Minor, Op. 78 “Organ” USSR State Symphony Orchestra/ Evgeny Svetlanov
Scribendum SC 035 76:40 (Distrib. Silver Oak) ****:
There will be auditors who claim that these two inscriptions by the
late Evgeny Svetlanov (1928-2002) are over-the-top accounts of
relatively conservative French repertory, but I think audiophiles need
to hear these. The live (1982) Saint-Saens Organ Symphony is
“spectacular,” warranting the same epithet RCA applied to their mighty
Charles Munch inscription with the Boston Symphony some 40 years ago.
The sonic spaciousness of the Grand Hall of the Moscow State
Conservatory provides an aura of mysticism for the tremolando opening
of the piece, with its allusions to Schubert’s Unfinished. The entry of
winds, horns, and organ quickly assumes Lisztian dimensions, and we are
off to the races. Fluttering flutes, shimmering strings, pedal tones
from the organ and low brass, the hints and later the full extension of
chorale themes, coalesce into a veritable witches’ brew of sound, a
dazzling vision easily competitive with the grand versions from Munch,
Paray, Martinon, and Karajan.
The Russian penchant for piercing wind intonation could not be applied
to better effect, and only surround-sound could possibly augment the
impression that we are in the throes of a French Wagner or a French
Bruckner. The live Franck Symphony (7 March 1983) opens the disc, a
performance which emanates Russian incense – subjective and intense in
the manner of Furtwaengler and Mengelberg, plastic and lushly refined.
Again, the acolytes of musical purity may rebel at a tradition at the
opposite pole from the Toscanini or Monteux perspective. Aside from the
inherently Russian discipline and sonic patina in the performance, the
concept, I believe, is German, likely trickling down to Svetlanov
through Mravinsky by way of Oskar Fried. The noted parts of the
score–the English horn, the harp, the strings of the B-flat Minor
Allegretto–emerge in luxuriant relief. If you are convinced this
entire review has been an exercise in vain hyperbole, just place the
disc in your audio system and come to your own conclusions.
–Gary Lemco
