Adam Fischer's Danish Mozart, Beethoven, Brahms, Haydn

[Brian]

Reviving this listening project from the summertime to sample the Brahms Second and Third. The Second starts promisingly - lovely French horn tone - but by about 3', I'm getting worried. Much like with the First, the acoustic is oddly spaced-out with lots of empty pockets, perhaps because the virus mandated musicians sit farther apart than usual. This is exacerbated by Fischer's choices to (a) make things staccato that usually wouldn't be, adding tiny bits of silence to the music, and (b) insert additional hairpin silences to add emphasis to the following chords. The result is a symphonic sound that is curiously hollow, like half of the musicians in a traditional orchestra disappeared but the remaining ones didn't sit closer together or replace their parts.

There are some moments that work well. The faster "stormy" bits of the slow movement are effective, I like the quiet beginning of the finale, and the woodwinds do great work throughout. Overall, it's a soft, tender, nice enough account of the Second, but the constant staccato adds a slightly bitter taste, and the string section sounds appallingly ugly. The violins particularly have a "shiny" character, like leather pants. This isn't horrible, but it isn't for me, either. (Or for Mandryka, I gather  .)

I actually rather like this Third Symphony. It's certainly the best of the three. The sound is still thin and small even compared to a cycle like Mackerras', but the wind-forward balance of the orchestra and the rather snippy direction by Fischer are positive traits in this work. It's a propulsive, gloomy, angry reading overall. Even the third movement, less lyrical than usual, contributes to the effect by casting a certain dark pall. It's nice to finally find a clear success!

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This is so clearly the same orchestra - with all the same mannerisms, same instrumental placement on headphones, same tinny string tone and woodwind vibrancy - that I have to say Fischer really has succeeded in creating "his" sound. And I enjoy these Haydn performances! They're not my favorites - in terms of emotional expression they're a little clipped/neutral; in terms of wit and humor they're a little exaggerated - but the "spirit" of them feels good. Light, nimble, rambunctious, with rollicking folksy "minuets" that sound like they came from a tavern rather than a royal dance hall. This is beer-drinking Haydn. Even the bassoon wind-breaking in No. 93 is distinctive (it's treated like a tiny one-note crescendo).

[DavidW]

I agree on the Haydn symphonies, haven't heard the Brahms.