Review Beethoven Symphony 9 Masaaki Suzuki Bach Collegium Japan
Having completed their fabulous recordings of Bach'south choral works, and later a fine version of the Missa Solemnis concluding year, Bach Collegium Nippon and Masaaki Suzuki now plow their attention to Beethoven's final symphony. I of the recording's many strengths is Suzuki'south chosen tempi: while nonetheless faster than most modern-instrument recordings, this is i of the slowest original musical instrument performances on tape. Giving the music more fourth dimension to breathe allows the Romantic nobility of Beethoven's music to come to the fore, a quality that is lost in many other original instrument performances.
Suzuki and his orchestra conjure a beguilingly hushful opening that chop-chop builds to a powerful climax (0'27"). The BIS recording is exemplary in capturing a wide soundstage with warmth and clarity. In comparison, Gardiner's recording is overly brilliant and analytical, making whatsoever music above Forte excessively harsh. More chiefly, Suzuki maintains a potent sense of frontward momentum throughout the start movement that empowers the explosive climax at vii'49" and continues that intensity right up the end of the movement. Immerseel's performance fails to maintain that momentum, and despite excellent orchestral playing of Anima Eterna, much of the first movement seems to hang burn. Krivine'south performance tin can at times seem episodic, moving from one climax to the next, whereas Suzuki ensures that the music develops and expands from those initial mysterious murmurs into an organic and powerful whole.
In the second movement, Suzuki is again a bit slower (xiv'03") compared to his colleagues (Gardiner 13'07"; Immerseel 13'28"; Krivine 13'30"; Norrington slower still 14'20"). While the faster tempos provide more overtly virtuosic playing, about especially from Gardiner's orchestra, Suzuki's performance is no less impressive, finding dignity and rowdy sense of humor that is missing in the faster performances. Norrington's operation is also successful at this, although his option of tempo for the trio (i of Beethoven's most difficult metronome markings to honor) is unconvincingly irksome.
The 3rd movement is exceptional, Suzuki again allowing himself a slower tempo than that indicated past Beethoven's metronome mark. The marking for this movement is a flashpoint of conflict between traditionalist and "historically informed" performers. Norrington, closely follows Beethoven's metronome markings, performs the movement in only 11'08", which is a shock to whatsoever listener who knows the interpretations of Klemperer (a "quick" traditionalist at 15'02"); Karajan (Berlin/1960s cycle, 16'thirty"), Walter (Columbia/Sony cycle 17'41"); Furtwängler (Bayreuth, xix'40"!!). Indeed, Norrington and Immerseel'southward (12'26") performances do seem content to only ensure the music is played with rhythmic accuracy and a beautiful tone. Suzuki proves far more successful at drawing out the music's complex web of emotions, and any concerns ane might have about original instruments being unable to match the beauty and richness of tone plant in their modern counterparts – will discover those fears unfounded in this gorgeous and deeply involving performance.
The fourth movement is hugely impressive, from the opening chord, terrifyingly dissonant, to the nuanced and precise playing of the orchestral basses during their recitative, leading into a particularly exciting rendition of the orchestral variations on the "Ode to Joy." The entry of the singers raises the bar still further, soloists and choir uniformly excellent, with near-perfect intonation and well-baked diction. A key aspect of Suzuki's wonderful Bach recordings is the complete engagement his singers requite to the text, and that quality is too integral to this operation. Choir and soloists passionately embody Beethoven's (and Schiller'due south) belief in the brotherhood of humanity. Surely it is a message that we need to hear, and believe, now more always.
This is an exceptional release, with highly informative and interesting notes by Beethoven scholar Ernst Herttrich. The recording is everything we expect from BIS, and Bach Collegium Nippon and their conductor Masaaki Suzuki are proving to be first-rate performers of an increasingly wide range of music. No ane recording can capture every aspect of Beethoven's magnum opus, but this i comes close and belongs in the library of every Beethoven lover.
Beethoven – Symphony No. nine ("Choral"), Op. 125
Ann-Helen Moen – Soprano
Marianne Beate Kielland – Mezzo
Allan Clayton – Tenor
Neal Davies – Bass
Bach Collegium Nihon
Masaaki Suzuki – Usher
BIS Records, hybrid SACD 2451
Albums Mentioned In This Review
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