Enescu: Symphony 5

 

When describing my thoughts on Romanian composer George Enescu's Symphony no. 4 in E minor (BLOG), I failed to mention it was cobbled together by Pascal Bentoiu. In cases of reconstruction, the music can swing either way as a work of the composer or the editor, or various percentages o mixing the two. I don't Enescu's music well enough to be able make a firm enough statement one way or the other, although as I understand it, Enescu did leave short scores of all the works which needed finishing, making Bentoiu's job a little easier. Less guesswork that way.

While I enjoyed the formal concision in the Fourth Symphony, that did not follow its way to Symphony no. 5 in D Major. This one wanders, and wanders, and wanders, usually in a dreary manner. The third-movement Scherzo offers some relief to the unending, lush late-Romantic meanderings, but this portion is mightily short in length. Even the vocal solo at the end doesn't much save the work for this listener, at least when all is said and done.

Beginning in the second movement of the Fifth Symphony, though, I am rather taken with the string solos which pop up, offering the listener a new texture to the music. At first, it is the viola who receives a solo to itself, but then the cello and other string instruments as well, existing more in a chamber-music texture, some of which reappear later in the symphony. 

Many of the symphonic colors are quite interesting as well, with piano, piccolo, harp, and bell-like percussion (celesta, I think) adding some piquant flavors. The final movement returns to its dreariness, only to add a vocal solo to the very end, which contrastingly sounds overly sappy. The symphony as a whole seems to exist in a French late-Romanticism mode to my ears, a classical-music genre which was never my favorite.

I do sort-of enjoy the mysterious nature of Isis, a symphonic poem revolving around the Egyptian Goddess of Death, and nickname of Enescu's mistress. If I am reminded of Alexander Scriabin, I am sure it is the choral elements mixed with the highly chromatic harmonies and unusual orchestral colors.

While I was more engaged with Enescu's Symphony no. 4, his Fifth Symphony has enough for fans of the Romanian composer to enjoy.

I am always amazed at the high quality of regional German orchestras, and the German Radio Philharmonic Orchestra of Saarbrücken-Kaiserlautern continues such noticeable trends. Peter Ruzicka sounds perfectly confident in the music, and CPO's sonics are present and impactful.

 

 

Works
Symphony 5 in D Major (41.17)
Isis (19.12)

Soloists
Marius Vlad, tenor

Performers
NDR Choir
German Radio Philharmonic Orchestra, Saarbrücken-Kaiserlautern
Peter Ruzicka, conductor

Label: CPO
Year: 2014
Total Timing: 60.39

If you enjoy the gangly motions of Enescu's Symphony nos. 2 & 3, my guess is you would enjoy Symphony no. 5.

This one is not for me, although the performances sound perfectly wonderful from CPO.

Find more Enescu recordings HERE!