....attracting much controversial attention, thought I'd open a separate thread for it...
LVB 5 - CURRENTZIS
Fine opening movement, with very explicit contrasts between dramatic/lyric, drive/hesitation; tension and dynamic power increasing through the last part of the movement, culminating in a poignantly drawn out oboe solo and a terrific coda - Currentzis holding power in reserve here, the movement aptly preludial: this isn't the finale, you don’t take the roof off yet - but this allegro still had a fine cut and thrust, with some unusual inflexions of phrase and dynamics to keep your attention..
Something was missing though - momentum, follow-through, the sense of the larger structure; I felt it was all a bit episodic.
This became more obvious in the 2nd movement, where (especially with some elongated pauses) the variations felt like a series of vignettes, pictures on a wall without a linking theme or commentary. Some lovely string playing, but I missed the sense of build-up toward the quicker variation and the final climax. This was partly due to the dynamic contrasts, extreme (and impressive) though they are, sounding rather calculated; rhythms too sounded rather unvaried, stiff and metrical, not building toward, or away from, the climactic moments. Articulation was clean and sharp, yes, but not dedicated to a greater structural cause. An overall sense of stasis.
So thus far the performance seemed purely to be about texture, colour and dynamics. Sound, not story; lacking the longer line of dramatic narrative.
It didn’t get much better.
The scherzo-sans-repeat always seems far too short to me anyway (especially if the finale repeat is made, as here). At this tempo, it barely registers before we’re in transition and the finale bursts upon us.
A shame, since I enjoyed this movement the most; yet even those rugged Aeternal basses sounded too mechanically motorised to me. TC’s rhythmic discipline at least suits the brass figures better here.
In the finale, those frequent dynamic swells often followed by sharp, stamping stresses, the ability of this stunningly virtuoso band to knock out phrase after connecting phrase at speed, same and same again, so cool and precise…all so strict and on-the-leash.
Hugely impressive, perfectly balanced tonal waves flooding through the room.... but for me, they never added up to more than the sum-of-parts.
I think (and the booklet notes suggest) Currentzis really does want to realise a blazing heroic vision but - again subjectively, that repetitive approach to phrase, rhythm and dynamics - "timing" in the most general sense - only results in a detached admiration for the abilities of his superbly drilled performers.
LVB 5 - CURRENTZIS
Fine opening movement, with very explicit contrasts between dramatic/lyric, drive/hesitation; tension and dynamic power increasing through the last part of the movement, culminating in a poignantly drawn out oboe solo and a terrific coda - Currentzis holding power in reserve here, the movement aptly preludial: this isn't the finale, you don’t take the roof off yet - but this allegro still had a fine cut and thrust, with some unusual inflexions of phrase and dynamics to keep your attention..
Something was missing though - momentum, follow-through, the sense of the larger structure; I felt it was all a bit episodic.
This became more obvious in the 2nd movement, where (especially with some elongated pauses) the variations felt like a series of vignettes, pictures on a wall without a linking theme or commentary. Some lovely string playing, but I missed the sense of build-up toward the quicker variation and the final climax. This was partly due to the dynamic contrasts, extreme (and impressive) though they are, sounding rather calculated; rhythms too sounded rather unvaried, stiff and metrical, not building toward, or away from, the climactic moments. Articulation was clean and sharp, yes, but not dedicated to a greater structural cause. An overall sense of stasis.
So thus far the performance seemed purely to be about texture, colour and dynamics. Sound, not story; lacking the longer line of dramatic narrative.
It didn’t get much better.
The scherzo-sans-repeat always seems far too short to me anyway (especially if the finale repeat is made, as here). At this tempo, it barely registers before we’re in transition and the finale bursts upon us.
A shame, since I enjoyed this movement the most; yet even those rugged Aeternal basses sounded too mechanically motorised to me. TC’s rhythmic discipline at least suits the brass figures better here.
In the finale, those frequent dynamic swells often followed by sharp, stamping stresses, the ability of this stunningly virtuoso band to knock out phrase after connecting phrase at speed, same and same again, so cool and precise…all so strict and on-the-leash.
Hugely impressive, perfectly balanced tonal waves flooding through the room.... but for me, they never added up to more than the sum-of-parts.
I think (and the booklet notes suggest) Currentzis really does want to realise a blazing heroic vision but - again subjectively, that repetitive approach to phrase, rhythm and dynamics - "timing" in the most general sense - only results in a detached admiration for the abilities of his superbly drilled performers.
) analysis.
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