his patriotic desire for national independence. In five sung movements
the body of the mass is preceded by a fanfare Introduction
and ends with an organ solo followed by a concluding Intrada.
It was good to have Jansons conducting the Mass. It’s a work
that I rarely see programmed, although I am due to attend a Berlin
performance by Sir Simon Rattle next week at the Philharmonie. In
the Úvod (Introduction) the impressive brass fanfares
strongly reminded me of the stirringly lyrical opening of his Sinfonietta.
The assured entrance of the chorus intoning the words ‘Lord
has mercy on us’ in the Gospodi pomiluj (Kyrie)
feels just perfect. Poised Moscow-born soprano Tatiana Monogarova
enters with the words ‘Christ have mercy on us’.
She shows clear enunciation and matches this with convincing reverence.
Right from his first entry in the Slava (Gloria) with
the words ‘Thou, who is seated at the right hand of the father’
I was struck by the wholehearted contribution of Slovakian tenor Ludovít
Ludha. He sings with such vivid clarity and compelling piety. In the
especially dark and threatening CredoSlovak bass Peter Mikuláš
is in firm and secure voice for the words ‘and the life of
the world to come’. There is some glorious music in this
movement especially the stunning episode for low strings. A master-stroke
in the Credo is the fairly short organ solo played by Latvian
Iveta Apkalna.
Opening with a lovely solo violin the wonderful yet highly challenging
Svet (Sanctus) with its layers of repeated motifs for
the instrumental groups is played with unforced vibrancy. Marina Prudenskaja
the Russian mezzo has little to sing in this work which is a pity
as her singing is noticeably rich in tone when it comes to ‘blessed
is he who comes in the name of the Lord’. Her contribution
may be modest but it is telling. The final sung movement Agneče
Božij (Agnus Dei) feels sinister and is heavy with
dark foreboding. Here the Bavarian chorus and bass Mikuláš
singing ‘Lamb of God thou takest away the sins of the world’.
It’s a splendid example of reverential expression. Making a
real impact in the penultimate movement Varhany sólo
(Postludium), a dazzling showpiece for solo organ, is Iveta
Apkalna’s glowing and commanding playing. The final movement
Intrada (Exodus) has Jansons bringing the score to a
jubilant close dominated by timpani and brass.
Michael Beyer, the video director, deploys a splendid, crisp colour
palette and the performance starts quickly without lots of irritating
pre-concert activity. The cameras certainly don’t linger long
in any particular area and in that respect interest is engaged and
held. My main problem is that the camera often tends to concentrate
extremely closely on individual players when it would have been more
appropriate to show groups of instruments. I’m unsure if Beyer
had sufficient cameras at his disposal as some additional camera angles
would have helped; for example, the lack of shots of the male choir
is conspicuous.
The sound formats PCM Stereo and DTS-HD Master Audio 5.0 are quite
superb conveying an agreeable sound perspective and plenty of orchestral
detail together with an agreeable balance. The organ solo must have
been difficult to capture but it is superbly put across.
In the Glagolitic Mass the English subtitles were adequate
although, I would have left them on screen longer when being repeated
and also being used by different groups. The accompanying booklet
has a decent essay but no separate sung texts and translations.
All round these are winning performances.
Michael Cookson
Winning performances.
Masterwork Index: Brahms
symphony 2
Support
us financially by purchasing this disc from |
|
 |
 |
 |
 |