My ‘Seen
and Heard’ colleague, Tristan Jakob-Hoff was lucky enough
to attend the concerts from which these recordings derive.
He was present for the 26 November performance of the Triple
Concerto (see review)
and the 16 November performance of the Seventh Symphony (see
review).
The
Seventh Symphony is done very well here. In his succinct
booklet note Lindsay Kemp describes the first movement as “massive”.
I’m not entirely sure I go along with that – and certainly
not as presented by Haitink. To be sure, the music sounds
powerful, as it should, but this conductor keeps it moving
forward in a very satisfactory way. The main allegro has
an excellent spring in its step and the music unfolds with
admirable buoyancy. The LSO are on excellent form for Haitink;
their playing has ample athleticism but the requisite amount
of weight is present too.
Is
the second movement “melancholy”, as Lindsay Kemp says? I’m
not sure it is, though the wind chords with which it opens
and closes may give that impression. Haitink lets the music
develop easily and naturally. In lesser hands it can sometimes
sound trudging but that’s emphatically not the case here.
The scherzo is lithe and then we’re on to the finale. As
Mr. Kemp so aptly says, this movement is an “unstoppable
swirl of ebullience and energy.” Haitink may not equal the
all-embracing vigour of Carlos Kleiber in his famous DG recording – but
that’s a matchless account – yet he ensures that the music
is vivacious and very exciting. Yet it never sounds excessively
driven. It is, in fact, a joyful and hugely enjoyable reading
of this life-enhancing music, which I’m sure earned an enthusiastic
ovation on the night – as usual LSO Live edit out applause.
The
coupling is the Triple Concerto, which was paired in concert
with the ‘Pastoral’ symphony. For this Haitink has
as two of his soloists the LSO leader, Gordan Nikolitch and
cellist Tim Hugh. They played together in Haitink’s 2003
recording for the LSO Live label of Brahms’s Double Concerto
(LSO0043 - see review of
the concert). I could never understand why that Brahms cycle
was so coolly received in many quarters,
but
that’s
another matter. Here Nikolitch and Hugh are joined by pianist
Lars
Vogt in an effective trio partnership.
I’m
afraid I’ve never really warmed to this concerto. The thematic
material isn’t desperately interesting and, frankly, both
of the outer movements rather outstay their welcome, the
finale in particular. That said, this is a performance with
much to commend it. Haitink has always been a sympathetic
accompanist and he’s on top form here, which is important
with no less than three soloists to accommodate. It’s also
notable that all three soloists give every impression of
playing as a team – as a true trio – rather than as three
soloists who happen to have found themselves playing together.
Lars Vogt must take some of the credit for this. The piano
can easily dominate in this work but he uses a nice light
touch and always keeps his part in proper balance with his
colleagues.
The
short slow movement contains the best music. Tim Hugh plays
the opening cello solo quite beautifully and later on Nikolitch’s
playing is equally pleasing while Vogt’s rippling accompaniment
is delightful. The finale is genial enough but here above
all I wondered if the soloists were projecting their lines
with sufficient strength and personality. I’m afraid I found
this movement just a bit dull.
Personally
I wouldn’t buy this CD for the concerto but the symphony
is another matter. It’s an excellent performance, captured
in good sound and it’s worth the reasonable asking price
by itself. Others may well find a good deal more in the concerto
than I did, of course. Lindsay Kemp contributes useful notes
and the only disappointing aspect of the production is the
cover photograph, which is as uninspiring – and meaningless
to me – as has been the case with previous issues in this
series.
Having
now heard three instalments of this Haitink Beethoven cycle
(see review of Symphonies
2 & 6), I think it’s shaping
up to be a considerable addition to the catalogue and the
Seventh
is
a worthy part
of the
set.
John Quinn
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*Gordan Nikolitch
(violin); Tim Hugh (cello); Lars Vogt (piano) 
