"No greater pain"

Piotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky sometimes still believes that only wrote six symphonies, numbered 1 to 6, sometimes decked subtitles. Composed between the 4th and 5th, the Manfred Symphony is a program symphony, which has basically been controlled by Balakirev Tchaikovsky, after he had to abandon the idea of ​​entrusting a program pulled Byron's Manfred at composer in this case most logically stated, Berlioz.

Perhaps it is worth quoting the initial reaction to Balakirev Tchaikovsky: "Your program nest none other than the manual of symphonic eager to imitate Berlioz I recognize, browsing, that lon could build a symphony. complete in the style of the composer, but it leaves me absolutely cold and when imagination and heart cool, it really is not worth the trouble to get to dial. To please you, I could always, to use your expression, mexercer and extract the back of my mind a full series of episodes more or less interesting, where we would find the dismal and conventional musical depression Manfred, a quantity of lorchestration glitter in the scherzo of the Fairy of the Alps, a sunrise illuminated by the high strings of the violins, and a death of Manfred underscored by the trombones playing pianissimo, on this occasion I could embellish the ugly episodes of strange and pungent harmonies, and finally present this work to the world in the high title of Manfred a symphony DAfter etc. It could even be that I receive congratulations for the fruit of my labor, but write such things really do not tempt me. "Nevertheless, Tchaikovsky, having balked, has to set to work and even eventually love his composition ... the better to denigrate afterwards! "Without more modest show me that I am, I can say that this production is terrible and I hate her deeply, to the exception of the first movement. So, if I had the agreement of the editor, I would destroy the other three movements, absolutely insignificant musically (the final is fatal) and from that heavily comic symphony, I would create a 'symphonische Fiction'. So jen am convinced, my Manfred would be able BE nice to hear and that is as it should be. Jécrivis the first movement with pleasure the rest of the material is the result of a continuous effort, which, I recall, was really unpleasant to me. "

The truth is probably somewhere at the confluence of two trends: between those who swear by the Manfred, as if she was able to eclipse entirely the last two symphonies, and those who go about repeating Tchaikovsky as if everything was bad and smoothly "mortal" it may be necessary to compose and calmly say that if everything is worth in there and if we hear of Tchaikovsky as we like least c ' is ultimately a kind work and not completely negligible.

A force to assert that it is abandoned and much less recorded than others, we miss the fact that the whole discography proves rich enough sum. In recent years, Vasily Petrenko has given a version with his orchestra Liverpool Naxos which caused a stir - Tchaikovsky: Manfred Symphony - The Archon, I do not know, for my part - and Vladimir Jurowski completed his excellent set 4 of 6 symphonies the composer with the London Philharmonic Orchestra with a disc devoted to Manfred: Tchaikovsky: Symphonies No. 1 & No. 6, Tchaikovsky: Symphonies No. 4 & No. 5, Tchaikovsky - Manfred. To continue the tour of English orchestras as they show in the Russian music with their head chef came from the former Soviet Union, it is now the turn of the Latvian Andris Nelsons, even for a short time the Orchestra head of the City of Birmingham, which offers this work after the last three symphonies: Symphony No. 4 Francesca Da Rimini, Symphony No. 5. Opening Hamlet Op.67, Symphony No. 6 Pathétique. Romeo & Juliet, Tchaikovsky: Manfred Symphony.

Nelsons, which we know he has the defects of his qualities, no lack of enthusiasm but sometimes more than risk the scruffy - it was the case previously published in its 6th at Orfeo - and he happens to be treated things too episodic. Such music program, episodic nature, so suits him particularly well. While it can sometimes regret the iron fist and rarely relaxed tension Jurowski version Nelsons yields to its guilty pleasures only occasionally. If added value there in what Birmingham with him over Jurowski with the LPO, it takes basically two aspects: the weight of the bass strings, sufficient enough, early on, the side of the LPO, when there is more material longer invariably think of the quote from Dante's Inferno scored by Tchaikovsky, "no greater suffering," and links as it should the worst crossings Pathetique; sound recording more generally gives more relief and sharper edges in the instrument Orfeo disc in the LPO disk. However, the last movement seems so much more light at Jurowski happens to fascinate even in the less inspired times, which is not the case with Nelsons, whose leadership would lay blame the weaknesses of the composition. Ultimately, we will not be surprised to find the qualities and defects of each other: in the case of LPO orchestra a good overall level but sometimes a little short (lack of bass, treble a bit here and there unpleasant), but honestly captured without anything being done to develop, however, with a chef who knows how to give greatness and maintain tension without engaging in grandiloquent pathos; one in Birmingham a good value orchestra that for him to be better captured, which can not however completely hide her through some (a little percussion ramenardes), with a head that stimulates but leaves them sometimes produce some result little odd, precisely by not avoiding the bombastic quite pathetic. They pointed, defects in both cases, passages and even entire movements seem better judged: I will refrain from advise against either of these versions.

These concert recordings suggest some noise which annoy some but not excessively. Those who have already seen direct Andris Nelsons will not be surprised to hear as many podium noise.