The first two symphonies of Sinding, which I
reviewed some time ago, did precious little for me, so this was
a very pleasant surprise. The third symphony opens with a sort
of brazen splendour, a leaping, exuberant theme which is contrasted
with a long-breathed, rather Tchaikovskian second subject. This
first theme, together with Sinding’s inventive counterpoint,
is well able to sustain the momentum of the movement which actually
seemed to me much shorter than its 13’ 45”. The luxurious
slow movement has themes of a less well-defined cut, but always
seems to know where it is going, as does the scherzo which, with
its ceaseless redecorating of its themes, suggests continuous
variations rather than a traditional scherzo and trio. The finale
comes close to quoting “Die Meistersinger” at a couple
of points but it avoids the four-square heaviness which often
spoils jubilant finales and concludes with nobility and power
a symphony which, had it been written about thirty years earlier,
might well have entered the repertoire.
Sinding was 63 when he completed this work, which he seems to
have intended as his chef d’oeuvre. A further symphony was
begun in 1921 but he wrote little in his later years and finally
put the fourth symphony into shape for his 80th birthday celebrations
in 1936. It marked a new departure for him in that it was divided
into seven sections, illustrative of a poem of his own composition.
Though Sinding seems to have been in some doubt as to whether
it was really a symphony or a rhapsody, his sense of musical movement,
as well as his handling of the Wagnerian-Straussian orchestra,
remained unerring and the work is far from a romantic sprawl.
Its warmth and sheer exuberance certainly reflect the coming of
spring while there is much warm-hearted writing in its slower
movements. I think that, if Sinding achieved a masterpiece with
any of his symphonies, it has to be no.3 on account of its superb
first movement and generally stronger thematic profile, but no.4
is well worth knowing.
If you are encouraged by my words to buy this, let me point out
that you are unlikely to find any particularly Norwegian voice
here. Sinding embraced whole-heartedly the ideals of German culture
– to the extent of expressing publicly his support for the
Nazi movement in 1933, alas – and the chief inspiration
behind his music was Wagner, particularly “Die Meistersinger”,
from which he inherited the orchestral luminosity and contrapuntal
life rather than any Teutonic heaviness. By 1920, the year in
which Nikisch gave the first performance of the third symphony
in Leipzig, Sinding had come to seem rather old-fashioned, but
this need not worry us today. If you enjoy the music of Pfitzner
and Reger, I think you will enjoy this disc.
For some reason there has been a change of conductor for the
completion of this cycle (the first two symphonies were impressively
conducted by Thomas Dausgaard) but since the Dutch conductor David
Porcelijn is equally convincing, as well as having better material
to work on, we need not complain. The notes are very detailed,
the recording warm and well-balanced, and the cover reproduction
of a painting showing a ship among icebergs is about as far removed
from the warmth of the music as could be imagined.
Christopher Howell
NDR Radiophilharmonie/David Porcelijn