Given Celibidache's proclivity for slow motion, I had my fears
for the Franck Symphony. While I'm fond of the piece, it does
lend itself to thickness and a sort of tortuous harmonic churning.
In fact, the conductor's performance strikes a good balance
between weight and propulsion.
It's true that in the symphony's Lento introduction -
rather, in both its Lento introductions - Celibidache
manages to out-Furtwängler Furtwängler in his evocation
of an inward, concentrated intensity only indicated, rather
than realized, by the older conductor (Decca). Surprisingly,
the main Allegro non troppo goes at a more or less conventional
tempo, with a lively snap to the dotted rhythms in the Toscanini
manner, save that the sonority is full rather than lean. The
development wavers between turbulence and calm reflection, yet
Celibidache makes it seem all of a piece. As always, the conductor
manages to bring out some previously unnoticed or neglected
detail - here, the bassoon octaves at 11:27 - which, I suppose,
compensates for the rushing flute phrase that should happen
at 9:17, but doesn't.
The central Allegretto - the de facto slow movement,
despite the tempo marking -isn't done badly or mannered,
but, despite its buoyant rhythmic ebb and flow, Celibidache
draws nothing special from it. The finale, however, chugs along
nicely, with the second theme not straying too far from the
established pulse. The textures open up, as if letting in light,
as the movement proceeds, and the two climactic restatements,
at 4:05 and 9:25, are jubilant.
The level of attention required to get through Celibidache's
rehearsals, let alone performances, must have taken its toll
on many players' stamina, and ensemble is hardly perfect. Besides
the previously noted smudges in the introduction of the Franck,
numerous uncertain, inaccurate, and just plain sloppy attacks
plague the slow introduction of Romeo. Sometimes these
detract from the effective details: thus, after the rising sonorities
crest in gloriously vibrant chords - the first is at 5:33 -
the phrase that follows brings a few bars of utter chaos.
Oddly, such ensemble problems only crop up in slow music: elsewhere,
Celibidache's propulsive rhythm seems to keep the players alert
and involved. Thus, once Romeo finally gets going, the
"fight scenes" are turbulent, but have an almost balletic spring;
the love theme is plaintive in the woodwinds, full-throated
and expansive when the full orchestra takes it up later on.
The sound quality is a bit grainy, but clear and full enough.
The labels don't mention stereo, but there's some directional
effect - note the big bass crescendos in the Romeo introduction
- and sense of stereo spread. The lack of applause after either
piece suggests that these might be archival broadcasts rather
than actual concert performances.
Stephen Francis Vasta
Stephen Francis Vasta is a New York-based conductor, coach,
and journalist.
see also review by Christopher
Howell
Orchestra Sinfonica di Roma della RAI, *Orchestra Sinfonica di Torino
della RAI/Sergiu Celibidache 