Symphony no.1 in G
Minor [45:40]
March Slave [9:15]
Russian National
Orchestra
Mikhail Pletnev
conductor
recorded at DZZ Studio
5, Moscow April 2011 DDD/DSD stereo/surround
Pentatone PTC 5186 381
[55:21]
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Mikhail Pletnev may have taken the subtitle of Tchaikovsky’s First Symphony – Winter Daydreams – a little too seriously, as his recording of the work is all about reveries and casual asides, with very little in the way of convincing symphonic argument. It is a tricky balance to get right, but Tchaikovsky offers plenty of substance and drama in this score to balance the more atmospheric passages. But time and again, Pletnev emphasises the latter, even through what would otherwise be stirring melodies and key thematic arguments.
As
ever, the Russian National Orchestra are on top form, as are the
engineers from Pentatone, so Pletnev's daydreams are painted in
clear, translucent colours with as much detail as you could hope for.
The quiet opening, for example, a flute solo over tremolo strings,
draws the listener straight into the music. The richness and warmth
of the string and woodwind sound is a real strength of this
orchestra, making its tone ideal for Tchaikovsky.
But
even from the very start the tempos are on the slow side, and while
Pletnev does raise the temperature a bit for the main theme, it's not
enough. More serious though, is the lack of accentuation in the
tuttis. Without that agogic framework, the music just flows from one
theme to another. It's all very pleasant, especially with orchestral
playing of this calibre, but it rarely seems symphonic.
The
middle movements are similar. Unlike the first movement, the pacing
here is more conventional, but Pletnev plays both for their
atmospheric qualities. Surprisingly, there is enough atmosphere in
the scherzo for it to function on this level, but it is not enough to
make up for the distinct lack of drama and drive.
Fortunately
things improve in the Finale. After a few minutes of 'Andante
lugubre' introduction, as flowing and atmospheric as anything we have
heard yet, Pletnev picks up the pace in the long accelerando that
leads into the main theme. And then, suddenly, we are into a proper
Tchaikovsky finale, with lots of percussion and brass punching out
the rhythms. The balance in the mix gives just the right prominence
to the bass drum and double basses here, so that when they kick in
you really know about it. (The timpani sounds curiously distant,
although I'm listening in SACD stereo and it might sound better
placed in the surround mix.) Sadly, the energy dissipates again
before the end is reached, and the coda lacks the drive that the
movement needs to finish decisively. This is partly the composer's
fault, as a lot of the music in these last few pages is conventional
to a fault. It need not drag though, at least not like this.
March
Slave is the filler, or rather
the coupling, at 55 minutes you couldn't exactly call this disc full.
This piece also runs the risk of sounding underpowered, especially as
it shares its theme with the much more richly scored 1812
Overture. But Pletnev is able to
make it work. This too is a reserved reading, but not fatally so, and
the variety and ingenuity in Tchaikovsky's orchestration give the RNO
plenty of chances to shine.
Technically, this disc is beyond reproach, both in terms of the
orchestral playing and the sound quality. The interpretation isn't to
my taste, though others may disagree. It is certainly the case that
Tchaikovsky's early symphonies don't play themselves. Difficult
interpretive decisions must be made to reconcile their often
contradictory demands. Previous recordings in this series have found
Pletnev in complete artistic symbiosis with Tchaikovsky's scores.
This time round he makes some radical decisions about tempos and
accents, namely to play down both. The results don't really justify
the risk.
This review first appeared at MusicWeb International:
http://www.musicweb-international.com/classrev/2012/May12/Tchaikovsky_sy1_PTC5186381.htm
This review first appeared at MusicWeb International:
http://www.musicweb-international.com/classrev/2012/May12/Tchaikovsky_sy1_PTC5186381.htm
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