"It is a reminder of rural life, more the expression of the feeling I experience with it than a picturesque description of it." This is how Beethoven wrote the dedication to his sixth symphony, his Pastorale. I remember a jury discussion for the awarding of the Cecilia prizes of the Belgian Music Press a few years ago. The complete recording of Beethoven's symphonies was nominated and yet the question remained: "Is there still a need for new recordings of Beethoven's symphonies?" When listening again to a fragment from those two CDs, the reaction of the jury members was unanimous. Such beautiful sounds, such a personal interpretation they had never heard before. The recording naturally received a Cecilia prize. And when Jordi Savall with his Concert des Nations comes along with it at Bozar, you want to experience that live.
Imposing applause when the Catalan, on crutches though, takes to the stage and sits down. That's allowed at his age, he's 82. And then that sixth by Beethoven starts. Sublime in its opening, even more sublime in its execution, swelling where necessary, never bombastic, almost restrained. This delightful clarity, transparency at its finest, we have heard very rarely. And there are already many orchestras that have published a complete cycle. But there are certainly excellent musicians playing here and on period instruments at that. What an engaging sound such an engaging man can conjure from his Concert des Nations. Indeed very different from what we are used to with other orchestras. Closer to what Beethoven had in mind? Perhaps, because the conductor studied the pieces based on the original manuscripts. Every melodic and rhythmic line unraveled and rewoven into unique sound images. The lyrical sound of the nightingale and the cheerful call of the cuckoo from that "Scene by the Brook" you have never heard so beautifully rendered by flute and clarinet respectively. The three final movements flow into one another and it begins with a cheerful Allegro of "Merry Gathering of Country Folk," full of teeming twists from a melodious horn section until thunder breaks loose with an orchestra at full strength and an excellent timpanist. Here you hear the possessed romantic Beethoven at work, until that storm peacefully disappears as the sky clears and the orchestra broadly launches into the finale.
Before tackling the other well-known symphony after the interval, Jordi Savall calls for peace in the Middle East conflict, supported by the sold-out hall, marred by one loud protest voice. That Seventh by Beethoven is music of a different caliber, not only louder but especially more rousing. Here a vitalistic composer wrote, a work full of energy and especially full of rhythm. Refinement and subtlety give way to the extroverted and flamboyant Beethoven. In performance less spectacularly 'differently' presented than the sixth. But when it comes to 'presto' and 'con brio' and galloping passages it cannot be more convincing.
The hall is of course ablaze with enthusiasm and Jordi Savall, humbly bowing, thanks his orchestra and the audience along with it and without doubt also Beethoven. We receive a complete movement of a symphony as a gift.
WHAT: Ludwig van Beethoven, Symphony no. 6 (op. 68) and Symphony no. 7 (op.92)
WHO: Le Concert des Nations, conductor Jordi Savall
WHERE: Henry Le Boeuf hall, BOZAR
WHEN: Thursday 20 December 2023