Mieczysław WEINBERG (1919-1996)
Suite for Orchestra (1950) [19:08]
Symphony no.17, ‘Memory’, op.137 (1982-4) [45:41]
Siberian State Symphony Orchestra/Vladimir Lande
rec. Jul 7-14 2015 at Krosnyarsk Philharmonic Great Hall, Krasnoyarsk City, Russia
NAXOS 8.573565 [64.49]
Mieczysław Weinberg – whose music was virtually
unknown in the West until quite recently – composed, despite the incredible
difficulty of the circumstances of his life, an enormous amount of music,
including seventeen string quartets and no less than twenty-six symphonies,
which puts him, in sheer prolificity among twentieth century symphonists close
to Myaskovsky (27), but lagging somewhat behind Havergal Brian (32). Outstanding
among Weinberg’s symphonies is the trilogy made up of the seventeenth,
eighteenth and nineteenth symphonies, collectively entitled On the Threshold
of War. This refers to what is known in Russia as The Great Patriotic
War, or, in other words, World War Two.
So here we have no.17, ‘Memory’; it is a four-movement work with
what might be thought a relatively conventional profile. But the way Weinberg
handles the symphonic form and his material is, in all aspects, highly personal,
and it is an unquestionably powerful statement. The movements are: an opening
slow movement - Adagio sostenuto - of great intensity; then a fast,
furious and lengthy Allegro molto; a much shorter Allegro molto,
pesante; and another long movement, marked Andante, to complete
the work.
There is, as far as I can ascertain, only one other recording of this symphony,
that of a 2013 concert performance by the Vienna Symphony Orchestra under
Vladimir Fedoseyev. Though that is a committed performance, the sound is rather
‘raw’, and orchestral ensemble is often rough round the edges.
The Siberian State Symphony Orchestra, on the Naxos recording, plays well,
even if the strings do lack the bloom of a really top-class outfit. The recording
is extremely well-balanced, so that wonderful moments, such as the entry of
the harpsichord in the second movement, make the maximum impact. In fact,
I found this the finest movement of the four; Weinberg constructs the movement
so consistently from the various melodic motifs, and the scoring, particularly
its use of the two keyboard instruments – piano and harpsichord –
is outstandingly atmospheric. The way it eventually resolves into a searing
elegy for the high strings is compelling, as is the sense of disintegration
at its close.
This is certainly an impressive work, which deserves a distinguished place
among the great World War Two symphonies – Vaughan Williams 6, Prokofiev
6, Shostakovich 7 and 8, Copland 3 and Honegger’s Symphonie Liturgique,
to name a few of the best known. Inevitably not the most cheerful piece, and
some will find it grim. I would prefer the word ‘bracing’, for
Weinberg maintains the concentration and the symphonic argument strongly throughout
the work’s forty-five minute duration.
But it is demanding, which is why it was such a good idea to begin the CD
with something as hugely entertaining as the little Suite for Orchestra of
1950. This is pure delight, and I’d be very surprised if this piece
was not now taken up by other orchestras (this is the first recording). The
opening Romance has a gorgeously lachrymose theme, first heard in
the trumpet, while the Humoresque has deliciously light scoring. The spirit
of Shostakovich hovers very close; Weinberg’s third movement recreates
perfectly the mood of those haunted and very Russian waltzes found in both
of the older composer’s Jazz Suites.
An impressive and enjoyable disc then. And one other thing; we don’t
often credit the writers of booklet notes, so I wanted to mention the exemplary
notes provided for this issue by Richard Whitehouse. Genuinely helpful and
informative, unlike some writers who sometimes appear simply to want to blind
us with their musicological ‘insights’. After all, how many of
us want - or need – to know what key the music modulates to in bar 63
etcetera, etcetera?
Gwyn Parry-Jones
Previous review:
Rob Barnett
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