Brahms - Symphony nr. 1/Schumann - Overture Braut von Messina, Violinconcerto

Last Wednesday I was unexpectedly invited by CB to a concert at the Bozar. The Sächsische Staatskapelle Dresden (a mouthful) was passing through Brussels on their European tour (after Vienna, Luxemburg, Paris en before Cardiff and Birmingham). A great opportunity to hear this venerable ensemble. There's a nice photo series about their Brussels leg of the journey on their website. Apparently Barosso was in the hall, as was Kancheli, backstage.

I had heard the Staatskapelle only once, not so long ago, in the pit of the Semperoper for a Boris Godunov. I was not really impressed on that occasion. Refined playing, certainly, but a little lacklustre. Yesterday was different. Christoph Eschenbach was conducting a very traditional programme with a Brahms First and two lesser known pieces by Schumann: the Overture to Schiller's Braut of Messina and the controversial Violinconcerto. Soloist was Gidon Kremer. It was the first time I heard Eschenbach conducting (don't think I have many recordings of him in my collection either; as I believe I've said before I tend to be suspicious of pianists turned conductors; furthermore Eschenbach has been recording fairly standard repertoire on offbeat labels such as Hänssler, Ondine and Telarc: not something I have been seeking out). Kremer I've heard before but can't recall exactly where.  It's not a musician I particularly admire.

The Schumann part of the programme did not particularly captivate me. The Overture is an unusually lively and frivolous piece for this composer. Certainly listenable and a good warm-up. However, the concerto I found to a fairly uninspired and wooden affair. Although Kremer seems an ardent champion of it (he recorded it twice) I thought the performance didn't catch fire. The Brahms symphony was a very different matter, however. A glorious reading, no doubt. Monumental, granitic, very (northern) German, very architectural, but also amazingly colourful and exuding an almost mediterranean glow. The orchestra responded marvelously to this music. The string section projected spellbinding refinement and power. I have only few memories of a string tone that is so richly layered and luxuriously sensuous (the Philadelphia once, the St Petersburg Philharmonic, the Berlin Philharmonic, the Concertgebouw Orchestra). It's in a way a very old-fashioned way of playing. The Budapest Festival Orchestra, whilst in the same league, produces a leaner and more cosmopolitan sound. I was impressed by Eschenbach too, who seemed to have the whole musical edifice in an iron grasp, maintaining a very natural flow. I already look forward to diving into Brahms again. A good opportunity also to dust of my turntable ...