Antonín DVOŘÁK (1841-1904)
Symphony No. 8 in G major, Op. 88 (1889) [38:57]
Leoš JANÁČEK (1854-1938)
Symphonic Suite Jenůfa (1896-1902) (version conceptualised by Manfred Honeck, realised by Tomáš Ille) [22:57]
Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra/Manfred Honeck
rec. 11-13 October 2014, Heinz Hall for the Performing Arts, Pittsburgh, PA, USA
REFERENCE RECORDINGS FR-710 SACD [62:04]
I’ve not heard any of Manfred Honeck’s previous Pittsburgh
recordings, though I’ve read good things about them. However, I
was very impressed when I saw him conduct the Czech Philharmonic in Verdi’s
Requiem earlier this year (review)
so I jumped at the chance to hear this new disc of live recordings.
The notes are by Honeck himself and if you read what he has to say on
the Dvořák you’ll find that he’s effectively gone
back to first principles with the score. In a reading that takes nothing
for granted he has tried to consider aspects of it “in the sense
of the Czech tradition”. So as you listen you’ll find a lot
of detail illuminated to an extent that one rarely experiences –
those wonderful, exuberant horn trills in the finale are given special
prominence, for example. However, you’ll also find that this is
quite an interventionist reading and I can imagine that Honeck’s
often spacious way with the second and fourth movements in particular
may divide opinion.
Given Honeck’s approach I thought it would be interesting to compare
and contrast his reading with two recordings that I greatly admire by
conductors with a particular repute in this music: the live 2008 performance
by Sir Charles Mackerras (review)
and, from an earlier generation, the 1935 recording by the Czech Philharmonic
under the great Václav Talich (review).
Incidentally, Honeck himself has strong links with the Czech Philharmonic:
he was their principal guest conductor between 2008 and 2011 and starting
with the 2013/14 season he has been reappointed to the post for a second
term though I don’t know how much Czech music he has conducted with
them.
Honeck opens the first movement with a warm, supple rendition of the opening
theme. Shortly thereafter comes a lovely little flute solo which Honeck
likens to birdsong. Consequently he allows plenty of freedom at this point
where Talich and Mackerras maintain their pulse. I find the Honeck effect
charming but can imagine that some might feel it is a bit mannered. As
the movement unfolds I was conscious of significant attention to detail
in Honeck’s performance but I don’t feel this is pedantic:
there’s still a sense of the big picture. He gets high marks from
me for dividing his violins. When the opening theme returns (4:02) Honeck
lavishes care on the music both in terms of dynamics and rubato –
and note the delicious little portamento by the first violins immediately
before the theme: Talich also does the portamento, though more moderately.
As the theme is played it sounds much more moulded by Honeck than by either
of the other two conductors, both of whom are more direct in their expression.
I enjoyed Honeck’s account of this movement which ends with an exciting,
fast coda.
The second movement may prove more controversial. Honeck speculates whether
Dvořák might have had in mind the Napoleonic
battle of Austerlitz, a town nearby. Is that too fanciful? Perhaps it
is but whatever reflections have prompted Honeck’s conception of
the movement it is one of the most dramatic that I can recall hearing,
one that is founded on extremely strong dynamic contrasts – some
of the quiet music is very quiet indeed. The pauses and rests that the
composer has written into the score are used to maximum effect. The performance
is also conceived on a spacious scale: Honeck takes 11:44 whereas both
Mackerras and Talich need less than 10:30 yet I don’t feel that
either of them short-changes the listener in matters of expression. A
snag with Honeck’s approach is that making the most of the silences
at a slow pulse runs the risk of making the music seem if not fragmented
then episodic and I’m not sure that this danger is entirely avoided.
In the third movement Honeck is very successful in putting over an air
of gentle melancholy without diminishing the fundamental attractiveness
of the music. In the passage between 2:58 and 3:21 the violins’
use of portamento enhances the melancholy aspect in an enchanting way
– Talich and Mackerras deploy some portamento here but the effect
is slightly more marked in Pittsburgh. I love the way that at 3:42 Honeck
holds back the rising violin phrase that leads back to the main theme;
Talich does something similar but not to the same degree. Mackerras is
affectionate yet more direct in this movement and I find his performance
a sheer delight. I greatly enjoyed the Honeck performance as well.
I suspect Honeck’s approach to the finale - a movement described
by the late Michael Steinberg as ‘footloose variations’ -
will court more controversy. He’s very deliberate indeed in the
way he plays the opening theme. This means that when the first tutti arrives
– with those horn trills here sounding absolutely splendid –
Honeck increases the tempo significantly. Actually, the way the music
really bursts into life in his hands is quite exciting though I’m
not sure it’s authentic. By contrast Talich is able to maintain
a constant speed at this point while Mackerras only speeds up slightly.
It may give you a feel for Honeck’s spaciousness if I say that he
gets to that first tutti at 2:30 whereas Talich and Mackerras both get
there in around two minutes; that’s quite a difference in such a
short passage. In the pages that follow Honeck brings out a significant
amount of detail. At 5:34 the theme returns on the strings accompanied
by a stealthy bassoon and here and in the whole passage up to 9:42 Honeck,
at a measured pace, makes the music sound more tender and intimate than
I can ever recall hearing before. Talich doesn’t try anything similar,
moulding the music much less obviously, and playing the music warmly but
directly. Mackerras is absolutely winning in his approach to these pages:
he keeps the tempo flowing but he gets the Philharmonia strings to caress
the music. Honeck ends the symphony in an exciting blaze with an exciting
dash to the finishing line.
I’ve described the performance in some detail because it’s
far from a conventional interpretation and though the symphony is a much-played
staple of the repertoire there’s nothing remotely routine about
Honeck’s way with it – not that Talich or Mackerras in their
more traditional performances give the listener anything routine either.
I can imagine that some listeners may find this performance over-interpreted
or contrived. I very much respect Honeck’s thoughtful and often
perceptive approach and I loved the freshness of the performance. I love
this symphony – it’s my favourite Dvořák
symphony - and I greatly enjoyed this performance.
The companion piece on this disc is a Symphonic Suite from Janáček’s
opera Jenůfa. Here I must immediately put up my hand
and admit that I’m in some difficulty in appraising this because,
though I’m familiar with this composer’s orchestral music,
I’m much less well versed in his operas. I’m not helped very
much, either, by the limitations of the documentation. I think it’s
a fair bet that most people buying this disc will know the symphony but
many may share my unfamiliarity with Janáček’s
operas. Manfred Honeck’s note, which is significantly shorter
than his note about the symphony, tells us that he felt it was “particularly
important to present the most significant moments of the opera story in
this suite.” To be fair, he then goes on to say: “This
includes the emotions of Jenůfa, the sadness of losing a child, drama
and storminess (weather), and also the conciliatory ending.” Apart
from also telling us that three dances from the opera have been included
that’s all the guidance we are given. I don’t think that’s
enough: listeners deserve more to help them navigate their way through
what they’re hearing. An opportunity has been wasted here. It seems
that the selection of music from the opera has been made by Honeck and
then, in his words, “arranged by” the Czech composer, Tomáš
Ille. More than that I can’t tell you, I’m afraid.
What I can tell you is that the music is colourful, varied and
superbly played. The cause of this suite is helped immeasurably not just
by the superb playing of the Pittsburgh orchestra but also by the thrilling
recorded sound. There’s an excellent example of both in the passage
between 17:40 and 18:32 where first the incisive percussion and then the
biting, potent brass are vividly reported in a most exciting way.
All of which leads me on nicely to say firstly that throughout both items
on the programme the orchestral playing is magnificent. The soft playing,
especially in the symphony, is quite marvellous while loud passages find
the players delivering powerful, exciting sound without ever forcing the
tone. Manfred Honeck clearly has a very fine and responsive orchestra
at his disposal and he’s evidently trained them exactingly and well.
The recordings are made by Soundmirror of Boston and they have produced
some very fine sound here. The recording is bright – though not
excessively so – there’s a splendid dynamic range and the
balance is excellent. You can hear an abundance of detail though there’s
no suggestion of artificial spotlighting. This is a recording which I
think we’ll have to audition in the MusicWeb International Listening
Room. The recordings were made during concerts but the audience is completely
unobtrusive and there’s no applause after either work.
I’m glad to have experienced a Manfred Honeck recording at last
and I’m even more glad that it’s lived up to the expectations
raised by seeing him live in Prague. In the booklet we are told that several
more Honeck/Pittsburgh recordings are ‘in the can’ and that
the intention is to issue a couple each year. I look forward to more examples
of this fine partnership at work.
John
Quinn
Previous review: Michael
Cookson
Masterwork Index: Dvořák
symphony 8
Support
us financially by purchasing this from |
|
 |
 |
 |
|