TCHAIKOVSKY & BRAHMS
Testament 1337 / ****1/2
The world was robbed of a would-be legend with
the suicide of French violinist Christian Ferras (1933-1982), a rare genius who
would have celebrated his 80th birthday this year. His famous 1964
recording of Tchaikovsky’s Violin
Concerto with the Berlin Philharmonic conducted by Herbert von Karajan on
Deutsche Grammophon remains in the catalogue, but this 1957 version with The
Philharmonia led by Constantin Silvestri is grittier and more exciting. While
he sounds staid and respectful alongside Karajan, here he lets rip with
liberties galore. There are some unsanctioned cuts in the first and third
movements, but his additional touches in the 1st movement’s cadenza
have a gypsy élan and flourish that are inimitable.
Ferras is joined by legendary French cellist
Paul Tortelier in Brahms’s Double
Concerto, a 1962 recording again with The Philharmonia, but presided by
Paul Kletzki. Both soloists are well-matched and play with a togetherness that
fits like hand and glove. Their exchanges are timed to perfection and unison
passages are sung with an evenness that is a joy to behold. Add an exciting
rocking rondo finale, this comes close to the perfect performance of a
well-loved classic, aided by excellent recorded sound even by modern standards.
One only wonders what further riches Ferras could have offered us were he still
living today.
Overtures
and Preludes
Filarmonica
della Scala / Riccardo Chailly
Decca 478
3559 / ****1/2
While Giuseppe Verdi (1813-1901) is considered
by many as the greatest opera composer ever lived, this accolade would not have
been possible if his orchestral writing to precede and accompany the singing
was not up to scratch. This celebratory disc for the Verdi bicentenary
highlights orchestral music from his operas. The Preludes are brief, and set the mood for each act as the curtain
rises. There are no better examples than those written for Act 1 of La Traviata, portraying tenderness and
fragility, and Act 1 of Aida, which
is intimate but mysterious, and alludes to the Triumphal March to come.
The Sinfonias
or Overtures are longer, more
dramatic and may quote melodies from the opera itself. The overture to Nabucco gives away a secret – the
rousing Va, Pensiero, better known as
the chorus of the Hebrew slaves. As stand-alone music, the best are the overtures
for La Forza del Destino (The Force of Destiny) and I Vespri Siciliani (The Sicilian Vespers), where the violent hand of Fate is most eloquently
represented. The longest music is also rarely heard, 19 minutes of Airs de Ballet from Jerusalem , the French production
of I Lombardi. Pleasant but not the
most inspired of music, it is nevertheless performed with dedication and conviction
by the Orchestra of La Scala. Long live Verdi indeed!
No comments:
Post a Comment