SEEN AND HEARD INTERNATIONAL

Janáček, Dvořák and Rachmaninov: London Philharmonic Orchestra, Thomas Zehetmair, Mark Elder, Royal Festival Hall, London, 1.5. 2009 (GDn)

Janáček: Schluck und Jau music for the play by Gerhart Hauptmann
Dvořák: Violin Concerto in A minor
Rachmaninov: Symphony no. 3 in A minor


How tastes change. Dvořák’s Violin Concerto was standard repertoire in the early 20^th century but is now something of a rarity. It is cast in the mould of the Beethoven and Brahms concertos and so, perhaps inevitably, has ended up in their shadow. Like Dvořák’s symphonies, the concerto relies on its tangential relationship with Bohemian folk music to assert its independence from the Austro-German models of its classical form. But Thomas Zehetmair is not the kind of performer to elevate the rustic or the regional over Austro-German rigour so, for this evening at least, the work was destined to remain shrouded in those long shadows. Zehetmair’s appearances on the London stage are rare, a pity considering the distinctiveness of his performing style. He is a musician who takes his work seriously, and the studied concentration that went into every note of this immaculate performance made it obvious that he was keen to make a case for the work. But it isn’t that kind of music, much of Dvořák’s solo writing is decorative and inconsequential, and it would work better in the hands of a performer who resists the temptation to take it too seriously. Or perhaps Zehetmair was just playing safe, but the best he could hope for with this performance was for it to sound like second rate Brahms, a marginally preferable proposition to second rate Dvořák.

It was a concert of lesser works by great composers. The second half was given over to Rachmaninov’s Third Symphony. Here again there was a chance for a marginal work to find salvation through superior performance. In fact, this seems to have been Rachmaninov’s strategy all along. The symphony was composed for the Philadelphia Orchestra in 1935/6, then as now an ensemble noted for its clarity of sound and ability to field outstanding soloists. The London Philharmonic is in a similar position, so there was scope here for the orchestra to shine. Rachmaninov’s orchestration is adventurous rather than inspired, but all the unusual effects he employs, a horn solo accompanied only by two harps for example, or a brass chorale pared down to just a single trumpet, bass trombone and tuba, were given the best possible advocacy. And Mark Elder is in his element with this repertoire, the music of Strauss and Mahler are the basis of his musical psyche; he channels their disciplined Romanticism into these freer structures to create opulent, expansive, soundscapes without ever losing control or focus.

But whatever reservations about the programming, the orchestra remains on top form. The distinctiveness of timbre in each section combines impressively into an overall sense of unity and balance. The opening work was the most interesting of the programme. That isn’t saying much, but it is a piece that deserves greater exposure, Janáček’s incidental music to Schluck und Jau, a play by Gerhardt Hauptmann. This is late-era Janáček, it was left incomplete at his death and the two movements performed here were only published in 1977. The music is continuously inventive, changing tack every few bars and introducing new orchestral textures seemingly with every phrase. Like the Rachmaninov, this work relies on distinctive and committed contributions from every member of the orchestra and requires an acute sense of ensemble, especially in the numerous passages where the texture is pared down to just a handful of disparate solo colours. The London Philharmonic really gets this music, and their ability to make Janáček’s unique orchestration decisions sound deliberate and purposeful rather than wantonly esoteric maintains its sense of inner purpose. The orchestra’s countless Janáček evenings at Glyndebourne down the years have created an intimate bond with his music, they play it like it’s in their blood. 

This performance was recorded for future broadcast on BBC Radio 3.

Gavin Dixon


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