Beethoven: Creatures of Prometheus

 

For lack of a better phrase, I feel like this is a performance which emasculates the music of Beethoven. I could never call this a bad performance of The Creatures of Prometheus, yet there is so much more I want out of Beethoven's music. I am going to try the version by Segerstam soon, with high hopes moving forward on the composer's only ballet score.

A review from 2020

Beethoven’s lone ballet, Creatures of Prometheus, is here led by Sir Charles Mackerras and the Scottish Chamber Orchestra (SCO). Aside from the Overture, little else is regularly played from this work, although the finale is more famous from its use in other, more famous Beethoven music, and the colourful Adagio gets some play time occasionally. Beethoven doesn’t browbeat the music as much in this ballet as some of his more serious works; everything is pretty light and frothy, only aided by the texture of the reduced orchestra on this mid-90’s Hyperion release.

Creatures of Prometheus contains one of Beethoven’s shorter overtures, but in the role as the opening of this ballet, it is conjoined with a short storm sequence that really sends home the overture is dramatic fashion; I really like the difference. The remaining 16 portions of the ballet are pretty light, but show a good variety. The adagio (No. 5) for solo flute, bassoon, cello, and harp stands out for some real exquisite Beethoven-ian Romantic atmosphere, something the rest of the ballet rarely retreads. The finale tune is most famous for its use in the 4th mvt. of Beethoven’s famous Symphony No. 3 'Eroica', although here in the ballet, it sounds like a neutered, drawing-room chamber piece. The last four movement dance showacses are pretty interesting; otherwise, the music is quite varied, but pretty light stuff for Beethoven.

I will admit upfront that I am not much of a period-practice lover, and rarely do I enjoy my Haydn, Mozart, and Beethoven orchestral music on vibratoless, period instruments. I give no apologies to enjoying large, modern orchestral sonorities, and particularly in Beethoven, my preferences lie with muscular heroism over lean, lithe daintiness. On modern instruments, Mackerras and the SCO go for a sort of middle ground betwixt a large symphony orchestra and a modern period ensemble. To my ears it still sounds rather scrawny, anemic, and lacking a bit of heft; the SCO gives light nods to Beethoven’s famous sforzandos, but I kind of miss the weight and attack behind those moments.

Don’t get me wrong, there is nothing wrong with the playing from the SCO, and I have treasured recordings led by Mackerras in Janacek, Sullivan, and occasionally Mozart, among others, but this one doesn’t quite do it for me. If you enjoy the classical aspect of Beethoven - reduced performing forces, swift tempos (at 62 minutes this is one of the faster I have seen), and light textures, you will definitely enjoy this recording; the music itself is definitely well worth hearing, and even if Creature of Prometheus isn’t necessarily essential in its complete form, it is still engaging music.

So where does this lie among the competition? There are three other chamber orchestra versions that I have come across: Thomas Dausgaard on Simax with the Swedish Chamber Orchestra goes further than Mackerras in the period vein, his strings sounding a little zingy too; Nicholas Harnoncourt on Teldec with the Chamber Orchestra of Europe may be my preference for their willingness to throw themselves at the music, but Harnoncourt is more willful than I would like; and the conductorless Orpheus Chamber Orchestra on DG is always a delight, plus they give a quality, fulsome tone that pleases me very much. Furthermore, Orpheus keeps forward momentum without sacrificing musicality and occasional heroism, and is probably my favourite chamber version.

There are few complete, full-orchestral performances of this music; Erich Leinsdorf’s and David Zinman’s are both incomplete readings. That leaves me with Leif Segerstam on Naxos with his Finnish orchestra. At 76 minutes, (14-minutes slower than Mackerras), Segerstam is very loving with the music, but boy does the orchestra sound great, with full tones and lovely wind solos. It won’t be to everyone’s tastes, but it hits the sweet-spot for me and despite the timing, Segerstam doesn’t relinquish into torpor like you might imagine.

In the end, I am going to give Sir Charles Mackerras and the Scottish CO a light recommendation to match the texture and weight of this reading of Beethoven’s Creatures of Prometheus. You may like the route they take in this music, and Mackerras’ musicianship is never in question, but it is not for me.

 

 

Works
Creatures of Prometheus, op. 43

Ensemble
Scottish Chamber Orchestra
Sir Charles Mackerras, conductor

Label: Hyperion
Year: 1994
Total Timing: 62.42

 

 

 

Many will enjoy a lighter playing of Beethoven's ballet The Creatures of Prometheus, but I think I simply want more.

 

 

 

 

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