I seem to have been at cross purposes with John Glover on the question
of Russian brass. My original comment referred to the "Russian" trombones
in Mravinsky's Leningrad PO version of Sibelius's 7th (rec 1965, just in
case there's another version). I was using the phrase "Russian" trombones
pejoratively because I thought the excessive (to my ears) vibrato spoilt
what I considered an otherwise superb performance.
I know that Russian (and French, and possibly other countries') performing
traditions mean more vibrato in brass instruments than in US, UK and other
orchestras. I don't know what the brass tradition was in the orchestras to
which Sibelius had access when he wrote the 7th so the amount of vibrato he
expected is open to question. In other words, it might, *in this case* not
be what the composer wanted.
However, I take John's point that Tchaikovsky, Prokofiev, et al would have
written with this sound in mind and it seems reasonable to suppose that the
closest approach to what they expected would come from a Russian orchestra
although not, taking Deryk Barker's strictures about Pletnev on trust,
conducted by him (Pletnev - I know nothing of Deryk's conducting talents!)
I haven't heard a Russian orchestra in Bruckner but I have one doing Mahler
3 which can most charitably be described as interesting, so I agree with
John there as well. The problem is, I don't like that amount of vibrato
regardless of the nationality of the composer, so I'm stuck with preferring
"unauthentic" performances of music by Russian composers.
This whole question may have been thrashed out on MCML before I joined,
but to take the argument a step further, it used to seem to be an article
of faith in Gramophone that no-one could play English music like the
English; in fact, you almost got the impression it was regarded as heresy
for anyone else to try, It was probably Karajan's VPO Planets that first
disabused people of that notion, shortly to be followed by Previn's Vaughan
Williams symphonies and so on and on. Likewise, there is a view I've read
occasionally that no-one does the clarinet glissando at the beginning of
Rhapsody in Blue quite like an American. I don't agree with either view,
so I don't see why I should listen to a Russian performance of a Russian
work if the brass is going to drive me to distraction, even if it's not
echt-Prokofiev or whoever.
I have to confess to preferring Bach on the piano, non-HIP Mozart,
performances of Russian and French music without lots of brass vibrato.
I enjoy music played on the harpsichord or the fortepiano, some HIPs,
and will even listen to vibrato in Russian and French music if there is
no alternative version. If that makes me an unreconstructed Philistine,
then so be it.
Incidentally, what would constitute an authentic performance of, say,
Rachmaninov's Symphonic Dances? Russian composer living in the US, offers
first performance to an American orchestra. I don't hear any "Russian"
vibrato in the Ormandy version, although there might be just a bit in
the saxophone, which Rachmaninov had not used before. Was this what
Rachmaninov wanted or had he now become an American composer?
Richard Pennycuick
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