This performance of the Eighth Symphony has some masterful touches. The entire first movement has plenty of freshness and rhythmic drive. The English horn solo after the development section’s big climax is wonderfully nostalgic, and the transition back to the original quick tempo is beautifully handled. But the Adagio is simply too slow, however exquisitely Yakov Kreizberg touches in some of the incidental woodwind details–and the same problem afflicts the dreamy variations in the latter half of the finale. It’s all beautifully shaped, but just a bit too self-conscious in music of such pastoral innocence. However, the coda is really exciting, with all the important points of detail in the brass tellingly caught.
The two symphonic poems are very well done. My only quibble with The Wood Dove is a certain lack of force at the big climax where the murderess throws herself into the river. Otherwise it’s smooth sailing, with the wedding music particularly well characterized. The Noon Witch offers the disc’s best performance, with each section vividly phrased and atmospherically recorded in SACD surround-sound and stereo. The Netherlands Philharmonic plays well, with woodwinds that uphold the proud Dutch tradition of excellence in that department. A bit more weight at the low end–cellos, basses, and trombones especially–would have given the performances just a bit more impact. In sum, this is a fine release, with many impressive moments, that just misses attaining consistent excellence.
