Helsinki Philharmonic Orchestra / John Storgards ZEMLINSKY Die Seejungfrau - Sinfonietta, Op. 23

Zemlinsky’s Die Seejungfrau has been recorded at least seven times, but this newcomer has some special qualities. It is without question the most gorgeously played and opulently engineered, which is saying a lot. After all, Chailly and the Concertgebouw (Decca) aren’t exactly slouches, and neither for that matter is Zemlinsky authority Antony Beaumont with the Czech Philharmonic (Chandos). It was Beaumont, in fact, who produced this new critical edition, restoring some five minutes of music to the central movement, including perhaps the work’s most convincing climax and interesting harmonies. So for that reason alone this performance, conducted by Storgards with 100% conviction and confidence, is worth having.
The work itself remains problematic. Thematically it owes quite a bit to Tchaikovsky–Francesca da Rimini in its “motto” theme, and the slow movement of the Fifth Symphony elsewhere. Its three movements can very easily come off as relatively undifferentiated sonic blobs due to Zemlinsky’s habit of immediately resorting to lyrical noodling just as things start to get moving. Each part seems to end five or six times before it actually stops, with the loud closing bars of Part Two sounding especially gratuitous. But the music is so beautiful from moment to moment, and so brilliantly scored, that in a performance like this one the defects hardly matter. If you’re a fan of Seejungfrau, this is now the version to own, and if you aren’t a fan, this one might make you one.
As to the coupling, well, here’s a story. At least two other very good recordings of Seejungfrau come in tandem with the Sinfonietta–Dausgaard’s and Conlon’s. This version, though, is the premiere recording of a recent rescoring for chamber orchestra by one Roland Freisitzer. I am not going to accuse Freisitzer of parasitically attaching himself to the coattails of the great (like Anthony Paine, for example, with his abominable Elgar Third Symphony), because no one is making a living creating alternate versions of works by Zemlinsky. On the other hand, the justification offered for disfiguring a late masterpiece by claiming to make it more playable by chamber orchestras just won’t wash, for several reasons.
First of all, there’s plenty of great music already written for chamber orchestra. No one needs Zemlinsky’s Sinfonietta any more than we need the recent silly, pint-sized arrangement of Mahler’s Second Symphony and other such curiosities–especially on recordings. Second, Zemlinsky’s Sinfonietta is scored for a fairly modest ensemble as it is–basically only double winds and standard brass, with no tuba. Freisitzer eliminates the three percussion parts, but adds a piano, pointlessly. His choices beg the question of just what constitutes a “chamber orchestra.” After all, if the Tapiola Sinfonietta under Mario Venzago can play Bruckner’s Fifth Symphony, then Zemlinsky’s Sinfonietta certainly stands squarely within the realm of possibility. Finally, it seems singularly strange, not to say conceptually confused, to couple a carefully prepared critical edition of Seejungfrau with a mongrel deconstruction of the Sinfonietta. Do Zemlinsky’s own ideas matter or not? The scoring of the Sinfonietta, even more than with Seejungrau, constitutes one of the most telling and original aspects of the work. This was a bad idea, despite the fact that the arrangement is excellently played by Storgards and members of the Helsinki Phil.
So because the recording of Seejungrau is so terrific, and perfectly fine recordings of the Sinfonietta are not that hard to find (including Beaumont’s, differently coupled), I am going to base the rating for this release mostly on the former, and largely ignore the latter. Seejungfrau really is that good. (ClassicsToday.com)

Helsinki Philharmonic Orchestra / John Storgårds LEEVI MADETOJA Symphony No. 2 - Kullervo - Elegy

If Sibelius remains the pre-eminent Finnish symphonist, the benchmark indeed for all would-be 20th- and 21st-century symphonists, later compatriots – Kokkonen, Sallinen, Rautavaara, Aho – made the genre their own. Even before them, so did Leevi Madetoja (1881-1947), who composed his first two between the first and final versions of Sibelius’s Fifth. In E flat major, No 2 closes in a modal-sounding E minor, a telling expressive stroke in a work inspired by the terrible events of the Finnish Civil War (in which the composer’s brother was killed). The influence of early Sibelius is discernible throughout alongside traces of the 19th-century Russian symphonists. Storgårds’s view of the work is broadly similar to Petri Sakari’s although often fleeter in tempo, especially in the Andante, and is more vividly recorded.
Had Sibelius not composed his Kullervo, Madetoja’s symphonic poem would be better known. As it is, Sibelius’s shadow lies heavily on its notes as well as its reputation! Storgårds and the Helsinki Philharmonic play it for all its worth, nevertheless. The earliest music here is the ‘Elegy’, the wistful opening span of the Symphonic Suite (1912), and one which strays close to Valse triste territory. The Helsinki players deliver it with feeling, though following the symphony here it feels very much like an afterthought. If you’re new to Madetoja this is a good place to start; if you already possess the alternative versions below (the Chandos including all three symphonies and Alba’s being part of a complete orchestral survey) these are still worth investigating. (Gramphone)

Christian Tetzlaff / Helsinki Philharmonic Orchestra / John Storgårds SHOSTAKOVICH Violin Concertos 1 & 2

As violinist Christian Tetzlaff steadily records the core concerto repertoire, he expands his modern coverage with the pair of concertos by Dmitry Shostakovich, which were originally composed for David Oistrakh. Inevitably, Tetzlaff's interpretations will be compared to the great Russian virtuoso's, whose performances are still held in the highest esteem and are rightly admired for their gravitas, intensity, and emotional depth. However, they are historical recordings that present the concertos in the light of Shostakovich's and Oistrakh's experiences in the Soviet era, and because of this, it is tempting to regard them as landmarks that no one can ever match or surpass. Yet Tetzlaff brings his own energy, concentration, and seriousness to his performances, and he shows a clear respect for the past and a connection to the tradition Oistrakh started. Add to his penetrating insights the exceptionally clear and controlled accompaniment by John Storgårds and the Helsinki Philharmonic, and the marvelous clarity and depth of Ondine's recording, and the excellence of this recording becomes apparent. While it won't displace the older Oistrakh recordings collectors still cherish, this 2014 release will bring a new audience to these challenging works and give weight to Tetzlaff's increasingly important catalog. (Blair Sanderson)

Christian Tetzlaff / Helsinki Philharmonic Orchestra / John Storgårds DVORÁK Violin Concerto - Romance SUK Fantasy

This performance of the fiery Fantasy in G minor for violin and orchestra, Op. 24, of Josef Suk, with violinist Christan Tetzlaff catching the full impact of the irregular form with its dramatic opening giving out into a set of variations, is impressive. And Tetzlaff delivers pure warm melody in the popular Romance in F minor, Op. 11, of Dvorák. But the real reason to acquire this beautifully recorded Ondine release is the performance of the Dvorák Violin Concerto in A minor, Op. 53, a work of which there are plenty of recordings, but that has always played second fiddle (if you will) to the Brahms concerto. Tetzlaff and the Helsinki Philharmonic under John Storgårds create a distinctive and absorbing version that can stand with the great Czech recordings of the work. Sample anywhere, but especially the slow movement, where Tetzlaff's precise yet rich sound, reminiscent for those of a certain age of Henryk Szeryng, forms a striking contrast with Storgårds' glassy Nordic strings. In both outer movements as well, Tetzlaff delivers a warm yet controlled performance that is made to stand out sharply. Ondine's Super Audio sound, captured at the Helsinki Music Centre, is another major attraction for a recording that's destined to become part of the core Dvorák repertory. (James Manheim)