As von Rhein's review indicates, the Bach/Mahler Suite was really rather a treat. His tempi were a it fast, on the HIP side, and the orchestra was quite small (about 14 violins, 8 violas, 4 cellos), so it was mixture of big Bach and hip-Bach, and a good time was had by all.

I think von Rhein liked the M4 more than I did, however. I'd say that the 1st and 2nd movements were best. Chailly's control of tempo relationships in the opening movement was altogether fine, and there was a nice mix of innocence and schmaltz and an occasional sneer. In movement two the underlying menace was clear. The strings in alt disappointed me, a bit ragged, I thought, in the great slow movement -- for me the linchpin of the work, which may be why I rate the overall performance good, enjoyable, but certainly not great. 

Janice Watson was a late replacement for Ruth Ziesak as soloist in the Finale. Her voice was of appropriate timbre and she hit the higher 'Sankt Ursula' notes with ease, but she was in the final analysis unable to project adequately. (Chailly kept the orchestra quiet the majority of the time, but for a passage that needed to bit louder, Watson just could not be heard, and I didn't really think Chailly was the culprit.) Cellos and basses were really fine throughout and seemed to be well in sympathy with Chailly's overall conception and aims, and deserve singling out. (Violas, too, had some fine moments.) Clarinets and oboes were also quite good, and Clevenger's horn and Herseth's trumpet were a beauty to hear – and nice to see that the other horns and trumpets were also fine, since retirement has to be near for these great old-timers. Still, the the last movements didn't really coalesce for me, and I'm not sure that the orchestra did full justice to what Chailly really wanted from them. I'm glad to have been there, but it was not one of those incandescent nights.

Bill Drewett
November 20, 1999 
Chicago, IL



Back to The Chicago Mahlerites

Read other articles