Sergei RACHMANINOV (1873-1943)
Symphony No 2 in E minor, Op 27 (1906-07)
Deutsches Symphonie-Orchester Berlin/Robin Ticciati
rec. February 2020, Großer Sendesaal, Haus des Rundfunks, Berlin, Germany
LINN CKD653 [63:15]
Robin Ticciati’s seventh album with the Deutsches Symphonie-Orchester Berlin (DSO Berlin) on the Linn label is Rachmaninov’s Symphony No 2 in E minor, recorded using the original, unabridged version of the score.
Ticciati initially became principal conductor of the DSO Berlin in the 2017-18 season and his contract has been extended through to 2027. This successful partnership has produced a steady flow of splendid recordings, some of which have been French works featuring the voice of mezzo-soprano Magdalena Kožená. A worthy example of this collaboration is the 2018 album of Ravel and Duparc,
Aimer et mourir (review).
A landmark work in Rachmaninov’s symphonic output, the Symphony No 2 from 1906-07 comes roughly mid-way between two crucial events in his life. In 1897, Rachmaninov endured the humiliation of the disastrous premiere of his Symphony No 1 and in 1917 he departed Russia, never to return.
One can imagine how cautious and apprehensive Rachmaninov was about writing his
Symphony No 2 following the premiere of the Symphony No 1
and the increasing emotional strain of the unsettling political situation in his homeland. Following an intensive course of psychotherapy and hypnosis from Russian physician Dr. Nikolai Dahl, the composer began to recover from his torment and regain his desire to compose. To avoid emotional stress in 1906 he moved with his family to the relative calm of Dresden where he completed this symphony. Rachmaninov himself conducted its premiere in Saint Petersburg in 1908; it was a great success and he gained a second Glinka Award for it. Eight years later, in 1917, Rachmaninov left Russia with his family during a concert tour in Stockholm. This was the first part of a lengthy life-changing journey that would eventually lead to him emigrating to America in 1918 and making his home in New York. Later, owing to poor health, he resettled in Beverly Hills, Los Angeles, in 1942 for the warmer climate and was granted American citizenship only a few weeks before his death in 1943.
Owing to its length, it has been common for conductors to subject the score to cuts, but in this new release Ticciati conducts the ‘original unabridged version’ of the score that takes here sixty-three minutes to perform. The spacious opening movement begins with dark shading and a broodingly melancholic Largo where the fate motif is introduced. Decisively held together, the main body of the movement Allegro moderato with its intoning strings and longing winds doesn’t break the sad mood substantially, but alters it. The splendidly judged weight of orchestral sound gradually increases, evoking a stormier atmosphere. Marked Allegro molto, the second movement serves as a Scherzo and energises the character of the writing; although it is neither cheery nor overtly baleful, it communicates a sense of urgency.
Ticciati and his assured players clearly savour the magnificent, melting themes of the Adagio. This heavily rhapsodic and idyllic movement embodies the essence of love, reminding me strongly of Tchaikovsky’s late symphonies. Ticciati avoids the extremes of excess or underplaying the dance rhythms in the fourth movement Allegro vivace to ensure a level of positivity and jubilance that I respond to.
Savouring Rachmaninov’s opulent harmonies and passionate lyricism, the Berlin orchestra excels, achieving impressive heights of musicianship, but those who require extremes such as an overload of aggression in the faster movements and overindulgence in the slow movement should look elsewhere. Recording for Linn under studio conditions in the Großer Sendesaal, Haus des Rundfunks Berlin, the engineering team has achieved a satisfying sound quality. Leading authority on Russian music Marina Frolova-Walker provides a helpful booklet essay. At just over an hour, the playing time is rather short measure on a disc which could easily have accommodated another work.
Regarding competing accounts of the Rachmaninov symphonies, I have long admired the recordings from Eugene Ormandy/Philadelphia Orchestra on RCA Victor (1973), Lorin Maazel/Berliner Philharmoniker on Deutsche Grammophon, André Previn/London Symphony Orchestra on EMI and Vladimir Ashkenazy/Concertgebouw on Decca. In more recent years I have been delighted to add Vasily Petrenko’s successfully recordings of the three Rachmaninov symphonies with the RLPO from 2010-13 on Warner Classics. Petrenko gives a particularly insightful performance of the Symphony No 2, recorded in 2011 in the Philharmonic Hall, Liverpool.
Now this compelling new release on Linn provides fierce competition to my favourite recordings. In the hands of principal conductor Robin Ticciati, it feels unpretentious, insightful and firmly cohesive, while allowing the music to speak for itself.
Michael Cookson
Previous review: John Quinn
