Customer Reviews

Honegger: Symphony No. 2 for String Orchestra and Trumpet; Symphony No. 3 "Liturgique" / Stravinsky: Concerto in D for String Orchestra

5 star:		(10)
4 star:		(1)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

Karajan's account of both the second and third of the Honegger symphonies has never, and in my mind, will never be surpassed. In the second symphony Karajan gives us an intense, and extremely poetic version, of this most dark yet beutiful of the Honegger symphonies. The ending is particularly moving. Every detail comes out crystal clear, and we really see just what the composer was going for. The third is just as good. Karajan draws ravishing, and once again intense (I don't think that the word "intense" can be overused when reviewing this disc) playing from the Berlin Philharmonic. I believe Karajan really prized this music, and he seems to pour his heart and soul into it, showing us, as it seems ha already knew, that Honegger is truly one of the greatest composers of the 20'th century. Great sound quality,too, when listening to this CD you feel as if the orchestra was right in front of you. This disc can not be recommended enough; it's priceless.

These recordings of Honegger's best symphonies have always received rave reviews, and for once the praise is worth it. The Second has ravishing string writing, often dense and mysterious but finally triumphant. The Third for full orchestra is more brutal but the slow movement and final coda shows off some of the most poetic writing of any 20th century composer. These are symphonies of the war years and are serious meditations of the times. Why Honegger is so little played these days is beyond me - he is modern yet definitely tonal. Most listeners will have little trouble entering this soundscape.

It would be hard to believe that Karajan made a finer recording than this legendary recording of two of Honneger's symphonic masterworks. It deserved all of the superlative reviews that it has received. Both symphonies convey the anguish and despair of a war-torn, ravaged Europe and yet there are passages that convey hopefulness. Both symphonies were written with very deep-felt conviction and Karajan, in deeply committed performances, brings this to the fore. A must for any serious classical collection.

In his book THE SYMPHONY, Michael Steinberg says something to the effect that if you mention the name "Arthur Honegger" to most music lovers you will probably get "Hmm...Didn't he write the piece about the locomotive?". (Indeed, Honegger did write PACIFIC 231, a sonic impression of a steam locomotive and hardly one of his deepest pieces.) Sadly, this composer's notoriety today is wildly out of proportion with his worth and importance. I discovered Honegger largely through my interest in French music and LES SIX (the French "Group of Six"), of which Honegger was a part. Upon hearing the powerful LITURGIQUE symphony for the first time, I was amazed. Everything about the music - its polyphonic depth, its architecture, the incandescence of the instrumental colors, the amplitude and expressiveness of the melodic line - proclaimed its composer one of the neglected geniuses of 20th-century music. Honegger's music synthesizes the shaded delicacy of Debussy, the kinetic energy and dissonance of Stravinsky, and the polyphonic chorale tradition deriving from Bach into a dense, rich musical language of solidity, integrity, and eloquence. I vastly prefer Honegger to Bartok or Shostakovich (two composers that another reviewer mentioned as possibly preparatory to these symphonies), and I find it a scandal that he is not better known. It is fortunate that an important conductor such as Karajan chose to record these works. The church acoustic lends a spacious airiness to the recording, and the playing is of undeniable commitment, fullness, passionate virtuosity, and expressive depth. Karajan's readings of the magnificent adagio and the final andante of the LITURGIQUE stretch out their breathtaking, marmoreal beauty. Symphony #2 for strings, which was new to me upon hearing this recording, is a moody, haunting work and every bit as fine as Symphony #3. No one should call himself well-rounded in 20th-century music without knowing Arthur Honegger's rich blend of French sensibility and German self-expression. I simply cannot recommend this CD enough.

As excellent a work as it is, the Concerto in D by Stravinsky feels like an an unwelcome intrusion. In my opinion, these powerful Honegger symphonies need no makeweight!

The reviews are correct; some of Karajan's finest work is on this disc. Also, some of the best compositions of the 20th century are here. But well above that, this CD contains something otherworldly. It's like the BPO and Karajan were possessed, or were in some kind of meditation, following a powerful spirit in this music that just sweeps everyone up in it. Newer and digital recordings can sound quite good, but they all adhere strictly to technical aspects in the music, especially tempo and dynamics, where as this disc locks in to something utterly spiritual. Big talk, I realize, but every time I hear this CD I am floored. In comparison to this, other Honegger symphony interpreters are just playing notes on a page.

If the liner notes by Karl Schumann are to be believed, these Arthur Honegger Symphonies were part of the standard orchestral repertoire at the time Karajan recorded his classic accounts. I wasn't alive in the late 60's or early 70's, so I can't confirm if Honegger had a more secure place in the repertoire than he has now. Going to a concert hall to hear a performance of a Honegger symphony by a major orchestra is very rare nowadays. Luckily Herbert von Karajan recorded these instant classics in late 1969.

To call the strings impeccable in Symphony 2, ( composed 1941 ), is an understatement, this is the Berlin Philharmonic we're talking about, under Karajan they were by far the finest strings in the world. Hell, they were the best orchestra in the world, period.

Symphony 3, "Liturgique", ( composed 1945-46 ), receives a one of a kind, supreme reading as well. It is nigh-definitive, the dies irae passionate, the adagio suitably expansive and moving, the final dona nobis pacem stunning in it's virtuosity. Just like the second symphony this music was inspired by World War II and there's plenty of tragic emotion in the work.

The only thing on this disc that might be deemed not as perfect is the short Stravinsky work, Concerto for String Orchestra. The Berlin strings are very cultured and smooth here and perhaps this elegant sophistication is not suitable to the Stravinsky style as a more abrasive approach would be. You'll have to be the judge, I found it quite wonderful myself, but then again, you're not buying this for the Stravinsky.

It you want the two best Honegger symphonies, played by the finest orchestra in the world, conducted by perhaps the greatest podium figure of the 20th-century, then this is your ticket. The sound as remastered by DG is very fine. A collector's item in every sense.

It's never really been out of fashion amongst some to denigrate von Karajan for being smooth and suave when he should be rough and ready, etc. etc. In any event, when he was personally sold on a piece, and championed it in the concert hall, there were few rivals. The Honegger 3rd (and 2nd, really) was one such piece. And yes, Karajan's magician's way of getting the Berlin Philharmonic into, and becoming, the piece is certainly in evidence here.

Other reviewers have given the nuts and bolts rundown of the
workings of the Honegger symphonies, so I won't add more there. Suffice it to say that this is integral mid-20th century symphonic writing; if you've explored and liked Stravinsky, Shostakovich, Bartok, etc., then you're ready for the Honegger 2nd and 3rd (I'd go for them all, now that Dutoit's cycle with the Bavarian Radio is in a budget 2-fer set). Like Benjamin Britten, Honegger knew how to be abrasive in a "telling" way, with just enough tonality to hang your hat on.

And speaking of Britten, another of von Karajan's few but significant renditions of mid-20th century musical benchmarks, his Philharmonia Orchestra reading of the Britten "Variations on a Theme of Frank Bridge", is still available as an EMI import in their "Karajan Edition." It's mono, yes, but GOD what mono! And, it's quite possibly the best 10 minutes of string writing you'll ever hear.

In sum, what of Karajan? Did he have a way of making everything sound as if it were experienced from the back seat of Mercedes limo? Not really. On occasion, yes, the BPO's "seamless" phrasing was not what the score called for. But, in Richard Strauss? Mahler? Bruckner? Honegger? Britten or Roussel (ok, I'm throwing in some Philharmonia material here)? Sibelius? I think you'd definitely want to hear his thoughts. Karajan, Bernstein, Boulez, Tennstedt ....all were--and in Boulez' case, is--capable of self-parody. But, there's always a conviction present in the interpretation of the score. It's here in the BPO's justly famous recording of the Honegger 2nd and 3rd.

Symphony #2 is just strings singing questionably toward the beginning or middle of WW2 joined at the last part of the last movement by a single trumpet playing a German choral. Very strange. The trumpet is not the best tone, and because the violins double it, it sounds washed out. Nevertheless, a revealing piece.

Symphony #3 is even better. Three movements named after parts of the requiem. It comes at the end of the war with a yearning for peace while still immersed in militarism--marches interspersed with plaintive prayers. Gorgeous sound.

I have this fabulous 3rd symphony (too bad the 5th ("Di Tre Re") wasn't also included in this set) with Baudo & the Czech Phil., and I prefer it a bit to this one (of course you can't get the Baudo anymore, probably). I agree with the many criticisms of von K. that he approaches much of his music in too refinedly a manner. Cf. his Sibelius symphonies, still available on DG CD. But, still, a beautiful performance of an outstanding symphony. Honegger was by far the most important of "Les Six" and I agree with the reviewer above who can't explain his limited popularity.

Namely, the Mravinsky Version of the Honegger 3 is allt he more 'gnarly' and down and dirty. Mravinsky uses his elite, higly idiosyncratic, Leningrad forces with the infamous vibrato laden raw brass section playing its heart out. Moreover, the recording is live!

In this sense, I much perfer the Karjan version of the Honegger 2 to the 3. In Karajan's hands, the second has a grandeur, the beggining reminds one of the Karajan's stunning 1954 Sibelius 4th with the Philharmonia- his most revelatory sibelius interpretaion.

But that doesnt bring the Honegger Third any loss of merit. Karajan gives it the Berlin treatment indeed. Much like his Shostakovich 10th, the reading is spacious and opulent. But be aware that there are certainly more 'brutal' versions out there!

and for 11.49, who can complain anyways!??!