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Symphony No.4 in
A minor, Op.63 Symphony No.5 in E flat major, op.82 Iceland Symphony Orchestra NAXOS 8.554377
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by The Inkpot Sibelius Nutcase™
This
is the fourth disc of Sibelius from Petri Sakari and the Iceland Symphony,
on Naxos. This Nordic team has so far shown a penchant for daring playing,
confident sweep and cutting, finely etched music-making. The results have
been exemplary, though not perfect. Sometimes, the "go for it!" helter-skelter
style does not pause enough to smell the roses, but at other times, the
same high energy treatment produces startlingly impressive results. There
are, for example, many passages of great beauty to be found in these recordings,
including here, and also many admirable and lively bursts of energetic playing.
In the Fourth
Symphony here, we get to a good start, with a long, brooding introduction
of the well-known tritonic theme. Sakari and the Icelanders can be quite
the experts in sustaining long musical arguments - here in the Fourth
(and later in the first movement of the Fifth) they do so. The solo cello
has a rather bright tone, which is an uncommon occurence with performances
of this work. It is very evocative, like the last shafts of sunlight at
twilight. The first movement is given a cool and concentrated performance,
with the sense of unity well-sustained. On a more abstract level, my impression
is that this performance has more "light" than "dark" - it isn't quite
as solemn as some other interpretations.
Sakari handles
shifts of moods in the Allegro molto vivace with good sense, which
also makes his transition between the second and third movements seamless.
Subtlety to detail and underlying drama ensures also that the ending of
this Allegro is as abrupt as it is enigmatic. Osmo
Vänskä's account on BIS is however even more fluid in feeling, much
more fine - rather like a sheet of ice next to the Icelander's jagged
landscape.
This fabulously
icy sound of the Icelanders is employed to great effect, and as before,
the brass of this orchestra is superb (try ending of first movement of
No.5). Overall, Sakari's hand over pacing and tempo changes is very sensitive
and unfussy. His direction is clean, interpretations satisfying. Although
sometimes the playing sounds a bit detached, there is drama, anxiety,
light and darkness, hope and ominosity - all that the Fourth expresses.
I greatly
enjoyed the magnificent performance of the first movement of the Fifth
Symphony - it has great flow, excellent stringwork - the detailed, unfussy
ostinato also heard in the Fourth, ample orchestral body and visionary
splendour displayed in the original second movement.
The slow
movement is played with ample detail, but sounds just a little bit detached.
The phrasing is just a little bit too rigid, lacking a sort of "lyric
curvaceousness". The interpretation does not "smile" enough... it is just
somewhat too serious. In fact, come to think of it, it might be fair enough
to say that the movement is too much like the way the Fourth is played.
Technically though, this is not a bad reading - there are many details
to be heard.
What is
not satisfactory is the finale - it is quite literally unimpressive. The
introduction sounds tired, compared to other versions, and though the
pacing of the horns in the "Swan Hymn" is good, they sound just a tad
weary. The difficult punctuating phrase from the double-basses sound very
ugly here (granted, this isn't the only performance where this is a flaw).
Sakari plays down and does not exploit the majestic modulation into C
major in the famous climax of the "Swan Hymn" - there is neither the profuse
surging energy of Vänskä's reading, the Olympian splendour of Segerstam's
Chandos recording or the noble grace of Berglund
on Royal Classics. When the passage is over, one does not feel as
if the modulation has taken place at all. When one compares this to more
joyous, magnificent interpretations - it is difficult to recommend this
Fifth, if only because the "Swan Hymn" is such a crucial point with collectors
of this symphony. Thankfully, the conclusion is magnificent, bringing
back the atmosphere and orchestral power that this team displayed in the
first movement. The final five hammer blows are very nicely spaced out.
In conclusion
- it is a little unfortunate that of the seven movements on this disc,
the most popular one is the least satisfactorily performed! As I have
suggested, if you are specifically looking for a good version of the Fifth
(in particular of the finale), I do not recommend this. But I like this
Fourth - the icy, and somehow uniquely "light" approach and evocative
performance is very interesting. Add to this the powerful delivery of
various parts of the Fifth, this disc remains recommendable.
Left: Sibelius as painted around 1911, in between
the Fourth and Fifth Symphonies
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S
I B E L I U S Nature is coming to life: that life which I so love, now and always, whose essence shall pervade everything which I compose. |
The Inkpot
Sibelius Nutcase wishes people who write notes on Sibelius would stop
saying that the master "stopped composing" after 1927. He didn't, ok.
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675: 16.3.2000 ©Inkpot Sibelius Nutcase
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INKTRODUCTIONS:
CD REVIEWS:
The Lahti Symphony/Vänskä Cycle (BIS, 1996-99):
Nos. 1 & 4
Nos.2 & 3
No.5 (original and final versions)
Nos. 6 & 7, and Tapiola
The Bournemouth Symphony/Berglund Cycle (1970s)
Click here
The Iceland Symphony/Sakari Cycle (Naxos, 1996-2000)
Nos. 1 & 3
No. 2 & Tempest Suite
#1
Nos. 4 & 5
Nos. 6 & 7. Tempest
Suite No.2
Finlandia. Karelia
Suite. Lemminkäinen Suite