Symphony No. 4 (arr. Erwin Stein) [53:43]
Claude DEBUSSY (1862-1918)
Prélude à l’après-midi d’un faune (arr. Bruno Sachs) [10:39]
Sónia Grané (soprano)
Royal Academy of Music Soloists Ensemble/Trevor Pinnock
rec. St George’s, Brandon Hill, Bristol, 16-18 February 2012
no text included
LINN CKD438 SACD [64:38]
The Society for Private Musical Performances was set up in 1918 in
Vienna by Arnold Schoenberg for reasons both idealistic and extremely
practical. Its essential aim was to provide the opportunity to hear
new music under conditions which would ensure that performances were
properly rehearsed and where those who might be hostile in advance
to the music - including critics - would be excluded. Given the Society’s
small size and budget works for orchestra were presented in keyboard
arrangements or re-scored for a smaller ensemble. This disc presents
two works in the latter form.
The Mahler Symphony was scored by the composer for an orchestra which
excludes trombones but includes triple woodwind (but four flutes).
Although it had been performed in Vienna soon after its composition
in 1900 by 1921 difficult economic circumstances meant that opportunities
to hear live performances were likely to be rare. Erwin Stein, one
of Schoenberg’s composition pupils, produced an arrangement
for fourteen instruments. This has been lost but a copy of the original
score annotated by Stein to make the reduction has been used by Alexander
Platt to produce a reconstruction. The result is necessarily much
leaner than Mahler’s original, but this has the advantage of
clearer textures and subsidiary lines that are much easier to follow.
At times it sounds reminiscent of Schoenberg’s Chamber Symphony
No. 1 and even more of Strauss’s Ariadne auf Naxos. Elsewhere
there is a distinct echo of salon orchestras - Marek Weber comes often
to mind. Overall, hearing it is a fascinating experience which adds
much to one’s understanding of the original work.
There is nothing new in conductors best known in classical and pre-classical
music moving on to later works. Nikolaus Harnoncourt, Sir John Eliot
Gardiner and Sir Roger Norrington have all shown how their knowledge
of earlier music together with imagination and musicianship can produce
stunning and original results. Trevor Pinnock now joins that group
with performances which make the most of the additional space around
the notes which Stein’s arrangement provides. He follows Mahler’s
very detailed directions in respect of phrasing and changes of speed
with great care. Possibly too much, indeed. At times in the first
movement some of those changes of speed seemed imposed rather than
arising directly from the music itself as can be the case with good
performances of the original version. Overall however this is a performance
to treasure, crowned by a delightfully natural account of the soprano
solo in the last movement by Sónia Grané.
The Debussy arrangement is here attributed to Bruno Sachs rather than
Schoenberg, although the booklet remarks that the latter would have
given careful advice to whoever was working on the score. Similar
comments about its merits apply here as to the Mahler but with greater
surprise. I had thought that the singular character of this work was
to a large extent a result of the scoring, but its original character
survives here even with the orchestra greatly reduced. As with the
Mahler much of the success is due to the committed and characterful
playing of the Royal Academy of Music Soloists Ensemble and to Trevor
Pinnock’s care over balance and phrasing.
The clarity of the recording is remarkable, and Linn have provided
admirable notes whilst regrettably omitting the text and a translation
of the verses from Des Knaben Wunderhorn that form the last
movement of the symphony. This is one of the most enlightening and
enjoyable Mahler discs I have heard for a long time. The booklet hints
at further discs exploring chamber arrangements of the symphonic repertoire.
On the basis of this very successful disc that is a very exciting
prospect.
John Sheppard
Performances to treasure.
Masterwork Index: Mahler
4
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