My office this morning is the same place it was yesterday morning: the Restaurant-Chain-That-Must-Not-Be-Named, eating an Asiago bagel (toasted twice with plain creme cheese), a Light Roast coffee, and watching the people come and go. And stay. Especially the ones who stay. Some wear business suits or high heels, some wear sweat shirts and sweat pants. Some are old. Some are very young. Young moms. Old retired guys. It’s a smorgasbord for the eye balls.
This is why I like to be out and about when I listen to Beethoven (or any Classical music). My earbuds prevent me from hearing anything people say. But my eyes give me a lot to watch while I listen.
Today, I am listening to French conductor Andre Cluytens (1905-1967), Orchestre Philharmonique De Berlin, and Beethoven’s Symphony No. 6 in F major.
And I am diggin’ the hell out of it.
Oops.
I revealed too much, too soon.
I’ve encountered Maestro Cluytens five times previous to this morning, on…
Day 6. Rating: “Huzzah!” (A masterful performance.)
Day 24. Rating: “Meh!”
Day 42. Rating: “Meh!”
Day 60. Rating: “Huzzah!”
Day 78. Rating: “Huzzah!”
Three “Huzzah!” and two “Meh!” ratings.
What will today bring (as if I didn’t already spill the beans).
Beethoven wrote his symphonies in four parts (except for the Sixth, which is in five). The time breakdown of this particular one (Symphony No. 6 in F major), from this particular conductor (Cluytens, at age 52-55) and this particular orchestra (Orchestre Philharmonique De Berlin), at this particular time in history (1957-1960) on this particular record label (Parlophone/Warner Music France) is as follows:
I. Allegro ma non troppo………………………………………..10:18
“Awakening of cheerful feelings upon arrival in the country”
II. Andante molto mosso………………………………………..13:44
“Scene by the brook”
III. Allegro…………………………………………………………………5:13
“Merry gathering of country folk”
IV. Allegro…………………………………………………………………..4:08
“Thunderstorm”
V. Allegretto……………………………………………………………..10:09
“Shepherd’s song: Happy and thankful feelings after the storm”
Total running time: 43:32
My Rating:
Recording quality: 4 (noticeable, but not debilitating tape hiss, ambient sounds; otherwise, crisp and clean)
Overall musicianship: 5 (sounds remarkably inspired, lively, tender)
CD liner notes: 2 (everything is written in French, which is great if one is from Paris; plus, no clear indication of when these symphonies were recorded)
How does this make me feel: 5 (“Huzzah!”)
I was worried when I first pushed Play on this performance because the tape hiss was right there.
But then the music washed over me, and I was transported.
This is a gorgeous, sweet, expressive, delicate, melodic, sweeping, lyrical, and grand performance.
It was recorded exquisitely, with key instruments highlighted in such a way that it was as if I’m hearing them for the first time.
And I did. I heard melodies (delicate, magical melodies) for the first time, especially in Movement I at around the 8:50-9:02 mark (repeated around the 10:54-11:05 mark) that totally rocked me back. I hand’t heard them in any previous performance. I have no idea why. I assume the melodies are there. But I didn’t hear them.
The aforementioned melodies in Movement I are so gorgeous that I’m nearly without words to express how they make me feel. They’re brief – perhaps 10 seconds, repeated twice. But they’re beautiful.
I noticed another wonderful melody in Movement II, around the 5:50-6:25 mark. The flute stands out in a delightful way. Then, I think it’s the clarinet, sings out from 7:00 to about 7:20. The melody is so delicate, so brief, but so heartfelt in its rendition by the musicians.
I have no idea why this performance from Maestro Cluytens touched me the way it did.
But it did.
I don’t know if this is the greatest performance of Beethoven’s Sixth. But I do know I heard things in it that I hadn’t heard before, things that made all the difference to me. This recording made the symphony come alive for me in a whole new way.
So, whether or not this is the best performance isn’t really the issue.
It’s pretty damn good to me.
And that’s all that counts.
“Huzzah!”
Highly recommended.
I searched on YouTube and discovered this, a recording of what might be exactly what I heard this morning.
I listened to a little bit of it. It’s a little flat, missing the top end. But it’s just about what I heard.
Enjoy!