Thursday, June 6, 2013

Shostakovich Symphony No. 4 - The American Premiere

Eugene Ormandy and the Philadelphia Orchestra
DMITRI SHOSTAKOVICH
Symphony No. 4 in C minor, Op. 43
The Philadelphia Orchestra
Eugene Ormandy
Recorded 15 February 1963
Poor Eugene Ormandy . The mention of his name sends the eyes of many a classical music
lovers rolling back in their head. Orchestral players still howl over his 'wit and witticisms.' Had he
followed anyone but Stokowski in Philadelphia, perhaps things would be different. But here we are,
nearly thirty years after his passing and - now tell the truth - don't you miss him? I know I do. I
learned the Respighi tone poems from his recordings, likewise the Rachmaninoff Second
Symphony (the RCA version, uncut). His Richard Strauss was reliable and sometimes more - I
was at Tanglewood when he conducted an amazing Heldenleben with the BSO. You can't really
fault him on a narrow repertoire either. In the Gnome's library you can find works by Rivier,
Messaien, Ginastera, Ives, Rochberg, Martinon, Bruckner, (some) Mahler, and all the old favorites.
I sat behind him as he prepared David Del Tredici's "Final Alice" for its first performance and I can
say, he did indeed know the score. Only one time did he have trouble beating a particularly
complicated passage which was just beyond his abilities. And when the orchestra could not get it
together I remember Del Tredici calling out from the auditorium, "I think perhaps, Maestro, you are
being a little too subtle." (His beat did tend to vanish when he was in rough waters.)
Here, is the American premiere of Shostakovich's Fourth Symphony. Ormandy conducted a lot of
DSCH's music and most of the performances are very satisfying readings. Lately the fourth has
suffered at the hands of conductors feel the need to make a bit too much out if it - it ends up being
bloated instead of big, pompous instead of profound and deafening instead of sonorous. My Lord, I
remember hearing the American Symphony perform it under Leon Botstein and I had to cover my
ears. Even my young students know, "Just because it is 'loud' doesn't mean it has to be 'ugly'."
Here, Ormandy lets the work unfold naturally, unforced and it does indeed, to use an oft-used
phrase, speak eloquently for itself.
Reviewing the American premiere for the Philadelphia Bulletin, Max de Schauensee wrote:
"Shostakovich has written a gargantuan symphony (one hour in duration). It unfurls a great,
sprawling, thrill-laden canvas, simply bursting with ideas and effects.... Mr. Ormandy and the
orchestra did not spare themselves, coming up with a superb performance to which the audience
listened spellbound." I wish I could have been among them.
Good sound. A little hissy but very detailed. Some minor static here and there. Front and back
announcements by the somewhat verbose William Smith. Yes, I know....what right do I have to
call anybody else "verbose?"