Audition: Honegger - Symphony No. 2 - SWRSO/Denève
Honegger - Symphony No. 2 - WDRSO/Denève
Trumpet: Thomas Hannes
2015 SWR classic
Denéve and band are reasonably well recorded with good delineation of the multiple sized groups but some of the solos seem either lost or ignored and according to my score at least one additional solo cello line (briefly), but that might be an artefact.
I have a soft spot for the conductor and we all respect the craft of European radio orchestras. This is not the last word in this piece on record, but it is fleet and atmospheric.
The almost static opening is almost immediately compromised by the hardening of the tone at the first tutti and some quicksilver playing. Denève lets the music ebb and flow in the initial pages with glorious string sections and subsections are glorious though a little bass heavy. At the Allegro section Denève and orchestra show a marvellous balance. Tempo changes are very well done throughout. When the music slows there's a full rich sound but it's not all plush. At figure 13 Denève allows a certain roughness in, almost an itchiness which breaks up the serene flows and phrases for a while.
The second movement is well caught and a very atmospheric balanced and well recorded. At figure one the conductor pares things down to a sparse and scary haunting quality. It's here that my score has no solo cello at figure one but my ears hear a single instrument – it’s effective though.
In the third movement Denève ramps up the tension in the pages after figure 3 all the way up to instruction for a little agitation. This is the only diversion in this most unsettling movement there appears to be little in the way of the ensemble. The vehemence at figure 7 and the emphatic rhythms before figure 10 are very good especially as the musical emphasis becomes more manic. Denève keeps a lid on the complex multiple rhythms until the trumpet breaks through like the sun on a stormy day.
In my score is the composition dates for each movement. The finale makes marked Paris 13th of October 1941, what a time to write a symphony like this!
Recording: 8 out of 10
Interpretation: 10 out of 10
Performance: 10 out of 10.
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