Record Reviews

ORCHESTRE SYMPHONIQUE DE MONTREAL ~ SCHOENBERG: PELLEAS UND MELISANDE & VERKLÄRTE NACHT PENTATONE 8717306262187 (Barcode: 8717306262187) ~ CANADA ~ Classical Recorded: 2024 Released: 2024 This is an album by the Orchestre Symphonique De MontrealFind albums by this artist, conducted by the Venezuelan conductor Rafael PayareFind albums by this artist, who is also the orchestra’s musical director, performing two early works by Austrian Jewish composer Arnold SchoenbergFind albums by this artist: the tone poem “Pelleas Und Melisande” (composed in 1903) and the “Verklärte Nacht” (composed originally as a string sextet in 1899 and subsequently revised to a string orchestra versions, this one from 1943). The sound quality of the recording is impeccable and the tone is well balanced. Schoenberg, who was the greatest musical revolutionary of the 20th Century and Godfather of the free atonality and later twelve-tone method, is in retrospect primarily known for his early works of his Late Romanticism period, like those presented here. This is not really surprising, as the complexity and sheer intellectual “weirdness” of his later works is even today light-years ahead of the average Classical music listener, not to mention the ability of most orchestras to tackle their performance. That does not mean, of course, that Schoenberg’s early works are less sophisticated, brilliant or intricate, but they are certainly “packaged” using more conventional compositional techniques, which makes them more accessible, but not necessarily better understood, by a wider audience. There are many available recordings of these two works by Schoenberg, sometimes quite different from each other, so the question is if Payare’s interpretation adds a new aesthetic perspective to the compositions and if the listener can truly enjoy the beauty of the music. I am happy to say that the answer to both these question is positive. Payare takes the music “back to the source” so to speak, emphasizing the romantic nature of the melodic sequences and playing with the dynamics of the subsequent parts of each composition, treating it somewhat like a soundtrack to an imaginary movie. That is as much liberty as the conductor is allowed, and he does not overdo it. The result becomes more “listenable” than most other interpretations, a bit “rounded”, but all in good taste. Overall, this is a wonderful album, which should satisfy Classical Music connoisseurs, who dare to explore Schoenberg’s magical world, or at least the early facet of it, hoping they will dare to search further, into his more advanced periods, which hide many treasures as well. Wholeheartedly recommended!

Updated: 24/01/2025Posted: 24/01/2025

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