Tchaikovsky Symphony No. 5; Romeo and Juliet – Fantasy Overture Orchestre Philharmonique de Strasbourg/Aziz Shokhakimov Warner Classics 5419753851 65:30 mins
It goes without saying that any new recording of such a well-worn masterpiece as Tchaikovsky’s Fifth Symphony has to have something special to say about the work if it is to warrant serious consideration in such a crowded field. First impressions of this generally well-played performance are however decidedly mixed. Unfortunately, the slightly clipped phrasing of the darkly scored string chords that accompany the clarinet’s fate motif at the beginning of the slow introduction robs the music of its feeling of impending doom. Yet the purposeful tread set by conductor Aziz Shokhakimov for the ensuing Allegro con anima manages to build up a real head of steam before a somewhat perfunctory concluding quiet passage which should sound far more sinister than here.
A similar problem arises at the opening of the slow movement with the rather blandly phrased low string chords. But there are some beautiful moments too, especially in the affectionately shaped and gentle coda. It’s a pity, however, that Shokhakimov underplays the impact of the two most dramatic passages in the movement where the Fate motif brutally interrupts the lyrical progress of the music.
The second half of the Symphony is far more engaging, as is the atmospheric and dramatically projected account of Romeo and Juliet. There’s some deftly balletic phrasing in the central episode of the Symphony’s third movement and a really dynamic forward-thrusting Finale. Nonetheless, I can’t understand why Shokhakimov felt it necessary to inflate the impact of the final climax in this movement by adding a cymbal crash where no such instruction exists in Tchaikovsky’s score.
Erik Levi
