Bruckner Symphony No. 6 (Ed. Haas)
Staatskapelle Dresden
Christian Thielemann, cond
C MAJOR 738304 (Blu-ray: 63:00)
C MAJOR 738304 (Blu-ray: 63:00)
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New classical music releases reviewed in detail by Gavin Dixon
Thursday, 2 February 2017
Bruckner Symphony No. 6 Thielemann
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Thielemann’s Bruckner cycle with the Staatskapelle
Dresden is now well past its mid-point, with this Sixth Symphony following
similar DVD/Blu-ray releases of Nos. 4, 5, 7, 8, and 9. C Major has also
released several videos of Thielemann conducting the Munich Philharmonic in
Bruckner, although this appears to be his first commercial recording of the
Sixth. Those who have been following the cycle will know what to expect, and this
is a classic Thielemann account. His sense of line is everywhere evident, and
his structural thinking always clear and impeccably communicated. The Dresden
orchestra plays magnificently for him, and the close working relationship
between conductor and players is evident both in the unity of artistic intent
and in the minimal gestures Thielemann requires to express his vision. But if
you don’t like Thielemann’s Bruckner, this Sixth is unlikely to convert you. To
say that it lacks urgency is an understatement. At just under 57 minutes
(excluding intro and applause), it is a slow account, although not
exceptionally so. But the focus is always on breadth, with expansive phrases clearly
defined and separated. Thielemann offers distinctive Bruckner, at least among
contemporary interpreters, and if his musical values are old-fashioned, the
conviction with which he presents them makes it easy for doubters to overcome
their objections.
The opening of the symphony is presented with
particular delicacy, with Thielemann giving minute gestures, which the strings
follow in their timid repeating-note figures. A steady pace is maintained
throughout the movement, with the exceptional tonal support of the winds
keeping the rich tone afloat. Audio quality (listening in PCM stereo—5.1 is
also available) is good, but there is an unusual emphasis on the woodwind
soloists, especially the clarinet, whose accompaniment figures often stand out,
even from tutti textures. Seeing the players close-up helps to focus attention
on their individual contributions, and, although this isn’t a particularly
horn-dominated symphony, watching the first horn makes you realize just how
important his contribution is. The duet between horn and oboe at the start of
the first movement coda is exquisite—a real highlight of the performance.
In the Adagio
second movement, it is the turn of the strings to shine. The Staatskapelle
string sound is rich, unified, and anchored in a satisfyingly solid bass, all
of which comes through in this movement. The Scherzo is given a weighty and
emphatic reading. Bruckner writes Nicht
schnell, and Thielemann takes him at his word, although still manages sufficient
contrast with the Langsam Trio. The
richness of the brass tone is a defining feature of the finale, achieving a
heroic, strident quality, but always within moderate dynamics.
The video direction, by Henning Kasten, is constantly
mobile, but never to distraction. Close-ups predominate, and long shots always
involve slow pan or zoom. Portraits of Thielemann appear all over the
packaging, so it is no surprise that the camera continually returns to the
podium to pick up his many small gestures. The Semperoper stage provides a
good, spacious arena, especially as Thielemann conducts without a score, and
microphones and cameras are well concealed, the mike heads just peaking over
the players’ stands.
A classic Thielemann account, then, and a committed
reading of one of Bruckner’s less loved symphonies. The sheer consistency of
this cycle is one of its greatest strengths, with Thielemann giving as
convincing an account here as of any of the later symphonies. If he can
maintain that standard through the earlier works, where even more inspiration
is required to maintain coherency and focus, this could shape up to be one of
the more impressive Bruckner cycles of recent years, one where, if you love a
single installment, you’ll love them all.
This review appears in Fanfare magazine issue 40:5.
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Lyricism and drama are distinctive features of the best symphonies of Bruckner. This composer gave us amazing music.
ReplyDeletewell i have experienced his one recording it was so much relaxing i remmeber i was stressed out and i also had hour left to take my online exam but when my friend played his work randomaly and it worked like magic
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