|
Site review by Castor April 14, 2007
|
Performance: Sonics (MC): |
This volume of PentaTone’s continuing survey of the Shostakovich symphonies puts it in direct competition with Valery Gergiev’s coupling of the same two works for Universal. The quality of the orchestral playing on both SACDs is excellent, although it must be said that the PentaTone recording is finer than the vivid, but rather too up-front sound on the Gergiev version. In addition, the Russian National Orchestra’s layout, with violins divided left and right, pays dividends throughout and certainly clarifies the instrumental lines.
When it comes to performance, however, a clear choice becomes more difficult.
Kreizberg opens the 5th symphony with fine attack and builds up slowly to the main allegro, which is very excitingly played with crisp trumpets and buoyant rhythms. The conductor’s exhortations are faintly audible as the impressive climax is achieved although the important tam-tam stroke that crowns this section is rather buried in the texture.
The Mahlerian Allegretto is played with great precision but with more deliberation than on many versions. The recording captures the antiphonal violin pizzicatos from 3m44s most beautifully. Kreizberg thankfully avoids the mannered ending to this movement adopted by Gergiev.
The Largo is very slow with hushed string playing of great intensity that achieves a wonderful feeling of stillness, but I wish that the poignant oboe solo had not been marred by an extraneous ‘clunk’ at 6m36s – a small irritation that could have been avoided.
It is with the Finale that I have concerns about Kreizberg’s interpretation, and at a total playing time of 12m 44s it is the slowest of the many versions to which I have listened.
The opening is terrific, quite fast but not rushed, with pounding timpani and blazing brass, giving a feeling of the unleashing of tremendous power. However, from the middle of the movement to the final bars Kreizberg goes for a slow-burn approach that is definitely the antithesis of Bernstein and many other conductors. He maintains what for me is an agonisingly slow tempo right up to the end, even making a brief rallentando at 9m 31s. The result sounds overwhelmingly ponderous and bombastic. Of course, it could be argued that this is exactly what Shostakovich intended, but here it really does seem to be overdone.
I have no reservations whatsoever about the performance of the 9th Symphony.
The first movement is played with great brilliance, and although the tempo Kreizberg chooses for the Moderato is again slow, it never drags but offers the opportunity for some very expressive woodwind playing.
The Presto is taken at a very fast pace, thus making an effective and even greater contrast than usual with the previous movement. It is full of crackling energy and once more the excellent woodwind section of the RNO shine. The bassoon solo over hushed strings in the next movement is quite magical while the performance of the finale, featuring some amazing trumpet playing, brings out all the mock circus humour of the music.
PentaTone’s recording is, as usual, quite outstanding, combining both clarity and spaciousness. The Polyhymnia engineers, working in DZZ Studio 5 in Moscow, have managed to capture the wide dynamic range and impact of these works with ease – no mean achievement.
This recording can be recommended unreservedly for those who can accept Kreizberg’s approach to the 5th Symphony’s finale.
|
Copyright © 2007 Graham Williams and SA-CD.net
|
|
|
Review by Windsurfer April 3, 2007 (13 of 15 found this review helpful)
|
Performance: Sonics (MC): |
First, I want to call attention to the sound (in multi-channel) of this release:
It is stunning! The strings have body but sound like strings, not some congealed mass of treble - and unfortunately that is not always accomplished, even in SACD - so I find this exceptionally fine! The separation of instruments or maybe the air around instruments shouldn't call attention to itself, but here it does and only because the sound is so extraordinarily lifelike and natural. The dialogs between woodwind and strings in the Fifth symphony really made me sit up and take notice. The trumpets and tuba stand out just like in a concert and the climaxes are H U G E. The sound stage is enormous. This is what I might call premium sound quality.
Matters of interpretation are matters of individual opinion. I found Kreizburg, for the most part, extremely satisfying (or is that the superb sound his orchestra is accorded?) But there were times during the second movement that I thought; "If I had anything to say about it this passage would be a little faster, with a little more dynamic thrust" But my attention was held fast during all of both symphonies. For what little it's worth, I thought the Ninth was somewhat more of a success as a performance than the Fifth. That is not to denigrate the Fifth, which is very good indeed; but rather to tell you how really fine, how engaging the performance of the Ninth is.
|
Was this review helpful to you?
|
|
