My listening post this evening is in the living room, with House, M.D. (Season 8 Episode 19 – “The C Word“) on TV, tree and trimmings glowing joyfully, and American conductor Leonard Bernstein (1918-1990), Wiener Philharmoniker and Beethoven’s Symphony No. 9 in D minor in my ears.
Before I go any further, I’m going to let Maesro Bernstein tell us about Beethoven’s Ninth:
I’ve encountered Maestro Bernstein’s performance seven times previously, on…
Day 3. Rating: “Huzzah!”
Day 21. Rating: “Huzzah!”
Day 39. Rating: “Huzzah!”
Day 57. Rating: “Huzzah!”
Day 74. Rating: “Huzzah!”
Day 93. Rating: “Huzzah!”
Day 111. Rating: “Meh!”
Day 129. Rating: “Huzzah!”
Gee, I wish I didn’t blemish Lenny’s record with a “Meh” rating.
But I suppose it’s just as bad to contract Bernstein Worship Syndrome as it is Karajan Worship Syndrome. So I have to rate it as I hear it.
Beethoven wrote his symphonies in four parts (except for the Sixth, which is in five). The time breakdown of this particular one (Symphony No. 9 in D minor), from this particular conductor (Bernstein, at age 61) and this particular orchestra (Wiener Philharmoniker), at this particular time in history (September, 1979) on this particular record label (Deutsche Grammophon) is as follows:
I. Allegro ma non troppo, un poco maestoso………………….15:20
II. Molto vivace…………………………………………11:19
III. Adagio molto e cantabile……………………………..17:52
IV. Finale (A)……………………………………………..7:46
IV. Finale (B)……………………………………………..18:47
Total running time: 71:04
My Rating:
Recording quality: 5 (a typical Deutsche Grammophon recording; clean, exceptionally well recorded, the orchestra sounds full and rich, with delicious top end, violins are especially well recorded)
Overall musicianship: 5 (joyful, magical, energetic, lyrical, expressive)
CD liner notes: 4 (intro by Bernstein, only one English essay – but a darn good one)
How does this make me feel: 5 (“Huzzah!”)
I didn’t get the beauty and majesty of Beethoven’s Ninth until I heard Movement III (“Adagio molto e cantabile”) from Maestro Bernstein’s performance. There, I was moved by the loveliness of it all; the gentle pizzicato, the French horn, the jarring up-turn in volume and intensity later in the movement.
Specifically: I love the transition from pizzicato to French horn around the 9:45 to 9:55 mark. The French horn is such a beautiful instrument, anyway. But to go from the always-interesting pizzicato to the deeply emotional French horn grabbed my heartstrings and gave them a good pluck.
Then comes the change. Around the 13:36 mark, the orchestra ramps up, slowly builds from gentle and lyrical to something else entirely. If the first 3/4 of Movement III lulled the listener to sleep, the last 1/4 yanked him awake…and then surprised and soothed over and over again.
I found Movement III to be a beautiful symphony all by itself.
Movement IV “Presto” leading up the vocals, was wickedly energetic. When the vocals burst forth at the 7:10 mark, I as jarred awake and nearly on my feet. It was spectacular.
Even the vocals of Movement IV (the “O Freunde” part), were stunning.
This performance had everything going for it – energy, passion, precision, joy. It was an amazing performance.
To be honest, it was emotionally draining.
By the end, I felt like Edvard Munch’s “The Scream.”
I would be a fool if I did not rate this “Huzzah!” with every fiber of my being.
So I will…
“Huzzah!”
___
Someone posted a video of the entire performance that I just listened to in my earbuds. It’s Bernstein with the Wiener Philharmoniker, recorded in 1979. As far as I can tell, this is the visual representation of the music I just heard.
If you’d like to experience the magic of Bernstein, take a look: