The first night with Beethoven’s symphonies made me think. While on my way for the second concert I tried to recall when I heard the greatest amongst them recently. It was fruitless, and I soon came to the conclusion that I have not listened to any performance of them for a long time. Those works form a canon of the musical literature, and it is a paradox that they are rarely played. It seems all too easy to accept the hypothesis that everyone knows the Symphonies by Beethoven. Fortunately, there is Paavo Järvi and Deutsche Kammerphilharmonie Bremen – the artists who at the turn of 21st century had the courage to ask how well we know those works and who could offer a new reading of them with respect to the performance tradition of last few decades. Järvi is priviledged, as every conductor dreams of the opportunity of being able to perform and to record own version of Beethoven’s symphonies. Today, when archives are easily accessible, the recording companies seemingly avoid such projects. Therefore it needs a lot of dedication to carry such a project into effect. Oh, lucky men from Bremen! Yes, they have succeeded; and so we are very fortunate too, as we have the opportunity to hear them in concert. It is an unprecedented experience.
The appetite increase with the meal, therefore knowing Järvi’s records I knew what to expect. I was expecting the precision, well-balanced sound and a drammaturgic aspect that would be excellently conceived. The secret of Järvi’s interpretation is so obvious that it is revealing one: the faithfulness to Beethoven, the careful reading of the score (available in newest Urtext editions). Nothing more, nothing less. And I was not disappointed in my expectations: every phrase, every slur, articulation mark, every crescendo and diminuendo, accent and dynamic mark written down by Beethoven was read and performed with solicitude. Of course, we could elaborate here on the relativity of musical notation – one cannot relate the given parameter to some absolute value, one cannot measure and weight, but if the proportions are retained, then there is logic and coherence in music. Järvi took care about the relations and proportions and thus he was faithful to the Beethoven’s text. He was most exact in realization of dynamic and articulation marks, as the tempi were rather fast. It is in this aspect, in our opinion, where the spirit of Beethoven’s Fourth and Fifth was present. The Estonian conductor gave us the clear picture, he presented both symphonies as works full of energy, power, brilliancy and pathos (so important in the Symphony No. 5). Of course, he did not forget about delicate chiaroscuro, contour and wealth of details. There was even a touch of theatricalness, that was not inappropriate. Järvi shown also his inclinations to penetrate the borders of exaggeration, however he never crossed them. If you have an excellent orchestra to work with, you can freely play with musical components.
Our deepest appreciation and applause goes to all of the musicians of Deutsches Kammerphilharmonie Bremen. We have to say a special word about the clarinetist though. His part in Adagio form Symphony No. 4 was memorable. Such a charming, sweet and noble sound is rarely to be heard. And one more remark, that says something about the habits of listeners and of their attachment to the performance tradition. After the concert, in a rapturous lobby there was a heated discussion: Järvi did not play the fermata at the beginning of the Symphony No. 5. This statement filled us with consternation. Why, he just followed the text, didn’t he? No, he did not – the minim E flat at the end of the first motive was too short compared with the minim D from the second motive! Yes, that is true, but that is how Beethoven wrote it! In a second motive the D is held for two bars and so it should last twice as much as the E flat. Both notes are marked with fermata (the sign that tells the performer to stop on the note – for an undetermined time that is left to performer’s taste). Järvi was precise in his reading of the score! Here lies the key to his imaginative and thrilling interpretations.
Marcin Majchrowski (Polskie Radio)