tells Mörike
As in its spurious but charming story, in early 1787, Mozart left for Prague as close as possible to a tournée pleasure (their duties were few: a performance of The Marriage of Figaro and a pair of piano recitals). Among Constance hats carrying a newly finished manuscript to a symphony in D (K. 504), which would be forever connected with the name of the city. January 19 premiere to Mozart led an orchestra of twenty musicians, apparently with great success. Years later, in 1808, remembered his friend Niemetschek " the symphony remains a favorite in Prague, and has certainly been interpreted hundreds of times ."
the work is undoubtedly one of the peaks of the author, although only integrates three movements instead of the traditional four, perhaps an allusion to the Masonic symbolism (Massin dixit). The absence of the classical minuet is offset by the slow introduction that opens the composition, influence the progress of his beloved Haydn symphony (and how much weight should take into Beethoven). Deep tone, almost threatening, unpredictable tonally, sometimes harshly dissonant, at bar 16 overcomes the minor key pass (with a burst of drums and trumpets), in its modulations can smell the trace of K. 466 and guess the color shade of dissoluto . Then the grave foreboding gives way an allegro , tight and syncopated (a setback), off smoothly. Six reasons (mirroring Figaro, intuitions The Magic Flute) are developed and contrapuntal escaped. In this dense polyphony (which Mozart made unusually significant and multiple thematic sketches of possible combinations) succeed irresistibly strong rhetorical strategies, closing the Mozart symphonic movement of greater originality, synthesis of Baroque and classical style traditions.
Sonata form is also followed in the second movement, marked Andante winding and ternary rhythm, another example of the sophistication of the symphony: a lyrical and spiritual contrasts first issue a second troubled, tense-based timber line. Finally, strange shadows chromatic harmony and destabilize the huddle after contrapuntal imitation. The summary reviews all materials used in alternating shades movement toward a peaceful end, as chamber music atmosphere reinforced by the rich harmonic palette will serve as inspiration for Schubert.
The book concludes with a ready , originally written to run the symphony Paris "(K.297) with a new ending, which begins with a jovial atmosphere of comic character (Returns the melodic semblaza Figaro) in which the winds go tearing into a violent storm. A way round using color dialogs, syncopations and contrapuntal transformations in a dark coral character, just wrapped in a cloak of light.
To complete Prague that Mozart left a gulden in the jacket and commissioned an opera for the following fall. From it we will soon.
Mahler tradition
Berlin in 1929 was undoubtedly the capital of the musical world: apart from the Philarmoniker conducted by Furtwangler, had three operas running at once, seven days a week for ten months a year, whose directors were Erich Kleiber, Bruno Walter and Otto Klemperer. The biography of these three are fundamentally intertwined with that of Gustav Mahler.
Berlin 1929: Walter, Toscanini (Visit), Kleiber, Klemperer and Furtwangler
The first youth was marked by the impression made by a Mahler concert that marked his decision to devote himself to conducting. The rigor, instinct and genius of Eric Kleiber got in his recording with the Vienna Philharmonic, where the hardness of the string dominates the delicacy of the wood-(History, 1929) a supreme concision, quick and lively, although from arts budgets away from questions of style and musical practices typical of the era of the composer.
Bruno Walter learned his Gustav Mahler Mozart when it was established in Vienna State Opera as Kapellmeister in 1901. Walter studied the symphony recorded three times: with the New York Philharmonic (Sony, 1956), Columbia Symphony (Sony, 1959) and Vienna Philharmonic (Pearl, 1936). With this rearranged the work in a 1955 concert at the Musikverein picked up by Radio Austria and subsequently released by Deutsche Grammophon in 1992 to mark the 150 anniversary of the orchestra. The concept is similar in all recordings but this record has the best balance between sound and instrumental bill: it leads to its highest tempo fluctuation within each movement, rhythm without total flexibillidad be in danger of fragmentation, relaxing in the dark passages, trying to carefully convey melancholy (allegro ) or tortured ( soon ). The other key factor is the warm phrasing, lightening the strong beats in each measure and foster a more subtle nuances cantabile, a pure delight in its combination of human rhythmic vitality and exuberance. From a full big-band sound with numerous (and destabilizing) quota string, Walter develops a strong communicative power, high voltage, while directed in a beautiful, lyrical and velvety (that sense of fun in walking funny of sensitivity), highlighting all the melodic elements. Exemplary clarity in the detail and texture, combining richly expressive with constructive logic, guardian of a tradition almost vanished.
The great seriousness and lack of inflections Mozart is personal vision (mature, thirsting for spiritual freedom) of the last representative of the tradition Romantic Mahler: Klemperer recorded first with the Orchestra of the Berlin RIAS (Radio in the American sector ) (EMI, 1950) and the Philharmonia (Testament, 1956), documents both significantly urgent tempi and fibrous joint but whose technical weakness makes us prefer the miraculous clarity of textures that Walter Legge called (and recorded beautifully balanced) sound films. Cohesion and the superb quality of the Philharmonia Orchestra (EMI, 1962) unanimously allowed the sound of a chamber group, transparency in overlapping planes of sound, architectural grandeur, monumental constructive sense of Olympic and calm objectivity, meticulous attention to detail of the value of the notes, phrasing, rhythm, intonation, beauty of tone and dynamics. Klemperer Mahler always had the habit of putting antiphonally first and second violins, which can outline unexpected dialogues. Elegant dramatic sense in the introduction, dynamic range in the use of drums, light woods and serious online presence, determination and order in quick movements, and austerity of expression in the andante .
These versions came others: A Mozart Slavic princely proposed Vaclav Talich leading the Czech Philharmonic (Supraphon, 1954). The same year, a rough surface and Igor Markevitch with the Berliner Philarmoniker (DG) is subject to the tyranny of the waves and wind. Finally, clarity, delicacy and elegance of chamber music timbre extracted by Erich Leinsdorf the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra (DG 1955).
The great virtue of Karl Böhm balanced is placed between the tendency of a Klemperer objectivist and a subjectivist Walter. Based on the clear exposition and perfect execution of the Berliner instrumental Philarmoniker (DG, 1959), constructive solid, stern and solemn, the small variation in the accents, the plane of the joint design, uniformity and excessive rhetoric, delinquencies in tempi thickeners moderate if not, result in the reduction of dark tones and the softness of the drama inherent in the composition. In short, a profile of Mozart Apollo and starchy.
Another four recordings were made in the 60's: While wandering Carl Schuricht and cantabile lyricism is all in front of the Opera Orchestra of Paris (Scribendum, 1963), Pablo Casals get a nonagenarian with the Marlboro Festival Orchestra (Sony, 1968) a vibrant reading and uneven, with the public suffering from rhinitis spring. For its part, the lithe and incisive Staatskapelle Dresden conducted by Otmar Suitner (Edel, 1968) contrasts with the interpretation of Karl monodinámica Münchinger unknown to me with the Klassische Philharmonie Stuttgart (Vienna Classics, 1969).
Josef Krips was the champion of the Viennese interpretive mode par excellence, an art serene, relaxed, light and smiling, with a sense of balance ... and a point short of dramatic incisiveness. Transparent textures (occasionally winds fade into the large contingent of strings) but fleshy clear contrapuntal voices and accents, lopsided and controlled tempi quiet but little contrast (ie, slow movements and fast ends in the middle), the calibrated dynamic range in a moderate, warm and perfect legato, naturally, communicative apparent simplicity, liveliness, transparency, sublime expression. Also seasoned in his youth as opera director, enhances many subtle details, unheard of in other versions. Superb recording, and natural close perspective, gathering the rich timbre of the Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra of Amsterdam (Philips, 1972).
As is standard in its approach to Herbert von Karajan passes through the concept of sound: dense, velvety, precise joints, roundness and extraordinary tonal dynamic range (perhaps exaggerated), flexible phrasing and a bit romantic, but mannered, dramatic pulseless hastily aged. An antiseptic Berlin Philharmonic (DG, 1977) is unbalanced between strings and winds.
Pity the conscientious and meticulous craftsman Neville Marriner is vitiated by a dash of daring in its impersonal and generic interpretation to the podium of The Academy of St. Martin in the Fields (Philips, 1980).
" Mozart contains the fullness of life, the deepest pain to pure joy " This need to (re) learn, and translate into sound-contrast, ambivalence, ambiguity and the depths that rely on their internal structures, Nicolaus Harnoncourt submitted to the disciplined and versatile Amsterdam Concertgebouw Orchestra (Teldec, 1982) to a type of interpretive guidelines completely alien to business as usual in the symphonic repertoire: change hand position, bow, different types of vibrato, different fingerings, introduction of natural wind instruments and small drums that distinguish their sound of the trumpet when both play in unison. But the revolution is on the side of treatment: awn, abrupt, unsettling, so radical and tough is the stress, so aggressive attacks that came to mind the word penis, but I find that word as wiser Anglo "male " . So, as it sounds. Extremism in the strong group dynamic wood-metal-toms, more vehemently than dramatic, would say operatic, in the martial character of the implacable allegro followed by a truce tense and intense walking to prepare the furious presto (much more accomplished in the last two movements, the initial lack of cantabile and lyricism). The sound is distant but an outright contribution highlights metals.
One of the main advantages of registration due Leonard Bernstein is undoubtedly the sensational capture fog Vienna Philharmonic live (DG, 1985). Despite its excessive size, sound levels are dissected with fluency and vividness of the fiery enthusiasm of the tune, evoking his familiarity with Walter. The animal magnetism that lit Bernstein sentiment builds this voluptuous romantic feeling so good home with these (all) works of Mozart. The presto , prestísimo , as he sang (the other) Figaro. Inappropriate? As well as tuning a cold. Delicious!
Conversely, the incorrigible Peter Maag, perfume imbued with Mozart, is burdened by impurities instrumental the Orchestra di Padova e del Veneto (Arts, 1996).
Latest review interpretations Harnoncourt continue the way in which modern orchestras applied instrumental and methodological treatment of historicist assumptions: Claudio Abbado with his newly formed Orchestra Mozart is efficient and neat and predictable in this detailed live record (Archiv, 2006).
In his earlier approach to Charles Mackerras score showed moderate learning HIP, with a surprising harpsichord to continued with the Prague Chamber Orchestra (Telarc, 1986). The recent recording with the Scottish Chamber Orchestra (Linn, 2007) has achieved rave reviews from the press. "Classicism or fantasy? Well, it depends ... if we compare his tempi vivid or dynamic contrasts with those of René Jacobs are highly attenuated and uniformed yes, are counted among the successes achieved with the most dramatic relaxation of the tempi, the pervasive use of metals to natural just starting the allegro or winds in the 2 nd issue, underlines perfectly the tragic element. The proximity of the microphones to the stands (with antiphonal recovered separation of violins) allows an intimate sound and clear near the illusion of a concert in a small private room.
Recovery eighteenth
The first complete recording of corpus symphonic instruments and performance practices of " the time" (ie, the time of the early eighties of the twentieth century, today the historicist movement-for some forensic musicology, has progressed) was that of Christopher Hogwood in front of The Academy of Ancient Music (L'Oiseau Lyre, 1983). It retrieves the beloved consistently very small orchestra by Mozart (and therefore very modern) and its spatialization in arch rings off between weak and strong, the varied phrasing, intonations and chords required for the rhythmic and dynamic context, the absence of vibrato, and performing all the repetitions. While getting the perception of instrumental lines (with expressive simplicity), however, compared with later achievements revealed unimaginative, with an excess of decorativism watercolor. Raw take sound.
Down to earth and common sense rapids, as I had occasion to check on a memorable talk with Frans Brüggen, the Dutch looked calm and frank conversation has been defined as the romantic within the historicist movement. Each of the discs due to the Orchestra of the Eighteenth Century is an event in itself. First, for the special production-ever live recording, carried out exclusively by the own band after an extensive concert tour and then offered to the record company (Philips) as a closed product. In this way the catalog is necessarily brief, with a couple of albums a year at most. But what drives! In 1988, published this charming etymologically reading, which features a loose contingent of strings, 31 (remember that Mozart premiered the work with six violins)-technically perfect, yet a warmth of old-and very audible contribution of wood and Percussion . The resulting ratio between symmetric and textural instruments at the service of a flexible joint and sparkling, an incisive clarity of flat, light and transparent at any speed, but not without lyricism and elegance, where even minute variations in tempo eat a light creating a dynamic gradations suggestive improvisatory character. Highlights in the allegro the dark color of the wood that accentuates a character at times gloomy, look Brüggen Mozart that emphasize love, being reflexive walking, urgently bronze in the propulsion of some issues to others in the soon. Making refined sound that can only be treasured.
As teachers yesterday John Eliot Gardiner has his professional roots in the direction coral, which is why it seems to me that reading is notable for the emphasis of the opera quotes. So, mark the symphony as a close relative of drama (little) giocoso, with rich timbre close to Beethoven (strong winds and percussion), exciting but without emphasis, with sparse and austere poetic career but decided to dramatic breath. Brilliant capture Inglés sound of Baroque Soloists (Philips, 1988) treacherously betrays slight imbalances in the delicate final walking.
Discreet and safe but not exciting shows in front of Trevor Pinnock The Inglés Concert (Archiv, 1993): The recording is so polished and pristine the interpretation of nerve tempi, precise articulation with great vivacity of accents, and a meager number of stands of strings (25). A curiosity: the last twenty years the number of musicians was very low level, so their names are repeated in all British formations.
The theatrical approach, which opera in miniature (the previous record of Rene Jacobs conducting was Don Giovanni), leans back in the early stages, with forte-piano dynamic contrasted very often accompanied accelerandi rallentandi and which provide important variety of characters and a vital boost cyclic stress-strain. The lyrical and cantabile sense we find in other versions is here literally assaulted by a joint lumber, unpredictable, with sudden accents sforzato , full of intensity and ferocity with strong chords and drum presence of rough, deep and danceable ambiguous in the errant , ending with a presto can not catch breath. The stunning and subtle pianoforte continued to come to appreciate because of the small contingent (23) Freiburger string of Barockorchester (HM, 2007) that allows a revealing clarity of line and detail, where the complex textures aquieren crystal clean. Making sound triumphant.
Final Note: Not applicable to the dispute of repeats, since in several cases the theoretical concept of the director was adapted to the practical needs of the reproduction technique, adjusting to the limited MINUTES 78 rpm discs, and then to the 33 rpm LP.
