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Site review by Polly Nomial June 8, 2008
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Performance: Sonics (MC): |
I am at a loss to explain van Zweden's approach here. For the vast majority of the set, slowness is (mistakenly) equated to profundity - in the mind of this listener, it feels soporific! When the coda to the first movement feels like it almost doubles in tempo and still not be the fastest on disc, one realises where the problem lies. A great shame really, for there has obviously been great care taken to prepare the orchestra and the details that are forthcoming are many in number. The problem is that in the first two movements, there is no sense of momentum at all and the lack of a cohesive structure is a fundamental flaw in a composer like Bruckner.
Things do improve a great deal on the second disc, with a fresh and spirited Scherzo. The Finale starts promisingly but before the half-way mark, tempi have sagged and sagged once more into dullness; in fairness it does recover but it is oh so frustrating. One can take ones time in this symphony but to do so successfully, one needs not only to have the "grand plan" in mind but be able to convey it to the listener; this van Zweden fails to manage. If one looks at the tempi adopted, it is though he is attempting to mirror Karajan's presentation without understanding the conception behind Karajan's account.
The sound is good without being special (no wall melting here!) but this is no recompense for the lack of exhilaration that normally accompanies one of the greatest brass chorales written in symphonic music. It is no musical match for Bruckner: Symphony No. 5 - Harnoncourt or, if stereo only is acceptable, Bruckner: Symphony No. 5 - Wand.
Not recommended - the performance stars are for the preparation of the orchestra and their contribution only.
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Copyright © 2008 John Broggio and SA-CD.net
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