This morning, I’m at the Restaurant-Chain-That-Must-Not-Be-Named, having a Light Roast coffee, greeting friends as they come in and happen to see me, reading Facebook posts, and listening to Argentinian conductor Daniel Barenboim (1942- ) work his magic with Staatskapelle Berlin as they play Beethoven’s Symphony No. 3 in E flat Major.
It’s been raining, thundering, and lightning since late last night. This morning, the wind is still howling and the clouds are still battleship gray, laden with water and eager to dump it.
After the long, hot, dry summer we’ve had, this is all quite welcome.
Besides, it’s fun to be inside watching the turmoil outside. Makes me feel all snug and warm.
But I’m feeling more than that this morning. I’m feeling the beginnings of understanding regarding Beethoven’s Third – thanks to this morning’s pairing of conductor and orchestra.
I first encountered Daniel Barenboim in my Beethoven project on Day 2. Then again on Day 20.
I was fortunate to experience Barenboim and Staatskapelle Berlin in person at Carnegie Hall on January 28, 2017. (Here’s a review of the concert by New York Classical Review.) During my Bruckner project (2016-2017), I heard all of Bruckner’s nine numbered symphonies from some two dozen different conductors lasting over 200 days. Barenboim was one of those conductors.
So I know Barenboim, and appreciate him greatly.
Since yesterday’s performance of Beethoven’s Symphony No. 3 in E flat Major left me somewhat cold, I had high hopes and expectations on Barenboim’s ability to plumb its depths and introduce me to what he discovered there.
Did he succeed?
I’ll know shortly.
First, the facts…
Beethoven wrote his symphonies in four parts (except for the Sixth, which is in five). The time breakdown of this particular one (Symphony No. 3 in E flat Major), from this particular conductor (Barenboim, at age 57) and this particular orchestra (Staatskapelle Berlin), at this particular time in history (May – July 1999) on this particular record label (Warner Classics) is as follows:
Allegro con brio………………………………………………………………………19:10
Marcia funebre: Adagio assai…………………………………………………18:05
Scherzo: Allegro vivace – Trio……………………………………………………5:48
Finale: Allegro molto – Poco andante – Presto………………………12:52
Total running time: 55:15
My Rating:
Recording quality: 5 (I’ve always found that Warner Classics releases very fine recordings)
Overall musicianship: 5
CD liner notes: 5 (a nice, meaty booklet; lots of info in several languages)
How does this make me feel: 4
Despite the fact that I still haven’t warmed up to Beethoven’s Third, I found myself really diggin’ this performance. I listened to it twice through – which is no mean feat considering it’s length of 55:15 – actively listening to each movement, each instrument, seeking the interesting bits, the hooks that are essential to grabbing me.
The hooks aren’t there. Not yet, anyway. Not like they were in Beethoven’s Second, anyway. I loved the Second because of all those catchy riffs.
The Third is harder for me to get into. It seems rambling and sedate, not as high energy as I like my symphonies to be.
Which is interesting because the background of this particular symphony is one of war and political turmoil – Napoleon and revolution and Prussia and all that.
I only hear a kind of triumphant exuberance in the fourth movement, though. That’s when I hear a kind of Russian theme (starting with pizzicato, which I love) playing out over the course of the movement’s nearly 13 minutes that also feature bold fugues and an occasional flourish with the flute.
Can I give this performance the coveted “Huzzah!” rating?
No. This is a very good performance. But, so far, it’s not involving me as fully and joyfully as I need it to.
It’s definitely not “Meh!” But it’s certainly not “Huzzah!”
Not yet, anyway.
Let’s see what tomorrow – and Leonard Bernstein – brings me.