Beethoven: Overtures

 

I suspect my enthusiasm in the review below would be tempered today. With 2CD sets from Karajan and Abbado leading the pack, it is hard to imagine these trumping those classic accounts. Plus, in a single CD, there are plenty of missing Beethoven overtures which are usually found on a second disc. And yet, I think Yoel Levi was overlooked as a conductor of worth in Atlanta and needs to be reevaluated. This is one I will need to come back to soon, where I will update this entry.

A review from 2006

Ludwig van Beethoven's overtures provide all of Beethoven's great musical traits on a small scale: tuneful melodies, creative, early Romantic harmonies, and natural dramatic expressiveness, set with specific dramatic backdrops. His most famous overtures are featured on this disk (minus one or two): Egmont, Creatures of Prometheus, Leonore 1-3, Fidelio, and Coriolan.

Egmont is incidental music based on the life of Count Lamoral of Egmont, who, although Catholic, intervened on behalf of persecuted Protestants; Egmont was sent to trial and beheaded. The eight minute overture sounds like it is a movement taken from one of his symphonies: menacing and foreboding, huge rhythmical chords pound, along with a long, craggy, sinuous melody; however the gloom is dispelled with a cheery finale, fanfare-like and frenetic. A ballet in honor of the Empress Maria Theresa, the five minute Creatures of Prometheus is a youthful venture, with classically influenced harmonies and progressions, and the overall lightness goes together with the Greek subject. The flavor is rapid and bubbly with occasional interesting syncopations and development. The story of the Roman General Gnaeus Marcius Coriolanus who conquered Coriolani, is the subject of the Coriolan Overture. He was eventually exiled from Rome, but not conquered in spirit, and led his former enemies to attack Rome. The serious subject is portrayed in the overture: heavy unisons and chord hits, a troubled melody; a great dread falls over the entire 8-minute work.

The three overtures from Leonore plus the Fidelio Overture are written for the same opera. It is a dramatic story of a woman rescuing her husband from prison and death, set after the French Revolution. Many overtures exist because of various circumstances in which the opera didn't catch on...French controlled Vienna for one. The eventual moderate success only occurred after a 10-year gestation period. The early Leonore 1, at 8+ minutes, has an infectious, bounding, innately joyous idea not carried over into the other overtures. Leonore 2 & 3 both have a similar peaceful chorale opening, and both have an exultant, folk-like allegro theme following, along with a large role for horn. The two overtures are over 13 minutes, but despite their similarities, No. 3 has stood the test of time and is the more fleshed out overture. The final overture, Fidelio, with its athletic outbursts interspersed with contemplative settings, contains some catchy ideas, as well as including a rustic dance, and ends gloriously at 6 minutes.

Yoel Levi and the Atlanta Symphony Orchestra give full-sounding modern performances. The modern fullness gives the orchestra a thick-lush quality. This works for most of these works, bringing out the brooding and extroverted Romanticism of Beethoven, however, some urgency is lost in Egmont, a bit in Coriolan, although the mood is not lost in either. These are good performances, although a period orchestra might make more in forward-movement and lightness, this is a 20th century approach, which sounds great, especially with the lush Telarc sound. At 63 minutes the CD is expensive, Ruins of Athens or Consecration of the House Overtures would have filled out the CD nicely. As it is, compare this with other compilations; if you have the cash, these are virile overtures.

 

 

Works
Egmont, op. 84: Overture (7.56)
Creatures of Prometheus, op. 43: Overture (4.55)
Leonore: Overture 1, op. 138 (8.24)
Leonore: Overture 2, op. 72a (13.09)
Leonore: Overture 3, op. 72b (13.42)
Fidelio, op. 72: Overture (6.14)
Coriolanus, op. 62: Overture (7.57)

Performers
Atlanta Symphony Orchestra
Yoel Levi, conductor

Label: Telarc
Year: 1997
Total Timing: 62.51

 

Until I return to this recording, I am going to temper my original review. I know I could be an overly enthusiastic reviewer early on, and time wears wearily when looking back. Present day ears can bring sanity back.

And yet, these can be powerful pieces of music from Beethoven. Apparently 30 years ago, I thought so.

 

 

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