Lesser Beethoven? Athenian ruins, a too-still sea, and an Opferlied
A great disc, but perhaps the dervishes should dervish more
Beethoven wrote a lot; and a lot sits under the radar today. Yes there are the nine symphonies, but there's also a "Battle Symphony"; there's all those sets of variations that aren't on Diabelli; and there's significant incidental music for plays.
One of which is this, Die Ruinen von Athen. Readers might remember a report I wrote on Beethoven Wars, Insula Orchetsra's Manga-jam on Beethoven which included Die Ruinen von Athen and Kónig Stefan.
This cpo recording is beautiful, the Czech Philharmonic Chorus of Brno in fine voice, the Cappella Aquileia superb under Marcus Bosch.
Premiered in Pest in 1812, Die Ruinen von Athen (Op. 113), with all the music here, runs for over 40 minutes. We have spoken dialogue (in German), which gives the music itself context.
Bosch finds the drama not only in the Overture, but in the tension leading up to voices' entrance: try the Duett, “Ohne Verschoulden Knechtschaft erdudlden”. Here's the Overture:
Admittedly, I think the dervishes should be dervishing a bit more in their chorus, which here is a little polite, even clinical:
The famous Turkish March ("Marcia alla turca" is as rapid as can be here, fleet-footed and definitely with local colour. And it works so well, given the excellence of the band. Articulation at speed is breathtaking:
The March and Chorus, “Und die neuen Bürger ziehen ... Schmuckt die Altärei" with its layered-n spoke text over the march then full throttle chorus, is a joy.
The two soloists, soprano Calda Wilson as “Griechin” and Simon Bailey (Greiche, Die Oberpriester) are both excellent. Bailey's aria with chorus, “Will unser Genius nach einem Wunsch gewähren” relvelas a fine voice, and Beethoven at his most melodious. Some fine horn playing here, too:
The final chorus, πHeil umsem König!” seems the perfect close, its optimism prefigured by the chorus' controbution to the previous Arie mit Chor. This is invigorating Beethoven, beyond doubt, heard in a wonderful performance.
I don't know which is more famous, Beethoven's or Mendelssohn's Meerstille und glücklische Fahrt (Calm Sea and Prosperous Voyage), or Beethoven's. The text is by Goethe. Of course, a calm sea was not necessarily a good thing (ships needed wind, then!) but how beautiful the chorus in this "Meerestille", Bosch finding just the right tempo (and allowing for an ultra-quiet dynamic at the opening). And of course the blaze of light as the fog lifts, the Heavens brighten, is brilliant:
Finally, a real rarity: Opferlied, Op. 121b, Valda Wilson with chorus and orchestra in this setting of Mathisson (also the author of the text to the far better-known Adelaide). The booklet notes are right to make [parallels with this and the world of Zauberflöte: there is something beautifully devotional about it. A real discovery:
A fascinating disc: if we are going to fill the gaps, let's have good performances like this one. Available from Amazon here.
