It will come as no surprise after his success at the New Year’s
Concerts in Vienna in 2001 and 2003 that Nikolaus Harnoncourt
should take the dance music of that city with proper seriousness.
That said, the results, as heard here, go well beyond what he
achieved on those two delightful occasions. The use by the Concentus
Musicus Wien of period instruments, including ten different
types of trumpets and five of clarinets, together with newly
prepared editions produces a much less cosy result. The tonal
accent is on clarity and distinctiveness of tone rather than
on blend or homogeneity. There is no lack of affection in the
playing but the brightness and resulting primary colours together
with the vigorous rhythms ensure that the listener is more likely
to be reminded of actual social dancing than of a well dressed
and well heeled New Year audience. All of this is both bracing
and appropriate for music written originally for practical dancing
rather than simply for listening.
Listening is nonetheless a very invigorating and pleasurable
experience. Actual dancing might prove difficult as, for the
most part, these are by no means “strict tempo”
performances. On the contrary they are affectionate and well
considered even if the actual sounds are not always those to
which we are accustomed. The brief selection of dances by Mozart
is in many ways the pick of the selection. Each is a gem, including
items based on music from Le Nozze di Figaro or commemorating
battles against the Turks. It is better to savour them rather
than take them in the larger quantities to which discs devoted
entirely to Mozart’s dances tempt the listener.
Inevitably in a collection like this there are works by Johann
Strauss. On this occasion all are by Johann Strauss senior,
starting with the Radetzky March before moving on to less familiar
items. Even that March is played in what is described as the
original version involving several changes to the score as usually
heard. These result, like the rest of the programme, in greater
clarity and more transparent colours. The whole of the second
disc is devoted to the music of his contemporary, Joseph Lanner.
His music has had an occasional airing at the New Year’s
Day concerts. There have even been a few discs solely of his
music but there is plenty of room for more, especially of this
quality. These works show off the quality of playing of Concentus
Musicus, especially that of the woodwind in the first piece
which is based on music by Mercadante. The other pieces are
well varied and include the usual novelty item, in this case
the Malapou-Galopp in which the players are required to sing
nonsense (?) words. Whilst it would be unrealistic to describe
his music as being anything like the equal of either Johann
Strauss there is much to enjoy here.
Indeed there is much to enjoy throughout the programme. Whilst
the two CDs are not generously filled the set is available at
the price of a single full priced disc which makes it good value.
The recording is forward and bright and there are notes by Professor
Otto Biba which are extensive if oddly arranged. A Waltz Revolution?
Perhaps not, but certainly a welcome change to most of the standard
collections of Viennese dance music that I have heard.
John Sheppard
Concentus Musicus Wien/Nikolaus Harnoncourt
