Recommendations
don’t come much easier for a critic than this set of overtures.
Everything sounds right, from the warmth of the recording – though
definition and clarity is ever-present – through the individuality
of the woodwind contributions, internal sectional balance
to corporate dynamism. This is matched with the magisterial
conducting of Colin Davis, ever alive theatrically.
The
evidence is all around. Listen to the overture to Le
nozze di Figaro – the principal clarinet is distinguished,
the basses are not over-scaled, the rhythm is lissom, flexible
yet anticipatory. And in the brief Bastien und Bastienne Davis
keeps the rhythm spruce, crescendos register with immediacy,
the dynamics are keen and the sensibility is unselfconsciously
right. The pomposo gait of Der Schauspieldirektor with
its horns to the fore relaxes delightfully into a bassoon
and string-rich patina. The thematic unravelling is the
epitome of felicitousness, the naturalness of the expressive
playing a joy. Davis and his Dresden forces can fizz – as
they do in Lucio Silla’s opening - but maintain
crisp articulation even at speed and the inner part-writing
is projected with clarity.
Sparkling
wind runs inform Così fan tutte and Davis takes
a fine Andantino in the central movement of the
opening of La finta giardiniera though there’s always
enough breathing space to allow phrases to unfold naturally.
A distinguishing feature is how seldom one can find anything
at all problematic with tempi and balance. Try the characterisation
of Die Entführung aus dem Serail for instance where
the winds blend with sovereign intimacy or go to Il
re pastore where the trumpets are vividly balanced
in the orchestral sound picture without in any way becoming
braying or cutting through the texture. The grazioso phrasing
of the winds is icing on that particular cake. Add to this
the whiff of the stage that is everywhere evident, especially
in the overture to Don Giovanni, and you have a
winning disc.
If
there’s a finer collection of Mozart overtures on disc
I’ve not heard it. Davis cleaves to traditional values
with his superlative orchestra, splendidly recorded. Look
no further.
Jonathan
Woolf
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