César Franck - Symphony; etc. (Yan Pascal Tortelier; Louis Lortie)

Information

Composer: César Franck

• (01) Les Eolides
• (02) Symphonic Variations, for piano & orchestra
• (03) Symphony in D minor

Louis Lortie, piano
BBC Philharmonic Orchestra
Yan Pascal Tortelier, conductor

Date: 2001
Label: Chandos
https://www.chandos.net/products/catalogue/CHAN%209875

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Review

ARTISTIC QUALITY: 9 / SOUND QUALITY: 8

Here’s a Franck D-minor Symphony in the classic French tradition of Paray and Munch: fast and exciting. In fact, at less than nine minutes, Tortelier’s finale may very well be the swiftest ever, and tempos in both of the other movements never look back. Still, there’s no trace of stiffness or lack of rhythmic flexibility. Others may well call it the “slim fast” approach or “Franck-lite,” and the lack of self-indulgence does rob the quieter moments of some of their inherent mystery. I’m thinking here particularly of the symphony’s opening, or the calm interlude in the finale just before the coda, where the “motto theme” returns accompanied by rich harp arpeggios, but it’s not a major issue. Tortelier also isn’t afraid to let the enthusiastic brass swamp the strings now and again, as at the end of the first movement’s second subject, but my word, how those trumpets do ride the climaxes! In short, I’m not tossing out my favorites (aside from those listed above, these include Monteux/Chicago and Bernstein’s DG remake), but this is much more than just another run-of-the-mill version.

The couplings also go well. Les Eolides has just the right skittish charm, and the Symphonic Variations pack considerably more energy than usual, though Louis Lortie’s capable pianism must yield to Arthur Rubinstein (RCA) and Ivan Moravec (Supraphon). I am less the impressed with Chandos’ sonics. As with their recent Glinka CD, the big, reverberant acoustic works against the thrust of the performances. Something drier and crisper, with a better focus on cellos, basses, and timpani would have complimented Tortelier’s approach much more readily. Nevertheless, if you love Franck’s symphony, you’ll enjoy this.

-- David Hurwitz, ClassicsToday

More reviews:
BBC Music Magazine  PERFORMANCE: ***** / SOUND: ****
http://www.musicweb-international.com/classrev/2001/Apr01/Franck_GD.htm
https://www.amazon.com/Symphony-D-minor-Symphonic-Variations/dp/B000056KND

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César Franck (10 December 1822 – 8 November 1890) was a composer, pianist, organist, and music teacher who worked in Paris during his adult life. As an organist he was particularly noted for his skill in improvisation. Franck is considered by many the greatest composer of organ music after Bach. Franck exerted a significant influence on music. He helped to renew and reinvigorate chamber music and developed the use of cyclic form. He became professor at the Paris Conservatoire in 1872, his pupils included Vincent d'Indy, Ernest Chausson, Louis Vierne, Charles Tournemire, Guillaume Lekeu and Henri Duparc.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/C%C3%A9sar_Franck

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Yan Pascal Tortelier (born 19 April 1947) is a French conductor and violinist, and is the son of the cellist Paul Tortelier. At age 14, he was a first-prize winner for violin at the Paris Conservatoire. He was principal conductor of the Ulster Orchestra (1989-1992), the BBC Philharmonic Orchestra (1992-2003), Orquestra Sinfônica do Estado de São Paulo (OSESP) (2009-2011) and currently, the Iceland Symphony Orchestra. He is a regular recording artist for Chandos Records, and has conducted commercial recordings for Chandos with the BBC Philharmonic, the BBC Symphony Orchestra, and the OSESP.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Yan_Pascal_Tortelier

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Louis Lortie (born 27 April 1959 in Montreal) is a French-Canadian pianist. He made his debut with the Montreal Symphony Orchestra at the age of thirteen. Lortie won First Prize in the Ferruccio Busoni International Piano Competition in 1984. An international soloist, with over 30 recordings on the Chandos Records label, Lortie is particularly known for his interpretation of Ravel, Chopin and Beethoven. He currently lives in Berlin and teaches at Italy’s renowned Accademia Pianistica Internazionale at Imola. Since 2016, he is a "Master in residence" at the Queen Elisabeth Music Chapel (Waterloo, Belgium).
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Louis_Lortie
http://www.louislortie.com/

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