FOERSTER: Symphony No. 4 / Festival Overture / My Youth

Album review

Despite the evidence of this disc, Joseph Bohuslav Foerster's Fourth really is a great symphony. Called "Easter Eve," the work follows the Gospel's Passion story from death of Jesus to the very gates of heaven, and while for some listeners, Foerster's influences -- Mahler here, Dvorák there and Bruckner everywhere -- may be too obvious, for listeners to whom Mahler's "Resurrection" and Suk's "Asrael" Symphonies are as mother's milk, Foerster's "Easter Eve" will be balm in an increasingly arid musical existence. But, unfortunately, this recording is not that balm. Lance Friedel, an American conductor with a fine pedigree, impeccable taste and a more than adequate technique, sounds here uninterested, uncommitted and uncommunicative, while the Slovak Radio Symphony, usually a more than acceptable central European orchestra, sounds here bored, restless and in need of a coffee break. Together, their opening Molto sostenuto is leaden and turgid, their Allegro deciso lacks drive and direction, their Andante sostenuto is wan and weary, and their closing Lento lugubre -- Allegro moderato goes on and on and on, getting more bombastic with every climax until the organ's final crashing chord. The additions of Foerster's hitherto unrecorded Festive Overture and symphonic poem Meine Jugend, increases the length of the program but adds little to its content. For listeners who would like to be convinced that Foerster's Fourth is indeed a great symphony, try Raphael Kubelik's recording with the Czech Philharmonic from 1948. Its weight of utterance, intensity of expression, brilliance of execution and, most of all, complete and uncompromising faith in the greatness of the music makes a compelling case for the work. Friedel and the Slovak Radio Symphony's recording is at best a stop gap.

Naxos' sound is clear and clean but also etiolated and disembodied.

© TiVo