The Lucerne Festival Orchestra is one of those special orchestras that seems to top itself in marvels performance after performance. The strains of the double basses in the beginning are just so illustrious and too real. The march-like qualities in much of the first movement with the stark harmonies of woodwinds and brasses are so spell-binding. The sweeping of the texture and the crashing of the cymbals bring about a wave and the tingling triangle makes the texture glisten. Later on, the timpani do a fine job at replicating what the double basses did at the beginning. The vast coloring continues with the staccato nature of the woodwinds immediately succeeding the timpani. The violas have their turn with a dazzling whip of a solo all in unison. Then resumes the flurry of the woodwinds with the triangle tingling in the background.
Then a brief passage in C brings in the trumpets and horns in a bright and brassy fashion. Throughout the movement and for that matter, throughout the work, the chromatic mediants are everywhere. It is one of the foundations of the whole piece. I believe there is a celesta pinging off the harmony of the woodwinds in the quiet moments that they have. The quiet moments are proved short-lived when the strings and brass come in and ramp up the chromaticism. All the while, the march-like quality is ever present. Snare and bass drums plod along in a strict four while the rest of the orchestra with all their trills and flurries of activity take centerstage. Even muted trumpet is there in the texture.
The second movement is a more subtle and quiet movement. The beauty of the strings and the richness of the chords just beckon the heart. The calm, quiet, sing-song of the woodwinds and light strings with brilliantly high flutes make the most of the second movement a relief and a break from the last movement’s marching quality. The high harmonies of the woodwinds, particularly oboes and clarinets is so beautifully clear. This movement reminds me of calm, quiet summers and worries flowing away.
The third movement is the scherzo that brings back that strict march-like, marked tempo. This is further carried out by the lower brass in staccato eighth notes. The woodwinds do this in staccato quarters and fade into a slight ritardando into a part of the movement that sounds like it’s in F major, but then makes several knee-jerk key changes and turns back to an F tonality. The majority of the movement has this happy nature to it with several chromatic strains from the French Horns. he texture darkens with a tuba solo note on F sharp while still trying to maintain the cheery atmosphere of the movement with the woodwinds.
The final movement contains frantic activity from the strings and the subtle tones of lower woodwinds, while the brass screams high and wide and low. Then the thundering of brass, snare drum and timpani in a G centered tonality make themselves known. The texture lurches trying to quiet itself and then ramps up all the more. The tension in the movement seems so unrelenting. Then, high strings, woodwinds and brass thunder this time. The march like tempo comes back first in C minor and shifts down a third to A minor. It’s essentially almost back to the beginning. The end is simply stunning and full of dazzle. It is yet another symphony that will really hold you. Take a listen if you’ve got some time.
