In the former, the sadly noble evocation of the ruins at Holyrood with which it opens sings and the middle movements are, respectively, snappy and riven with pathos.
While his “Scottish” Symphony is the better of the two, both are filled with rich dynamic contrasts and a vibrant sense of phrasing. It’s a pity, because, conceptually, Heras-Casado has some strong (in a good way) ideas about both works. As a result, both symphonies lack an important degree of tonal heft, especially during exposed string melodies: listen, for instance, to how the violins fade prematurely throughout the opening theme of the “Italian’s” first movement or the excessive swells in (and tinny quality of) their sound in the “Scottish” Symphony’s flowing third movement. A big part of the problem, to these ears, owes to the fact that they’re played by the Freiburger Barockorchester and not a modern one. Heras-Casado’s tempos are quick articulations crisp rhythms lively and, especially in the finale of the “Scottish” and outer movements of the “Italian” symphonies, there’s a potent urgency to the playing.Īnd yet, despite these plusses, the cumulative effect of both performances is underwhelming. What positives are there to be found in Pablo Heras-Casado’s new recording of Mendelssohn’s Third and Fourth Symphonies on Harmonia mundi, a follow-up to his strong account of that same composer’s under-performed Second? Quite a few, in fact. I can’t wait until Bertrand commits the Britten Suites to disc until then, I suppose Trois Strophes (and the rest of this fine all-French album) will have to suffice. Her playing in each is fitful and concentrated, neatly capturing the martial quality of the first, the introspective lyricism of the second, and the fleeting playfulness of the finale. She also does justice to Dutilleux’s Trois Strophes pour le nom de Sacher, a set of three unaccompanied meditations for cello written to celebrate the new music patron Paul Sacher’s birthday in 1982. James Gaffigan and the Luzerner Sinfonieorchester provide a strong accompaniment of shimmering beauty, including some wonderfully glowing passages for percussion. Bertrand proves a compelling advocate for the piece, a cello concerto in all but name, mining its poetry (the first movement, “Énigme,” sings with delicious, mysterious warmth) and acrobatics (she plays both the wild “Houles” and finale “Hymne” fearlessly) in equal measure. That approach also fits Dutilleux’s music well, especially his atmospheric Tout un monde lointain, which comprises the bulk of the disc. The whole piece passes by with driving purpose, to be sure, but there’s also a wispy, apparitional quality to it that’s germane to Debussy’s enigmatic late style, particularly so in the finale, which balances a certain groundedness with moments of sweeping flight. Listen to the subtle differentiations between Bertrand’s pizzicato glissandi in the second movement for but one example of her keen attention to detail. Throughout, Bertrand and her partner, pianist Pascal Amoyel, navigate the 1915 Sonata’s twists and turns with agility, charm, and a sharp focus on expressive nuance. In fact, so animated and enlivened is Bertrand’s take on the Sonata that it’s hard not to recommend this album on its merits alone. If, as can be the case, Dutilleux’s blend of angular melodic writing rich, chromatic harmony and literary sensibility can cause one’s head to spin, this thoughtful, excellently-played pairing offers the opportunity to hear Dutilleux in some historical context as well as to gain a revealing take on that most fresh-sounding of 100-year-old sonatas. One of the earliest entries in the latter category (released last November) is Emmanuelle Bertrand’s traversal of two Dutilleux works for cello paired with Debussy’s marvelous Cello Sonata on Harmonia mundi. Though Henri Dutilleux isn’t around to celebrate his 100th birthday this January, he’s hardly been forgotten: music by the French master, who died at 97 in 2013, is this season the subject of numerous live performances around the world (including in Boston, where he had a special, long relationship with the Boston Symphony) as well as new recordings. Three new classical music albums: two are superior, one is a bit of a mixed bag.
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