There is no finer conductor of Ives or Copland today than Michael Tilson Thomas, and it’s so fulfilling to see him doing what he does best on the San Francisco Symphony’s own label. Henry Brant’s orchestration of Ives’ Concord Sonata doesn’t sound much like Ives. The harp clearly doesn’t belong, and while The Alcotts begins like a lovely old church organ, the winds soon turn Stravinskian. Brant was a modernist, and he scores like one: hard and unyielding. What makes Ives often so interesting is the fact that his modernisms are presented in more romantic trappings; the weight of tone still favors the strings. This makes them at once more palatable and more shocking. Still, Brant’s work has merit for the curious Ivesian, and this second recording is in fact even more brilliant and punchy than Dennis Russell Davies’ previous Concertgebouw Orchestra rendition.
Copland’s Organ Symphony also is neglected in favor of its rescoring as “Symphony No. 1” (though that’s hardly more popular). It’s a magnificent work, and the organ original really is the preferable version. As with Ives, it’s the contrast between Copland’s resolutely modern, jazzy, rhythmic early style and the “stuffy” timbre of the organ that energizes the whole piece. Davies Symphony Hall has a spectacular organ that’s very well captured by the engineers. Paul Jacobs plays beautifully; his instrument “fits” into the general sonic framework very naturally, while Thomas and the orchestra play as if to the manner born. A great disc. [2/8/2011]
