Ludwig van BEETHOVEN (1770-1827)
Music for Goethe’s Tragedy Egmont, Op.84 (1809-10) [47.44]
Leonore, Act II: Introduction, WoO 2b, Hess 117 (1805 version) [2.47]
Six Minuets, WoO 10 (1796) (reconstructed Franz Beyer for orchestra, 1982) [14.11]
Triumphal March for the Tragedy Tarpeja by Kuffner, WoO 2a, Hess 117 (1813) [3.01]
Funeral March for Friedrich Duncker’s Leonore Prohaska, WoO96 (1815) [6.18]
Matti Salminen (bass/narrator)
Kaisa Ranta (soprano)
Turku Philharmonic Orchestra/Leif Segerstam
rec. 2018, Turku Concert Hall, Turku, Finland
NAXOS 8.573956 [74.24]
Beethoven’s Music for Egmont, Goethe’s tragedy about Count Egmont’s struggle in the Netherlands, is too little known, apart from the Overture. Yet Goethe’s play plumbs many depths of human emotion, and Beethoven treats it with some of his most solemn music. There is a weight to his chording and instrumentation to match both the verse and the dark subject matter. Lamoral, Count of Egmont (1522-1568) was beheaded by order of the Duke of Alva, an execution which would spark widespread opposition to Spanish rule in the Netherlands. In the play, romantic (and Romantic) interest focuses on Klärchen, mistress to Egmont, who fails to prevent his execution, and commits suicide. (In reality, Egmont’s wife fled to a convent with the 11 survivors of their 13 children).
The issue from Naxos joins several recent contenders. Whether it is a consequence of Beethoven’s 250th anniversary is neither here nor there: Egmont is a significant work in Beethoven’s development and renewed interest is welcome indeed. Great works are open to many interpretations. There are substantial new performances from Dirk Kaftan (former musical director at Graz, and a fine musician) with his Beethoven Orchestra, Bonn (MDG 9372111-6) and from Aapo Häkinnen with the Helsinki Baroque Orchestra (period instruments on Ondine ODE1331-2). Each has its own virtues, byt Segerstam’s recording is, in its own way, a substantial addition to the catalogue. I suspect it may become my go-to benchmark.
Leif Segerstam’s interpretation is a solid one, traditional in the European tradition, using the resources of a modern orchestra. It is forthright, rhythmically secure, clear and attentive to detail, with a firm sense of structure and organisation. In places I was reminded of Klemperer’s recording of extracts from the late 1950’s, though Kaisa Ranta is a more youthful and charming Klärchen than was Birgit Nilsson in her sterling but somewhat matronly portrayal. Segerstam has, as Klemperer had, a wonderful sense of onward motion and a forward balance to the orchestra. The result is gripping: this is muscular music, given its full heft.
Neither Kaftan nor Häkinnen has any accompanying works: at 45 minutes for the former, and 52 for the latter, some might consider their recordings a little short in value. Segerstam offers some substantial makeweights from works without opus numbers, including Beyer’s charming reconstruction of the Six Minuets. Segerstam and the Turku Philharmonic provide slightly serious but delightful performances of these, capturing some of the elegance of the dance. I was very impressed by the middle period Funeral March. I don’t think I had ever heard it before, and it was a real treat to make its acquaintance.
Production values are very high, with full texts and translations not only of the arias but also the narration in the booklet (no messing about with downloading texts) and careful recording values.
Michael Wilkinson
