Asrael started out as Josef Suk’s homage to his
father-in-law Antonín Dvořák, but after the
early death of Suk’s wife - who was also Dvořák’s
daughter - midway through its composition, went on to become
a memorial to both. Considering the connections of both the
composer and the work to Dvořák, it is surprising
how little it sounds like any of his symphonies. The cor anglais
has a prominent role in the first movement, recalling perhaps
the Ninth, and the woodwind colouring has a similar Czech flavour.
That said, in general this is the music of a composer who has
successfully moved out of the shadow of his great predecessor.
And while Dvořák’s music succeeds or fails
on the strength of its melodic invention, Suk is far more interested
in drama, texture and above all innovative orchestration. He
is brave enough regularly to reduce the orchestra to a handful
of instruments, and to give solos to the tuba, to the low woodwinds
and to all sorts of other unlikely candidates. The percussion
section is also put through its paces; there aren’t too
many unusual instruments there, but cymbals and timpani make
regular and unusual contributions to the louder passages.
The work is usually known as Suk’s 2nd Symphony,
and it is interesting that this designation is not given on
the packaging for this recording. Generically, it sits somewhere
between tone poem - albeit of the most abstract kind - and late-Romantic
symphony. In Dvořák, these two creative impulses
serve a common cause, but Suk sets them apart, leaving interpreters
the job of deciding which direction the music should take.
Libor Pešek is determined to maintain a symphonic coherency,
which occasionally means foregoing atmosphere and involvement.
There are occasional caesuras between sections that seem all
too brief, and the conductor’s restraint is often apparent
in the tuttis. On the other hand, the build-ups and other large-scale
structural devices are all excellently handled. A work that
could otherwise seem incoherent and rambling is presented as
a tight symphonic unit.
The Liverpool Philharmonic are on good form, demonstrating that
even before the arrival of Vasily Petrenko - the recordings
were made in the early 1990s - the orchestra was a force to
be reckoned with. Top musical honours go to the woodwinds, who
have their work cut out in both symphonies but prove they are
well up to the task. The strings and brass are occasionally
a little messy, but not to the extent of spoiling the experience.
Asrael proved to be a defining point in Suk’s career,
and many of his later orchestral works function as sequels of
one sort or another. A Summer’s Tale was the first
of these. As the title suggests, it is slightly more cheery,
although it is never carefree as such, and there is always a
sardonic streak underlying its happier episodes. We are really
in tone poem rather than symphony territory here, but Pešek
maintains a firm grip on the structure and large-scale progressions.
It is a more melodic work than Asrael, and again the
woodwind carry the bulk of the melodic material. Generally speaking
though, the melodies are pleasant and stylistically coherent,
rather than memorable and propulsive as in Dvořák.
This double CD is a re-release of two discs that were originally
issued separately. Given the modest price, anybody buying it
for the Asrael alone would be churlish to complain about
the addition of the lesser known Summer’s Tale.
The Asrael was nominated for a Gramophone Award in 1992,
and that confidence in the recording’s merits is fully
justified, as is the decision to re-release it. The sound on
both discs shows its age; neither has the clarity of detail
we would expect from a more recent recording. But the woodwind
solos are all admirably conveyed, which is a real boon for this
music.
A commendable release then, but with the proviso that this takes
into account the budget price. Both recordings are also available
on Spotify if you don’t want to take the plunge, but I
suspect the lower bit-rate online and the adverts between the
movements will make purchasing the discs the more attractive
option.
Gavin Dixon
Royal Liverpool Philharmonic Orchestra/Libor Pešek 
