This a very ravishing performance. Dark, but full of inner light like a Rembrandt painting. The BPO play certain parts of the first movement like no other...somehow they bring an 'icey glow" to many of the woodwind passages. This first movement also sounds very large, like an overwhelming view off a mountain. During the andante Rattle phrases certain lines in a way I haven't heard before, but his choices work rather well. The same goes for the frantically played Scherzo here, which is played very fast, only catching it's breath in the contrasting Trio sections...alot of color is displayed here, and thereby much character is expressed. The tempo choices, whether delibrately slowed down or sped up, take the breath away and are very exciting. I'd say the Scherzo is a highlight. As heard in the previous movements, the Finale delivers the various textures of the orchestration with invigorating character. Rattle really emphasizes the 'modern' aspects of the orchestration. In contrast to the phrase modeling and tempo distruptions of the previous movements, the Finale appears to be played more 'straight', which works rather well for the dramatic arc of the performance...it certainly doesn't drag at any point, which is easy to do in this Finale, with all it's various sections. The duration of the whole Finale (28 minutes) is also faster than I'm used to, but actually works to bring balance to the first movement...this is a good solution in regards to the issue of balance in this work. The speed emphasizes how unsentimental this interpetation is, especially during the final measures...therefore it is rather bleak in outlook.
I was going to compare this to the EMI account, but it's been so long since I last heard it I can't compare yet.
--Leo
