Prom 39: Schnittke, Mozart, Shostakovich. Janine Jansen (violin) / European Union Youth Orchestra / Vladimir Ashkenazy (conductor). Royal Albert Hall. 12.08.2006 (ED)

 

Schnittke: (K)ein Sommernachtstraum

Mozart: Violin Concerto No. 5 in A major, K219

Shostakovich: Symphony No.4 in C minor

 

Schnittke’s uproarious pseudo-Classical pastiche (Not) a Midsummer Night’s Dream might strike those that do not know the work as a strange choice to open a programme of Mozart and Shostakovich. Some might even think the choice a little mad, but there was method behind any madness. Schnittke himself commented (in notes accompanying the recording on BIS CD-437) that much of the impetus came from his childhood years in Vienna and the outcries he later caused in Salzburg with his cadenzas for Beethoven, Mozart and arrangement of Silent Night.  “A desecration of culture”, the last was called. Ever one to enjoy a musical joke at another’s expense (K)ein Sommernachtstraum takes the same spirit further in its vicious treatment of judiciously faked classical themes as an Echt-Viennese minuet collides headlong with a decidedly socialist-realist soundworld. As one might expect this is a work that thrives on imaginative playing from the orchestra, and the ever alert EUYO relished every dissonance, every intended clash of culture. Ashkenazy was only too happy to let the orchestra begin by themselves, but when things were properly in their stride he too lost all inhibitions and revelled in the fun of it.

 

Mozart’s fifth violin concerto came across as a little uncertain at times, as the orchestra struggled to maintain exact control of balance and nuance in their playing. Maybe Schnittke lingered slightly too long with them, but perhaps Ashkenazy’s rather general approach to conducting took its toll too. With greater precision of gesture a tighter hold on details might have been established. That aside though, Ashkenazy’s tempi were well, if rather unadventurously. judged. Dutch superstar violinist Janine Jansen performed the solo part, a near balletic sense of movement finding its way into her playing. With tone that was decidedly steely and free of vibrato she found much that was intimate and conversational in the writing. Contrasts of approach elegantly showed her qualities as a Mozart player to listen out for: passionate articulation with strong lines that first demanded, later cravingly whispered for attention in the outer movements framed effortless long-lingering lyricism in the second. In a weekend that would feature no fewer than three of Mozart’s violin concertos at the Proms, this performance made a fine opening gambit.

 

Whatever Ashkenazy might lack in technical terms as a conductor his desire to communicate with the orchestra before him is hardly ever in doubt and he is at his best when conducting a piece he feels passionately about. One such work is obviously Shostakovich’s Fourth Symphony. Imparting more in the way of energy to his players than refined control, the lengthy first movement was vividly projected at full tilt to contain not a little wry humour amongst its dramatically conceived veiled terror. The quality of unison string playing was notable, as was a startling section for baleful bassoon set against the harp. The second movement saw a quieter solitude come to the fore with evocative wind lines and grand brass motifs strongly featured. The playing might have been softer grained but it was scarcely less threatening: periodically almost mechanistic rhythms dominated proceedings. The closing third movement picked up the ironic vein again, before increasing pressure is exerted by brass and timpani to enter a surrealist fairground and, finally, a coda notable for its bleakness of outlook. The EUYO showed their skill in bringing out peculiar sonorities that lent the conclusion a rather fragile unrest. An uneasily enlarged quartet of massed strings, trumpets, harps and celesta just about held the musical threads together, as Shostakovich intended. The symphony might have waited 25 years for its premiere in the aftermath of condemnation for Lady Macbeth of Mtsensk and the composer even thought the work itself suffered from ‘grandiosomnia’ – but despite its size and many juxtaposing elements it needs a fearless performance to do it justice. The EUYO provided just that and were richly rewarded by the audience for doing so.

 

 

Evan Dickerson