I grew up with the distinctive and inimitable sound of the Netherlands
Wind Ensemble in the 1970s, but have been rather neglecting my wind
repertoire of late. The Oslo Kammerakademi in SACD sound with some favourite
Beethoven was such an enticing prospect that I hesitated not in adding
this title to my review list, and the results have exceeded even my
highest of expectations.
The Oslo Kammerakademi has superb character in their playing, the contrast
and layering of colour in their sound apparent the outset with this
disc, from mellow clarinets and bassoons to the nasal rasp of natural
horns in full flight. This is a recording which makes you sit up and
take note, and every time I put it on my spirits are raised.
The
Parthia or
Octet Op. 103 is one of the young Beethoven’s
most joyous pieces, bouncing in with that opening
Allegro with
its arresting cadences, and plaintive winks from the oboe in the following
Andante, all supported by the most exquisitely voiced and tuned
harmonies. The recorded balance and resonance in the Bragernes Church
is perfect for winds, with no loss of detail, plenty or sonority and
depth, the SACD surround mix creating solidity and involvement which
is a dream come true for these middle-aged ears. I’ll come to
comparisons later, but this is a performance and recording which inspires
and has certainly revived my affinity and affection for well-played
wind ensemble music. The sense of irrepressible fun in the
Finale
of
Op. 103 is an infectious display of marvellous technique and
musicianship which I can imagine restoring the spirits of even the most
jaded of souls. The
Rondo Andante fits nicely as a divider between
the
Octet and the
Symphony, intended as it was as a movement
attached to the
Octet but finally replaced by that final
Presto.
This is by no means a filler track. The horn duet in the
Rondo
sounds hauntingly gorgeous in this performance, the notes squeezed out
of those valve-less natural horns with as much elegance as the players
can muster, though I always have the feeling of something animal in
the sound from these instruments.
Beethoven’s
Symphony No. 7 was arranged for winds along
with other transcriptions when published in 1816, though the original
edition was full of printing errors and this recording has been made
with the Oslo Kammerakademi’s own corrections using the 2007 Bärenreiter
Urtext. One of the first things you will notice is an unashamed use
of timpani, and to my ears this makes all the difference to this version
against others I have heard. It makes you realise how important these
drums are to the effect of the symphony in its full orchestral form,
and though the absence of strings is a compromise of sorts it is amazing
to hear with how much clarity the music is communicated in this form.
The funereal tread of the second movement
Allegretto is ably
filled by bassoons and double bass, the gathering strength of the music
with its counter-melodies and organically rising dynamics, and the little
formal gardens of counterpoint later on are all extremely effective.
The most serious movement negotiated, the effectiveness of the dancing
rhythms of the penultimate
Presto are guaranteed, the rasp of
the horns adding to the percussive notes of the timpani and the sheer
sense of drive and contrast almost making you happy to drop all your
orchestral versions off at the nearest charity shop. The same is almost
true of the final
Allegro con brio, though you do miss the texture
of the strings sustaining those extended chords in the tutti passages.
This is all still very exciting and effective however, and the sound
of only 10 players is remarkable enough, Beethoven’s powerful
statements in very safe hands indeed.
There are quite a few recordings of the
Octet Op. 103, but even
the lively vibrancy of the Melos ensemble on their classic recording
for EMI is a fair few notches lower on the energy and excitement stakes
than with the Oslo Kammerakademi. The Melos Ensemble can be found on
an EMI Gemini 2 CD set and also appears in a mammoth Beethoven Box (see
review). Chandos duplicates both the
Octet Op. 103
and the
Symphony No. 7 in their Netherlands Wind Ensemble recording
CHAN9470. These recordings are set in a large acoustic and have a more
fluid feel, but the symphony is less convincing, a lack of timpani weight
in the first movement resulting in loss of impact at crucial moments
though this instrument does make a more rousing appearance in the final
Allegro con brio. The Sabine Meyer Wind Ensemble has both the
Seventh and
Eight symphonies on EMI 50930852 if you can
find it, and these are very fine performances though a little clarinet-heavy
in the recorded mix. Once again one laments the lack of drum thwacks
after experiencing the Oslo Kammerakademi version.
This Beethoven programme from the Oslo Kammerakademi is praiseworthy
on all levels. If you have yet to test your musical taste-buds on the
wind ensemble sound this is a tremendous place to start, and if your
Beethoven collection needs filling out there is no better option for
extending your experience.
Dominy Clements
[61:55] 
