Composer: Anton Bruckner
Orchestra: Slovene Philharmonic Orchestra
Conductor: Lovro von Matacic
Audio CD
Number of Discs: 1
Format: APE (image+cue)
Label: Denon
Size: 367 MB
Recovery: +3%
Scan: yes
01. Allegro moderato
02. Adagio. Sehr feierlich und sehr langsam
03. Scherzo, sehr schnell. Trio, erwas langsamer
04. Finale, bewegt, doch nicht schnell
05. Rehearsal on June 20th 1984
Simone 4 Berlin
I have two Australian-themed tips for the members of the Berlin Philharmonic. First, spend every cent of the orchestra’s cash-on-hand on Rose of Innocence in Race 4 at Launceston tomorrow. Second, appoint Simone Young to succeed Simon Rattle.
It is clear that the pro-Thielemann faction in Berlin have the numbers to stop the opposing candidate (Jarvi or Nelsons or whomever) but don’t have the numbers to install their own controversial man. They should turn to Simone Young (and, at the same time, use the proceeds from Launceston Race 4 to hire Andrew Bain from the LA Phil). For here is a conductor, after ten years in her post, who is in total command of her orchestra. And the evidence is increasingly that she is also approaching total command of the core repertoire.
My advice for this album. Sit in a dark room, alone. Turn the lights out. Crank the volume right up.
The first movement is exceptionally good: the lustre of the Hamburg strings stands out time and time again, right from the outset when the lower strings wash over you with the opening theme.
If Young’s Adagio does not move you there is something wrong with you. At a macro level, her choice of tempo is just perfect, maintaining the balance between spaciousness and momentum. At a micro level, Young is again in total command, pushing and pulling the tempo ever so slightly for poise, climax and movement. Key moments: listen to the upper strings float at 11’00”-11’20”, and the extraordinary climax around four minutes from the end.
A triumph.
thx~