Maxim Rysanov has been on our radar for a while now, having
had his own recital disc on Avie (see review)
in a substantial Brahms
programme and through appearances at the London Proms in 2009
and 2010.
This unashamedly romantic programme opens with an ‘Arpeggione’
Sonata which is so restrained as to be almost self-effacing.
Rysanov and the Swedish CO express the tenderness in this music
in a performance which is refined to a fault, though for it
to have much impact you do need to turn the volume up a bit
higher than usual.
The addition of winds in Tchaikovsky’s Variations on a Rococo
Theme adds a helpful dimension of crispness to the mood,
though the greater intensity in the viola part perceived by
Rysanov requires quite a lot of heavy breathing, which comes
through where the accompaniment is at its most transparent in
the Tema and later on. Rysanov’s playing is superb of
course, and he flies through the most technically demanding
of the variations with ease, the orchestra also turning on a
dime in Tchaikovsky’s sparking orchestration. This work is of
course originally for cello and orchestra, and in this recording
the orchestral part is left unchanged, Maxim Rysanov making
necessary alterations only to the solo part to make it playable
on the viola. This does in fact work very well, and with no
knowledge of the cello original it would be hard to claim this
piece didn’t sound as if written expressly for the viola in
this recording. Rysanov’s full tone and deep sonorities relate
as much to the cello as they do to the violin, and while there
are one or two places where the soloist might arguably have
integrated a little more with the orchestra, with the trills
in Variazione V for instance, I have no real complaints
about this lovely performance. The opening of Variazione
VI after the previous cadenza is magical, and the whole
thing is packed with moments to relish.
Max Bruch’s Romance in F major is therefore the only
piece appearing in its original form on this disc, and that
explosion of ‘big tune’ within the first two minutes is like
the release of a coiled spring. There are few enough places
where the orchestra has a chance to fill the sonic picture in
this programme, and they take their opportunities well in this
piece, which again is given a marvellously warm and expressive
performance.
As usual the BIS sound is gorgeous, the SACD effect warmly enveloping
the listener. At barely over 52 minutes this programme begs
for at least one more piece, and we could have done with something
either for orchestra alone, or something to challenge the emotions
in a slightly different way to the collection of works here.
If you like your music sweet and romantic this will be the last
spoonful of sugar in your must indulgent cup of tea. Far from
having the qualities of “unique acerbity, compact, somewhat
hoarse, with an aftertaste of wood, earth and tannic acid” which
György Ligeti heard in the sound of the viola; Maxim Rysanov
brings out the warmest of lyrical voices from the instrument.
His sound is a smooth and refined distillation, projecting the
expression of the music without drawing attention to the instrument
as anything unusual. This might be entirely appropriate for
this kind of repertoire, but other than the heavy breathing
there is at no stage any sense of suffering, either artistic
or human.
Dominy Clements
Maxim Rysanov (viola)
[52:18] 
