Bruckner the Romantic

Bruckner: Symphonies Nos. 4, 7 & 9
Philharmonia Festiva
Gerd Schaller, conductor
Live recording
Profil/Hannsler Classics

It has taken about a century for the symphonies of Austrian composer Anton Bruckner to enter the repertories of major orchestras. One of his champions is German conductor Gerd Schaller, most widely known in Germany as an opera conductor and founder and music director of the Ebracher Musiksommer Festival.

His recording with the Philharmonie Festiva of Bruckner's Fourth, Seventh, and Ninth Symphonies, with the fourth movement completed by William Carragan, has recently been released on the Profil/Hanssler Classic label.

The Philharmonie Festiva is comprised of leading musicians from Munich's three major orchestras–the Munich Philharmonic, the Bavarian Radio Symphony, and the Bavarian State Opera Orchestra. This new release is a wonder. Taking its place alongside Karajan's Bruckner, this recording is a monument to Bruckner's contribution to the orchestral repertoire.

All performances were recorded live in concert at the Ebracher Festival. The Fourth and Seventh were recorded in 2007 and 2008, while the Ninth was recorded in 2010. All three recorded performances are spacious, clear, and with great presence, although the engineering of the earlier performances has slightly more depth.

Musically, the performances can hardly be bettered. Schaller's interpretation reflects his theatrical experience. While dramatic, the performances are still direct and without affectation. The brass section takes center stage in any Bruckner work, and the Festiva's brass takes second place to no other orchestra's brasses. The sound of German brass has a characteristically dark sheen that takes the edge off the bright brassiness that is sometimes too piercing. The sound of the lower strings is deep and rich, augmented by the wonderful clarity and depth of the bass in Profil's recording.

Whether you are new to Bruckner's symphonies or one of the growing number of admirers of his music, this recording is not to be missed. If the angst-saturation of Mahler is not to your taste, then Bruckner's romanticism may be just the ticket.

Bruckner was a self-acknowledged heir of Wagner's, but he had his own voice. Bruckner revised his major works, often dozens of times, so his death in 1896 precluded the completion of his Ninth and last symphony. He left copious, if untidy notes, however, and Carragan's completion of the fourth movement is true to both the letter and spirit of Bruckner's intentions.

Roussel: The Spider's Banquet an Aural Feast

Roussel: Festin De L'Araignee
Padmâvatî – Suites 1 & 2
Royal Scottish National Orchestra; 
Stéphane Denève, conductor
Naxos

Stéphane Denève and the Royal Scottish National Orchestra conclude their survey of Roussel’s orchestral music with two important stage works: La festin de l’araignée, and the suites from the opera Padmâvatî. The previous four volumes from Naxos each focused on a  Roussel symphony, filling in with shorter orchestral works.

This time the centerpiece is his most popular ballet score, La festin de l’araignée (The Spider’s Banquet). This 1912 ballet-pantomime depicts insect life in a garden (especially those trapped in the spider’s web). Its impressionistic score reminds me somewhat of Debussy’s Prelude to the Afternoon of a Faun, only in sharper focus.

The performance features the complete score, and the 32-minute work moves along briskly. Denève and RSNO dig into the lush harmonies and sparkling orchestration with gusto. It’s easy to understand the popularity of the work based on their performance.

The remainder of the album is devoted to two orchestral suites Roussel extracted from his opera-ballet Padmâvatî. Based on a tragic Indian legend, the score is full of exotic color and melodies. As might be expected, the music is much more serious and dramatic than the lighthearted Spider’s Banquet. The orchestral suites are full of appealing music, though  it sometimes sounded to me like Mussorgsky with a French accent.

If you’ve been following Denève’s Roussel cycle, you’ll be happy to know this release makes a fine conclusion to the series. The ensemble and conductor turn in some fine performances that match the quality of those in the previous volumes.

If you’re not familiar with Roussel, this disc might be a good place to start. The Spider’s Banquet just may entice you into Roussel’s charming musical web.

Johannes Eccard: Sacred and Secular Works

Johannes Eccard: Sacred & Secular Works 
Opella Musica
Ensemble NOEMA
Gregor Meyer, director
CPO

Although not a household name, Johannes Eccard can hardly be called an obscure composer. Active during the latter half of the 16th century, Eccard's vocal music was held in high regard by other composers -- especially German composers, from Johann Sebastian Bach through Brahms. In his own lifetime, he was seen as the Protestant answer to Palestrina (and his music was considered just as good).

This new collection of Eccard's sacred and secular works justifies that assessment. Eccard studied with Orlando de Lassus. The secular works show Lassus' influence. Eccard sets his texts in a similar style, letting the nature of the words dictate the shape of the melody whenever possible.  And his polyphonic sacred works show the same facility for counterpoint as Lassus. The lines flow naturally, weaving in and out of each other creating marvelous patterns that sound neither academic nor contrived.

Also included are some of Eccard's works for the fledgling Protestant movement. His settings of the simple congregational hymn tunes show great imagination, while remaining true to the melody. Eccard's original hymns have simple, straight-forward patterns, but are written with rich harmonic possibilities for Eccard (and later on other composers) to explore.

Cudos to Gregor Meyer and his ensembles for presenting this music. Their performances are clean and unaffected, letting the structure of the music come through clearly. Listening to this recording, it's easy to understand why Bach closely studied Eccard's music.