Ludwig van BEETHOVEN (1770-1827)
Symphony No. 4 in D major, Op. 36 (1806) [34:43]
Symphony No. 6 in F major, Op. 68, Pastoral (1807-1808) [41:30]
London Symphony Orchestra/Bernard Haitink
rec. live, 21-22 November 2005 (4); 26-27 November 2005 (6), The Barbican, London.
ALTO ALC1388 [74:22]
In the mid-2000s Bernard Haitink conducted a Beethoven symphony cycle with the LSO. Those performances were issued on the orchestra’s own label and then in a 6 SACD/CD set, LSO0598 with the Triple Concerto and Overture Leonora no. 2. My colleague John Quinn reported on Symphonies 2 and 6 and Symphony 7 coupled with the Triple concerto.
The set, which I purchased in 2012, retails around £25 and is still available, as are the individual CDs. In November last year Mr Quinn reviewed Symphony No. 9 “Choral” reissued on Alto and gave it a very favourable review, describing it as excellent. With the present CD, Alto serve up two of the “even numbered” symphonies and give us a chance to reappraise in Beethoven’s anniversary year. As things turn out, it is an opportunity to purchase fine recordings of these wonderful works.
Robert Schumann is said to have called Beethoven’s Fourth Symphony “a slender Greek maiden between two Norse giants” and I’ve always felt that it was in danger of being overlooked, compared to No. 3 Eroica and No. 5. Recordings that I particularly value are late Bruno Walter in stereo with the Columbia Symphony Orchestra (Sony), and Karajan’s Berlin 1962 performance (DG); Karajan was always excellent in this work. Haitink here is in the same class. Quite simply this is a magnificent performance. It has all the spirit and virtues of a live event without extraneous noise and the acoustic, not always admired, is here quite fine. Things start quietly before exploding into the joyful development and the orchestra is magnificently captured. The Allegro Vivace goes particularly well but the whole symphony is a real joy. I particularly noted the brass and timpani which shows how historical instrument practices have affected the conventional orchestra. I played both the LSO Live CD and the Alto to compare the sound but there were no discernible differences. The latter, maybe, has a subtler sound but I couldn’t be sure. As the final notes of the Allegro ma non troppo reached their conclusion with growling basses, I could imagine that the audience gave a rousing reception but wisely, this is removed. A first-rate execution.
The Pastoral Symphony has been my favourite symphony, since I was a small boy and its pleasures never tire. A few years ago I reviewed a splendid “live’ performance by the late Klaus Tennstedt which I described as “inspired” and feel the same here about Haitink. It’s interesting that both recordings come from concerts and are on a higher level of intensity than their, adequate, studio efforts. The first movement very rarely fails and the LSO are magnificent here: great wind sound. The Scene by the Brook is all peace and tranquillity and the cuckoos are full of the joys of summer. Peasants Merrymaking goes with real gusto, with the thunder in the air; these are not the elderly yeomen of Otto Klemperer, which I do love but not every day. The Storm is very powerful and the drums and timpani are especially impressive. The transference to the Hymn of Thanksgiving is very moving but Haitink never lets the rhythm slacken as he reaches the glorious ending. I listened again before referring to John Quinn’s review but see that he had very similar positive views. This is a Pastoral to live with and it’s very good that this reissue can disclose its joys to a fresh audience.
Great performances of these life-giving works. If you want just these two then you will be delighted. I will return to the set whenever I have the opportunity.
David R Dunsmore
