Brahms: Symphonies Nos. 2 & 4 (CD Review)

by Ryan Ross

Brahms: Symphony No. 2 in D, Op. 73; Symphony No. 4 in E Minor, Op. 98. Edward Gardner, conductor; Bergen Philharmonic Orchestra. Chandos CHSA5248

 

The myth that Brahms’s Second Symphony is “pastoral” took hold quickly and has persisted with stubborn tenacity. In 1943, Olin Downes was still comparing it to Beethoven’s Sixth and praising its supposed “vernal loveliness” (see his note on the work in Elie Siegmeister’s The Music Lover’s Handbook). Perhaps for this reason, not a few recorded performances positively drag the first movement’s Allegro non troppo. Like Han Solo jettisoning his cargo at the first sign of an Imperial cruiser, some conductors see this marking and abandon the Allegro. (Claudio Abbado’s metronome marking of approximately quarter note = 108 in his 1988 recording with the Berlin Philharmonic is one example. See DG 427 643‑2.) In truth, this tendency afflicts many performances of other works — don’t get me started on Sibelius 3. Happily, Edward Gardner and the Bergen Philharmonic proceed pace-wise on the right foot, and it’s just one of many things that go absolutely right in their splendid account.

Indeed, I feel that the other successful elements of this performance naturally flow from the crucial decision to move things along. When the tempo lags in other interpretations, dynamics and articulation often stand out in negative ways. For example, take the robust dotted-rhythm theme beginning at Rehearsal E in the first movement. A sluggish beat often leads to those rhythms sounding labored (as in Giulini’s tedious slog with the Vienna Philharmonic — DG 435 348-2.) Gardner and Company dispatch them with even precision, maintaining a necessary momentum. In the second movement we have more good things happening downstream from a firm tempo. The bright sound here lends to a sense of vigor blended with gravitas. No section gets bogged down by trying too hard to be “deep.” Likewise, a crisp, brisk third movement showcases the span’s intricate detail while providing attractive flair. The finale keeps up the strong balance of the previous three: the rousing nature of the music feels robust without being oppressive. (One so often experiences the opposite in other recordings.) Everything is wonderfully thought-out and controlled. This is one of the best Brahms 2’s I have ever heard.

If I question the myth of Brahms’s Second being “pastoral,” I cannot deny that it is a very different work from its youngest brother. Gardner and his musicians do bring off a decent enough Fourth. But their struggle to adjust to its different complexion results in an effort inferior to that described above. A solid momentum, crisp articulation, and bright sound are not enough for this symphonic swan song. At times they can even be misplaced. An emotional fullness that can easily overburden the Second should be a consistent ingredient for the wistful, decidedly weightier Fourth. As I suggested in another review of Gardner, this is precisely the area in which he tends to under-impress. 

Put simply, this Brahms Fourth is polished but too detached…even genteel. Almost throughout the sound feels slight. Straightaway in the first movement we need bolder colors. Gardner supplies sleek precision in spades, but he fails to deliver the force of personality that define the best readings I have heard (for example, Klemperer/Philharmonia, Kleiber/Vienna Philharmonic, and even Karajan/Berlin Philharmonic). The dynamic punch especially is always withheld. The second movement is perhaps this account’s high point. Even if the atmosphere is still not quite magical, Gardner does implement some better sound contrasts and hues, perhaps helped by the slower tempo direction. But the back half again consistently leaves me wanting more. The Allegro giocoso third movement begins with a spirited romp that should positively clobber (or even “Kleiber”) the listener upside the head with its initial tandem of short themes. We absolutely need the Brahms of the Academic Festival Overture’s drinking songs here. Gardner does not quite oblige. As if to compound this, the contrasting theme at Rehearsal A is too delicate. It should be softer, yes, but not quite this “pretty.” Much the same could be said for large stretches of the finale. Too much sounds almost routine, with important themes and gestures (such as the ben marcato largamente material starting at measure 33) not “played into” enough. A stiff upper lip doesn’t get the job done in Brahms 4.

I would give this recording a mild recommendation if both performances were at the level of its Brahms 4. Second-tier respectability is better than much that I’ve heard. But to say that purchasing it for the Brahms 2 alone is an easy choice would be an understatement. Gardner and the Bergen Philharmonic not only keep the interpretive quality up for every one of its movements (not something to take lightly), but they have the measure of the whole in a way equaling the catalogue’s finest. It’s not overselling things to call this a contemporary classic.