Prokofiev: Symphony No. 6 in E-Flat Minor, Op. 111. Franz Welser-Möst, conductor; The Cleveland Orchestra.
Prokofiev's incredible Sixth Symphony is often held up to be a dark work...a somber reflection on the recently-concluded World War II. The composer himself basically agreed when he indicated that it memorializes the conflict's victims. While I don't mean to suggest that isn't a worthy intention on its own (it surely is!), I have always thought there is much more to this symphony. The whole thing strikes me as a kind of dark-hued dreamscape, a magnificent cross-section of Prokofiev's staggering imagination. There is much doleful rumination here, yes, but also nooks, crannies, and even vistas full of bright wonder. Prokofiev's inimitable humor even makes some appearances. It is a work that remains just a bit mysterious, even when you think you know what it's all about. Accordingly, Prokofiev 6 offers an inept or disinterested conductor plenty of room to stumble. But thankfully that's not what happens here. Franz Welser-Möst and The Cleveland Orchestra give a performance that is always good and möstly wonderful.
This isn't one of the most consistently spirited performances of Prokofiev 6. We hear straightaway that Welser-Möst (henceforth FWM) favors a softer approach than some of his competition. There are fewer sharp edges in the opening movement compared to the performance by Neeme Järvi and the Royal Scottish National Orchestra on Chandos (CHAN 8359), my own preferred account. FWM is even more subdued than Petrenko and the Oslo Philharmonic in their recent release (Lawo Classics LWC1215). The loud parts are suitably loud, but the heart of this interpretation seems to be elsewhere. And I think I'm okay with that. I get the argument for more passion here, but I find I don't mind FWM's relative introversion.
In the second movement, FWM and The Cleveland Orchestra are among the more expansive in the catalogue. Once more, I'm with them. This is the most emotionally complex juncture of an emotionally complex symphony. It rewards a conductor who is able to elicit from his/her players a smorgasbord of delicate hues, in addition to the necessary percussive and climactic muscle. I'm going to call this my new favorite performance of the second movement. FWM works a special magic in it that does justice to conflicting, complex character states. Even if the other two movements sucked, which they certainly don't, this recording would be eminently worthwhile for the middle stretch.
FWM and Co. really lay their cards on the table in the finale, somewhat dubiously. For the first time, I find myself kind of wanting something other than what they're offering. I think the quicker, "oom-pah" portions which dominate the section should be a little more raucous. Okay, maybe not GERGIEV-level raucous (Philips 475 7655), but the finale is inherently exhilarating (sometimes darkly so) and needs an edge. FWM leads an effort here in which a certain tameness seems to catch up to him. It's not bad at all, just maybe lacking a bit of kick.
On balance, this is an excellent outing. If the ways in which it is superlative are somewhat offset by a merely "good" finale, it still belongs with the overall best options. One other drawback, though, is the exclusive download/streaming medium. This is a baleful industry trend that I would like to see reversed, but probably won't. Maybe some time I'll go into my thoughts about all of this with a dedicated blog post. But not here. Right now I urge you to have a listen to this new Prokofiev 6 and see what you think of it.
Highly Recommended
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