For many, Schubert’s Symphony No. 5 is his most happy, sunny and charming symphony. Well, as it is obvious to those who are familiar with this symphonic canon, there’s a greater deal that’s happier and sunnier in Symphonies Nos. 2, 3 and 6 than here; but, it is agreeable to say that this is his most charming symphony. A great deal has to do with its having the smallest orchestration. Trumpets and timpani are missing. Melodious virtues and charms are everywhere found throughout. But, underneath all this charm, any sensitive listener would detect Schubert’s melancholic disposition, which is gently veiled, to the extent that so many surface-music-listeners don’t detect it. Of course, there are many joyous and sunny passages in this symphony, but much of these are colored by nostalgia. This sort of thing is difficult (or impossible) to describe in words, because it can only be felt. Sure, one can try to explain these things. But, in “concrete” terms, all these elements are simply written notations. Through the hands of performing musicians and through the ears of listeners, these things trigger reactions. Such is the magic and power of music. Schubert wrote this for an amateur group. But, he did not compromise his artistry. It is one of his most beloved symphonies; and, that’s confirmation enough. I shall use the Deutsche Grammophon recording with Claudio Abbado and the Chamber Orchestra of Europe this time. Not only are all the repeats taken, this performance, aided by superb sonics, is at once sensitive, refined, freshly minted and youthful. It is in clips. https://youtube/watch?v=HtvyaTmxzq0 (I) https://youtube/watch?v=fOcrIu3k1qA (II) https://youtube/watch?v=tyBJFA-zKDw (III & IV) Unlike its previous four siblings, there’s no slow introduction here. But, the symphony opens with a four bar introduction and in tempo, with the woodwinds, plus the violins doing a charming downward phrase at the end of it. It goes directly to the first theme. Theme I (starts at 0:16) is a continuous melody that is appropriated between instrumental groups, with the first violins dominating. You do hear different groups answering each other. The full orchestra then plays a full-bodied passage (0:49), which forms the bridge to Theme II. Theme II (1:11) starts off with a melody on the violins (F-major, which is expected in the sonata form context). It is repeated, but in a different instrumentation. Suddenly (1:26), Schubert shifts harmony; and, the dynamic drops tellingly. Although minor key is implied, it is in major mode (D-flat major). Then, with a quick crescendo, a resolution in F-major (the dominant key) is reached (1:30). This is repeated, followed by the coda of the exposition. The exposition repeats (2:02). The development section (3:53) reflects the exposition in that it features dialogues between groups, and that it goes from gentle dynamics to full-bodied sonorities. The recapitulation of the first theme is not conventional (4:45), though the key signature remains in B-flat major. Instead of B-flat major, it is in E-flat major. But, the second theme is back in B-flat major (5:43), the home key. Coda starts at 6:28. The second movement is in E-flat major; and, like the corresponding movement of the previous symphony, there is no development section, not even a few bars of bridge. It opens with a winsome melody. At first, it sounds sweet enough (though the first couplet is played twice, the repeat has the woodwinds added to the string, at 0:23). As its second couplet unfolds (0:38), nostalgia sets in, beautifully done too (this repeats verbatim). Like the second theme of the second movement of the previous symphony, this second theme is troubled emotionally (2:28). It begins with F-flat, which one of the wildest shifts possible from E-flat major, and, a few bars later, lands on C-flat major. After many moody and expressive harmonic shifts, the charming theme in E-flat major comes back (4:51). But, before I go on, it pays to point out two passages where Schubert has two independently singable melodies going at once (2:51 to 3:01 and 3:14 to 3:24). The repeat of the first couplet features a florid variation (5:07), possibly an influence of Rossini. And, as before, the second couplet is nostalgia-ridden (5:22). It does not repeat this time and ends on E-flat minor. The trouble second theme again starts in a distant key (6:20), from C-flat major to G-flat major and so on - even if you are not able to do harmonic analysis, you can hear and feel it. Again, the two passages with two singable melodies on top of each other are there (6:44 to 6:54 and 7:07 to 7:17). The opening theme comes back (7:53). After this, Schubert takes a short cut, and, with a different harmonization, goes to the final phrases of the second couplet (8:10). But, this does not end (8:34). Schubert shifts harmony drastically and thus lengthens the coda a good bit. The movement ends with the first horn playing the E-flat major arpeggio downward in the most poetic fashion (9:23). It’s easy to associate this ending with, say, a moonlit landscape. After all, it has the character of a serenade. The third movement is in the dark-hued G-minor (the relative minor of the home key, B-flat major). The music is moody and earnest. The accent on the pick-up beat starts nearly every main phrase. The Trio section (2:32), in G-major, is very ingratiating, but laced with obvious nostalgia. Its second couplet starts with something modal-sounding (3:03), although it is in a minor tonality (the first phrase is in D-minor, while the second phrase is in C-major and the third phrase modulates back to G-major with a number of chords that go with the melodic configuration and vice versa). The last movement is lively throughout. Theme I is in two couplets. The first couplet has two short parts; and, these form the two halves of one melody (5:08 and then 5:14). The second couplet (5:20) repeats verbatim (5:42). The bridge that links Theme I and Theme II is full-bodied and energetic (6:04). Also, it has some dark colors, both in the exposition and the recapitulation (11:00), and, especially the recapitulation, which is further developed. The end result is startling in harmonic terms, particularly when one passage (11:12 to 11:21) from the first movement of Tchaikovsky’s Violin Concerto, written many decades later, is harmonically identical, just in a different key area and in a different instrumentation. The second theme is particularly charming (6:30). Interestingly, after its presentation, its complementary second part is in minor key (6:54). This is followed by the coda, featuring a harmonic sequence (7:05) that is particularly charming and Mozartian. In this recording, Abbado observes the exposition repeat (7:25); and, he does not repeat the second couplet, which is entirely acceptable. The development section (9:20) is relatively short, using the rhythmic cell from Theme I but not its detaché articulation (detaché is a bowing style for bowed string instruments). All phrases are lovingly slurred here. The recapitulation (10:26) of Theme I is again shorn off the repeat of the second couplet. The bridge is particularly intense, as mentioned above already. Theme II follows (11:30), with all the recognizable parts, along with the coda (12:05 onwards). Here’s a clip of Tchaikovsky’s Violin Concerto. https://youtube/watch?v=IFdP5AFIAVU The passage in question is 7:42 to 7:47. See, if you could see the resemblance. By the way, this is the first recording of this work I owned. It was one of the gifts my mother’s eldest brother gave her. Naturally, I came to own it. I still have it. Of course, I also have its CD transfer. Though this recording is monaural and the performance contains a few interpolations (the solo violin part only) and cuts (only a few bars in the last movement) that are not in the original score, it remains one of the best ever.
Posted on: Sat, 20 Dec 2014 11:54:30 +0000
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