Superstar Lorin Maazel is considered one of today’s most gifted conductors. His brilliant technique and sensitive ear have few rivals in the profession and allow him perfect control over the orchestra. How come, then, his performances have rarely been convincing, at least in the last couple of decades? Does stardom generate boredom? This new Stravinsky program shows once more how much talent is wasted here. The performances have an astounding clarity. In Pétrouchka the conductor’s manic care for detail doesn’t miss a single marking, the slightest nuance, or change in articulation–so much so that it’s like listening to a dissection of the score instead of a real interpretation. Maazel’s approach underlines the French impressionist influence on Stravinsky’s music, but his limited dynamic range seems to almost completely ignore its robust, Slavic character. Furthermore, the Vienna Philharmonic sounds precious and mannered, with solo parts that are both too light-weight and “nice” for music so deeply rooted in the Russian folk tradition–music that is supposed to evoke a popular fair. In other words, the Viennese musicians are all velvet and rose scent where Stravinsky throws mud and rags. Not surprisingly, the youthful, scintillating Feu d’artifice is more successful, while Le Chant du rossignol hovers again between beauty of textures and dryness of content. The recording exactly matches the performances, with a luxury of detail that sometimes hides the global view.
