Ludwig van BEETHOVEN (1770-1827)
Symphony No. 9 in D Minor, Op. 125 Choral (1824) [63:23]
Christiane Karg (soprano), Mihoko Fujimura (mezzo), Michael Schade (tenor), Michael Volle (baritone)
Chor und Symphonieorchester des Bayerischen Rundfunks/Mariss Jansons
rec. 1 December 2012, Suntory Hall, Tokyo, Japan
BR KLASSIK 900139 [63:23]
The usual order of things is to bring together single disc
releases into a subsequent and more economical box set. Mariss Jansons’
Beethoven symphonic cycle with extra Reflections by contemporary
composers reverses that pattern. It was released complete in 2013, and is
now appearing on single-disc releases at pretty much full price. With acclaim
for these recordings on their original appearance BR Klassik clearly sees
them as having plenty more mileage.
Unlike the other discs this Ninth Symphony appears as a stand-alone
work, without a complementary modern piece. There would have been room for
an overture or choral prelude of some kind however, and one has to see the
empty space as a missed opportunity. There used to be a time when Beethoven’s
‘Choral’ was seen as the perfect work for your standard CD, but
Jansons’ brisk overall timing is comparable with that of Riccardo Chailly
with the Gewandhausorchester on Decca (see review)
who comes in at 62:51. Allow for about 30 seconds of applause with Jansons’
recordings and there’s hardly a cigarette paper between them. Jansons
is tighter in the second Molto vivace – Presto movement but
a touch broader in the outer movements. By way of orientation, Herbert von
Karajan’s 1962 recording for Deutsche Grammophon is 67:01 minutes and
in 1977 there is little change at 66:54. Jansons doesn’t sound hurried,
but things move along apace in the Adagio molto e cantabile. While
this makes for nicely shaped music without indulgent lingering it may be a
few touches faster than you are used to.
Much is made of the acoustics of the Suntory Hall in Tokyo, but to make a
lovely sound you still have to push the air around in the best possible way,
and Jansons has his Symphonieorchester des Bayerischen Rundfunks pushing in
all the right directions. Intonation is almost invariably good, and the balance
between strings, winds, brass and percussion is beautifully integrated. The
booklet has a photo taken at the end of the concert and you can see violins
placed antiphonally left and right, cellos and violas sharing the middle and
double-basses to the left. This all works admirably, with nice spaciousness
as well as that close-knit, almost chamber music feel you want from the more
intimate sections of this work.
The vocal soloists are all very good in this performance. Baritone Michael
Volle lingers a little over his opening recitative O Freunde but
is by no means as hammy as some versions I’ve heard. Tenor Michael Schade
is a bit shouty in Froh, wie seine Sonnen fliegen but pre-echoes
the dramatic emphasis in the orchestral passagework that follows. The vocal
ensemble work is operatic, but works well in the generally extrovert atmosphere
Jansons creates in these sections. The chorus is not particularly forward
in the recorded balance but has enough presence to make its impact felt, and
its best moments have a truly magical atmosphere. Of the entire symphony,
this finale is the most ‘live’ sounding in its energy and excitement,
communicating a real sense of triumph of the human spirit. The cheers and
applause at the end certainly feel well-earned.
The sung text is given in the booklet for this release, as it apparently was
not in that for the box set. Like so many truly great pieces of music, finding
a definitive Beethoven Ninth is always going to be something of a
fool’s errand. I stand by my admiration for Jan Willem de Vriend with
the Netherlands Symphony Orchestra (review)
on Challenge Classics, and there are numerous great recordings to be found
of this arguably flawed but famously fabulous masterpiece. For a live performance
Mariss Jansons is certainly amongst the front runners. You won’t feel
yourself short-changed in investing in this particular recording.
Dominy Clements
Previous review (complete symphonies): Michael
Cookson
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