In the "Scène aux champs", the Japanese chef knows how to capture the attention by speeding up the pace gradually. But alas prosody sometimes seems mechanical.
For example, measures 48-49 (4'00-): rhythmic tightening (five in eighth notes do, do do do if semiquaver) aridement is achieved.
Measures 69-76 (5'20-5'52): the violas and cellos melody scroll in quick time, with no real lyrical flexibility.
In the "poco animato" measures 87-106 (6'28-7'32) on the tremolo violins and violas, we note the thick diction and athletic shapely cellos and basses.
Measures 131 to 138 (9'15-9'46) on demisemiquavers jerking bows, singing violins 2 takes place without great expressiveness, almost sluggish.
What remains there of the bucolic poetry of this page when the track and drypoint?
Ozawa illustrates the "Reveries and Passions" without drama or madness, and operates only limited dynamics. Example to measure 111 (5'29): meteoric escalation leads to a tutti rather shy, yet noted "ff".
Agreements to 6'06 and 6'09 (152- measures) should they not slam like shots?
We can not however deny that reading an exemplary meticulousness. Thus, scrapes basses only activated in stringendo only 7'39 (measure 254) as provided by Berlioz.
But in other places, surprise options: Ozawa enjoys the "animato piu" (measure 461, 11'21) to unleash a tempo (wrongly?) Rider, which also seems incongruous precipitation artificial.
The interpretation "seems devoid of sense," wrote Pierre-Emile Barbier in December 1973 the Diapason magazine. To hear played well the first part of the symphony, we gladly accredits this.
Ditto for the orderly execution of the "Bal": Private seduction. Waltz ânonnée frigidement. That we regret even more than Boston consoles are proving remarkably sharp and homogeneous.
In less than four minutes, the diligent maestro a "March to the Scaffold" hairless, pithy, scathing.
The drummers furbish snapped their mallets; the trumpets sound relentlessly: this conduct to the guillotine in almost sadistic maniac accuracy of its ceremonial.
Ditto for the "Dream of a Sabbath Night": note the staccato punctuation of trombones and tubas measure 81 (2'24).
As soon as the procession of the Dies Irae, Ozawa organizes an inexorable constriction, suffocating, with a fanatical zeal that makes chilling (bass drum measure 187-, 4'07-)
But it loosens the noose a little sabbatical for the round (241- degree 4'54-), certainly required "poco meno mosso 'in the score. Welcome this respect indications of movement, while others chopsticks too solemnize the Dies Irae and then rush to the orgiastic episode.
However, I am less convinced by the very pressing tempo Ozawa active after measuring 403 (7'22): these calls in triplets of the strings that herald the edifying overlay funeral fanfare and dance sabbatical. This peroration not call it more successful?
Anyway, the leader stirs excitement brilliantly concludes this infernal Rondo.
Behind this bravery sensation, it is questionable whether such pageantry is not too superficial.
In his review for the Directory magazine (No. 31), Laurent Barthel aptly summarized what we can think globally that benefit the Fantastic "bright and dry, with a demonstrative virtuosity but that hardly moves. "
