I will be honest. I
approached this review as a chore –
another pop classics disc of well worn
Tchaikovsky numbers. But I was deservedly
given a pleasurable jolt as the old
favourites are seized, polished and
returned anew. Quite a feat this, bearing
in mind that these Russian theatre players
must have played the pieces hundreds
of times and could probably do the music
in their sleep. Likewise, the admirably
versatile and dependable conductor,
Alexander Lazarev, uses these works
as party pieces when he conducts orchestras
outside Russia. He has just done a Capriccio
Italien in London with the Philharmonia.
There is not a hint of jadedness in
the playing though and in the combination
of Lazarev with his Bolshoi players
we have a really formidable team as
is shown straight away in the opening
overture of the Nutcracker.
The articulation of the strings delivers
a very special bounce to the music,
players and conductor absolutely at
one. Yet at the same time there is a
dance-like steadiness to the music that
emphasises the fact this is, first and
foremost, ballet music.
Some people may regard
this steadiness as being just slow,
as is noticeable in the Sugar Plum
Fairy, but to me it is how this
dance music should go. It also helps
the ear to focus on the astonishing
playing. What I found a great joy was
confirmation that in these times of
globalisation, when the special sound
characteristics of different orchestras
across the world are slowly getting
ironed out, there still lives that special
Russian sound. I’ve already mentioned
the immaculate, springy articulation
of the strings but there is also the
directness of the wind sound and I delighted
in the delicious throatiness of the
bassoon accompaniment in the Chinese
Dance. The most obvious trait
though is the brass sound, notably the
dazzling vibrancy of the trumpets. It
never fails to excite. For example,
the entry of the trumpet towards the
end of the Flower Waltz makes
the piece sound as if that is what it
was waltzing up to all along. The effect
is also partly to do with Lazarev’s
sure grasp of the architecture of each
number, however miniature. This characteristic
comes into its own in the only complete
piece on the disc, Capriccio Italien.
Lazarev starts it dangerously slow
but over a quarter of an hour steadily
builds to a thrilling Russian climax,
however Italian the piece is supposed
to be.
It is interesting to
compare the playing to that of a great
Western orchestra – the Berlin Philharmonic.
I listened to a recording of Rostropovich
conducting the Germans in the Nutcracker.
The tempi are quicker, the playing
superb in a more blended Berlin way
but there is much less edge. Rostropovich
may be Russian but he cannot get a German
orchestra to sound Russian. The trumpets
sound like damp squibs compared with
the Bolshoiers.
As in football, if
you ally star players on form playing
at home with firm but inspired management
then you are likely to win the game,
and this disc is a winner.
Talking of playing
at home, the recording was made in the
upholstered surroundings of the Bolshoi
Theatre which may account for a lack
of spacious ambience but that is offset
by an up-front clarity of sound. A real
criticism is the measly length of the
disc: 50 minutes of music. There is
room here for another piece of Capriccio
proportions.
Finally, a few years
ago, after listening to a Tchaikovsky
recording made by the Leningrad Philharmonic
under Mravinsky in the orchestra’s prime,
I asked a professional trumpet player
how the uniquely Russian trumpet sound
was achieved. I expected a technical
reply involving some mystique around
mouthpiece profiles and embouchure practice.
He said, "They blow like buggery".
John Leeman
Bolshoi Symphony Orchestra/Alexander Lazarev
