The chief attraction of this release is the prospect of hearing the Czech Philharmonic play Schumann symphonies–but that great ensemble is hardly recognizable thanks to the murky recorded sound. Prague’s Dvorák Hall may be a difficult place to record, but Supraphon has been producing fine-sounding recordings there for decades, and more recently Decca and Ondine have done quite well. PentaTone’s production swallows most of the instrumental detail (especially the woodwinds)–so much for the Czech Philharmonic’s fabled ensemble clarity.
Schumann’s Rhenish Symphony probably is the worst piece in which to have this problem. The first movement requires judicious highlighting of instrumental textures, as well as rhythmic drive–neither quality being supplied by Lawrence Foster. Instead, his slowish tempos and overall bland, all-strings-and-timpani approach emphasizes the music’s propensity to meander. Listen to Barenboim’s invigorating version from a few years ago, or to Bernstein’s 1980s Vienna recording, or to the classic and still unbeatable Szell/Cleveland version and you’ll hear the kind of energy, clarity, and excitement that make for a successful performance. There are two good things to say about Foster’s Rhenish: it’s better than Karajan’s (but so is everyone else’s), and he lets the Czech brass sing out in the finale’s coda–but unfortunately this is long after you’ve stopped listening.
Symphony No. 4 sounds noticeably better, mostly due to Schumann’s more clarified scoring, which makes prodigious use of the brass. And there’s certainly more energy in Foster’s reading, but little of the urgency you expect in this music (especially in the finale, which is too well-mannered). SACD stereo enhances the recording’s presence but doesn’t make it any more involving. In sum, there’s just no reason to choose this disc over the listed alternatives.
