Gustav MAHLER (1860-1911)
Symphony No. 4 in G major (1899-1900)
Hanna-Elisabeth Müller (soprano)
Düsseldorfer Symphoniker/Ádám Fischer
rec. live, 17-21 November 2016, Tonhalle Düsseldorf
Reviewed as a 24/48 download from
eClassical
Pdf booklet does not include sung texts
C-AVI 8553642
[56:48]
It’s Ádám Fischer’s younger brother, Iván, who shines new light on the Fourth, one
of Mahler’s loveliest creations. First up was his 2008 recording with the
Budapest Festival Orchestra (Channel Classics), followed two years later by an equally illuminating
performance with the Concertgebouw as part of the Mahler anniversaries in
2010/11 (RCO Live). Both have a life-renewing radiance and lightness of touch that’s most
refreshing. Not only that, Iván’s chosen soprano, Miah Persson, is a
seasoned Mahlerian whose blend of art and artlessness seems well-nigh
perfect.
There are a number of classic Mahler Fourths; of those, Otto Klemperer’s
with the Philharmonia and Elisabeth Schwarzkopf – included in a superbly
remastered
EMI-Warner
box – sounds as fresh as the day it was made. George Szell and the Cleveland
Orchestra’s CBS-Sony one is still much revered, but even a high-res HDTT
transfer can’t tame the rather fierce 1960s sound. Of more recent recordings
I’ve much admired David Zinman’s Zurich Tonhalle Fourth (RCA-BMG)
and Claudio Abbado’s Lucerne video (Euroarts). In such distinguished company, Markus Stenz (Oehms) and Marc
Albrecht (Pentatone)
would have to be very special in order to compete; for me, they’re not
even in the proverbial ball-park.
As for Ádám Fischer, I know the name but I can’t
recall hearing any of his output. Probably his biggest achievement to date
is the 33-CD box of the complete Haydn symphonies with the Austro-Hungarian
Haydn Orchestra, of which he is both the founder and music director. The
Brilliant Classics
reissue of that Nimbus set was certainly well received on these pages. In
his capacity as chief conductor of the Düsseldorfer Symphoniker, Fischer
has now embarked on a complete Mahler cycle for C-Avi. I plan to review the
first in the series, No. 7, before long.
Back to No. 4, and just how do Fischer and his German band fare? Well, the
opening movement is light of tread and texture – fine pizzicato
playing here – but some passages are a tad untidy. That’s to be expected in
a live recording, although I’m surprised they weren’t ‘patched’ later. Then
again, a few imperfections matter less when the performance is as engaging
as this. Climaxes are nicely proportioned, the orchestra acquit themselves
well, and the clean, very detailed sound – with a surprisingly robust bass
drum – is just fine. I was a bit cool about this reading at the outset, but
such are its incidental delights that I soon thawed.
The wie ein Fiedel violin solo in the scherzo is attractively done,
although one could argue that Fischer takes the score’s ohne Hast a
bit too literally at times. And then there’s the occasional – but very
noticeable – ‘reining in’ of the orchestra that’s slightly off-putting.
Happily, he makes amends with a glowing account of the third movement that
finds the strings and woodwinds hushed and suitably intense. Most
important, that long Mahlerian line is left pretty much intact, and there’s
no sense of empty rhetoric when the tuttis arrive. I was also pleased to
hear the timpanist’s hard sticks used to such thrilling and emphatic effect
in that crowing climax.
The child-heaven finale is a hard one to pull off. Not only does it demand
the right voice, it also requires a fine ear for colour, nuance and rhythm.
The German soprano Hanna-Elisabeth Müller, whose operatic roles include
Gretel and Zerlina, is certainly child-like here; hers is not a big voice –
she’s a bit far back as well – but it’s seamless and secure. Yes,
Schwarzkopf and Persson are more characterful and their diction is better,
but Müller is pleasing nonetheless. As for the playing, it’s light and
luminous, and even though Fischer is a little deliberate towards the end
the overall effect is convincing enough. There’s no applause.
Not a giant-killer, but not a pygmy either; a most enjoyable Mahler Fourth.
Dan Morgan
