Vn Con in D, Op.77: I. Allegro Non Troppo (Cadenza)
Vn Con in D, Op.77: II. Adagio
Vn Con in D, Op.77: III. Allegro Giocoso, Ma Non Troppo Vivace
Toscanini has been called the exact interpreter of what's written in the notes, Furtwängler the discoverer of what's written between the lines. Simon Rattle attempts to combine both: strict adherence to the score with... more » an unfettered emotional response to the music. In the Fifth Symphony, guided by the latest scholarship, he uses Beethoven's own scoring rather than later emendations, which produces unusual transparency as well as some surprises. For example, since Beethoven' hand-horn could not negotiate key changes fast enough, he gave the exposition's horn solo to the bassoon in the recapitulation; today's conductors let the modern valve-horn play both passages. Rattle goes back to the bassoon, which, though authentic, sounds so puny that one feels sure Beethoven would have approved the change. The first movement is very fast and stormy, the second strict and inflexible, the third unyielding in rhythm but full of swells; the Finale begins with a crash. This live recording displays all the qualities of the orchestra, as well as its amazing adaptability to the idiosyncrasies of Rattle's style: the unbridled impetuosity, all-out passion, extreme tempi, and dynamic contrasts that alternate between inaudible and ear-splitting and result in some rough, almost raucous playing. In the Brahms, too, excess prevails. Chung is a wonderful violinist with a brilliant technique and a beautiful, austere, radiant tone. Her playing is inherently noble and flexible, with lots of character and expression. In this performance, however, she exaggerates changes of tempo and dynamics; the chords are scratchy, the liberties not spontaneous enough. But the lyrical passages are lovely, the Finale is a real dance, and the interplay between soloist and orchestra is splendid. --Edith Eisler« less
Toscanini has been called the exact interpreter of what's written in the notes, Furtwängler the discoverer of what's written between the lines. Simon Rattle attempts to combine both: strict adherence to the score with an unfettered emotional response to the music. In the Fifth Symphony, guided by the latest scholarship, he uses Beethoven's own scoring rather than later emendations, which produces unusual transparency as well as some surprises. For example, since Beethoven' hand-horn could not negotiate key changes fast enough, he gave the exposition's horn solo to the bassoon in the recapitulation; today's conductors let the modern valve-horn play both passages. Rattle goes back to the bassoon, which, though authentic, sounds so puny that one feels sure Beethoven would have approved the change. The first movement is very fast and stormy, the second strict and inflexible, the third unyielding in rhythm but full of swells; the Finale begins with a crash. This live recording displays all the qualities of the orchestra, as well as its amazing adaptability to the idiosyncrasies of Rattle's style: the unbridled impetuosity, all-out passion, extreme tempi, and dynamic contrasts that alternate between inaudible and ear-splitting and result in some rough, almost raucous playing. In the Brahms, too, excess prevails. Chung is a wonderful violinist with a brilliant technique and a beautiful, austere, radiant tone. Her playing is inherently noble and flexible, with lots of character and expression. In this performance, however, she exaggerates changes of tempo and dynamics; the chords are scratchy, the liberties not spontaneous enough. But the lyrical passages are lovely, the Finale is a real dance, and the interplay between soloist and orchestra is splendid. --Edith Eisler
CD Reviews
Fresh and exciting
Tom Gauterin | Loughborough, Leics. United Kingdom | 03/10/2002
(5 out of 5 stars)
"This is a thrillingly exciting disc. Having heard Beethoven's 5th Symphony countless times before, I thought it had reached the stage where there was little else left to be said about it. In terms of recordings, Carlos Kleiber's 1975 VPO recording(which comes with a truly astonishing Beethoven 7th) is generally held to be the last word on the subject, but I think that this new version is better in almost every respect. Kleiber's is very much an old-school interpretation dominated by the strings. It's still a fiery and exciting view, never heavy or ponderous, but Rattle goes a stage further in the process, illuminating all kinds of details that normally go unnoticed yet never at the expense of the bigger picture. The aggressive violin and viola sforzandos in the finale, for instance, are emphasised far more than is generally the case but, when Beethoven alters them in the recapitulation, this emphasis pays dividends. The horns play with stupendous power and the woodwind are admirably balanced, never swamped, and play with marvellous clarity of articulation. The piccolo lines in the finale are very clear, although they pop out of the texture so vividly that I am not entirely sure that it wasn't done using sonic trickery. No human piccolo player I have ever heard is capable of dominating a fortissimo tutti and the fact that some of the piccolo bits are totally inaudible even on period instrument recordings leaves me rather suspicious. Still, the effect is uncommonly interesting. The only other criticism I would make is that Rattle perhaps doesn't do as much with the trombone writing as he might. Their repeated F-A-G at the start of the finale is rather weak, even though he chooses to emphasise the same motif at the start of the coda. The first three movements are superlative- even though Rattle goes for period-performance techniques, the performance is never lightweight and he goes to great lengths to bring out the 'da-da-da-DAAA' motif on which the whole piece is built. The criticism made below of the timpani hammering out this rhythm is hardly fair; it's written in the score like that and so deserves the special attention. As one who has conducted the piece twice, I am in a position to admire the kind of musical imagination that this interpretation evidently required and I just wish I could have thought of the same things! The minor caveats above hardly alter the fact that this is one of the most exciting performances of any work that I've ever heard and, although this is obviously a matter of personal taste, I really think that this CD has to go right to the top of the list of Beethoven 5ths. It's an amazing revivification of a hackneyed work. I just wish I could have seen Rattle and the VPO (who play quite magnificently throughout) do it live.
The Brahms, while not so innovative, is excellent too. Chung plays with a mixture of serene legato and tortured hacking where appropriate to give a performance of great urgency. The result is that her interpretation contains greater emotional extremes than most but, if this makes it sound like the piece is being wilfully exaggerated, don't be alarmed: it just makes it a good deal more involving than usual. Compare this recording to Maxim Vengerov's with Barenboim and the Chicago SO and you find that Chung probes the music far more deeply. The orchestral accompaniment is, again, notable for its clarity and power, while the finale has plenty of bounce and joie de vivre.
In short, this is an indispensable CD. The Beethoven is simply one of the freshest, most brilliant readings of any standard piece in existence and the Brahms is emotianally challenging and musically impeccable. A triumph- and Rattle is recording all the Beethoven symhonies with the VPO in May 2002..."
Kyung Wha Chung: Brahms Violin Concerto
John Grabowski | 10/02/2002
(5 out of 5 stars)
"Kyung Wha Chung has never recorded the Brahms Violin Concerto previously during her distinguished career. This recording with the Wiener Philharmoniker and Sir Simon Rattle winningly communicates an unquestionably musical and spiritual interpretation. As with the Beethoven Violin Concerto, Brahms' concerto also particularly demands technical challenges which must serve the musical expression of the work rather than as virtuosic displays and pyrotechnic showcases.Chung's performance reminds the listener, yet again, that her technical feats are completely at the service of musical expression and immediate communication. Her recording conveys a wonderful intensity and absolutely perceptible sense of being "alive" via a true performance of this concerto. The concerto is truly brought to life as it unfolds bar by bar. Auto-pilot playing or mere physical execution of the piece is never characteristic of Chung's warm interpretation. Cool objectivity, fiery passion, wit, and vulnerability are all elements present within Chung's singing violin.The legendary Vienna Philharmonic's uniquely special sound is beautifully interwoven with the solo violin's cantilena line, and the dramatic tension between the grand forces of the orchestra and the solo violin is judiciously captured in this recording. The balance between solo violin and orchestra sounds very much like the balance one would find in a concert performance (this recording was made in the great Musikverein, Vienna), preserving Chung and Rattle's approach of this work as a "concerto-symphony".Chung voices incredible sound textures ranging from raging defiance to the most serene and reflectively expressive moments. Fiery bravura and beautiful phrasing are abundantly present in her statements. The chamber-music rapport between the soloist and the orchestra is clearly evident as Rattle and Philharmonic respond with equal power, propulsion, and spontaneity, at times punctuating Chung's solo line while during others "cushioning" it beautifully. This reciprocative chemistry and musical synergy ignite this recording's communicative powers even more convincingly. An exciting and rewarding accomplishment."
Profound musical expression and supreme artistic integrity
Santa Fe Listener | 11/26/2001
(5 out of 5 stars)
"Kyung Wha Chung's first recording of the Brahms Concerto offers the highest artistic integrity to both the composition and to the listener. Her technical execution of this lofty pinnacle of violin concerti is fully invested into musical expression rather than as a showcase of technical wizardry or "autopilot", in-your-face-pyrotechnics. Fiery bravura, subtle phrasing, and a plethora of colors and textures, instead, come together to create a very warm and spiritual interpretation.
Chung's voice ranges from raging defiance to the most intimate of revelations. The Vienna Philharmonic, likewise, creates a beautifully warm sound that Simon Rattle weaves seamlessly with the solo violin line. The chamber-music-like rapport is superb so that the dramatic dialogue between the single voice of the soloist and the grand forces of the Vienna Philharmonic are beautifully generated. This balance is frequently missing in most recordings which place the microphone so close to the soloist so that the orchestra sounds far behind in the background as simply an accompanist rather than as a full collaborator. Fortunately, the dynamic interplay between Chung and Rattle is captured excitingly in this recording. Chung's approach remains faithful to this composition as a symphonic-scaled concerto.
The Vienna Philharmonic supports Chung with their wonderful, unique sound which remains legendary through the present day. The passage immediately following the Joachim cadenza, for example, unfolds with such intimacy and glowing warmth as Chung and the clarinet and oboe share the musical lines in the fullest degree. Likewise, the oboe solo and "wind serenade" opening the second movement is both serene and seamlessly personal. A FULLY rewarding and moving reading by Chung, Rattle, and the Vienna Philharmonic."
Sir Simon not at home with these composers
John Grabowski | USA | 03/08/2004
(3 out of 5 stars)
"One wonders why Rattle felt compelled to release these live performances on CD. With the Beethoven 5th symphony the most-recorded piece of classical music in history, and the Brahms Violin Concerto not far behind, it would seem that no one in this classical glut would release such a CD unless it contained some revelatory thoughts. I don't hear any here. What I do hear is a HIP-influenced Beethoven 5th (even though this is the Vienna Philharmonic) that's heavy on the banging and light on the subtlety or insight, and a non-HIP Brahms Concerto that sounds like the conductor walked out to the podium and pressed the "autopilot" button, especially in the third movement.
The 5th is lean and fast, and often this is the best way with this work for me. (Sorry, Klemperer.) But what I don't hear is the phrasing. They dash off the notes, give the most perverse and choppy rendering of the contrasting second theme I've ever heard, and race towards the recap with inexplicably exaggerated legato phrasing in the two note exchanges between strings and winds just before the recap. As another reviewer notes, the sudden intrusion of the banging tympani in the recap seems to suggest Rattle doesn't know how else to build excitement here. However, to say this sound is out of place in Beethoven is an error: tympani in his time indeed sounded harsher, and were struck with wooden sticks instead of soft mallets. What's odd to me is how they suddenly rise to the surface here; they sound oddly out of place for that reason. Then there's the perversely romantic phrasing of the oboe solo, at odds with the periodista reading of the rest of this symphony, with a long pause afterward that would be more at home in Tristan than in the Beethoven 5th. The second movement starts off with a very square and to me self-conscious phrasing, as though he were trying to make The Big Statement. I do like oone moment: a passage at mm. 86-96 where the basses and cellos sound especially taut and grim--usually conductors view this passage as kind of a rest, a respite. I think Rattle's dark view is far more in keeping with the tone of the rest of the symphony, but I wish he could have pulled it off with more subtlty and less affectedness, especially rhythmic affectedness. On the plus side, the buildup from the scherzo to the blazing finale is very convincing, one of the high points of the disc. And Rattle's coda is the more convincing I've heard. I've always been troubled by how this movement sounds like it's about to end at about six different points, that it seems to wear out its welcome through an excess of rhetoric. With attention to minute details in tempo and phrasing Rattle makes logical sense of the rapidly changing score and ends the work very convincingly. Another reviewer condemned him for excessive fussing in this section, which he claims is not in the score. I'm certain he's looking at a "traditional" score, and Rattle is using the revised Jonathan Del Marr performing edition that includes many revisions, particularly to this coda.
The Violin Concerto is saved by Chung, who brings to it a passionate intensity (sometimes at the expense of her tone, however). Listen closely and you'll hear subtle changes in color and inflection within her phrases--in other words, phrases-within-phrases. She can quickly move from vibrato on one note to a flat "white" tone in a rapid arpeggio. Mutter also has this technique in spades, but somehow Chung gives it more humanity and relevance to what's in the score, whereas sometimes with Mutter I feel like she's showboating. The slow movement is one of the most sumptuous and emotional I've ever heard--from Chung, at least. Rattle, as I said before, is on autopilot throughout the Brahms. The finale is the most joyous and dance-like I've ever heard, not weighted down by heavy rhythm like many finales are.
The sound is lean and a bit bright. Chung at times suffers, sounding like she's sitting in a barrel. But her electricity comes through, so that it really doesn't matter. No, the biggest reservation I have about really recommending these performances is Rattle. Someone below said this CD shows he is insecure in the core repertoire. I'm not sure I buy that: I've personally heard him give thrilling performances of Mahler, Sibelius, Bartok and Debussy, in music that is undoubtedly core repertoire. I think what he may have meant was "the Germanic repertoire," and there I'd agree. So far I haven't heard Rattle convince me in Beethoven, Haydn, or Brahms. I am reminded of a line in Harold C. Schonberg's book on the great pianists: that many of today's young performers are forced to counterfeit an emotion they do not feel. While he was talking about contemporary pianists, I feel this applies to many younger conductors as well. If you want to hear Rattle conduct music he *believes* in, hear him in Mahler or Sibelius. But I'd be hard-pressed, in a blindfold test, to name this conductor, or to think it's anyone beyond a generic stickwaver. So, with a gazillion recordings of these two works already out there, I can recommend this recording weakly and only for Chung. (Post script: In fact, having later compared the Beethoven to both incomparable Kleibers [father and son] with the same band, Rattle just took a notch down. Sir Simon has much to learn.)
One final thought: the Beethoven is in the latest HIP scholarship, with period-influenced intonation and performance practices and a Del Mar score, but the Brahms is big, fat tubby High Romanticism. Kind of inconsistent."
Why is this recording so good?
Santa Fe Listener | Santa Fe, NM USA | 10/01/2005
(5 out of 5 stars)
"The Amazon reviewer is off base on this CD. It's fine to have differences of taste, but she gets the facts wrong. The contrast between Toscanini and Furtwangler has nothing to do with Rattle's influences or his career. The first movement of his Beethoven Fifth isn't unduly fast: it's one second faster than the classic Carlos Kleiber recording on DG. The second movement isn't strict and inflexible--there's more rubato than one usually hears, in fact. Oh well.
To my ears, this is Rattle's best Beethoven. He is playing catch-up with both Beethoven and Brahms, two composers he didn't record for twenty years in England. Now that he has been elevated to Berlin, and in addition has a successful relationship with the Vienna Phil., he is adapting to two composdrs that, frankly, he had little sympathy with.
In this case the results are excelent. Both the live Beethoven Fifth and live Brahms concerto with Kyung Wha Chung are in wonderful, clear, warm sound. the Vienna Phil. plays with incredible beauty, as does Chung in the Brahms. Rattle in general paces eerything with quick, dramatic thrust, but he is far from being a hectic time-beater like Gardiner or Norrington.
This is genuinly great conducting of the kind that Rattle himself rarely rises to. I was deeply impressed."
Track Listings (7) - Disc #1