| Site review by Castor January 9, 2011
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Performance: Sonics (MC): |
Sir Colin Davis has, over many years, acquired an enviable and well-deserved reputation for his superb interpretations of the music of Sibelius. However, the music of that other major Scandinavian
Symphonist also born in 1865, Carl Nielsen, has hardly ever appeared on his concert programmes, but now at the age of 83 Sir Colin has embarked on a complete cycle of Nielsen symphonies that will be recorded and issued by LSO Live over the next two years. Judging by the quality of the performances on this first volume, that presents two of the most dramatic of the six, it will be worth the wait.
Many years ago during a rehearsal of a Berlioz overture with the RLPO, at which I was present, Sir Colin stopped the orchestra and said to them “Gentlemen, you don’t play Berlioz – you attack him!” This remark could equally apply to Nielsen and the opening movement of Symphony No. 4 ‘The Inextinguishable’ which is unleashed with almost terrifying force by Davis and the LSO. Somewhat surprisingly the Barbican acoustic seems well suited to convey the boundless energy and drive of this performance. Timpani are very clear at all dynamic levels throughout the symphony, and the fairly close recording allows the marvellously incisive brass of the LSO to be appreciated to the full, though it must be admitted that the strings lack some of the allure they would have had in a more resonant and ‘friendly’ acoustic.
Davis relaxes to just the right degree in the ‘Poco allegretto’ where he elicits playing of great delicacy from both the winds and pizzicato strings, yet he ensures that the movement’s forward momentum is not dissipated. This is also true of the ruminative slow movement whose many changes of mood benefit from the conductor’s control of internal balances and fine playing from individual members of the orchestra.
The explosive opening of the finale finds Davis once more driving purposefully forward. The two sets of timpani, placed left and right, really make an impact here as they usually do in the concert hall, but not always, in my experience, on recordings of this symphony. The build up to the movement’s affirmative and life-enhancing conclusion is thrillingly direct, yet it still retains a heroic nobility and dignity. Judged by any standards this is a marvellous account of this symphony.
Nielsen’s 5th Symphony, arguably his greatest masterpiece, receives an equally compelling performance on this SACD. As in the earlier work Davis’s tempi are on the swift side but he has no difficulty conveying the obsessive quality of the intellectually theatrical first movement (here allotted two tracks), and its conflict between the forces of good and evil. All the percussion instruments, cymbal, tambourine, triangle, glockenspiel and most importantly side drum, are reproduced with a vivid presence, and the engineers convincingly capture the retreat of the latter towards the end of the movement.
The second movement can, in lesser hands, be something of an anti-climax, but not here, thanks to the wonderfully exuberant playing from the LSO. Davis handles the more tranquil and mysterious sections of this movement with great sensitivity while also ensuring that the more energetic music such as the F minor scherzo section is suitably rumbustuous. Tension never flags for an instant as Davis and his players confidently stride to the symphony’s triumphant E flat ending.
One fervently hopes that when the remaining four Nielsen symphonies are recorded by Sir Colin and issued on SACD they will attain the standard set by this splendid release.
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Copyright © 2011 Graham Williams and SA-CD.net
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| Review by Jonalogic January 25, 2011 (10 of 14 found this review helpful)
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Performance: Sonics (S): |
Sorry, I'm afraid I find this one a bit of a disappointment. Maybe, as a confirmed Nielsen-lover who has oft bemoaned the lack of the Danish master’s symphonies on SACD, my expectations were just a bit too high?
If I were to sum this up in one line, it would go something like ‘decent performances, but in typically one-dimensional and dessicated LSO Live/Barbican sound.’
Live performances and listening in the home are – of course - very different experiences. Had I heard these readings live, I would probably have been more enthusiastic. For repeated home listening, and in the context of available alternative readings, however, they do not stack up quite so well.
Both these symphonies are explicit musical depictions of the struggle between good and evil or, if you prefer, the life force and war/chaos/destruction. They require great control and nuance to project both forces with equal vigour. It’s relatively easy to get the dynamic and loud stuff to work, but conveying charm and simplicity in the same reading is much more elusive. However, without that wide-eyed innocence, the violence and conflict is not placed in its proper perspective; in fact, half the picture is missing.
Regretfully both these readings, for me, under-characterise these more tranquil moments. They tend to sound a bit rushed and perfunctory to my ears. Hear, for example II of the Inextinguishable (No 4). Where is its naïve simplicity and intense Danish folk character and flavour?
This lack of flexibility, light and shade in the readings of both symphonies prevents me from rating them higher. They sound like good symphonies in these performances; but they can sound truly great when performed by Blomstedt or Karajan (4) or Horenstein and Bernstein (5).
Regretfully, sound quality is what we have come to expect from the LSO Live/Barbican paradigm. Clean, but dry, up-front and generally unappealing. In fact, the RBCD of the complete early (DRSO) Blomstedt cycle, in classic, golden-age EMI sound, has more air, depth and staging than this. And, as noted above, its Inextinguishable is peerless. Needless to say, the original small-nipper vinyls sound just wonderful, although my surfaces are now getting noisy…
If you must have your music on SACD, then there is no competition for No 4, and the only rival for No 5 is Paavo Jarvi on Telarc; this is a decent enough reading in good sound, but rather generic and transatlantic in feel, and dragged down by one of the limpest Stravinsky Rites in history hanging, albatross-like, on its flip side.
If you are prepared to listen to RBCD or vinyl, then there are more simply appealing alternatives out there.
When will Sir Colin Davis - a conductor I much admire - get some decent sound on SACD, I wonder?
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| Review by jeffreybehr January 25, 2011 (8 of 14 found this review helpful)
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Performance: Sonics (MC): |
| I too was looking forward to Nielsen symphonies in wonderful multichannel sound. Unfortunately, these don't meet that definition. Jonalogic is so correct. The performances are a bit speedy...rushed...for me, and the sound is harsh in the upper frequencies, a bit lacking in lower frequencies, and MUCH too close. Don't waste your money on this disc.
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| Review by Norm February 8, 2011 (6 of 8 found this review helpful)
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Performance: Sonics (MC): |
Ok, I'll dissent and agree with the first post on this one. I was apprehensive on two counts having seen some early reviews especially concerning the speed of both symphonies. I've also been shy of anything recorded in the Barbican based on previous experience even in multichannel (dreadful William Walton symphonies).
So I was pleasantly surprised on both counts. Someone cites the San Francisco Bloomstadt recordings as touchstones, and I have that complete set. The interesting thing as to speed is the timings of the two:
Symphony 4 Davis 31:21 Bloomstadt 36 and some seconds (no calculator right now)
Symphony 5 Davis 35:17 Bloomstadt 34 minutes and some seconds
So the Symphony #4 is faster, but not the 5th. Even with that speed, I find it exciting and well played and the same is true for the 5th.
I was also surprised at the sound. In multichannel (including 5.1 subwoofer), its quite good. Chandos "diffused" this is not, and it's certainly balanced towards the front speakers. But there is some hall effect and richness especially in the bass which is really important to the 4th with its battling kettle drums. So while it's not the best of all possible multichannel recordings that I own, it's still good.
So for these ears, its a nice recording that I really enjoy.
Norm
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| Review by nucaleena August 16, 2011 (12 of 15 found this review helpful)
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Performance: Sonics (MC): |
| Not sure if my comments here should be classed as a review, - they're more a warning to anyone considering buying this on the basis of Castor's 5 star review. Sadly, nowhere do any of the other reviews mention that Davis hums loudly and consistently thoughout both symphonies, punctuating the drama with long stretches of extreme irritation and aggravation. One of the other reviewers would like Davis to be given better sound: please, for the love of god NO. Better sound would simply mean more audible noises from this conductor and that's the last thing we need. The subject of whether Davis deserves better sound is moot anyway, at least for me, as from now on I absolutely refuse to buy any more discs of tuneless humming with bad (dry and over-close) sound i.e. no more Davis and no more LSO Live. This disc was the last straw and I just can't believe that the humming hasnt been singled out for mention to date. I don't expect to win any "helpful review" popularity polls with this one, but I honestly think I'm being more helpful to potential purchasers than reviews which omit mention of such a glaring fault.
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